School's Out for Murder (Schooled in Murder Book 2)

by Tracy D. Comstock

  "It is," Emily agreed. "I hope we can get Amelia's mind off her troubles for a while. She looks so tired."

  Tad glanced at her at the corner of his eye as he asked, "Any news on the investigative front?"

  "Why would you ask me?" Emily stared out her own window, careful not to meet Tad's eyes.

  He let loose a low chuckle, but said nothing. "What?" Emily asked again, crossing her arms defiantly.

  "Because, Pit, if I know you, and I do, you've already managed to stick your nose into several places it shouldn't have been."

  "You know," Emily began in her defense, "it's not my fault that people always seem to gravitate toward me when they want to pour out their troubles."

  "That's true," Tad conceded. "But your sympathetic ear and open heart are legendary in these parts, my dear." Tad raised his eyebrows meaningfully and patted her knee. "Of course, those are also some of the very traits that make me crazy about you."

  Emily's heart skittered around in her chest, and she covered his hand with her own. "Thanks, Tad. You know my heart is wide open where you're concerned." She waited with baited breath to see how he would respond, but he said nothing, only turned his hand to link his fingers with hers. Oh well, she thought ruefully. They cared about each other a great deal. That was enough. For now. Returning to Tad's original question, she launched into an account of her day, starting with finally explaining the rumors circulating about Amelia and Larry having an affair and ending with her trip to the police station when she discovered the scrap of paper at her booth.

  "Wow," Tad said, pulling into Gabby and Greg's long, curving driveway. "You really have had a day."

  "You could say that," Emily agreed, admiring the lights shining out against the darkness. Outside of her parents' house, the one she grew up in, Emily had never known a home she felt more comfortable or welcomed in than Gabby and Greg's. Emily felt that familiar tug that she had been experiencing since the first time she had come here with Tad, that pull to her heart that made her wonder if they would one day share such a homey place, possibly one that held children. She shook off the feeling as she felt Tad reach over to massage her tight shoulders.

  "Come on," he said, tugging her hand. "Let's go see who Amelia's mystery boyfriend is."

  They found Gabby and Greg setting the table out on their new deck. The space was gorgeous. Lanterns strategically placed around the perimeter gave the area a cozy glow and recessed outdoor lighting showed not only the gentle curve of the two-tiered deck, but the beginnings of a playhouse in the far corner of the yard. "What's that?" Emily asked excitedly. She had had her own playhouse growing up, one her dad had built for her, and she had spent hours in it, teaching school to her dolls, hosting tea parties with her friends, or whiling away the hours with a good book.

  "I wanted you to see it in person first!" Gabby was as excited as if the playhouse was for her. "We decided that since the deck was more a project for us, we'd add the playhouse as a project for the girls. Your dad is going to help Greg finish it, but then you have to help me decorate it."

  "That may be the most exciting news I've heard all day," Emily exclaimed, taking in the playhouse's peaked roof and tiny front porch. "Everything looks gorgeous, as usual, Gabby. You guys did an amazing job with this deck."

  "Thanks." Gabby smiled over at her husband. "This man of mine sure comes in handy. Aren't I lucky?"

  "I'd say we both are," Emily answered, watching as the two men in their lives took up positions on either side of the manly grill, their arms crossed and their eyes narrowed against the smoke as they checked out the sizzling selection of meats wafting out mouthwatering scents on the cool night air. "What can I help you with?"

  "I just have the salad left." Gabby led the way into the kitchen to finish up the final touches on dinner. She and Emily were headed back out to the deck to join the men in a glass of wine and speculation as to whom Amelia's boyfriend might be, when the front doorbell rang. All four heads turned at the sound and Emily did a nervous little dance in place as Gabby went to let in the final two members of their little dinner party. Finally, they would learn the man's secret identity.

  But when Gabby led the newcomers out onto the new deck, Emily was sure she wasn't the only one whose jaw dropped open in shock. Amelia, looking radiant in a flowy, peach-toned dress with a light shawl, was a woman transformed. Where she had appeared wan and anxious when Emily and Gabby had lunched with her earlier in the day, she now glowed with the look of a woman in love. But Amelia's transformation was not the source of their shock. Rather it was the man that Amelia was clearly gaga about. Tad was the first to break out of the temporary speechlessness that had settled over the group on the large deck.

