Warm Feet, Cold Heart

Lt. Hugh Dunnit and his sister, Ms. Dunnit invited several of their friends who did not have families in town for Thanksgiving dinner. Lt. Dunnit was just about to carve the turkey when the telephone rang. After a brief conversation, he excused himself and left with Sgt. Howie Dunnit, leaving Ms. Dunnit to take over the carving.

When the Dunnits arrived at the address they were given, they found Mary Merino rocking back and forth while knitting a pair of socks. Through her sobs she told them that she was knitting them for her husband, Joe Merino, who always had such cold feet. Hugh and Howie found Joe Merino in his study, crumpled over his desk. His head lay in a small puddle of blood. A revolver lay on the desk beside him on the right. An open letter lay to his left. "Looks like suicide," Sgt. Howie Dunnit said. "He had a gambling problem," said Mary. "He owed so much money that I had to start selling my yarn stash just to buy food! He was despondent over a letter he received today. After he read it, he walked into his office and closed the door. A few minutes later I heard a shot and ran in and found him like this!" The letter on his desk was from a gangster that he owed money to, threatening to kill him and his whole family if he didn't pay up. "It looks like murder to me," said Lt. Hugh Dunnit, and promptly arrested Mrs. Merino.

Why did Lt. Dunnit suspect Mary Merino of killing her husband?

E-mail me privately (grammieknits@yahoo.com) by Sunday, Aug. 29 with your answer for a chance to win a prize.