“What are you doing here?” Jenny asked, swiveling. “I thought we agreed you were going to keep your distance for a bit.”
My heart hammered. Could it be? Were they working together? The mere notion boggled the mind ... and yet it was the first solid lead I’d had in days regarding Crawford’s death. If he really was the antichrist, as both women had indicated, then they might’ve decided forming a partnership was the way to go.
“Well, I wanted to see what was going on at the protest,” Lily replied. “I figured I would stop here for something to eat before that. There’s a food truck out there, but I’m trying to watch my figure.” She did a little dance and showed off her assets. “How do you think it’s been working?”
“I think you’re twenty-two and you don’t need to diet,” Jenny shot back. “Go inside. I’ll fix you something to eat. We need to talk anyway.”
The second her back was turned, I shuffled to my left. If I could make it ten feet I could disappear into a stand of trees and circle back to the protest from the opposite direction. It would take longer, but it would be worth it.
Because I’m me, though, I wasn’t paying close enough attention. I ran into a metal trash receptacle, my belt buckle making a loud clang in the process. I made a face as I slid around it, and when I risked a glance back at the alley behind Jenny’s restaurant I found the owner standing with Mike. It was clear that she recognized me by the twisted scowl on her face … and she didn’t look happy at the interruption.
“Oh, well, crap!”
“YOU HAVEN’T SEEN ME.”
I raced into Eliot’s shop and immediately headed toward his office. The shop was devoid of customers and Fawn was cleaning the glass cases. She raised her eyes, confused, but kept her mouth shut. Eliot didn’t play that way.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he called out, following me. “Where have you been? I thought you were going for a five-minute walk. It’s been more than an hour.”
I paused by his office door and debated my options. Finally, I chose the easiest route. “You haven’t seen me,” I repeated, shutting the door. At that exact moment I heard the bell over Eliot’s door clang to announce someone had entered the shop. I had no doubt who it was.
I pressed my ear to the door and breathed evenly to calm myself. This was a big twist ...and I had no idea how to deal with it.
“May I help you?” Eliot asked, his voice calm and welcoming.
“We’re looking for Avery Shaw.” I recognized Jenny’s voice. “We believe she came in here.”
“She’s not here,” Eliot replied. “Perhaps check across the street at the protest. She lives over there these days.”
“But you know her, don’t you?”
I had no trouble making out the voices. Jenny sounded agitated, which I didn’t take as a good sign.
“She’s my girlfriend,” Eliot supplied. “We live together.”
“I see.” I heard murmuring. Jenny and Lily were discussing something with one another but I couldn’t make out distinct words. “We would really like to see her,” Jenny announced. “We’re certain we saw her come in here. She darted through the door just as we were rounding the corner.”
“Well, I’ve been in the lobby for the past two hours,” Eliot replied. “I think I would’ve noticed her enter. She’s not exactly quiet.”
“Uh-huh.” Jenny made an exasperated sound. “We really need to talk to her. It’s important.”
“I can get her a message,” Eliot offered. “Tell me who you are and I’ll see if I can track her down. She should be close enough to stop in if she’s not busy with something else.”
“My name is Jennifer Williams. This is Lily Paddington. She interviewed us earlier this week.”
I wished I could’ve seen Eliot’s face because imagining his expression was difficult.
“I see.” He didn’t hesitate. “I’ll call her from my office and get her over here.”
“We’ll just wait here,” Jenny offered. “Tell her we’re not leaving until she talks to us.”
“I will do that.”
I moved away from the door to allow Eliot in. His eyebrows were already migrating toward his forehead when he entered. “Are they armed?” I asked once he closed the door. “Do they look like they want to kill me?”
“They don’t look happy,” he replied. “They almost look afraid. Why are they chasing you?”
“Because someone put a garbage can in the weirdest spot in the world. I ran into it when I was sneaking away after eavesdropping on them.”
“What were you doing eavesdropping on them?”
I didn’t like his tone. “Hey, I was minding my own business and taking a walk when I happened upon them. I had no idea they were close so, of course, I stopped to listen.”
“Of course.”
“They said weird things, like how they weren’t supposed to be seen together. They’re obviously tight, though, because Jenny was going to cook Lily something to eat.”
“I’m pretty sure that goes along with owning a restaurant,” he said dryly.
“Well ... it was weird to me.”
“What are you going to do about them?” he pressed. “They say they’re not leaving until you talk to them.”
I glanced around the office. “You can bring me food here. Drinks probably aren’t a good idea in case I need to use the restroom. Eventually they’ll give up. They don’t seem the type to really commit to a good stalking.”
Eliot’s face was devoid of amusement. “Avery ... .”
“I can’t go out there,” I hissed. “They’ll shoot me.”
“They’re not armed.”
“Then they’ll yell at me and go back to get your gun range buddy to shoot me.”
“I think you’re making a big deal out of this,” he pressed. “There’s no reason for them to shoot you.”
“I know they were together.”
“So what? They both shared the same jerk of an ex-husband. Maybe they bonded over that.”
“But ... .” That made zero sense. “I think I’m going to stay in here. Let me know when they leave.”
