Page 48 of Deathtoll
“Betty wasn’t sick. Have you talked to Amanda lately?”
“At the funeral yesterday. Usual funeral talk. How much everybody is going to miss Betty.”
“Betty left everything she had to the church.” Murph pointed out the obvious.
Bing raised an eyebrow. “You think Amanda Garvey knocked her off?”
“People kill for money.” Then, on second thought, Murph added, “You know anything about that fundraiser at the church?”
“Steeple needs to be renovated. Wind damage. And they’re updating the daycare center in the basement, I think. Can’t remember the rest. TheBroslin Chronicleran an article about the project a while back.”
“Something about it bugs me.” Murph could almost,almostput his finger on it, but the vague thought wouldn’t coalesce. “Didn’t we have a case once that involved church fundraising?”
“Not us. Up in Lancaster. Church treasurer ran off with the funds. Almost ten million. Big church.”
“Right.” Memories of the case floated back. It’d been all over the local news at the time. “And not just the funds, was it? He also ran off with the preacher’s wife.”
“I don’t see what that has to do with Amanda Garvey.”
“She could have embezzled the reno money. Then she was desperate to get Betty’s house sooner rather than later so she could sell it before the first bills from the contractors come in.”
“Christ, Murph.” Bing was professional enough not to roll his eyes, but the corners twitched. “A lot of ex-cops try their hands at writing mysteries. Maybe you should give it a go. Plotting a novel would give your imagination a healthy outlet.”
“I want to talk to Amanda.”
“Do we have to have another conversation about where you do and don’t work?”
“I mean, if you were to go and talk to her, I would like to tag along. That’s all.”
“Go and talk to her based on what pretext?”
“Like I said, her car was possibly seen in front of Betty’s house on the day of her death.”
The sound of screaming women filtered through the front door, reaching after Bing like an invisible hand trying to pull him back in. He carried his gaze down the row of cars in his crowded driveway. “Blocked and double blocked. Can’t even get my car out.”
“My truck is by the curb,” Murph offered helpfully as the women squealed even louder. “You could just pop back in there and tell Sophie you’re stepping out for a while.”
“I’ll text her from the car.” Bing launched himself down the steps—without as much as going back for his coat.
He glanced at Murph as they dodged their way through the jumble of minivans, the dogs on their heels. “All right. You’re with me in the capacity of a temporary civilian consultant on the case, because Chase is off on a second honeymoon with Luanne as of today and Hunter took Gabi up to the Adirondacks for a weekend of snowboarding on the spur of the moment. One of Hunter’s Army buddies works at a lodge up there, gave him heads-up that they have the first good snow this season.”
Hunter and Gabi had one of those relationships that was permanently stuck in the hot-and-heavy phase. They were still necking every time people turned their backs for a second. Murph envied them more than a little. “Dollars against doughnuts they won’t make it out of the hot tub.”
“Not betting against that,” Bing said. “My point being, I’m kind of shorthanded this weekend.”
“Right. I’d be happy to help.”
Murph led the way to his pickup, poor Peaches and Pickles left behind where the electric fence ended their domain. They looked heartbroken, as if they just knew Murph and Bing were sneaking off for a bacon-tasting event.
“Don’t go and scratch on that front door,” Bing advised the dogs with loving affection. “If you go in, those women are going to try to feed you pureed green beans.”
Murph shuddered as he slid into his seat. He’d never been to a baby shower in his life, and he didn’t plan on changing that. In any case, he was far from becoming a father. Kate was barely talking to him.
To dispel that depressing thought, he pulled away from Bing’s place and asked, “Any news on Ian McCall?”
“Not yet. I feel damn bad about losing him. The psychologist is a newbie to police work. I should have stayed with them.” Bing bit off a curse. “Didn’t want to make him feel like I didn’t trust him to know what he was doing. Didn’t want McCall to think I didn’t trust the guy, because then McCall wouldn’t have trusted him either. That boy’s on the edge.”
“What did his background check say?”
