Page 21 of A Jingle of Justice
“Mediums facilitate meetings between the living and the dead. They don’t necessarily see the future.”
“Oh.” She took another bite of her tart.
Yvanna brought my order. “Cookies will be out in a few.”
“Yvanna, hold up.” I explained my need for a list of names.
“How about I bring it to Open Your Imagination later?”
“You’re a rockstar.”
When she ambled away, Shara leaned forward. “Why would the police want to talk to me about the murder?”
“I mentioned to Officer Reddick how you had come into the shop the night before, frantic someone was following you,” I replied.
Fiona sat on the table, crossed her legs, and bent forward, propping her elbows on her thighs and her chin on her hands.
“You mentioned the treasure,” I went on. “You said it was buried beneath the patio tiles.”
“No. I didn’t. I said it was under the courtyard. You can’t think—” Her eyes widened with fright. “You can’t think I stole inside your place and searched for it. I’m not a treasure hunter. And I’m not a killer.”
“I didn’t mean to imply?—”
“I have an alibi. I was home sewing and crafting. I waved to my neighbor through the window. She’ll vouch for me.”
Though having a neighbor vouch for a few minutes of time in the evening wouldn’t convince a jury of her innocence, the guileless way in which she shared the alibi led me to believe she wasn’t a killer.
“And, like I said, I didn’t know the victim,” she added.
“The killer didn’t have to be familiar with Tianna. She could have shown up at the wrong time and been collateral damage.”
“Collateral damage?” Fiona snorted. “Who do you think you are? Some spy in a thriller?”
The phrase had spilled out of me. I couldn’t retract it. Quickly, I added, “Meaning she showed up to?—”
“Search for the treasure,” Shara said, “but the thief was already there and lashed out.”
I caught sight of a woman at the next table eating a gingerbread cookie, and I flinched. Why had the killer thought to bring a poisoned cookie to Open Your Imagination? Had itbeen meant for Tianna or for anyone who might have gotten in the way? Brady’s theory bloomed in my mind. Was it possible Tianna and the killer had worked in tandem? Was Shara in the clear because she hadn’t known her?
She was stirring her latte, not making eye contact with me.
“How did you know about the treasure?” I asked.
“Rumors. There are always rumors in Carmel about pirate stuff. I tune into conversations.”
“But why say it was under my shop?”
“I didn’t mention Open Your Imagination specifically. I simply happened to be standing in your place at the time.”
Perhaps she’d overheard Tianna talking to someone else about it.
My gaze landed on Fiona, who was yet again inspecting the creativity bag, and I flashed on the man I’d seen on my run scouring the sand for precious goods. “What made that sound earlier inside your bag, Shara?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“What clanked? I can’t imagine any tool you use to make figurines would be heavy metal or need to be stowed in such a large tote.”
“I . . .” She rolled her lower lip between her teeth and let out a long sigh but no words spilled out.
