Ryan also slept poorly and felt restless. “Why don’t we go for a walk?” Ryan suggested. “See if we can sort all this out?”
Upon hearing the word “walk,” Dave became even more excitable. Heather was sluggish as she got out the leash, but decided that this probably was for the best.
The family got together and set out with the animals. Lilly walked with a happy Dave, while her parents walked with Cupcake. Amy responded to their message and met them on their walk.
“Did I hear this correctly?” Amy asked. “Did Tracy Trigger solve the case?”
“She certainly thinks so,” Ryan said.
“It was an impressive piece of evidence,” Heather admitted.
“Then she was right?”
“I don’t know,” Heather said. “Something about this feels all wrong.”
“Cadence as the murderer does make sense in some ways,” Ryan said. “She and Vinny were a couple, but we know how “seriously” he takes that. He could have done something to upset her.”
“It’s hard to tell who's telling the truth with these actresses,” Amy said. “They’re all good liars. But she was acting way too upset for it to be real.”
“She was the one who used the knife in the show, so she knew all about it,” Ryan said.
“And she could have used the excuse of getting a replacement knife to cover his disappearance as she made her kill,” Amy said.
“And she had a blond wig. So she had the disguise to go and meet Vinny Unger,” Ryan said.
“Laid out like that it does make sense,” Heather said.
“But?” said Amy.
“But I didn’t get the sense that she wanted Vinny dead,” said Heather.
“She was a good actress,” Ryan said.
“Look, I don’t want to admit that Tracy Trigger beat us on this one either,” Amy said. “But if the evidence points to it.”
“That’s the problem,” Heather said. “Doesn’t it seem a little too convenient for her to find a blond wig on Cadence as soon as we say the killer was blond?”
“Maybe,” Ryan said.
“But what are you saying?” asked Amy. “That Tracy did it. She has dark hair and was the only person who didn’t date Vinny besides Edna Waterbaulm.”
“I know,” Heather said. “She could have worn a blond wig too, but what is her motive?”
They thought about it long and hard.
“Maybe she’s not the killer. Maybe she’s just annoying,” Amy said.
“But she was so involved in the investigation. At every step of the way. And the things she did might have contaminated the evidence,” Heather said.
“She might have thought she was being helpful,” Amy said. “She did seem self-involved.”
“And not everyone knows police procedural etiquette,” Ryan said.
“I guess you’re right,” Heather said. “Something just seems off to me.”
“I suppose we’ll never know what goes on inside the mind of Tracy Trigger,” Amy said. Then she laughed. “What a name. Tracy Trigger.”
“Wait a minute,” Heather said. “Did she say that was a stage name?”
“I think so,” Amy said. “Why?”
“Just a thought. A lot times, stage names that actors use for their performing career are influenced by their birth name.”
“Okay?”
“What was Deb’s last name?” Heather asked.
“Trigoranstep,” said Ryan.
“Doesn’t that sound a lot like “Trigger”?” Heather asked.
“It kind of does,” said Amy. “But what does that mean?”
“It means I need Ryan to do a background check,” Heather said.
***
“Did you visit me to congratulate me on solving the case?” Tracy Trigger asked.
“Not exactly,” said Amy.
“We found out some new information that we thought you might find interesting,” Heather said.
She and Amy had gone to meet Tracy Trigger at the dinner theater.
“Interesting? Then I’m all ears,” said Tracy. “Did you find out more evidence to link Cadence to the crime?”
“We’ve been thinking more about the play,” Heather said.
“Right,” Amy said. “The Mysterious Murder of Emily Middlewick and Her Jewels.”
“Close enough,” said Heather.
“We’ve been thinking a lot about it,” Amy said.
“And about who in the cast had the opportunity to go and commit the crime. We’d been focused on who could sneak out in between scenes that we completely overlooked the obvious,” said Heather.
“And what is that?” asked Tracy.
“That your character, the detective, doesn’t enter until after the murder had occurred. You would have had plenty of time to go and kill Vinny Unger before your first line,” Heather said.
“I suppose it’s possible that I had time,” Tracy Trigger said. “But what possible reason could I have for killing that young man?”
“We were stuck on that too,” said Heather. “But then we realized something. Your stage name Trigger sounds an awful lot like Trigoranstep.”
“So?”
“So, we did a little digging, and we discovered that Deb is your niece,” said Heather.
“That’s not a secret,” Tracy said.
“It certainly seemed like a secret when we came to question her. You acted as if she were just another actress that you were questioning,” Heather said.
“Well, that was before I knew that Cadence was the killer,” said Tracy. “I was afraid Deb had done it. I didn’t want to attract any unnecessary attention by talking about our family relations.”
“Cadence isn’t the killer,” Heather said.
“Then who is?” Asked Tracy Trigger.
“You are,” Heather said.
Tracy laughed and laughed. When she stopped, the enthusiasm act that she was putting on about searching for the killer was gone.
