Freeze Frame (Killer Shots Mysteries Book 2)
Page 13
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THE ADRENALINE RUSH had me practically running by the time I hit the steps to the library. Sure enough, volunteers were there sorting through boxes of books for the sale.
Leslie Harper, with her freshly highlighted hair, took one look at me and threw out her hands. “That’s it, stalker. I’m calling the sheriff!”
I brushed past her and stopped in front of Susan Martinelli. “We need to talk.”
She groaned. “What? Now? Is it about Leslie?”
“You could say that.”
She crooked her finger for me to follow her behind one of the tall bookshelves. She put her hands on her hips. “What?”
Whether it was because of all the books surrounding me or because of Jake’s advice, my voice came out in storytelling manner. “Once upon a time there was a little girl about five years old. The year was 1982. She was spending the night at her best friend’s house.”
Susan’s furrowed brows and gaping mouth made it clear she thought I had lost my mind. “What are you jabbering about?” She slowly backed away.
I kept pace with her. “Something woke the girl up. Maybe it was a noise or maybe she was thirsty. She went out into the den and saw something that frightened her.”
“Stop it! You’re scaring me.” She turned down the next aisle of books, trying to get away.
I followed her. “What she saw was a man, but not an ordinary man. Not her friend’s father. It was a scary man dressed as a clown.”
“No! Stop!” She turned another corner and was trapped right next to the microfiche machine.
“Years went by until one day, that little girl was all grown up and at a birthday party. She saw the same clown again, didn’t you, Susan?”
“No,” she insisted, “it wasn’t me.”
“Then why did you lie? You said you just loved that birthday cake at the end of the party. But you didn’t stay until the end of the party, did you?” I held up the group photo.
She turned to face the wall, knowing she and her daughter weren’t in it. “Yes, we left right after cake. My daughter had something on her dress. I took her home to change.”
I heard a noise behind me and turned. It was Sheriff Grady. I shook my head and put up my hand to stop him.
Miraculously, he got the message and retreated back around the corner.
I turned back to Susan. She hadn’t seen Grady. “Something on her dress?” I asked.
“Yes. Cake icing.” She turned back around then and tried to appear smug, but the fear in her eyes was real.
“Cake icing or face paint? Paint you had gotten on your hand when you struck Mr. Squishy.”
She sucked in a deep breath.
“After you locked him in the freezer. Isn’t that right.” I held up the clown’s picture to her face.
She let out a soft cry, closed her eyes, and sank down to the floor.
“How’d you get him to go in there? Was it the flask?”
She nodded and began to sob. “Yes. I saw it when I went to get Leslie’s phone out of her purse. I didn’t want her drinking at Bridgette’s party.”
I kneeled down next to her. “Why did you do it, Susan? Did you think it was the same clown from when you were a child?”
“I know it was. When he was making that balloon animal for my daughter, he called her his ‘little chickadee.’ That’s exactly what he called me all those years ago at Leslie’s house. The only difference was that I remembered him being taller, but that’s just because I was a child and he loomed so large that night above me.” She shook her head as if trying to drive the memory from her head.
Part of me couldn’t believe that Susan was actually confessing.
“I didn’t mean to kill him, you have to believe me. I just wanted to get him away from my daughter and from the other girls without making a scene. I flirted a little and used the flask to lure him to the kitchen. That’s when I noticed the freezer. It was locked, but I saw the key hanging on the wall. I told him we could slip in there together.” She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “He was obviously already three sheets to the wind. When he got inside, I slapped him and threw the flask at him. Then I locked the door.”
“What did you do with the key?”
“I don’t remember exactly. I think I threw it in the trash can or near the trash or something. I went back out to check on my child. I must have put my hand on her back and gotten that creep’s face grease all over the back of her beautiful dress.” She paused as she remembered the scene.
I sat down beside her. “What happened next?”
“That’s when reality set in. I grabbed her and left. I never thought for one minute that he would die in there. I thought he would yell and someone would let him out. I just didn’t want to be around for him to point a finger at me as the one who did it.”
I heard heavy footsteps behind me as Susan looked up.
“I was around the corner,” Grady said. “I heard the whole thing. Susan Martinelli, you are under arrest.”
In a flurry of activity, a deputy appeared and led Susan away.
I stopped Grady. “What will happen to her?”
“It depends on how the DA charges her. Although she says she didn’t intend to kill the guy, she didn’t come forward after she found out he was dead. The lie makes the crime worse.”
That was for sure. “What about Myra?”
“I’m sure they’ll consider dropping the charges. I’ve got to go.”
I let him keep his shred of dignity from having made another blunder by arresting the wrong person again. The charges against Myra would be dropped. Her new lawyer would have “won” her first case.
And I would get to carry on with my life and concentrate on Jake.
