Page 96 of A Rose of Steel
I shook my head. I needed her to help me contain the situation, so I spilled the beans and told her my theory. Rhett found out because, true to his word, he didn’t leave my side.
“Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle,” she said when I told her. “That’s sounds like it could be right.”
When Pogue got there, looking very official and stern, but not as infuriated as I thought he’d be. He came in and walked over to me.
“Auntie Zanne has everyone contained,” I pointed to the back room. “So I can give you a quick rundown and you can go in.”
He held up his hand to stop me when I tried to tell him how I’d figured it out and said, “Let’s just do this. You can tell me once we get in there.” He started walking toward the room.
“But wait,” I said, and caught up with him. “We need to get another person in that room.”
“Why?”
“Because he needs to be in there.”
He huffed. “Who is it?”
I pointed with my head. “That guy over there.”
Pogue turned and looked at the direction I was pointing. “I’ve seen him before,” he said. “At the funeral.”
“Right,” I said. “He was also the best man at the wedding.”
“What’s his name?”
“Chase Turner.”
“Fine. I’ll get him. Then are we good to go into the room?”
I nodded.
“Okay.” He looked over at Rhett. “Can you come back there, too? I might need your help.”
“Sure,” Rhett said. “Happy to help.”
Pogue collected Chase without too much disruption and we relieved the Wilson Twins of their post. I wasn’t sure how much resistance they could put up if anyone had tried to exit, but Auntie Zanne must have felt confident in their abilities.
When we walked in, everyone turned to look at us. Everyone included the wedding party: Piper, Marilee, Tonya, Boone, and LaJay. Chase hadn’t been invited to participate in the tribute so he wasn’t in the back but I knew that he too was on lock down and wouldn’t be able to escape.
Then there was Mrs. Hackett, Mrs. Alvarez, Delphine Griffith and Miriam Coulter. Those last two entering the room was what tipped me off to the identity of the murderer.
I was pretty sure at this point the culprit had thought that no one was on their trail.
“Are we ready to start?” Mrs. Hackett asked when we came in. She seemed impatient. There was sweat over her upper lip smearing her flat red lipstick.
“Not quite yet,” Auntie Zanne said. “Pogue needs to speak with you first.”
“Sheriff Folsom,” I leaned in and whispered to Auntie.
“What?” she said and frowned. “Oh yes,” she nodded acknowledging my correction. “I meant Sheriff Folsom. He’s here on official business.”
“What kind of official business?” Piper asked.
“Murder,” Pogue said.
“I’m just here because I’m in charge of the mums,” Miriam Colter said. “I haven’t killed anyone lately.”
“Lately?” Pogue asked.