  "Trent Winters! Man, long time no see. How the heck are ya?" Tad stepped forward to shake the newcomer's hand, grasping his elbow as he did so in that manly way men had that always made Emily wonder if that was their version of women's hugs and air kisses.

  "Fine, fine. And yourself, Tad?" Trent's rich baritone sounded warm and sincere, revealing no trace of awkwardness at this surprise reunion. Emily didn't bother to listen to Tad's response, instead focusing on Gabby. Her best friend's face was pale, her large brown eyes slightly glazed with shock. She still held a box of matches in one hand, a single match in the other, prepared to light the citronella candle on the ledge of the deck next to where she stood, unmoving, just as she had been ever since leading the new couple back out onto the deck. Emily saw that Greg was watching Gabby's reaction, a look of confusion marring his even features. Emily moved quickly to Gabby's side, giving her a slight nudge to the ribs with her elbow.

  Gabby gave a jolt, like someone startled out of a nightmare, then she stepped forward, ready to make her guests feel welcome. "Amelia, Trent, I'm so glad you guys could make it."

  Amelia placed a hand lightly on Gabby's arm. "Isn't it a wonderful surprise? When I moved back to Ellington, I had no idea that Trent was in the area. But then we ran into each other at Walmart, of all places, started reminiscing about the good 'ole days, and well, one thing led to another, and here we are."

  "Yes, here we are," Gabby smiled as she turned to introduce everyone to Greg. "You see," she explained to her still-puzzled husband, "Trent and Amelia went to school with Emily and me. They were a grade ahead of us."

  "It's nice to meet you," Greg replied, and Emily wondered if he was picking up on the slight air of tension still pervading the group. Since Greg had grown up in Chicago, he didn't know most of the people his wife had grown up with. Emily was sure he had no idea that his wife had once harbored a major crush for the man now standing on his new deck.

  Emily decided it was time to join in this slightly surreal conversation. "It's nice to see you again, Trent. Didn't I hear you were coaching in the area now?" Emily ignored the warning glace Tad shot her way. She'd meant her comment as a slight dig. Back in high school, Trent's ego had been legendary. Although he had been a truly talented basketball player, his constant bragging about playing college ball and then joining the pros had not endeared him to many of his classmates. In fact, Amelia, a talented player in her own right, had been one of his few true friends. The rest of his group seemed to be more hangers-on, awed by Trent's supposed celebrity status. Emily had always secretly wondered if Amelia was only such a good friend to Trent because she had a crush on him. But the then-tomboy Amelia had never breathed a word of feeling anything more than friendship toward Trent, which had been good for her friendship with Gabby, who had a not-so-silent crush on the basketball superstar. But Trent never even gave Gabby a second glance, which was odd since every boy in their own grade was half-in-love with gorgeous, dark-haired, sweet-natured Gabby Moretti. Gabby had suffered over two years of unrequited love for Trent, until their senior year when she finally decided that since Trent had graduated and left for college, she should finally move on. As far as Emily knew, Gabby hadn't seen Trent since the day he left Ellington.

  Emily watched Trent closely to see how he would respond because
the Trent she knew from high school would have some excuse as to why he hadn't made it to the pros. But he wrapped his arm around Amelia and smiled at Emily, saying, "That's right, Emily. When I decided to move back last year, there weren't any openings at Ellington, but I was able to secure a varsity coaching position at Brentville. It's not home, but it's been fun working with the kids."

  Emily tried to keep her face schooled into neutral lines. She didn't want to betray the fact that Trent's apparent sincerity surprised her. She had never thought of Trent as someone who would enjoy working behind the scenes. She said, "I know what you mean. Working with the kids is definitely the most rewarding part of my job."

  "You teach English, right?" Trent asked her, and Emily nodded, surprised he knew that about her. "I'm afraid English was never my best subject." He gave a self-deprecating smile and a little shrug.

  Amelia's laugh rang out, and Emily and Gabby shared a smile at the sound of it. Amelia had always had an infectious laugh. "That's what you had me for," she said, looking up at Trent. "I'd help you with English as long as you'd help me with math. Sorry, Tad," she laughed again.

