Free The Master Plan (2009) by Carol Costa Page B

morning was an exercise in patience. The streets were icy and
the motorists were ill-tempered.
    "Sam's in your office," Marianne told her as soon as she
came through the door.
    "Hold my calls," she replied.
    Sam was sitting in Dana's chair, looking out the window
at the icicles that were suspended from the overhang of the
building across the street. He exchanged greetings with Dana
as she came in and hung up her coat and scarf on the coat tree
in the corner of her office.
    "Have you talked to Bruno this morning?" Sam asked,
relinquishing Dana's chair to her and walking around the
other side of the desk.
    "No. I doubt if he would take my call."
    "Sorry. What's new on the Porter case? Emily expects me
to call her with a full report this morning."

    "Is she still working at the gallery?"
    "No. Del came back last night. He heard about Lucas being murdered and called Emily. I guess he tried to call you
but couldn't get through."
    "After Bruno left, I turned off my cell and unplugged my
land line."
    "Uh-oh. This sounds serious."
    Dana nodded and proceeded to tell Sam what Bob found
out at the pool hall the previous afternoon. "Of course, Bruno
got the same story and immediately went after Teddy and ordered him to show up for questioning at the station this morning with Judy."
    "So Bruno thinks that Judy and her boyfriend killed her
husband. What do you think?"
    "I don't know. They claim to be just friends. I talked to
both of them after Bruno was done with them yesterday.
Teddy looks like a choirboy. I'm having a hard time seeing
him as a murderer. By the way, I arranged for Troy Kimball
to represent Teddy as well as Judy this morning. Another
thing Bruno will get steamed over when he finds out."
    "I'd say you've done all you can, Dana. Let the police
and the lawyers handle it now."
    "I may have to do that, but first I'm going to the gallery
to talk to Del."
    What Dana didn't tell Sam was that Del Pitman was the
most inquisitive person she had ever met and that he just
might have some inside information to share on Judy, Teddy,
and Lucas.
    Sam left and Marianne came in with some messages. One
of them was from Floyd Flannery of Flannery's Garage.

    "I assume this one is about the story Casey wrote blowing the whistle on his unethical business practices," Dana
said holding the message up for Marianne to see.
    "You don't have to call him back. He just called to say
he was going to sue the Globe for printing a bunch of lies."
    "I assume Casey made a file with all her backup information in it."
    "She always does, but she didn't leave it with me."
    "Can you call her and remind her to bring it in?" Dana
asked. "If Flannery gets a lawyer, Sam will want the file immediately."
    "I already tried to call her this morning, on her cell phone
and her land line. No answer either place."
    "That's strange. She didn't say anything about needing the
day off. Bruno and I had dinner with her and Tony last night."
    "You did? What is he like?" Marianne sat down in the one
of the brocaded chairs in front of Dana's desk. It was obvious that Marianne wasn't going to move until she got some
details from Dana.
    "He looks like a perfect match for Casey-tall, slim, attractive. They were even wearing matching sweaters. We
had a nice time. They're thinking of getting married in Las
Vegas."
    "That would be fun," Marianne said. "So, did you like him,
Dana?"
    "I did, and he got along fine with Bruno, which isn't always easy."
    "Go on. Bruno is a sweetheart"
    "Sometimes," Dana said, glancing at her watch. It was still
early. Judy Porter and Teddy weren't due at the station until ten. "I'm going to take a quick walk over to the Pitman
Gallery. Sam told me that Del came back last night and I
want to talk to him."

    Dana put her coat back on and wrapped her scarf around
her head. She told Marianne to keep trying to get in touch
with Casey and to call Bob too and remind them both of the
staff meeting that afternoon.
    "Will do,"