“You don’t actually expect me to confess to this, do you?” she asked.
“No,” Heather said. “We just wanted to talk to let you know how actual crime solving was done and how we’re going to get a murder charge conviction in this case.”
“First, I think we can get Deb to talk,” Amy said. “She doesn’t seem like the sort to lie under oath.”
“She doesn’t know anything,” Tracy said.
“And then we’re going to search the crime scene again,” said Heather.
“What a shame I already trampled through the parking lot, looking for evidence to help solve the case. How will you be able to prove when my tracks were there? The day of the murder. Or the day I tried to solve it,” Tracy taunted.
“No. Not that crime scene,” Heather said.
Tracy Trigger paused and looked wary.
“Then what crime scene?”
“This one,” Heather said, gesturing to the stage area.
“I don’t understand,” Tracy said. “Vinny was killed in the parking lot.”
“Yes. That is the murder crime scene,” said Heather. “But I was thinking of another crime.”
“A robbery?” Amy asked.
Heather nodded. “The theft of the blade that was used as the murder weapon.”
“Anyone could have stolen it,” Tracy said.
“Anyone had the opportunity, but we’ll soon prove it was you.”
“How?”
“With fingerprints.”
Tracy Trigger was silent.
“The blade was inside the drawer under an embroidery prop that Deb used in her scene. The prop covered it.”
“So, the killer had to lift the embroidery in order to get to the knife. And that killer left fingerprints on the frame,” said Heather.
“No!” Tracy Trigger cried. She lunged got the drawer but found it was empty.
“The evidence is already with the police. We should get the results shortly,” Heather said.
Then she saw Ryan and Detective Hoskins entering.
“Or now,” said Heather.
“It’s not fair,” Tracy said. “It’s not fair. I had a perfect plan.”
“There’s no such thing as perfect when it comes to murders,” said Heather.
“I’m going to go to jail over killing someone as worthless as Vinny Unger?” Tracy asked. “He broke my niece’s heart and waved it in her face day after day. He deserved what he got.”
Ryan and Hoskins reached her and began reading Tracy Trigger her rights, but by this time she was in a frenzy.
“I’d do it again too,” Tracy said. “He was dirt. And I’m glad he’s dead after what he did to Deb.”
Ryan and Hoskins took Tracy Trigger away. Amy patted Heather on the arm.
“Well, you know what this means?” Amy said.
“What?” asked Heather.
“We’re still the best female private investigators in Hillside.”
Heather couldn’t help but laugh.
Chapter 18
“We have to hurry up, or we’re going to be late,” Heather called. To celebrate their latest case being solved, Heather’s family and friends had decided that they would go out to another night of theater. However, this show had no murders in it. It was a musical comedy that was sure to have a happy ending.
“I’m all ready,” Lilly said. “And I have good news.”
“Besides that we’re all seeing a show together?”
Lilly nodded. “I figured out my book. I came up with a motive. You were right. Motives are important.”
“You can say that again,” Heather said. She had been looking at a scorned lover as a suspect in her case for so long that they almost overlooked the real killer. However, protecting a family member was a strong motive. As soon as she realized that Tracy Trigger and Deb were related, the pieces started to fit into place.
“What motive did you come up with?” Heather asked her daughter.
“So why did the Apatosaurus want to get rid of the egg so badly? Well, I came up with that he kept stubbing his toes on the eggs. Like when kids don’t pick up their toys. He became so frustrated that he threw the egg away.”
“That sounds like a motive that makes sense,” Heather said. “I love this story. I can’t wait to read it when it’s written out.”
“Thanks,” Lilly said. “I think it’s going to be good.”
“What’s going to be good?” Eva asked as she and Leila joined them. “The play?”
“As long as there are no murders, I’ll be content,” said Leila “And if there’s delicious food again, I’ll be overjoyed.”
“I’m sure the play will be great,” Heather said. “But we were talking about Lilly’s latest story.”
The adults were all eager to hear more about Lilly’s latest dinosaur detective tale, but she told them, with a little smile, that they would have to wait until she finished writing it to read the story. They said they were impatient but eager.
“Are we all ready to go?” Ryan asked.
“Amy and Jamie are dawdling in the kitchen,” Heather said.
“Well, can you blame me?” Amy asked. “You have donuts out there.”
“Okay,” Heather agreed. “Everybody grab one donut for the road, but then we have to get on the road. We don’t want to be late for the show.”
The friends all grabbed a donut. Alternating between smiling and chewing, they started towards the cars to drive to the theater together.
“You’re right. We don’t want to be late,” Amy agreed, after finishing her snack. “What’s this play called again?”
“The Joyous Marriage and Festival at Oakwood Manor.”
Amy groaned. “Another long title. I’m just going to call this one The Show We Saw After Eating Donuts.”
They chuckled as they got into their cars and put on their seatbelts. Heather couldn’t help thinking that if that were the title of the show, there were bound to be encores.
The End
A letter from the Author
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