  Tad smiled back at her. "Oh, that's okay, Amelia. I'm used to being the lone math nerd."

  "Well, maybe now I can join your ranks," Trent joked.

  Tad, Amelia, and Trent took turns relaying high school basketball victories to Greg, Emily joined Gabby to help bring out the remaining dishes to the candlelit table on the deck. "What'd ya think?" Emily whispered to Gabby. "You okay?"

  "Of course," Gabby laughed. "I'm fine. High school was a long time ago, Em. It was just a shock seeing him here after all these years. Amelia looks really happy with him, don't you think?"

  "Yep," Emily agreed. "I just hope he's good enough for her."

  "They were always close friends," Gabby reminded her, "and as we know, some of the best relationships are built on friendships." When Emily still looked doubtful, Gabby added, "He certainly doesn't seem to be unhappy with where he's ended up, and he appears devoted to Amelia."

  "That's true," Emily relented a bit. "They look very happy together."

  Amelia chose that moment to stick her head in the kitchen to see if the girls needed help with anything. Gabby passed her a veggie tray and Amelia paused in the doorway to ask, "Can you believe it? Trent and I? I almost passed out when I saw him standing there in Walmart. And he's just as wonderful as I remembered him."

  "You two look very happy together, and we're thrilled for you," Gabby answered, motioning between herself and Emily.

  "Absolutely," Emily agreed, giving Amelia a one-armed hug as she was carrying a salad in her other hand. "Why didn't you tell us your boyfriend was Trent when we met for lunch?"

  "I wanted to surprise you. And," Amelia became engrossed in the tile pattern of the kitchen floor, "I know that some people found Trent's ego to be a little off-putting when we were in high school. I wanted you guys to see firsthand how much he's changed. I know his dream was always to play pro ball, but he seems to have found his true calling in coaching."

  "It would definitely appear so," Gabby agreed warmly as the three women headed back out at Greg's call, "Food's ready! Come and get it!"

  The meal was delicious, and the conversation flowed smoothly. Emily found herself truly relaxing for the first time since she'd discovered Mayor McBain's body. She looked around the table and saw nothing but peace and contentment reflected in the candlelight shining on her friends' faces. Gabby was snuggled up against Greg, who was absently dropping a kiss on Gabby's dark curls. It was clear that her momentary surprise of seeing Trent had had no lasting effect. She was one happily married woman. Tad was laughing beside her, enjoying a story Trent was telling about a disastrous practice he had while playing for Missouri State. Trent's sense of humor and ability to laugh at himself were a far cry from the egotistical young man they had known in high school. And the look of pure love on Amelia's face as she smiled up at Trent, their fingers entwined and resting on the table, warmed Emily's heart. The evening seemed to be an unqualified success. Amelia looked like she didn't have a care in the world. Emily sent up a silent prayer that this group of friends would share many such nights together.

  As they were all enjoying Gabby's signature dessert—her rich, decadent cheesecake—the talk inevitably turned to the murder, as it weighed heavily on the minds of all of them. Trent had been out of town at a coaching conference until today, so he was pretty hazy on the details. Emily and Gabby tag-teamed telling him about discovering the Mayor's body. Emily cast an anxious glance at Amelia during the telling, but she was relieved to see that while Amelia looked puzzled and concerned, she no longer sported the pinched, worried look she'd worn earlier that day. Trent's presence seemed to be working wonders for her.

  Trent was giving Emily a sympathetic look, his brow wrinkled in concern. "I'm sorry you had to go through that again, Emily. Amelia told me you were the one who found Coach Layton last fall." When Emily nodded, her throat still constricting at the memory, Trent continued, "I never got to meet the man, but I heard he was quite a coach."

  "He was," Emily agreed softly. Then she perked up a bit when she added, "Stevie sounded good the last time we talked to him." She motioned to her and Tad. "He appears to be adjusting well to life with his dad. And they've even been to visit Arlene a few times. I think Stevie will eventually be able to make peace with her," Emily added, referring to the woman who had both kidnapped Stevie as a baby and then later killed Coach Layton to cover up her secret past in her desperation for a child of her own to love.

