Unknown Remains by Peter Leonard Read Free Book Online Page B

shot.”
    Vicki heard the buzzer and froze. It was loud in the quiet apartment. She heard the buzzer ring a couple more times, walked over, and pressed the intercom button. “Who is it?”
    â€œDiane McCann. I want to talk.”
    â€œI’ve got nothing to say.”
    Jack’s wife didn’t answer. Vicki went to the living room window, looking down at the street, no sign of her, and then there was a knock on the door.
    Vicki looked through the peephole and saw her. This was insane. Jack was dead. What did she want?
    â€œI’m gonna stand here till you come out. I don’t care how long it takes.”
    Vicki unlocked the deadbolts, top and bottom, and opened the door. Jack’s wife staring at her, as her neighbor Rachel walked by and flashed a concerned look. “Everything okay, Vic?”
    â€œYeah, we’re fine.” And then to Jack’s wife, “Wanna come in?”
    They sat in the living room, a coffee table separating them, the woman giving her a cold stare. It was awkward, uncomfortable, Vicki wondering if she should offer her something, but this wasn’t a social call. She said, “What do you want to know?” breaking the silence.
    â€œWhat was he like?”
    â€œExcuse me. You were married to him.”
    â€œEvidently, I didn’t know him as well as I thought.”
    No reason to pretend now, tell her the way it was. “No one had more fun than Jack. He was a blast to be around.”
    â€œHow long had you been seeing him?”
    â€œWe met about three months ago. At first, I didn’t know he was married. He didn’t wear a ring.”
    â€œAnd when you found out?”
    â€œI liked him and rationalized it somehow.” There was more to it than that, but she couldn’t go into it.
    â€œWere you in love with him?”
    No, she wasn’t. Their relationship wasn’t like that. “I don’t know.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, you don’t know?”
    â€œWe had a good time together.”
    â€œWhat’d Jack say about me?”
    Vicki was trying to think of something that wasn’t derogatory, that wouldn’t offend her. “You were a great cook, a wonderful decorator.”
    Jack’s wife made a face. “That’s it? That’s all he said?”
    â€œIt was more about you doing things. ‘Diane and I went to a dinner party. Diane and I went to a Yankees game. Diane and I went to an event at the Museum of Modern Art.’ Like that.”
    â€œHow’d you meet?”
    â€œWhat difference does it make? Why don’t you let it go. Jack’s gone. It’s over.”
    â€œI want to know. It’s important to me.”
    â€œWe met in a bar. We talked for a few minutes; he bought me a beer and that was it. A few weeks later, he came into the restaurant. I didn’t even remember telling him I worked there.” Actually she was kind of drunk and had written her phone number on the palm of his hand with a red marker she had gotten from the bartender.
    â€œAnd then what?”
    â€œA couple weeks later, he showed up at the restaurant again for lunch. I was there working an early shift, covering for a friend. I usually work nights. I waited on Jack and another guy. They were nice, had lunch, and left.” The coincidence was pure bullshit. Jack had called, knew when she was working. Vicki was uncomfortable sitting in the hot glare of Diane McCann’s gaze, apologizing for going out with a guy that didn’t seem to care about his wife. “Jack would come in regularly with clients, different groups. This went on for a while before he asked me out. I didn’t see a ring, but I asked, ‘Are you married?’”
    â€œWhat’d he say?”
    â€œNothing. Shook his head.” That wasn’t true. Jack had admitted he was married right away. At the time, she didn’t know if he was conning her or not, but she liked him. He was good-looking