D is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton Read Free Book Online

throat. Her heels were a burgundy leather and matched her shoulder bag. She looked like an attorney or a stockbroker, someone accustomed to power.
    â€œCome on in,” I said, “I was trying to figure out how to get in touch with him. I take it your mother told you I stopped by.”
    I was making small talk. She wasn’t having any of it. She sat down, turning those riveting eyes on me as Imoved around to my side of the desk and took a seat. I thought of offering her coffee, but I really didn’t want her to stay that long. Even the air around her seemed chilly and I didn’t like the way she looked at me. I rocked back in my swivel chair. “What can I do for you?”
    â€œI want to know why you’re looking for my father.”
    I shrugged, underplaying it, sticking to the story I’d started with. “I’m not really. I’m looking for a friend of his.”
    â€œWhy weren’t we told Daddy was out of prison? My mother’s in a state of collapse. We had to call the doctor and have her sedated.”
    â€œI’m sorry to hear that,” I said.
    Barbara Daggett crossed her legs and smoothed her skirt, her movements agitated. “Sorry? You don’t know what this has done to her. She was just beginning to feel safe. Now we find out he’s in town somewhere and she’s very upset. I don’t understand what’s going on.”
    â€œMiss Daggett, I’m not a parole officer,” I said. “I don’t know when he got out or why nobody notified you. Your mother’s problems didn’t start yesterday.”
    A bit of color came to her cheeks. “That’s true. Her problems started the day she married him. He’s ruined her life. He’s ruined life for all of us.”
    â€œAre you referring to his drinking?”
    She brushed right over that. “I want to know where he’s staying. I have to talk to him.”
    â€œAt the moment, I have no idea where he is. If I findhim, I’ll tell him you’re interested. That’s the best I can do.”
    â€œMy uncle tells me you saw him on Saturday.”
    â€œOnly briefly.”
    â€œWhat was he doing in town?”
    â€œWe didn’t discuss that,” I said.
    â€œBut what did you talk about? What possible business could he have had with a private detective?”
    I had no intention of giving her information, so I tried her technique and ignored the question.
    I pulled a legal pad over and picked up a pen. “Is there a number where you can be reached?”
    She opened her handbag and took out a business card which she passed across the desk to me. Her office address was three blocks away on State and her title indicated that she was chairman and chief executive officer of a company called FMS.
    As if in response to a question, she said, “I develop financial management software systems for manufacturing firms. That’s my office number. I’m not listed in the book. If you need to reach me at home, this is the number.”
    â€œSounds interesting,” I remarked. “What’s your background?”
    â€œI have a math and chemistry degree from Stanford and a double masters in computer sciences and engineering from USC.”
    I felt my brows lift appreciatively. I couldn’t see any evidence that Daggett had ruined
her
life, but I keptthe observation to myself. There was clearly more to Barbara Daggett than her professional status indicated. Maybe she was one of those women who succeeds in business and fails in relationships with men. As I’d been accused of that myself, I decided not to make a judgment. Where is it written that being part of a couple is a measure of anything?
    She glanced at her watch and stood up. “I have an appointment. Please let me know if you hear from him.”
    â€œMay I ask what you want with him?”
    â€œI’ve been urging Mother to file for divorce, but so far she’s refused. Maybe