Page 95 of Little Dark Deeds

“I came to talk to you,” I said.

He stepped inside and closed the door, and I walked around the desk, sitting on in the chair on the opposite side.

He took a seat across from me.“Does talking to me involve snooping through my desk drawers?”

I shrugged.“I was bored.”

And curious, among other things.

“Take a seat,” I said.

“I have a meeting in twenty minutes.”

“I’d cancel it if I were you.”

“Why?”

I crossed one leg over the other.“It was you.Youmurdered Tiffany.”

“I don’t know why you’re accusing me, but you’re wrong.”

“I’m not wrong, though.The first time we met, I saw a bottle of hand sanitizer in the cup on your desk, and there’s even more in one of your desk drawers.I didn’t think much of it, but now, I think you’re a germaphobe.Ever since Queenie found the lighter in Tiffany’s kitchen, something has been bothering me.I couldn’t figure out why anyone would murder Tiffany and then take the time to go to the kitchen sink afterward, dropping the lighter in the process.”

“What does any of this have to do with me?”

My newest theory was about to come to light.

“I imagine you wore gloves during the murder,” I said.“At some point, some of Tiffany’s blood must have gotten under your gloves, and you freaked out.You couldn’t wait to get home to wash it off.No.You had to clean up then and there.That’s when your lighter fell out of your pocket.”

“Why would I own a lighter?I don’t smoke.”

“At first, I thought we were looking for a smoker.But lighters are used for a lot of things.And in your case, you used it to light the candles for your open houses.How am I doing so far?”

“You’re not.I’m not going to sit here and listen to your false accusations.”

“What happened to the Audrey Hepburn photo that was on your desk?”

His stiff, closed-off posture indicated his discomfort with my question.

“It fell off my desk by accident, and the glass broke,” he said.

It sounded logical, but I didn’t believe a word of it.

“I learned a few things today about the lighter found at Tiffany’s house.It’s part of a limited-edition collection, inspired by Audrey Hepburn.”

“So?”

“Itisyour lighter, isn’t it?”

“Just because I had a photo of Audrey Hepburn on my desk doesn’t mean the lighter’s mine, and it doesn’t mean I use it to light candles.I use matches.”

“Queenie wasn’t lying when she talked to you yesterday, and shedidtalk to you, right after I saw her, I expect.When she told you about the blood on the lighter, as I imagine she did, you knew Tiffany’s murder could be linked back to you.I’m guessing you followed Queenie to her house, and you killed her.Then you tore it apart, looking for the lighter, whichIfound under a piece of carpet in the guest room.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I don’t care.A sample of your blood will prove it’s yours, which proves you were in her house, and it will be enough to convict you of her murder.Your life is over.”

He opened the top drawer of his desk, and I raised my gun, the one I’d been palming inside my bag.“If you’re looking for your gun, you won’t find it.”