Chapter 26
By the time Friday night rolled around, our date had turned into a double date and then a triple date. It just seemed like the thing to do now that Myra was in the clear, Freddy was back, and my brother and I were on the mends. Plus, a part of me wanted Nancy and Tyler to have a chaperone.
The waiter came up to the table to take our drink orders. Jake and I ordered margaritas. Myra and Freddy ordered beer.
The waiter turned to Nancy. “What about you, ma’am?”
“I’ll have a diet soda.”
Tyler closed his menu. “Me, too.”
“What are you two doing?” I asked. “Volunteering to be the designated driver?”
Nancy shook her head. “No, I just feel like having a soda.” She picked up the menu and began studying it.
I couldn’t believe my ears. Since when was Nancy on a diet? “And what about you, Tyler? I thought tequila was your drink of choice.”
Myra jabbed me in the side with her elbow. “Didn’t you know your brother quit drinking about six months ago?”
My mouth gaped as I looked back at Tyler.
“That’s why your parents gave it up,” she added. “To support their son.”
Freddy reached out and shook Tyler’s hand. “Way to go, man. Good job.”
I didn’t know what to say. My brother was full of surprises.
When the waiter returned with our drinks, Tyler held up his glass to make a toast. “Here’s to my sister. If she hadn’t been so annoying and persistent, we might not all be here together tonight. Cheers.”
We all clinked glasses.
“That’s for sure. Especially you and me.” Myra grinned at Freddy, who leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Obviously, Freddy wasn’t going anywhere for a while. I wanted to make amends. “Freddy, I need to apologize for thinking you had something to do with Grover’s death. You were a little suspicious, though.”
“I know, I shouldn’t have run off like that. It’s just that my record isn’t exactly spotless, and I know what a loose cannon the sheriff can be.”
I nodded. “Not only that, but you said you disappeared for a few minutes during the party and you didn’t tell me where.”
“I told you, I had business to take care of.
” His face reddened.
I stared back, still puzzled by the answer.
“Sis, don’t be so dense,” Tyler said. “He went into the lodge to take a whiz.”
“Oops.” I wrinkled my nose. “Missed that. Sorry.”
Jake saved the day by offering up another toast. “Here’s to Mr. Squishy—Grover—may you rest in peace. Hopefully, it’s a little warmer where you are now.”
We all turned to him at once.
“Wait. That’s not what I meant. I meant—”
“Cheers,” Tyler said, and we echoed the sentiment.
Freddy stood up and smoothed out the wrinkles in his jeans. He towered over the table. “Myra, this wasn’t exactly how I planned it, but I don’t want to wait another minute. You never know what’s around the corner.” He bent down on one knee and pulled a ring box out of his pocket.
A collective gasp circled the table.
“Myra Ann Mendoza, will you marry me?”
“Yes,” Myra squealed and threw her arms around his neck.
Freddy squeezed her tight. “I love you, my little chickadee.”
Jake, Nancy, and Tyler broke into applause as I stared at the couple. Had I heard him right? Did he just call her his little chickadee? I grabbed Jake’s arm and pulled him from the table. “I need to talk to you. Now!”
He followed me to the bar. “What is it? You’re not going to propose on our first date, are you?” he asked with a grin.
“It may have been Freddy, not Grover!”
“What are you talking about?”
“At the Woodgate house in 1982. Freddy was the burglar, not Grover.”
He tilted his head. “How do you know?”
“Susan said the clown at the party was shorter than she had remembered. Freddy’s like…eight feet tall! Plus, he called Myra his ‘chickadee.’”
“Is that what you said Squishy called Susan’s daughter at the birthday party?”
I nodded quickly. “Yes. Freddy and Grover were cousins. Maybe it’s a family thing. I think we should call the sheriff. I think we should—”
Jake pulled me to him and kissed me.
After the initial shock, I wrapped my arms around his neck and felt my knees begin to wobble.
He pulled his face away and stared into my eyes. “I think you’ve done enough for a while; let’s not go borrowing trouble.”
As he kissed me again, I knew he was right. You can’t change the past. It was time at last to move forward. And at that moment, I knew I was right where I wanted to be.
The End
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Works by Lisa B. Thomas
Maycroft Mystery Series
Sharpe Shooter
Sharpe Edge
Sharpe Mind
Sharpe Turn
Sharpe Point
Sharpe Cookie
Sharpe Image: Prequel Novella
Killer Shots Mysteries
Negative Exposure
Freeze Frame
Picture Imperfect
Acknowledgements
A special thank you to my team: beta readers Lia, Kim, Lindsey, Tom, and Sarah; proofreader Kelsey; my agent, Kerry at Cozy Stuff and Such; and cover designer Susan at coverkicks.com. No Indie author is truly independent.
I also owe a big thank you to my ARC readers for their help in reading and reviewing in time for the new year.
Thank you to the readers who have followed me from my first series to this new one. Your support is invaluable.
Most of all, thanks to my husband for making it possible to pursue my dreams.