“You are not staying here.” He grabbed me by the back of the neck and directed me toward the door. “You’re going to deal with your issues like a big girl. Then, if you’re good, I’ll buy you an ice cream cone.”
“It had better be a big ice cream cone.”
“I’ll even include sprinkles.”
“Now we’re talking.”
26 Twenty-Six
I was reticent when I opened the office door, poking my head out to see if there was any chance I could escape without anyone noticing. That seemed unlikely because Jenny and Lily had positioned themselves between the counter and the door. If I wanted to get out I’d have to run through them.
I was considering just that when Eliot gave me a little shove in an effort to increase my speed and joined me in the shop.
“Fawn, why don’t you take a break?” he suggested, keeping his eyes on the visiting women. “Go to the diner and get something to eat.”
Fawn eagerly glanced between faces. “And miss this? Your girlfriend is finally going to get what’s coming to her. If you think I don’t want to see it ... well, you’re crazy.”
Eliot sighed and dragged his left hand through his hair (while keeping his right hand on the back of my neck to make sure I didn’t bolt). “Just go.” His voice was firm as he regarded her. “Make sure you stay gone for thirty minutes.”
“But ... .” The look on Fawn’s face was murderous.
“Go,” Eliot repeated. “This is a private matter.”
“Of course this is a private matter,” she muttered under her breath, stomping out from behind the counter. “Everything Avery does is private ... or special ... something that makes you laugh. I can’t do anything right, and all she does is wrong but you treat her like a queen. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she’s a witch and she’s got you under her spell.”
“Don’t make me
curse you, Fawn,” I warned, managing to keep my composure despite the way Jenny’s glare jangled my nerves. “Just get out.”
Once Fawn was gone, Eliot moved to the front door and turned the sign so it read “Be back soon” and then locked the door. “I want to make sure we’re not interrupted,” he said, sliding around Lily and ignoring the way she looked him up and down. “If things get out of hand, I will be forced to take matters into my own hands. I’m just making you aware of that.”
Jenny slid him a sidelong look. “Mike says he knows you.”
“We hang out at the range occasionally,” Eliot agreed.
“He mentioned you took Avery to the range the other day and she spent the entire time watching him.” Jenny’s tone was accusatory. “Was that on purpose?”
“No,” I lied smoothly before Eliot could respond. “He was trying to teach me how to fire a gun I bought eons ago. It didn’t go well. I have an aversion to firearms.”
“Really?” Jenny’s demeanor was edgy, as if she wanted to catch me in a lie and was looking for any opportunity. “I believe I read a story about you shooting a man who was attacking you outside The Monitor about a year ago.”
My heart stuttered at the memory. “That happened, but it wasn’t my gun.”
“I don’t like where you’re going with this,” Eliot warned, his arms folded over his chest. “Avery shot him because he was going to kill her. He was advancing ... and the sheriff was already down thanks to this individual shooting him. She did what she had to do.”
“Do you think I’m arguing with that sentiment?” Jenny challenged.
“I simply want to know why you’re here.”
“And I want to know why Ms. Shaw was spying on us,” she shot back. “Don’t bother denying it. We saw you. That thing you did when you pretended we weren’t yelling your name was mildly entertaining. Your boyfriend was so convincing when denying you were here I actually started doubting myself, even though I saw you go through the door.”
Her attitude irked me. I’d originally planned to apologize and claim it was a mistake. Now, though, I really didn’t care if I’d ruffled her feathers. “I was out walking to clear my head,” I offered. “Then I saw Mike behind the restaurant ... and you. I was already suspicious because of your proximity to the courthouse and the fact that I know you’re married and caught you making out with your head bartender out in the open for anybody to see.”
Jenny’s face slackened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she lied.
“Oh, really? Don’t do that. It belittles us both.”
“Besides,” Eliot added. “We both saw you when we were checking out the roof the other day. I recognized Mike.”
“And I happen to know he’s not your husband,” I added. “Because you’d just finished explaining that you loved your second husband and he was a good stepfather to your daughter not long before, I was understandably curious as to why you would cheat on him.”
“I ... you ... .” Jenny sucked in a breath to calm herself. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know you’re cheating on your husband.”
“I love my husband,” she barked, her eyes flashing. “I just ... he’s not all that exciting. I know that sounds horrible, but it’s the truth. He’s been the absolute best stepfather my daughter could’ve asked for. It’s just ... he’s boring.”
I tilted my head to the side, considering. “So divorce him. I don’t understand cheating on someone. It’s more hurtful than telling the truth. Unless, well, you want both of them.”
“I don’t want to give up the life I’ve built,” she clarified. “Mike is important to me. We clicked the moment we met. I won’t apologize for that.”
“And I’m not going to apologize for spying,” I supplied. “I didn’t seek you out. I was wandering around to get some space — all the people at the courthouse are starting to make me feel claustrophobic — and you guys drew my attention. If you don’t want to be watched, take it inside.”
“Yes, well, that’s neither here nor there.” Jenny’s temper sizzled. “I want to know what you plan to do with what you saw.”
That was an interesting question. “I don’t care about your affair.” That was the truth ... as long as the affair didn’t lead her to commit murder.
