Free Herculeah Jones Tarot Says Beware by Betsy Byars Page B

there.” He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “This was not some random killing. This was not an intruder who killed and left town.”
    â€œI know. I remember you telling me that most murders are not committed by unknown assailants.”
    â€œThat has been my experience.”
    â€œAnd this one?
    â€œThis one, too.”
    Herculeah hoped her father would elaborate, but he didn’t, so she said, “You think it was someone Madame Rosa knew?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œA relative? She told me she only had one of them still alive.”
    â€œIt’s a possibility.”
    â€œMeat thinks she was blackmailing people. That she’d find out all their secrets and blackmail them, but I don’t think so. Do you?”
    â€œIt’s a possibility.”
    â€œI did notice one interesting thing while I was in that house. This was one of the reasons I went in there. She had a lot of family pictures, and there was one of her with a boy. I’d seen it there a lot of times. Last night it was gone.”
    She glanced at her father, but he seemed intent on traffic.
    â€œYou don’t suppose it could be the boy in the picture that killed her?”
    â€œWe haven’t been able to locate any relatives.”
    Herculeah took in a quick breath. “The mime,” she said.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œThe mime.”
    â€œMime? You mean one of those white-faced people?”
    â€œYes. Dad, wouldn’t it be the perfect disguise? I mean, we see the mime every day, but we don’t know what he looks like or how old he is or anything. He could wash his face and come out, and nobody would even recognize him.”
    She leaned back with satisfaction. “Meat would be so pleased if it turned out to be the mime. He can’t stand mimes.” She laughed. “I’d love to see you try to interrogate a mime.”
    Her father’s tight profile eased into a reluctant smile.
    â€œOr see Judge Kellerman try.”
    A wider smile.
    â€œI wish I knew what happened to that picture.”
    â€œWell, I don’t guess there’s any harm in my telling you we found it.”
    â€œYou did?” She swiveled around. “Where?”
    â€œWell, we found half of it. The Madame Rosa half. It was in the alley behind the house. The frame, some broken glass, and half the picture.”
    â€œThat proves it was important, don’t you think? That’s it! The killer tore up the picture and took the half that could identify him!”
    â€œOr he took the picture to make us think it could identify him.”
    â€œWere there any fingerprints?”
    He shook his head.
    â€œOf course not.” She laughed. “The mime always wears gloves.” She shook her head as if to make herself get serious. “I wish I knew where that mime lives. Maybe I ought to follow him.”
    â€œYou’re not following any mime. This is a dangerous business. Give me your word.”
    â€œOh, all right, but you know what? I went into that house, got scared, got slammed into a wall, got Mom mad at me, got a lecture from you and”—she showed her empty hands—“and all for nothing!”
    Herculeah glanced at her father’s profile. His lips had tightened again, forming a straight line across his tanned face. She was sorry she had gotten the conversation back to her illegal entry into Madame Rosa’s.
    â€œI want you to make me another promise, hon.”
    â€œWhat, Dad?”
    â€œI want you to promise you will not go back in that house.”
    â€œOh, I’m happy to promise that. I don’t want to go back. I really did get scared, if you want to know the truth. Anyway, there’s nothing to go back for.”
    â€œThere better not be.”

20
    DEAR ABBY
    â€œI just did something I didn’t think I would ever do in my whole life,” Meat said as soon as Herculeah answered the phone.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI wrote a letter