Free Killing Cousins by Fletcher Flora

you’re here everything is all right again.”
    He sniffed the odor of juniper berries and inspected her closely. He had not been aware of anything unusual about her at first, but now, clued by the odor, he saw that her eyes were a little foggy, and that her small face had assumed a kind of sultry laxness, and that she was, in fact, about half shot on what was probably Martinis.
    “Something tells me,” he said, “that you’ve been drinking.”
    “I’ve been drinking a little, it’s true, but not excessively. I’ve only had a few Martinis along because I was lonesome and needed them.”
    “Please do me the favor of not having any more for any reason until we have disposed of Howard. It will be a difficult job at best, and we’ll need to be in good condition for it.”
    “We? I was hoping you’d be able to accomplish it without my help.”
    “No chance. I’m rather small, as you can see, and Howard must weigh two hundred at least. Dead weight. I’m afraid I couldn’t possibly lug him about by myself.”
    “All right. I’ll help if I must. It’s only fair to do my part.”
    “I’m glad you see it that way, since nothing would otherwise be done at all. What have you been doing all day?”
    “This morning I went next door and talked with Gwen Festerwauld, and then I came home about noon and had a nap, and since then I’ve merely been doing this and that and having a few Martinis along and waiting and waiting.”
    “What did you talk with Gwen about?”
    “I told her that Howard had left me, because I thought it would be a good idea to get the story started around, and there’s no one who can get a story started around any better than Gwen.”
    “That’s true. It’s just as well to get people talking about old Howard’s desertion as quickly as possible, and Gwen’s just the one to do it. I congratulate you, Cousin.”
    “I am only doing my part. What do you have in the bag you have set there on the floor?”
    “A change of clothing. I’ll certainly need a bath too, when we return from disposing of Howard. Lugging him about, in addition to digging a hole for him, will be hot and dirty work. I also have a pair of cotton gloves in my pocket, incidentally. It’s very rarely that I do anything to get blisters on my hands, and someone might consider it curious if I suddenly turned up with some.”
    “I swear, Quincy, you simply think of everything. You’re about as clever as one person can be. Did you say you went to KC?”
    “Yes.”
    “And arranged about the Buick?”
    “Yes. I’ll drive it over there after we’re through with old Howard.”
    “Do you think your cousin can be trusted?”
    “Don’t worry about Fred. Discretion is essential in his business, and he’s the soul of it. Now I think it’s time we got busy. The disposal of Howard will take considerable time, and then I must change clothes and drive the Buick to KC for Fred to appropriate, and afterward catch a plane to Dallas, Texas.”
    “Are you actually going to Dallas to mail a letter?”
    “Certainly. Can you think of any other way to get it mailed that wouldn’t be too risky? Don’t worry, Cousin. I’ll be back tomorrow night and safely in my cage Monday morning. The modern miracle of transportation, you know. I’ve written the letter, incidentally, and the first thing I must do now is type it on Howard’s portable Royal in his room. We’ll dispose of the portable with the bags and Howard. Come along upstairs. After I’ve typed the letter, you may read it and give me your opinion.”
    “I don’t believe I care to read it. It would surely make me sad.”
    “Never mind. You’ll read it soon enough when you get it in the mail.”
    They went upstairs, Willie leading. Quincy waited in the hall outside the door to Howard’s room while Willie went into her own room and got the key and returned with it. Now that he had completed the necessary preliminaries to the disposal of Howard, Quincy was excited and satisfied