  "It's amazing how resilient kids can be," Trent commented. "But speaking of kids, what about the rumor that Mayor McBain left her entire fortune to her niece Maclaine?"

  Gabby said, "Maclaine's not exactly a child anymore, but I have no idea about the inheritance."

  Trent gave a small laugh. "No, I guess Maclaine wouldn't be a child anymore. That's just how I remember her from her visits to her aunt back when we were all in school."

  Emily tried not to stiffen at the mention of Maclaine. She said tightly, "Tad's been trying to help her out. Her boyfriend is out of town for work."

  "That's kind of you, Tad," Amelia said softly, and Emily was disappointed to see the pinched look returning to Amelia's face. Before she could change the topic, Greg spoke up.

  "Amelia, we all know the rumors are false. No one who knows you believes them anyway." Here Amelia shot him a grateful look. "But," Greg continued, "could part of the rumor be true?" Five startled glances turned his way, but then Trent nodded slowly.

  "You mean—could Larry have been having an affair with someone else?"

  Amelia gave a small gasp. "I never thought of that! Outside of having him as a patient, I really don't know Larry all that well. It's definitely something to consider."

  But Emily felt it was definitely time to change the subject before the enchantment of the pleasant evening was irrevocably lost. "Let's worry about that tomorrow, what'd ya say? How about some cards? I have to warn you, Trent," she joked, "you're about to experience game play with a bunch of competitive card fiends."

  Trent laughed. "I consider myself duly warned. If someone will direct me to the restroom, then I'll come back prepared to take on the lot of you."

  Greg headed Trent in the right direction, and then the rest of them began clearing the table. As they were rinsing the last of the dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, Amelia spoke up. "Thank you for this evening, guys. It's just what the doctor ordered. For the first time since all those awful rumors began, I feel like everything is going to be okay."

  "Well, of course it is," Gabby declared, hands on hips in her avenging warrior stance. "The police will—" The ringing of the doorbell cut her off. She glanced up at the clock above the stove. "10:00 p.m.? Who could that be so late?"

  "I'll find out," Greg told her, passing them on his way to the living room. He was back in seconds, his face set in hard, angry lines, and Gangly-Arms hot on his heels.

  "Detective
Welks!" Gabby exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

  Looking supremely uncomfortable, Gangly-Arms avoided eye contact with anyone as he said, "I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner party, Mrs. Spencer, but I'm afraid I'm here for Amelia." Their group exchanged uneasy glances, realizing the police must have had someone following Amelia. That did not bode well.

  "What do you want with Amelia?" asked Trent angrily, choosing that moment to reenter the kitchen.

  Gangly-Arms barely spared Trent a glance before turning to Amelia, who had gone pale and still, her knuckles blanched white where she gripped the edge of the counter as if to keep herself upright. "Amelia Franklin," Gangly-Arms began, pulling out a set of handcuffs, "you are under arrest for the murder of Janice McBain. Anything you say—"

  Amelia began to sob, looking at Trent helplessly. "You can't do this," Trent pleaded, stepping forward to hold Amelia. But Gangly-Arms stepped around him, never even acknowledging his presence as he led Amelia toward the front door.

  "I'll be right behind you with a lawyer," Trent called after her, scrambling for his keys. "Don't say anything until I get there." But he was speaking to air as Gangly-Arms was already placing a still-sobbing Amelia in the back of the waiting squad car.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The flashing red and blue lights played over the stunned and angry faces of those left standing in Gabby and Greg's kitchen as the squad car pulled out of the driveway. Trent was on the move first, frantically stabbing at the buttons of his cell phone. As he waited for someone to pick up on the other end, he shot a frantic, apologetic look at the rest of them. "I'm sorry—uh, I have to—" He motioned toward the door.

  "Go, go," Gabby assured him, waving away his apology. "Just please keep us updated. We'll do all we can on this end."

  With a quick nod, Trent turned his attention back to his phone, his curt, tense words fading as he headed out the front door. A tense silence hung over the group remaining behind in the kitchen. Gabby messed with a dishcloth, swiping at already spotless counters, while Greg stepped out to the deck to douse the candles. Emily reached for her purse, which she'd left perched on a kitchen chair earlier that evening. "Are you ready to go?" Tad asked her, looking surprised.