Sleight of Hand

CHAPTER Twenty

Horace Blair was fuming when Jack Pratt returned his call.

“I assume this is about the Journal story,” Pratt said.

“You’ve read it?”

“Yes.”

“How did the reporter find out?” Blair demanded.

“It says a source gave him the information.”

“How can that be? Only Carrie, you, me, and Benedict know about the prenup.”

“I didn’t leak the story,” Pratt said. “What about Benedict?”

“What would he stand to gain?”

“I have no idea. But if none of us called the Journal, that leaves Carrie.”

“Why would Carrie tell a reporter about the prenup? She loses everything if she talks about it.”

“Maybe she’s trying to frame you for murder,” Pratt said.

“How would that benefit her? I’d have to be executed for her to inherit and she’d have to hide until then. And what if I didn’t get a death sentence? It makes no sense.”

“I’m just thinking out loud. And there is another possibility. You told me Carrie told Benedict that she was dropping him for someone else; and there could have been other lovers before Benedict. She might have let the existence of the prenup slip to any one of them.”

“Could someone in Rankin, Lusk have learned about the document?” Horace asked. “You have secretaries, paralegals. There are janitors. Anyone who works at the law firm and has access to its files could have discovered the prenup.”

“It’s possible someone at the firm saw my notes, but I don’t have a copy of the document. Remember, you insisted that only you and Carrie have copies?”

“That’s true.”

“Where are the copies?” Pratt asked.

“Mine is in my safety-deposit box. I have no idea where Carrie put hers.”

Pratt thought for a few minutes and Blair waited.

“You should be okay, Horace,” the lawyer said. “If the DA wants to use the agreement as evidence of motive he’ll have to have the document. A rumor or anything Carrie told Benedict or anyone else about the prenup would be inadmissible hearsay. I can’t be forced to testify about the document because of attorney-client privilege, and my notes are protected as work product. My advice is to go about your business the way you usually do. Worrying won’t change anything.”