“Weren’t there negotiations looking toward that?”
“No,” she said, and then added with defiance in her voice, “—if it’s any of your business, which it isn’t.”
Color was returning to her cheeks now, and her eyes flashed with resentment.
Mason said, “I think you’d better just sit down and take it easy for a few minutes, Mrs. Tidings. Officers are on their way out here.”
“Why should officers be on their way here?”
“Because of something we found in the bedroom.” And Mason pointed to the stains on the floor.
“What’s that,” she asked, “ink? What is that on my floor? Good God! I…”
She took a step forward, stared down at the stains, and then a gloved knuckle crept toward her mouth. She bit hard on the black leather stretched taut over her knuckles.
“Take it easy,” Mason said.
“Who… who… what…”