A Motive For Murder by Katy Munger Read Free Book Online Page A

public
exposure for a betrayal of ethics or trust.
    “Let’s go somewhere for coffee,” Auntie Lil
suggested, certain that the single best place in the world to be
overheard was probably a newspaper waiting room.
    “Sure. What’s on your mind?” Margo did not hurry
Auntie Lil. She knew from experience that the best way to get
infor–mation from a source was to let them take their time and work
out their fears at their own pace.
    “I’ll tell you when we’re alone,” Auntie Lil promised
as they made their way into the hordes of busy strangers clogging
Forty-second Street.
    “No problem,” Margo agreed. She wholeheartedly
supported Auntie Lil’s paranoia.
    “I did have T.S. call you about the Fatima Jones
matter last month,” Auntie Lil admitted once they had settled in a
crowded coffee bar near Times Square. The seats were metal and
uncomfortable because, as usual, groups of younger people already
occupied the few plush, living-room-style arrangements dotting the
room. Manhattan had lately sprouted numerous such coffee bars,
ostensibly as havens for the hurried and weary. In reality, more
tempers were irked than soothed by the jockeying for good seats
that went on in these Java joints.
    “So what happened?” Margo asked. “He never called me
back. Why the change of mind?”
    “I chickened out once the vote was taken. My nephew
convinced me that it would be better to let it go, that it might
harm the Metropolitan more than I intended.”
    “It probably will,” Margo agreed. “But from what I
under–stand, it will not be your fault. You voted against it.”
    “You’re well-informed. And I need to know who told
you about the vote,” Auntie Lil said. “Your source may well be
connected to the murder of Bobby Morgan last night.”
    “I wondered,” the columnist admitted, pulling a small
note–book from her backpack. “Tell me what you know about the
murder.”
    Auntie Lil shook her head firmly. “You tell me who
your inside source is first.”
    Margo gazed at Auntie Lil from above the rim of her
coffee cup, her eyes an innocent blue. “Miss Hubbert, you know that
there is no way that I am going to give you the name of my source.
That is my livelihood. All I have is my word when it comes to
building trust with people. I wouldn’t give the name to the Supreme
Court itself and I am certainly not giving it to you.”
    Auntie Lil considered herself more important than the
Supreme Court, but knew better than to argue. She had a more
roundabout method in mind. She sighed heavily, as if the burdens of
the world were just too much for her. Taking a handkerchief from
the depths of her enormous pocketbook, she patted her brow
daintily. “It’s very distressing, this entire matter. I am merely
attempting to help the Metro board out of a tight spot and do the
right thing.”
    Margo McGregor was not in the least bit fooled. She
had seen Auntie Lil in action. “What’s the deal?” she demanded.
“What’s the trade?”
    Auntie Lil stuffed her hankie out of sight and pulled
out her own notebook. Pen poised above a clean page, she began
firing questions. “Can you tell me some facts that weren’t in the
paper about the Fatima Jones incident? Could you help me out
without divulging your source? Do you know who on the board
approached the Morgans about Mikey dancing or was it really the
other way around? Tell me what you know and I will tell you what I
know about the death of Bobby Morgan.”
    Margo thought it over while she sipped her coffee.
Auntie Lil was content with her latte, a concoction of coffee and
steamed milk. She had long ago discovered that the only difference
between a latte and a cappuccino was a lot of hot air. Quite
naturally, she avoided the hot air. “Well?” she finally asked,
impatient as always.
    Margo shook her head. “I am a fool to do this,” she
admitted. “But just in case you come up with something good, here
goes. But I get to hear it first if you uncover anything about