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Mass Street was busy. The keepers of the various vigils for Dan Murdoch about the city became tourists when they took a break from the candle-lighting and memorial readings. During these times they contributed to the economy of the downtown cafes, bars, and restaurants, not to mention the Raven, the Dusty Bookshelf, and a handful of other bookstores that had become drop-in centers for grieving readers in need of support.
“What if someone recognizes me from the article?” Theo asked nervously.
“The photo was taken from a distance, and you were looking down,” Mac said. “I don’t think anyone who doesn’t already know you will recognize you. But if you’re not comfortable—”
“No.” Theo checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. There were shadows beneath her eyes. She hadn’t put on any makeup that morning when she’d gotten dressed to go to the station and answer questions. “I’d really like to get out, to be honest.”
Mac found a parking spot on New Hampshire, off Ninth.
“Surely, it will still be a crime scene,” Theo said as they climbed out of Zeke’s Chevy.
“Yes, probably. I’m afraid you might have to wait till it reopens to catch up with your friends.” Mac shrugged. “We could grab a coffee from the Pig… They may have some gossip about what went on at Benders.”
Theo frowned. “I’ve got a better idea… I don’t suppose you need anything framed?”
The Gilded Edge was a picture framer and gift store that framed and stocked the work of local artists—though nothing of the caliber or notoriety of a Burroughs. It also kept a quite extensive line of candles. The store shared the back alley with Benders.
“Laura works here in the evenings,” Theo explained as they walked in. “Maybe—”
“Well, hello, stranger!” The lady in question emerged from between the display shelves with her arms outstretched. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!”
Theo embraced her and introduced Mac Etheridge. “Oh, Laura, this so awful. Are you all right?”
“I don’t know. It’s just terrible. She was so young.”
“You found her?”
“Oh, no. That was poor Chic. She thought it was one of the street people at first and then she saw the blood and screamed and screamed. I’m not sure she’ll ever be right again.” Laura wiped her eyes. “Who would want to hurt little Mary—”
“You knew her?”
“She’s been coming to Benders some in the past few days. She was a student here, I think—always typing away on that laptop of hers, when she wasn’t talking to Jock.” Laura looked at Theo and corrected herself. “I guess she could have been a writer too—”
“She knew Jock?”
“That’s right; he’ll be so cut up when he finds out.”
“He doesn’t know?”
“No, I don’t think so. Chic found poor Mary first thing, before we opened, and Benders has been closed since.” Laura shook her head. “The crime scene people won’t be finished for another couple of days they say.”
“I wonder how Mary got into the back porch?” Theo asked as casually as she could. “Was the door open?”
“No, it was locked. Locked it myself… It’s only when it’s snowing that I leave it unlocked…though I won’t be doing that again—no, sir!”
“Then Mary broke in?”
“No…it’s the darnedest thing. There was no sign of a break-in, and the door was locked this morning.”
“Then how did she get in?”
Laura shrugged, her eyes widening. “It’s like she walked through the wall.”
“Or,” Mac said evenly, “whoever killed Mary has a key, opened up, and locked the door again once they were done.”
The idea had clearly not occurred to Laura before. She gasped. “Fuck!” she whispered.
Mac intervened as she began to hyperventilate. “Who has a key, Laura?”
