Free Designer Detective (A Fiona Marlowe Mystery) by Marjorie Thelen Page B

never
understand about the house. They can’t ever know.”
    “Cody said the relatives will contest.”
    “They won’t get anywhere. It will take a lot of
time and cost a lot of money. None of them have much.”
    “Fascinating, but where do I come in?”
    “Even though I know what happened to Albert and
who did it, I cannot take the information to the police. Albert was an undercover
agent. If the police know, it could jeopardize other undercover agents. I want
to exact revenge on the perpetrator. That’s where you and Jake come in.”
    I swallowed hard. This sounded out of my
league. Revenge? I wondered if the Russian mafia was
involved. Definitely out of my league. “I’m not so
sure I’m your woman. Where is Jake anyway? I haven’t heard from him.”
    “He’s run an errand.”
    “Why me and Jake?”
    “You make such a nice couple.”
    Here we went again. “Please, Opal, let’s leave
out the matchmaking, and I’m not trained for cloak and dagger stuff.”
    “Hudson and I are sure we know who killed
Albert, and she isn’t a very nice person.”
    My interest was piqued. “She?” I said. “As in the blondeat the wedding?”
    “No, not her. Albert
had others. Lord knows why Olivia ever put up with it. I say this, even though
he was my dear brother. He couldn’t help a wandering eye, and everyone knew
it.” She leaned closer. “He also was known to have a taste for drink.”
    I wished Albert could have come back from the
dead. Sounded like a fun guy. “Who then? Who is this
mysterious woman who killed Albert?”
    “A woman who worked with him. I believe her name is Alice. She and Albert had an affair a while back. Olivia
caught wind of it and told Albert to cease and desist or it was the end of the
marriage. The affair was pretty public. Albert wasn’t discreet. I think as he
got older he was quite harmless, although I understand his Viagra bill was
pretty outrageous there for a while. Albert’s charm lay in a flair for the ladies
but his extreme wealth didn’t hurt.”
    “Fascinating.”    
    “Albert cut it off with his co-worker. However,
you know what they say about a woman scorned. She took it to new heights. Made
Albert’s life a misery, threatened him with all kinds of things. I suspect she
arranged for his overdose. Those spy people are very creative when it comes to
murder.”
    “I never think of creative ways to murder
people, but I believe you about spies.” Another good reason
why I shouldn’t get involved. “So you want to exact revenge on this
woman?”
    “Yes, I do.”
    “Are you certain the woman did this?”
    Opal squeezed her eyes shut tight like she was
trying to think, then opened them wide. “Hudson and I
have given this a great deal of thought. We are ninety nine per cent sure.”
    I was concerned about the other one per cent. “What
kind of revenge did you have in mind?”
    She smiled. “Murder would be too simple. I was
thinking more in terms of blackmail or maybe forcing her out of her job.”
    Little old ladies can be deadly.
    “Blackmail? What kind
of blackmail.”
    “She has a husband. Maybe he didn’t know about
the affair. We could blackmail her for money or with harassing phone calls or
maybe hack into her computer and steal her identity.”
    I was getting a creepy feeling that Opal was going
off the deep end. Maybe I’d forego the money and get the hell out.
    “Opal, the action items you mentioned carry
jail sentences with them. I’m a law-abiding citizen. Look, I’ll figure out what
is owed me and send the bill. Have Hudson mail me a check when it’s
convenient.” I busied myself shutting down the Mac and packing up.
    Opal didn’t respond. I looked at her. Our eyes
met. She smiled. Did I detect a glimmer of insanity in those frosty blues?  
    “Maybe Jake can do this for you,” I said, trying
to be helpful. I zipped the carrying case and hefted the strap over my
shoulder.
    “Then you won’t help me?”
    I shook my head. “Not my line of