Miles Archer, my partner, was dead, shot right through the heart. The police
knew it before the lab report, because he kept his convention card in his shirt
pocket, and the bullet entered right above the inverted minor box. I returned
to the office at 5 a.m. and had Effie take his name off the door. But Elvira, his
widow, was there and cut into the morning foursome. I opened 1, though I
had a feeling I'd regret it. Naturally, she responded my void suit, and there I
was left to make a rebid.

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 South Sam
   J 7 6 4
   A K Q 10 3
   —
   J 8 5 2

I rebid 2, and she made a forcing 2NT rebid.

Tell me, Sam, she blurted out in front of the Sergeant (sitting West), did you
kill Miles so I could be your partner?

Now who put that idea in your head?!

 South Sam
   J 7 6 4
   A K Q 10 3
   —
   J 8 5 2

I tried to escape with 3, but she kept the auction alive with 3.

She couldn't have spades at this point and I was endplayed in the auction.

 South Sam
   J 7 6 4
   A K Q 10 3
   —
   J 8 5 2

It was a good decision not to let her play 3NT, but 4 was no picnic either.

The Sergeant led the queen of diamonds. I ruffed it and considered. If trumps
behaved (3-3), I could then try to set up a black suit for an extra trick. But if
trumps were 4-2, it looked hopeless.

Then I had another idea.

 South Sam
   J 7 6 4
   A K Q 10 3
   —
   J 8 5 2

After ruffing the queen of diamonds, I led a club to the king and ruffed another
diamond with my 10 of hearts. Then I led another club to dummy and ruffed
a third diamond, this time with my queen of hearts. Back to dummy I went
with a spade lead and ruffed a fourth diamond with my king of hearts. On this
trick West discarded a spade, but what could I do? I continued with my plan,
leading a spade, and West followed, so I was able to win in dummy and ruff a
fifth diamond with the ace of hearts. I had taken the first nine tricks and now
I led a spade....

 South Sam
   J 7 6 4
   A K Q 10 3
   —
   J 8 5 2

On my spade lead, the Sergeant thought it over and ruffed with the deuce.

It was a nice play, as Effie followed with the queen. He then led the 4 of trump.
I had to guess whether to play the 7 or the 9. There was a knock at the door....

 South Sam
   J 7
   —
   —
   J 8

I put up the 9. I didn't believe he would see that play if he wasn't looking at
the jack, especially after being up all night on a murder case. Elvira smiled
at me but I avoided it. Effie answered the door and told me it was her, the
same one who had hired Miles to find her sister. I shooed the Sergeant
outside and promised to come to the hearing that afternoon. Then I shooed
Elvira outside and into a cab, promising to visit her after the funeral. Then
Effie shooed her in. But first we showed her the hand on a slip of paper,
and asked her how she would play it, to see how clever she really was.

She said she would ruff the diamond lead and play three rounds of spades.
Effie said she would win and shift to trumps. She said she would win and
play three rounds of clubs. Effie said she would win and lead a second diamond.
She said she would ruff with the 10 and lead a black jack, planning to ruff it
with the 9. I said, LHO ruffs first with the jack and returns a trump. Effie said,
That's no good, Sam, she has the rest in her hand. I turned to her and told
her to sit down.

You're good, I said, real good.

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THE END of Part 2

 South Sam
   J 7 6 4
   A K Q 10 3
   —
   J 8 5 2

South 1 2 3 4	West pass pass pass all pass	North 2 2NT 3	East pass pass pass
Opening lead: Q

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