Page 44 of Merry Murder Season
“I can’t tell you anything I see on the copy machine or what I overhear. I already got in trouble with the mayor about letting something out. I like my job.” She put her fork down. “Look, I love you and would step in front of a speeding train for you, almost. But Justin and I are trying to make a life here. If I lose my job, I don’t know if we could keep the house. I need to be more discreet about Greg’s cases. Especially with you.”
I set my fork down. I hadn’t realized that Amy was getting pressure from anyone about letting me see things. “And Greg approved the blueprints beforeI even asked.”
She nodded. “He’s got a tight hold on information for this case. Why do you think Toby hasn’t been around? There are too many connections here. The district attorney even questioned your involvement in the tournament.”
“I was a suspect? Because I helped set up the charity event?” Now I was floored. What wasGreg thinking?
“Not for long. The guy’s new and wants to be known for being tough on crime. I think he’s running for governor soon. Which has the mayor all up in arms since that’s his and Tina’s eventual goal. So like I said, access to information has been tight.” She picked up her fork and ate a piece of broccoli. “I’ll tell you one thing though. Greg was on this guy’s butt as soon ashe brought up your name. He read him the riot act and the guy just folded like a bad hand in cards. Esmeralda told me that after the meeting.”
“If he’s going to point a finger at everyone who was involved in the event, most of the full-time residents of South Cove were there. This is stupid.” I wanted to call Greg and yell at him, but it wasn’t his fault. I’d put myself in this guy’s line of sight by always trying to solve the murder before Greg did. Who did I think I was? Nancy Drew?
“I’m sorry I put you in this position.” I smiled at Amy, who looked like she was going to have a coronary. “Let’s talk about something else. How’s the house remodeling going?”
After lunch with Amy, I ran the beach with Emma. It was chilly and she’d already been walking with Beth, but my head needed clearing. I didn’t want to get Amy in trouble, especially not cause her to lose her job. But we’d been able to talk about everything for years. Now, she hadn’t even told me that she and Justin were trying for a family. And she was fearful of being fired because of me. Amy was my best friend. If we couldn’t talk to each other, then whatwas the point?
I went home and worked on the bills. If I was going to be depressed, I might as well do something productive.
The door opened at 3:10 and Beth came in chatting. “I adore Zara and Andrew. How in the world did you find two people who were so perfect of a fit forthe bookstore?”
“I have good employees who have good contacts.” I was on the couch, watching an old romantic comedy Christmas movie that always perked up my mood. Today, even the movie wasn’t working. “I don’t know if I’m up to going to Bakerstown today. Maybe I should just sit this investigation out.”
Beth frowned and went to sit by me. She moved the bowl of red and green M&Ms out of my lap and pushed my hair out of my eyes. I still had my running clothes on, except for the sneakers, which were in the middle of the living room floor where I’d kicked them off. “What are you talking about? You live for these investigations. And you’re good at seeing past what Greg sees through his law enforcement filter. Besides, you love it.”
I couldn’t help it, I started crying. “Amy’s been threatened with her job if she leaked information. Toby’s avoiding me. And Greg was looking at meas a suspect.”
“One, I don’t think the last one is true at all. And two, you saw Toby at Thanksgiving. Three, I agree that Amy is in a hard position. She has to deal with confidential information all the time. Besides, she never really tells youthings, does she? Isn’t it more that she confirms what you know? Or that she lets you look at files that are open under the Public Information Act? Besides, you’re not out there publishing what you learn or suspect like your friend Darla.” Beth wiped my face with a clean tissue. “I thought you were stronger than this. You’ve been the one holding me up when I thought I needed to give up my career for love. Now you crumble over one lunch?”
I laughed and grabbed another tissue. “You’re right. Greg wasn’t looking at me, the district attorney brought up my name since the store was sponsoring the dart tournament. Greg shut him down, fast.”
“As he should. He’s your husband, yes, but he’s not stupid.” She turned the movie off. “So tell me what Amyactually said?”
After I walked Beth through my lunch, I realized I was reacting more to the idea that Amy and Justin were planning a family. Something she hadn’t mentioned. Was it because she didn’t think I wanted kids? Or did she just want this to be between them? “I feellike an idiot.”
“I’ve felt like one for a few months now, ever since I told Jim about my amazing job offer with the next degree. I didn’t understand how we could have gotten on not only two different pages, but I think we’re in two different libraries in two different countries. Okay, he’s probably reading a magazine at a ball game and I’m in a library.” Beth nodded as I smiled. “There you are. Let’s go get our work done. I’m dying to know if there is a secret room in the bar building. I wonder what could behidden inside.”
“Whatever it was, I’m certain that the item or items was why Chip was killed. According to Doc Ames, Chip bled out. The killer didn’t shoot him or cut his throat. He died because he was tortured. Maybe the killer thought Chris would come looking for Chip. Or even that Chris was upstairs in the apartment. She said they’d been trying again.” I saw Beth’s smile widen. I was starting to feel more myself. “You got me talking about the murder again on purpose, didn’t you?”
“Maybe. But I like this Jill much better when she’s trying to help someone else rather than worry about not being first to know something about a friend.” Beth stood. “I need to clean up. I smell like coffee and cookies. It’s not a bad smell, but it makes me want to eat all the time. I don’t know how you work there.”
“The books keep me company.” I stood and glanced at my running clothes. And honestly, I did snack all the time. “I’ll be ready in a few minutes. Thanks for pulling me out of my funk.”
“No problem. I feel like I still owe you a few pep talks after this visit.” Beth hurried upstairs and I let Emma out to run a little before we left. Then I followed Beth upstairs to change. I had microfilm to review.
* * *
After coming up empty-handed after a few hours of searching, I was waiting for Beth to come downstairs so we could go to dinner. Mary Ann waved me over to her research desk. “Your friend is diving deep into local religious sects and cults. I just printed off a list of online libraries that list more recent articles. Did shecome with you?”
“She’s just finishing up some notes upstairs, then we’re heading over to Rascal’s Seafood for dinner. How have you been?” Mary Ann helped me with several projects when I was working on my MBA.
“Good. We’re busy all the time. The school needs to hire another librarian, but they keep saying we can have more interns. Who don’t show up since it’s unpaid work and they get invited to a party down the hall.” She opened a book and scanned it back into the system. “So I’m doing outdoor drop box check-ins most days. I guess you don’t have that problem at the bookstore since you don’t get returns.”
“Not usually. But I feel your pain on hiring. I just had to reassess and shuffle staff assignments and hire two more part-time employees. One of my main guys is releasing his first book next year. Either he’s going to be busy because it’s probably freaking great, or he’ll be too depressed to work if itdoesn’t sell.”
“That’s Deek Kerr, right? He was a regular around here until you offered him work and a place to live. Make sure you send over his release party info. A lot of us would love to come and support him.” She checked in another book. “And we’ll buy a copy or two for the library. I’ve got a shelf of books written by our graduates nearthe entrance.”
“He’d love that.” I adjusted my backpack. Beth still wasn’t down. “Hey, do you know of anywhere that might have an old blueprint of a South Cove buildingbuilt in 1922?”
She set the book down and reached into a file on her desk. She pulled out a flyer and handed it to me. “If anyone has it, it will be this place. California history research and development. It’s funded by the state. We send all our old material there if it has anything to do with California history.”
