"We ran a quick check on him and he was up to his ass in debt. We've got his files but I don't think he had anything really impor­tant. He'd be walking a thin line facing disbarment if he related any privileged information. I'd guess the only reason they knocked him off was to set an example for anyone else who might have sim­ilar ideas."

"Are you sure it was the family that hit him?" asked Dean.

"Who else would want him dead?" asked Winston. Dean couldn't think of more than 20 names-Ethel Rosewater, Cynthia Byrne, David Dean, even Jeffrey Byrne, not to mention half of Arthur's gay friends and lovers and most of his ex-clients. But Dean just shrugged and commented that Arthur wasn't exactly popular. At least if Cynthia Byrne's phone rang Sunday, it wouldn't be Arthur Atherton calling-he was on the menu with the Wassermann twins and tic-face Home Flanders in the big barbecue down below.

"If Atherton was so broke, where did he get the dough to replace the escrow money he swiped?" Fred asked, surprising the government agent.

"Good question," Jonathan replied. "Maybe he sold something else to someone."

Dean wondered just what else Arthur had to sell. It didn't make him feel warm and fuzzy to speculate after the lawyer's let­ter to Cynthia Byrne. Maybe he was putting the squeeze on all over town. That would certainly lengthen the list of who might have made his blue eyes red.

Jonathan continued, "We called Atherton's partner, your friend Ethel Rosewater-ran her down at a house party in the Hamptons. She didn't seem shocked at losing her business associate. There are no close relatives so she's going to handle the arrangements."

"Ethel is a survivor, that's for sure," Dean commented, hoping Ethel wasn't cleaning her gun. "Arthur may be missed, but I don't know by whom."

Jonathan just laughed. "By the way, I'll tell your good buddy Vinnie Baratto I saw you and you gave him your love. We're drain­ing him drier than a prune. It's really helping build up the case against Delasandro."

"Good," said Dean. "Lock up all the bad guys or at least keep them away from Parkside. Is the war still going on?"

"No letup in sight," Jonathan smiled, as they began to leave. "They may all kill each other and put us out of work."

The group shook hands and Dean and Fred took their leave. Just as they reached the outside and were nearly at the parking lot, Fred let out a yell, startling the dickens out of Dean. He pointed toward another entrance.

"That's him!" he roared.




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