Free 5 Big Bunny Bump Off by Kathi Daley Page B

demanding that the house be removed from his property but that Washington pay him for the use of the land for the past six years.”
    “The house was built six years ago and this is just coming out?”
    “It might never have come out if Blakely hadn’t decided to expand.”
    “So what happened?”
    “The case is still in court and has cost both men tens of thousands of dollars. I don’t know if Washington was mad enough to kill over it, but those in the room at the time the story was told seemed to think he might be.”
    “Can’t Washington take action against the contractor who made the original mistake?”
    “He died several years ago and his business was dissolved.”
    “So do we follow up on this like Spike seemed to want me to?” I asked.
    “I don’t know. What do you think ? Do you think Doug is guilty? Because if he is, we’d be wasting our time tracking down other leads.”
    I thought about it. Salinger had made some good points both about Doug’s motive and his ability to pull off the act, but it bothered me just a bit that everything was coming together so easily. Doug was an obvious suspect, which in my book actually made it less likely that he was guilty.
    “I’m not quite as certain as Salinger,” I admitted. “And my guess is that Salinger is sitting in his office with his feet up on his desk, celebrating another closed case. I guess after I finish this delicious breakfast we should go have a chat with Washington. It can’t hurt to see what he has to say.”
    “I thought you might say that , so I took the liberty of making an appointment with him, and also with the neighbors on either side of both men. I told them that I was creating a custom home-security system for a celebrity with a property similar to theirs and wondered if I might speak to them about what they liked and didn’t like about the systems they currently have. We’ll have to find a way to work in what we really want to talk about.”
     
    Our first stop was at Truman Washington’s. He lived in a two-story house perched on the edge of a beautiful yet busy beach. My boathouse might be a tenth of the size, but I’d take the isolation of my little cove over Truman’s expansive estate any day of the week. A glance at the area that I assumed was the disputed land was blocked off with yellow caution tape. Four feet might not sound like a lot, but I could see that a good part of the structure would need to be torn down to accommodate the property line, as well as the set back. Depending on load-bearing walls and whatnot, the project could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as a whole lot of hassle and heartache.
    “Mr. Washington,” Zak greeted as the door was opened. “I’m Zak Zimmerman , and this is my friend, Zoe.”
    “I know who you are .” The man shook Zak’s hand. “Your reputation as a software genius precedes you.”
    “I appreciate you r taking the time to answer a few questions.”
    “No problem at all. Come on in.”
    The house wasn’t at all my style, but I’m sure to most it was breathtaking. Huge chandeliers hung from tall ceilings that created a feeling of spaciousness in spite of the dark, hardwood floors. The decoration was in a style I think of as upper-class snob, with sharp edges and harsh lines everywhere, but I had to admit that the open floor plan and huge rooms created an enviable space. Still, I’d take my comfy sofa with cushions you can sink into over Washington’s designer sofa, which looked as if it had never been sat on.
    “Your home is beautiful,” I commented politely.
    “Thank you. This place is my baby. I handpicked every piece of granite for the countertops and molding for the trim. The furnishings are all imported and every piece was chosen to complement the mood of each room.”
    “It’s lovely,” I lied.
    “Perhaps we can sit on the deck while we chat. It’s such a beautiful day.”
    “Sounds perfect.”
    Zak and I followed Washington out onto the