Death on the Mississippi Read Online Free Page A

conversations in mid-thought. “Hold on a sec. Let’s go back to the phone calls. What was said that made you think it was a threat?”
    â€œIt was the whole conversation. Like the guy would say things like, ‘It’s over, Dalton. You’ve had it this time. You either come across or we get serious.’ Sometimes Dalton hangs up, but they call right back and I try to listen in.”
    â€œIt’s always a male voice?” Lyon wondered if the night calls could all be accounted for by a love triangle.
    â€œI thought about women before I listened in. I mean, before Dalton and I got together he wasn’t exactly a priest. But it’s always the same voice. A deep, gravellike voice.”
    â€œThere could be perfectly reasonable explanations for the calls,” Lyon said. “After all, Dalton is a developer, and builders deal with a lot of men who didn’t go to finishing school.”
    â€œWhat about the accidents? We came within feet of getting killed in the car.” Her voice had risen to panic level.
    â€œIt was inches, my dear. Unquestionably centimeters, and perhaps even microns.” Dalton’s high laugh punctuated his arrival in the kitchen. He put a protective arm around his wife. “Baby doll, if I cried every time I was in a near-accident I wouldn’t be able to build a small doghouse.”
    â€œI still think you should talk to Lyon about it. He’s used to getting involved in things like this.”
    â€œYou have it turned around, orange blossom. I am the savior and Lyon is the savee.” He clapped Lyon on the shoulder. “Can you imagine this klutz trying to protect me on a construction site?”
    â€œIs there anything to all this?” Lyon asked.
    â€œWanting to remove me with extreme prejudice? Sure, and it’s a long list. I run a nonunion job and a few days ago I threw a union organizer off the property. That’s about as smart as volunteering for Masada to complete your retirement time in the Jewish Legion. Then there are the idiots I bought the last piece of property from. They’re crying that I took advantage of them now that they suspect what my bottom line is going to be when the job is completed. Finally, there’s the people I pull pranks on, and that’s a really long list.”
    â€œYou’re not treating this seriously,” Pan said as she tore away from her husband’s encircling grip. “If I’m going to be a widow, at least do the decent thing and make me a rich one.”
    â€œPandy baby, go circulate and see if any of the guests need coffee, tea, or their pillows fluffed.”
    â€œDrop dead, duck butter.” She stiff-armed the swinging door as she left.
    â€œShe’s right, isn’t she?” Lyon said.
    Dalton smiled crookedly. “Hell, yes. I’m in deep shit with a certain group. If things don’t work out I’ll be lucky to get off with a couple busted kneecaps.”
    â€œThat sounds like you’re doing business with two-legged banking facilities.”
    â€œGod, Went! You’re an incurable snoop. Let’s just say that I take what I consider to be acceptable business risks. Okay? Let’s leave it at that.”
    Bea and Rocco burst into the kitchen. “All right, you guys. The party needs you. In other words, out!”
    â€œWhat did the Governor allow?” Lyon asked.
    â€œIf I drop my day-care ammendment he will ask me to run as Lieutenant Governor.”
    â€œLast I heard, Maggie held that job,” Lyon retorted.
    â€œFearless leader has dirt on Maggie. It seems she smoked a joint in nineteen seventy-eight.”
    â€œThat’s despicable,” Lyon said. “Of course you have a duty to the people.”
    â€œI’m going to seriously consider it after I have a hit. Anyone got any?”
    â€œDon’t look at me,” Rocco said. “I don’t even confiscate single joints from the kids