“I’m not talking about the affair.” Jenny jerked her thumb in Lily’s direction. The younger woman stood with a worried look on her angular features. “You’re aware that Lily and I have been hanging out. You’re the sort of person who would use that information to her advantage.”
Oh, well, that did it. “Yes, this is my fault,” I drawled. “I’m the one who has been lying and hiding a really odd partnership.”
“I haven’t been lying,” Jenny fired back. “You didn’t ask about my relationship with Lily.”
I searched my memory. Was that true? Sadly, there was a possibility she was right. I couldn’t remember specifically asking her about Lily. I’d asked Doug about his stepmothers, but he had zero contact with Lily, so I let it go.
“Well, I’m glad we got that cleared up,” I offered. “Have a nice day.”
Jenny didn’t move toward the door. “You think we did it, don’t you?” Her voice was high enough that it almost turned screechy. “You think we killed Dan.”
“I think there’s a lot of weirdness going on here,” I clarified. “If you expect me to lie and say that I don’t find it odd that you guys are hanging out despite having nothing in common, you’re nuts. When you couple that with the fact that you have a very good shooter at your fingertips ... well ... it’s suspicious.”
I could feel Eliot’s eyes on my profile but he kept silent.
“We didn’t kill Dan,” Lily volunteered, her eyes furtive as they darted around the shop. “I don’t know why you would think that. I mean ... what’s in it for us?”
“I’m not sure,” I replied. “Money could be at stake. I’ll be digging into that. It could be revenge. Dan turned out to be a rotten husband, after all. I don’t know what you two are up to, but I’m going to find out.”
“You’re looking in the wrong place.” Jenny’s voice was strong, assertive. “We have no reason to kill Dan. I told you he was a rotten husband, but that doesn’t mean I wanted him dead. He was my daughter’s father.”
“And I’m sure she’s represented in his will,” I said. “Unless he left his money to Bart Savage, the most likely beneficiaries are his three children. That might be something you’re interested in.”
“But it’s not.” Jenny refused to back down. “Besides, Dan wasn’t leaving anything to the kids. He told me that himself. He was angry because he believed they turned on him and he didn’t want to reward them for their disloyalty. Those were his words. The kids weren’t going to benefit, which means we weren’t going to benefit.”
It was an interesting argument ... and part of me believed her. “Then who would’ve benefitted?”
“His sole beneficiary,” Jenny replied without hesitation. “His father, John.”
“And he knows how to shoot,” Lily added. “He had, like, thirty guns. He brags about it.”
I shifted a quick look to Eliot and found him watching me with unreadable eyes. “That doesn’t explain why you two are suddenly buddies,” I said finally.
“Lily came to me when she realized her marriage to Dan was crumbling,” Jenny explained. “He told her a lot of awful things about me — which is his way — and she realized after the fact that they probably weren’t true. She was still trying to salvage her marriage and wanted to hear the truth ... something that didn’t initially go over well.”
“We argued,” Lily volunteered. “I thought she was lying to me. I realized after a bit that wasn’t true — she had no reason to lie to me — so I went back and we talked. She helped me figure out a few things before I left. I’m grateful to her. We sort of bonded over it.”
“What things did she help you sort out?” I asked, legitimately curious.
<
br /> “An apartment, opening my own bank account, filling out a résumé.” Lily was rueful. “I had never done any of those things.”
“I felt bad for her,” Jenny added. “The friendship simply grew the more time we spent together.”
“That doesn’t explain why you hid it,” I persisted.
“I didn’t hide it. I simply didn’t volunteer the information. I didn’t figure it was my place.”
I blew out a sigh as I leaned against the counter. “You have answers for everything, don’t you?”
Jenny shrugged. “I only have the truth. If you want a suspect, you should focus on John. He has the most to gain. I don’t feel bad for Dan. I don’t miss him. I don’t think he got what he deserved either.
“He was a misguided man who never felt comfortable in his own skin,” she continued. “That’s why he wanted to tell others how to live their lives. He couldn’t live the life he envisioned for himself so he wanted to boss around others. It’s a classic response.”
I arched an eyebrow. “And how do you know that?”
“I’m a big fan of therapy.”
I wanted to ask if her therapist was aware of her extracurricular activities, but I opted to keep my mouth shut. “I’ll take this new information under advisement,” I said finally.
“And mind your own business about my husband?”
“I have no interest in ruining your marriage.” Honestly, that was low on my list of priorities. “That doesn’t mean I necessarily believe you. This whole thing makes me suspect.”
“You’re good at your job.” She sounded sure of herself. “You’ll find out the truth. I have faith in that.”
That made one of us.
ONCE FAWN WAS BACK IN THE SHOP — her look of disappointment when she realized I was not only still alive but unbruised was hilarious — Eliot and I took a break on the bench outside. I wanted to talk away from Fawn’s prying ears, something he instinctively understood.
“What do you think?” he asked, flipping my hand over so he could trace the lines on my palm. He’d been largely quiet since the showdown.
Above the Fold & Below the Belt (An Avery Shaw Mystery Book 14) Page 25
