Page 48 of Merry Murder Season
Another crisis avoided. I don’t know, maybe I get too involved in my friends’ lives, but neither Mandy nor Josh needed someone playing with their young marriage. If he messed this one up, he might not find anyone else who’d put up with his oddities.
I headed home. Emma closely watched the bag that held the food just in case I did something stupid like falling or leaving it behind. Mydog liked food.
As I was passing by Matty’s closed jewelry shop, I realized something that Mandy had said. Matty had called Josh on the night Chip had been killed. Had she wanted him to help herfinish him off?
I looked down at Emma, who was now watching me since I’d stopped walking. “Sorry girl, I’m seeing zebras instead of horses.” I didn’t like Matty, but there was no evidence saying that she’d killed South Cove’s grumpiest bartender. Or that she’d even known him. All I knew was she was messing withmy friend Josh.
That was enough to justify my dislike.
Maybe more than enough.
Chapter 19
When I got home—well, while I ate, I’m not a savage—I did some computer research on Matty Leaven. I texted Amy and asked if she would pull her business file for me on Monday. As head of the business council, I had access to everyone’s business applications. Mostly to give me the information to look for marketing opportunities among different businesses in town. Whatever the reason, it also gave me information on our new residents. Like Matty.
I’d have to wait until Monday to see what evils the woman had hidden in her file, but I’d find them. And maybe accidentally leave a copy of my notes on Mandy’s notebook. Or in her hand. I didn’t want Josh to throw the paper away. Playing cupid for a married couple was hard.
Besides, Beth would be gone on Monday and I’d need a new hobby.
There wasn’t much on the internet about our newest business owner. She’d moved to South Cove from Los Angeles, where her shop had been robbed too many times. She had talked to the local paper, okay, Darla, and said she was tired of big city life. So she’d moved to South Cove after the last insurance check cleared and opened a new shop.
I called Darla. When she answered, the noise in the background told me she was at the winery. Probably bartending. “Sorry, I forgot youwere at work.”
“Not all of us can be done with work by noon,” Darla said. “What can I do for you? Do youneed takeout?”
I glanced guiltily at the almost empty basket of fish-and-chips on my coffee table. I should order from the winery more often. “Not tonight. Do you remember your interview with Matty Leaven when she moved here? Was there anything weird about it?”
I heard the interest in her voice as soon as she asked, “Why? Isshe a suspect?”
Darla had gotten the wrong idea. “No, not with the murder. Sorry, I was working on something else.”
Laughter erupted from the other end of the line. “I wish you could tie her to the murder. Of all of our fellow business owners, that woman is the grumpiest. I swear, she’s worse than Josh. Although together, they are a pair.”
So others had seen the connection too. “Anyway, I’ll let you go back to work. I’m working my normal shift tomorrow if you think of anything by then.”
“Sure, like I’m going to be up and coherent at six in the morning.” Darla hung up.
I put away the computer and turned on the television. I finished my meal and then cleaned up the mess. Tiny had sent Greg a quart of his famous Irish stew and a dog bone for Emma. I gave her the bone and put Greg’s stewin the fridge.
And suddenly, it hit me—what made me the maddest about Matty’s interference with Josh and Mandy. In South Cove, we were a family. We looked out for one another. We didn’t talk bad about someone behind their back. And if we did, it was because we cared. Not to make fun of them. Matty had broken the South Cove family code.
And she wasticking me off.
Beth came home at nine and she’d brought home two of Sadie’s Christmas tree cookies. “Any Christmas movies on?”
“I could find one.” I opened the menu on the television and narrowed it down to movies. “What are you looking for? Touching or funny?”
“Funny, I think. I’m going to cry enough on Monday when I fly away from you and your magical kingdom.” She nodded toward the kitchen. “Do you still have cocoa?”
“And marshmallows. I’ll find the movie. You make the drinks.” I foundElfand cued it up to play as soon as she came back into the living room. Emma was sniffing the cookies, so I moved Beth’s purse. A note fell out with Dom’s name and a number. He’d written on the page,Call me anytime.I didn’tmove the note.
When she came back from the kitchen, she put the cups on the coasters I’d laid out and tucked the note back in her purse. “It’s not what you think.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think, but if Jim finds that note, I know what he’s going to think.” I leaned back and changed the subject.Not my circus, I repeated in my head. “How was work? Did you get time withAndrew at all?”
“He was gone by the time I got there. Deek is amazing. I can see why Evie likes him so much.”
“Likes, likes? Or just likes?” I held the remote.
