Page 141 - Labelle Gramercy, Detective

Airtight

me. I must have gotten flustered, for I blurted out, “Ben had
insurance on everything, including everyone’s life. It all terminated
the moment you six were to walk out of the dome. He admitted it to
the detective in front of me. I’m sorry, but there’s no reason his little
secret should be kept from the rest of you.”
“I figured as much,” said Toro. “Though I didn’t read the fine
print on my contract. But I thought the insurance would benefit our
own survivors, our next of kin?”
“Ben took out both kinds of policies.” Now I felt I had to defend
the man. Me and my big mouth. “This is a risky business, after all. He
was probably lucky to get any insurance at all. I don’t think the
investors would have gone along without it, however.”
Ray seized the bit and ran with it. “Then Ben has to be under
suspicion as much as we are, at least from the point of view of
motive. It got near the end of the year, he was in financial difficulties,
and he gave some secret signal over the phone to his confederate—
one of us—to save his skin with the insurance money. Lt. Gramercy
has to be considering that possibility. But who would do his dirty
work?”
“Hold on, Ray. I was with him almost every time he talked with
your team; I didn’t hear anything odd. And I don’t know about any
money problems. If anything, this tragedy is going to give our
investors the jitters. Whatever Laurel’s life was insured for will not
make up for a wholesale stampede by the people with a stake in the
enterprise.”
“Easy for you to say!” was his snide response. “Maybe the two of
you were in on it together. We certainly have no idea what was really
going on out here for the last twelve months. Maybe you and Ben
have gotten a bit too friendly huddled around the speakerphone.”
Blanche laughed. “Oh, give it up, Ray. Kelly and Ben? I suppose
it’s possible, but really!”
I tried to grin. “Thanks, both of you. Yes, money and power are
supposed to make a man sexy, but Ben doesn’t have enough of either
to compensate for his deficiencies.”
“Which do not bear repetition on this occasion.” Larry tried to
sound mature and authoritative. Maybe his medical persona was
resurfacing; I needed another voice of reason, particularly as my own
was getting a bit shaky. “I think the best thing for us to do is to

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