Chapter 18

Ed turned to Hy, "I'm going over to see Mrs. Bynum. She also an innocent in this mess and I feel she has a right to know about what's going to explode at the news conference tomorrow. I guess she's going to windup paying for her husband's sins."

Ed left the apartment after getting assurances from Hy that he would stay with Ann and Betty until he had to leave for the news conference. He knew that Hy would be on the phone with his publisher before Ed left the parking lot. Ed knew that most of the story would be written before the news conference tomorrow. He took his van to where he had one of his cars parked and drove to the Bynum house. As Ed pulled into the driveway the lights came on automatically. Ed pulled in front of the house and shut off the engine.

The first floor of the house was dark and a light was on in an upstairs room.

Ed rang the doorbell and a light came on in the hallway of the house. The front porch light came on and Ed saw a shadow pass over the peephole and he knew that Katherine was checking to see who was at the door at this time of night. Ed heard Katherine call for him to wait while she turned off the alarm.

Katherine opened the door. She was dressed for bed and was wearing a robe over a silk, floor length nightgown. She held the door open and smiled at him.

"Well, to what do I owe this visit?" she asked, "is this a business call or a social visit."

Ed smiled at her suggestive comment, "Maybe a little of both. The case is coming to a head and you're going to be right in the middle of it. Can I come in and talk?"

Katherine let him in and led him out on the patio. The night air was pleasant and she asked it wanted a drink. Ed told her that he would have whatever she was having and she went back into the house and returned with two rocks glasses filled with Scotch on the rocks.

Ed took a sip of the Scotch before he spoke, "The police have the murderer of your husband. Sam Hornsby killed George. George was taunting him about drugging Ann and raping her along with several of his friends. Sam said that George was on drugs and he was waving a gun around and when he grabbed it the gun went off and George was hit. Sam took the gun and threw it in the river and didn't tell Ann."

Katherine took a sip of her drink and stared out into the back yard. It was several minutes before she spoke.

"George developed a liking for exotic drugs," she said slowly, "This was the start of problems between us. One night he laughed at me and told me that he only married me because I was wealthy. He said that I was one of the worst women that he ever had in bed. After that I made sure that none of my money was available to him and he had to support himself. He did fairly well and he lived here, so he had few expenses. George always found a way to make Horizon pay for things."

Katherine sipped her drink and looked at Ed, "Do you think that I am pretty? I have been beating myself for years after he told me that."

Ed looked at her, "Katherine, you are one of the most beautiful women that I have ever seen. I just wish that I had found you before George did. I would have fought him for you."

Katherine smiled and looked down, "Thank you, I hope you mean that. I don't have much self-worth these days."

Ed pulled his chair closer and took her hand in his. She clasped his hand tightly and smiled at him.

"There's a lot more to this story," Ed went on, "Do you feel that you can handle some bad news?'

Katherine nodded and Ed told her about George skimming the big accounts and sweetening the accounts of his friends. Ed didn't let her hand go and she did not attempt to pull her hand away.

"I'm afraid that your bank accounts will be frozen after the funds find out what he did. You are going to be right in the middle of this mess. I don't see any way that you can not be brought into the middle of all this."

She took another sip of her drink; "George has a lot of money in his bank accounts. I wondered how he was amassing so much money. He often bragged that he would have more money than me one day. Years ago I opened bank accounts that I was signatory to but were not in my name. I don't have any money worries and I think that most of my money can't be touched. Right now I am worried about Ann. I am going to get Sam the best lawyer that I can. I can't let her suffer for what George did. It sounds like he might have a case for self defense."

Ed told her about the State Police sealing the Horizon offices and about the news conference tomorrow. She asked if the men who had raped Betty and Ann would be charged and Ed told her that they would be charged. Commander Rice had indicated that the men would be arrested this night and would be in jail before morning. Katherine had tears in her eyes for the wives of the men.

"Are you going to be at the news conference?" she asked.

"Yes, I wouldn't miss that for the world," Ed replied.

Katherine stood up, "I have to call my lawyer and get him working on Sam's defense."