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spent last night at his mistress’s house. He came home around nine o’clock this morning, had a bath and a shave, argued with his son—”
    “I never said they argued!”
    “Then argued with his wife, then was civil to his daughter-in-law, and then what? He left the house?”
    Roderick’s face was scarlet. “Yes, he left the house.”
    “What time?”
    “Around eleven.”
    “How long would it take him to get to the Knickerbocker Club from here?” Frank knew how long it had taken him in the cab Decker had chosen, but he wanted to find out how Devries had traveled.
    “Ten or fifteen minutes if he walked.”
    “Would he have walked?”
    “He didn’t go straight to the club.”
    Frank knew that. He hadn’t arrived at the club until much later. “Where did he go?”
    “He had an appointment.”
    “With who?”
    Roderick’s lips tightened again. He either didn’t want to say or he wanted to say it too much. “With the person who probably killed him.”

3
    F RANK KNEW BETTER THAN TO JUMP TO ANY CONCLUSIONS . “You think the person Mr. Devries saw after he left the house today is the one who killed him?”
    “Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but I do know that Mr. Devries was not looking forward to the interview.”
    “Did he tell you that?”
    “Not in so many words, but as I said, I know…
knew
Mr. Devries very well. I could read his moods.”
    “And what was his mood today?”
    “He seemed preoccupied.”
    “Worried?”
    “That would be too strong a word, I believe. He was anticipating his meeting with Mr. Angotti with some concern.”
    “Who?”
    “Mr. Salvatore Angotti. He is a foreigner. Italian, if I recall.”
    Frank just barely managed to keep his mouth from droppingopen in surprise. An Italian. Doc Haynes thought Devries had been stabbed with a thin-bladed knife, like the kind Italians had brought with them to America. A stiletto. “What business would Mr. Devries have with an Italian?”
    Roderick shrugged. “I have no idea. That is something you will have to discuss with Mr. Angotti.”
    Frank leaned back in his chair and considered this information. “Do you usually keep track of Mr. Devries’s business appointments?”
    “Certainly not, but I would inquire about his plans for the day in order to select the proper attire. This morning, he said,
Roderick, I’m sure whatever I wear will impress Salvatore Angotti.
”
    “Do you know this Angotti?”
    Once again Roderick stiffened. “No one with a name like Angotti would ever visit Mr. Devries at his home.”
    This was undoubtedly true. “Had you heard of him before today?”
    “I do not believe I have, no. And I’m afraid I was unable to conceal my surprise that Mr. Devries would be meeting with someone like that. He must have noticed, because he said,
Angotti is a very unpleasant man, Roderick. I shall be glad to see the last of him.
”
    “What did he mean by that?”
    “I assumed he was hoping to never have to meet with the man again.”
    “And you don’t have any idea who he is or how Mr. Devries knew him?”
    “None at all.”
    “Who would?”
    “Someone at Mr. Devries’s offices may know this Angotti person. If anyone stabbed Mr. Devries, I’m sure he’s the one.”
    And Frank was sure Felix Decker would be very pleased if he could put the blame for Devries’s murder on an Italian.
    S ARAH SAT AT HER KITCHEN TABLE, SAVORING THE LAST hour of the day. With Catherine safely tucked in for the night, she had just filled Maeve in on what she knew about Chilton Devries’s death and her plans to visit the widow tomorrow with her mother.
    A knock at the door made them both sigh. “I knew this was too good to last.” Sarah rose and motioned for Maeve to stay put.
    “Maybe it’s not a baby.”
    “This late? What else could it be?”
    What else indeed?
    “Malloy,” she said with a welcoming smile when she’d opened the door. She’d long since stopped feeling guilty for the rush of joy she experienced whenever she