Chapter 22

‘What do you want? ’

‘I’m sorry to bother you again, Mrs Barnes …’

‘Then don’t. I’m quite busy. My daughter is having a party tonight, and I’ve got a jillion things to do. ’

‘I won’t take up much of your time. ’

She looked past him as if she half expected neighbors to be gathering in the street. ‘You’d better come in, ’ she said.

Sam followed her across the foyer. In the living room, Ticia stepped over a vacuum cleaner and sat on the couch. She folded her hands in the lap of her Sassoon jeans.

‘If it’s about last night, ’ she said, ‘I frankly don’t see why my private life is any of your business. ’

‘It’s not about that. Where were you Wednesday night? ’

Her pale skin turned red. ‘What are you implying? ’

‘You weren’t home Wednesday night. I’d like to know where you were. ’

‘I fail to see what this has to do with anything. ’

‘It has to do with Chief Boyanski’s murder. Now, please answer the question. ’

She stared at her folded hands, her eyes blinking rapidly. ‘All right, ’ she finally said. ‘I have nothing to be ashamed of. I went to the Sunset Lounge. ’

‘Alone? ’

Her eyes narrowed. ‘You already know, don’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be asking these questions. ’

‘I don’t know as much as I’d like. ’

‘I went with Thelma. I picked her up at her sister’s house. ’

‘What time? ’

‘Around nine. ’

‘When did you leave the lounge? ’

‘Midnight. ’

‘Did Thelma leave with you? ’

She stared down at her hands. ‘I really fail to see…’

‘She didn’t leave with you? ’

‘We met some friends. After a few drinks, we went our separate ways. ’

‘When did Thelma and her friend leave? ’

‘They left a little earlier. Eleven-thirty, maybe. ’

‘Who did she go with? ’

‘You don’t know? ’

‘I’m asking you. ’

Ticia smiled. ‘I do hate to disappoint you, but I don’t know the man’s name. ’

‘You and Thelma sat and had drinks with him for – what, two hours? – and you didn’t catch his name? ’

‘He was at the bar. Thelma went to join him, while I stayed at the table with Elmer. ’

‘You were with Elmer Cantwell? ’

‘He doesn’t know the man, either. We both thought it a trifle foolhardy of Thelma to go off with a stranger. Elmer was somewhat disappointed, too. I’m sure he’d joined us with the expectation of swooping away with Thelma. He hardly knew me, at that point. ’ Ticia smiled with satisfaction. ‘I must say, however, his disappointment was short-lived. ’

‘You didn’t see Thelma, after she left with the stranger? ’

‘Should we have? ’

‘Did you? ’

‘No, we saw neither hide nor hair of them, after that. ’

‘Have you seen Thelma, since then? ’

‘She phoned the next morning to say she’d had a wonderful time. ’
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br /> ‘Did she mention what they did? ’

Ticia grinned. ‘Really, Mr Wyatt. I think we can make certain assumptions on that score – no pun intended. ’

Sam wasn’t amused. ‘Did she say where they went? ’

‘Somewhere private, I should imagine. ’

‘But she didn’t say? ’

‘No, she didn’t say. I think you’ll have to ask Thelma about that. ’

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