Free Look Both Ways by Carol J. Perry

girlfriend of accused murderer Tommy Trent, is wanted for questioning by Salem police. Lead detective Pete Mondello announced this morning that Daphne Trent, who for several years had been accepted as Tommy Trent’s sister, may have information relevant to the murder of Helena Trent. Mondello emphasized that Ms. Trent is not suspected of wrongdoing relative to the death of Mrs. Trent. Ms. Trent, whose last known address was the Trent family estate, is believed to still be in the Greater Salem area.
    So Pete was lead detective on the case. He didn’t tell me that. Did they find Daphne? What did she know about Helena’s death?
    â€œThis is like reading a mystery novel,” I told the cat. “Except it all really happened, right here in Salem.”
    O’Ryan, with a warning “mrrow,” leapt into my lap and, putting his front paws on the edge of the card table, seemed to study the paper in front of us. One paw shot out, and he moved the top page aside and revealed the next article. This one had a color photo of Helena and Daphne standing together at a Junior League fashion show where the two had modeled evening wear.
    â€œWhat pretty women,” I murmured, looking from one to the other. Helena wore a low-cut, formfitting pink sequined gown. On a gold chain around her neck was what I guessed must be the famous pink diamond. Daphne wore a similar sparkling blue dress, which complemented her blond good looks.
    My gaze wandered to the headline— ALLEGED KILLER’S GIRLFRIEND CLAIMS FRIENDSHIP WITH VICTIM. Daphne Trent responded this morning to a request by the Salem Police Department to answer questions regarding the death of Helena Trent. According to sources, Ms. Trent denied any knowledge of the circumstances leading to the death of Helena Trent, or of the murder itself. She claimed that she and Helena Trent were the best of friends, despite her secret relationship with Trent’s husband. ‘I loved Helena,’ she said, ‘and I hated that Tommy and I were always lying to her. She was so kind to me. Even after she found out about Tommy and me, she said she didn’t hate me.’ Salem police reiterated that Daphne Trent is not suspected of any wrongdoing in the matter. Several witnesses have verified that on the evening of the murder Ms. Trent was at a charity fund-raiser, in the company of Mrs. Helena Trent’s stepson, John David Hampton III.
    I put my coffee mug down beside the stack of papers. “I wonder if Pete was the one who questioned her.” I spoke aloud to the cat on my lap. Sometimes it seemed as though he understood every word, and sometimes, in his own way, he did answer questions.
    This was one of those times.
    Out shot the paw again. This time he flipped a couple of pieces of paper onto the floor, seemed to study the one he’d revealed, then curled up on my lap and began to purr. It took me a moment to find the short paragraph near the bottom of the page.
    I read the headline— AIRTIGHT ALIBIS FOR ALLEGED KILLER’S GIRLFRIEND AND HAMPTON HEIR —before glancing down the page. According to Salem police detective Pete Mondello, Daphne Trent and John David Hampton III were present at a charity auction sponsored by the North Shore Patrons of the Arts on the evening of the death of Mr. Hampton’s stepmother, Helena Trent. Numerous witnesses have verified the presence of the couple at the event. Tommy Trent, the husband of the deceased, is at present the only suspect in the case and remains in police custody on suspicion of murder. Trent is being held on one million dollars bail.
    â€œHe could have told me that he was lead detective on that case when we talked about it,” I complained to the apparently sleeping cat. “Why does he keep things from me?”
    I knew the answer, of course. He’s a cop. He’s supposed to keep quiet about police work. What was my excuse?

CHAPTER 9
    Late afternoon shadows had stretched