Murder Can Cool Off Your Affair by Selma Eichler Page B

with a very handsome fellow, too.’
    “Well, Shawna hadn’t breathed a word to me about going to the theater nor —and this was really so unlike her—about having some new man in her life. Of course, I phoned her that same evening and casually mentioned what Althea Birney had had to say. Shawna insisted that Althea had mistaken her for someone else. I didn’t find that explanation terriblysatisfactory, however. You must appreciate, Desiree, that the two women have more than a nodding acquaintance. The Birneys—Althea and Clayton—have been frequent guests at my little cocktail parties, and I don’t think my sister has missed even one of those.
    “Naturally, I was puzzled as to the reason for Shawna’s denial and, yes, hurt that she hadn’t seen fit to confide in me. But I elected to put the matter out of my mind. Perhaps Althea was mistaken, I told myself. Then several weeks ago, on a Saturday afternoon, I stopped at Shawna’s. And while I was at the apartment she received a telephone call. Instantly, she became terribly flustered. She told me she’d be taking the call in the bedroom and asked that I hang up the receiver when she picked up.”
    It was evident that Scott was more reluctant than ever to continue, and his voice dropped to a near whisper. “I only pretended to comply, however; I listened to that entire conversation. It was David Hearn on the other end of the line, and from what was said, I was able to ascertain that he and Shawna had been seeing each other for some time and that it was serious.” He seemed to be fighting back tears when he added, “I can only pray that Shawna will eventually come to recognize how unworthy he is of her.
    “At any rate, I hope you believe me, Desiree, when I tell you that I’d never before stooped to a thing like that. Not even once. But this was my sister, and well, I cherish the woman. I had to do what was required to assure myself that she wasn’t in any sort of difficulty. You can understand that, can’t you?”
    “Yes, I can.”
    “Of course, I haven’t let on that I know about her and David because I dare not tell her how I know. I’m very much afraid that she’d never forgive me.”
    “Why do you think Shawna tried to keep you in the dark about the romance?”
    “I presume that originally it was because I’ve alwaysdisliked David Hearn—even when we were children. Shawna wasn’t too fond of him, either, if the truth be told. But I suppose it’s hormones uber alles. ” With this, Scott actually turned a very becoming shade of pink. “I have no doubt, though, that she would have talked to me about it eventually if it hadn’t been for Edward’s murder and now this business with John. I would venture to say these things are what made Shawna wary of trusting even her own brother with her secret.”
    “What do Edward and John have to do with it?”
    “It’s quite likely that David is in dire need of funds.” And then, looking much too self-satisfied to suit me: “Apparently we have a case of like father, like son. You do know that the senior Hearn is a degenerate gambler, don’t you? Well, that day on the telephone David told Shawna that someone with a name like Righty or Lefty or some such wasn’t willing to wait much longer for what he —David—owed the fellow. And I gathered he wasn’t speaking about any paltry sum, either. To show you how besotted she is, my sister pleaded to give David the money he needed—which I assume she planned to badger our mother for. But Mr. Sir Lancelot wouldn’t hear of it. Then Shawna asked if he was going to speak to Uncle Victor about his situation, but David refused even to consider going to my uncle about any gambling debts. Shawna was very upset; she wanted to know if lover boy had any other way of getting that kind of capital, and he replied that he’d better find a way, that he didn’t dare not cover the bet. He spoke about his intention of tapping some wealthy friend of his for a loan. And