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“Yes,” said Odelia. “I suppose he would have. Only, it’s all about motive, isn’t it? That’s what it all comes down to, over and over again.”

“Motive and opportunity,” Trey agreed, nodding. “So these three men, they had both. And now the police has the unenviable task of figuring out which one of them is the real culprit.”

“I very much doubt whether Sasha Drood had sufficient motive,” said Odelia. “He’s a thief, not a murderer, and even though he’s been in jail plenty of times, he wouldn’t want to go to jail for murder. Not a man like him. Then there’s Aldo Wrenn, who claims Mr. Ackerman was his father.But why would he kill him? All he had to do was prove his claim and he would be set for life.”

“You’re forgetting that if he really is my father’s son he stands to inherit a part of the inheritance,” Trey pointed out.

“My uncle talked to Chris Ackerman’s attorney this morning, and according to the stipulations in his will your ex-husband left the bulk of his fortune to Stacey Kulcheski.”

This was clearly news to Angelique and her son.“What?!” cried the woman.

Odelia nodded.“I’m afraid so. And Aldo Wrenn knew about this. Chris’s lawyers told him as much. Aldo wouldn’t get a penny, even if he was his son. So Aldo knew he’d never benefit from his father’s death. Only in the event that Chris stayed alive could he hope to effect a reconciliation, get into his father’s good graces and possibly earn himself a place in his will. So there goes his motive as well.”

“He could have flown off the handle and committed murder out of spite,” said Trey.

“He’s not the type,” Odelia said.

“So what about this stalker? He’s obviously crazy and extremely dangerous.”

“We’ve just received confirmation that Darius Kassman is actually Stacey Kulcheski’s cousin. He developed an obsession with your ex-husband after being introduced to him by Stacey at her home. Darius may have been obsessed, but he isn’t dangerous. Stacey vouches for him. Said he would neverhurt a fly, and most definitely not her future husband.”

“Nonsense,” Angelique exclaimed sharply. “Of course she would say that. You want to know what I think? Stacey put him up to this. This Darius Kassman is a vulnerable young man and she manipulated him into murdering my ex-husband. Especially considering the information you just gave us concerning his will.”

She clearly wasn’t happy about this turn of events. Odelia leaned in. It was now or never. “Mrs. Ackerman—can I speak to you in private?”

Trey got the message.“I’ll be in the next room,” he said, swiftly removing himself.

“What is it you wanted to talk to me about?” asked Angelique, a little stiffly.

“It’s about your son,” said Odelia. “We found a discarded pizza delivery outfit in a trash can near the library. We found blood on the shirt that we think matches your ex-husband’s blood type. A DNA test will be carried out, both on the blood and the shirt, which I believe will put Trey at the scene of the murder. Which means… he killed his father.”

“What are you talking about? What preposterous nonsense!”

“I’m only telling you for your own protection, Mrs. Ackerman. Trey killed his father and I’m afraid your life may be in danger as well. Which is the real reason I came here.”

Angelique stared at her for a long moment, then suddenly burst into laughter.

“Oh, you’re such a naive little wench, aren’t you, Miss Poole? Trey—come back here!”

“No!” Odelia said, jumping up from the chair. But Angelique pushed her back down.

“You’re not going anywhere!” the woman snapped, and suddenly Odelia discovered that she was holding a small silver revolver in her hand, with the barrel pointed at her heart.

“Silly, silly girl,” said Trey, who’d come up behind her and now placed his hands on her shoulders. “Did you really think I’d go to all this trouble without talking to my dear, sweet mother first?”

“Trey adores his mother, don’t you, Trey?” asked Angelique, still pointing that revolver at Odelia. “So when he saw that I was suffering such terrible abuse at the hands of his father, he suggested we do something about it. And so the plan was hatched, and carried out to perfection.”

“Thank you, mother,” said Trey appreciatively.

“You should have burned that outfit, though.”

“Beginner’s mistake?” said Trey, a smile sneaking up his pale face.

“It doesn’t matter. We’ll be out of here and on our way to Mexico before these silly little small-town cops put it all together,” said Angelique. She directed a mocking look at Odelia. “Of course I knew Chris didn’t leave me a single penny. He told me. Which is exactly the reason we emptied out his bank accounts last week, transferring all of his money into an account Trey set up in the Cayman Islands. I had to pay Chris’s accountant a hefty sum but it was definitely worth it. Chris was the one who didn’t have a penny, not me. If he was going to leave me for that stupid editorof his I was going to make him pay. Big time.”