In Self Defense by Susan Sloan (phonics books .TXT) 📕

“Certainly not,” Marcia said firmly.  “On both counts.”

“Well, do you think, if there were any problems in the marriage, you would have known about them?”

“I think so,” Marcia Bennett replied.  “As far as we could tell, aside from that perfectly awful stalker business that Clare got caught up in, she and Richard seemed to have an idyllic life.”

***

“We’re getting nowhere with this,” Dusty said when he and Erin sat down to compare notes at the end of the day.  “No one I’ve talked to so far knows anything about Durant wanting a divorce. I’m beginning to think it was wishful thinking on Stephanie Burdick’s part.”

“There are a few people left to see,” Erin said.  “Let’s not give up just yet.”

***

              “We’ve known Clare and Richard -- my goodness, it must be over a dozen years now,” Annabelle Fowler said, sitting in the parlor of her gracious lakefront home in Windermere, another exclusive Seattle suburb, just to the northeast of Laurelhurst.  “Richard went sailing with my husband John almost every Sunday during the season.  Clare and I served together on any number of committees.  What a dreadful thing it was, what a terrible, terrible tragedy, losing poor Richard, and then to have it happen the way it did, just when we thought everything was going to be okay with them.”

“What do you mean?” Erin inquired.

“All that nonsense about Richard wanting a divorce, of course,” Annabelle offered.

“What did you know about that?” Dusty asked, as the two detectives almost jumped out of their seats.

“Well, only what John told me.  He said that no one could have been more surprised than he was when Richard approached him -- I guess it was almost a year ago now.  Well, no one except me, I can assure you.  I don’t mind telling you, I was bowled over.  I always thought they had a perfect marriage.”

“Do you know why Durant would have approached your husband about this?”

Annabelle shrugged.  “I assume it’s because my husband is a divorce attorney.”

Dusty held his breath.  “Did your husband tell you why Durant wanted a divorce?”

“No, he didn’t.  All he said was that Richard wanted to know exactly what his position would be at Nicolaidis Industries if he were to get one.  Of course, John had to tell him that he more than likely wouldn’t have a position at Nicolaidis if there was a divorce.”

Dusty and Erin both leaned forward intently.  “And why was that?” Dusty asked.

“Because Richard never had any real financial interest in the company.  He took it public about ten years ago, and may have picked up a few shares for himself in the process, but Clare retains seventy percent of the voting stock.  If there had been a divorce, I can assure you, Clare would have had Richard removed in a heartbeat.”

“How do you know that, Mrs. Fowler?” Erin inquired.

“Because she told me so.”

Dusty hoped he had heard correctly.  “Clare Durant knew her husband was talking to a divorce attorney?”

“Well, certainly she knew,” Annabelle asserted.

“Did she say how she had found out about it?”

“She didn’t have to.  I knew how.  I told her.”

“You told her?” Erin almost whispered.

“Well, of course I did,” Annabelle declared.  “I had to.  As I told John, I was sure it was just a temporary aberration on Richard’s part, you know, a midlife crisis sort of thing, and I didn’t want to see that lovely family split up over it.  And I was right to do it.  The two of them obviously worked everything out, because Richard stopped talking about getting a divorce, and he and Clare seemed as happy as ever together.”

***

“I’ve worked for the Durants for seven years now,” Doreen said, sitting at the table in the kitchen.  “And I worked for Mrs. Durant’s mother before that.”

“And how would you best describe the Durants’ marriage?” Dusty inquired.

“I make it my business not to describe anything about the people who employ me,” Doreen replied crisply.

“Look, we certainly appreciate that you want to be loyal to Mrs. Durant,” Erin coaxed.  “And believe me, we’re not the enemy here.  We don’t want anyone to get hurt unnecessarily.  We just want to find out what really happened that night.”

“I wasn’t here,” Doreen told them.  “I haven’t the faintest idea what happened.”

“She knows more than she’s saying,” Erin said under her breath, as they left the kitchen.  “I can feel it.”

“Of course she does,” Dusty agreed.  “But the only way we’re likely to get it out of her is with a subpoena.”

***

“Under no circumstances will I allow you to speak to my children,” Clare said defiantly.

Dusty and Erin exchanged glances.

“Even if it would be in your own best interests?” Dusty asked.

“I’m far more concerned about what would be in their best interests,” Clare replied.  “Good God, you people have been annoying everyone I know -- my housekeeper, my friends, my relatives, my neighbors, my business associates -- and for what?  Because you think that I shot an innocent person on purpose?  And now you want my children to help you prove it?  The answer is no!  You don’t go near Julie and Peter.  They weren’t here that night.  They know nothing about what happened.  How many times do I have to say it?  I shot someone I thought was trying to kill me.  That’s all there is to it.”

***

              Not for the first time, Erin lay awake, staring at the ceiling, trying to put it all together.  The clock on the night table told her it was well after midnight, but that didn’t matter.  She did some of her best thinking in the creaky old bed, in the dark, quiet time, alone.  And she needed all her wits about her, because the Durant case really confounded her.

There was now little doubt in Erin’s mind that Clare Durant had deliberately shot and killed her husband, but the question was -- could they prove it?  They could establish that Richard Durant wanted a divorce.  And thanks to Annabelle Fowler, they