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Jane turned to Conrad, petting the sleeping, drooling Cheddar. “Did you know Abigail spotted Lucy exiting the Treasure Room before the firefighters arrived?”
“I did.”
What! “And you didn’t share that information with me?”
“How was I supposed to know you didn’t read it on my screen at the same time I did?”
Ha! Good answer. Still, Jane tsked-tsked and skimmed the subsequent message.
Tiffinator: Abigail is many horrible things, but she isn’t a killer. Probably. By the way, if you could pick me up a straightedge, razor blade and some distressed ink in pink, that would be great.
Jane: Focus Tiff! We’re discussing murder, not your new card making endeavors.
Tiffany and Abigail were childhood friends. Until the widow lost her fortune thanks to a philandering husband. Then Abigail had dropped her hot potato-style. Before that, the so-called best friend had been one of the many who’d had an affair with Tiff’s hubby. To Jane, an evil heart was an evil heart, and Abigail had the evilest heart of all. Tiffany, for her plethora of faults, hadn’t yet wised up to that fact.
“One of my deputies spoke with Ms. Waynes-Kirkland,” Conrad said. “She was at the grocery store, then a nail appointment.”
Jane tsked again. “I should ticket you for withholding evidence. Obviously, you’re scrolling too fast for someone suffering from a head injury.”
“My apologies. I’ll go slower.”
“Thank you.” A new text came in outside the Team Truth chat.
Jane exited the group exchange to open the individual message.
NewsKatz: Give me the scoop! What happened in that teashop??????
Jane had expected Ashley Katz to reach out sooner. They had an on and off, like-dislike relationship and sometimes helped each other unearth information.
Jane: Prove you aren’t the killer and I’ll give you a quote.
NewsKatz: You are nothing if not predictable. I’m already working on my “innocent of murder” presentation for you. There’s even graphs!
Good.
Jane: You can score bonus points if you tell me who won the lottery.
NewsKatz: That story is hogwash.
Was it really? “What if Abigail pretended to be at the grocery store and killed Hannah, struck me, then chased Lucy, who might have, possibly, witnessed the murder, and that’s the reason Abigail didn’t stick around to make sure I was dead?” Jane asked Conrad. “Then, when Abigail’s search for Lucy proved unfruitful, or fruitful for all we know, she raced back to join the crowd of onlookers, thereby attempting to give herself an alibi and blame the entire thing on the former bank employee.”
“It’s possible,” he replied, “but not probable. I’ll be checking security footage from the street cams, as well as any surrounding buildings.”
“I’ll expect a full report, Agent Inspector Detective Sheriff Ryan.” One of her nicknames for him.
“You’ll get it.” He bent his head to kiss the tip of her nose. “Maybe.”
“Ugh. Stop being preemptive and cute. They’re two of your most annoying qualities.”
He snorted.
Jane read the last message in the text chain.
Beaudyguard: Took some work, but I learned Mason Thorton is the lottery winner everyone is discussing. Only he didn’t win the lottery. He was given a substantial inheritance from his grandfather.
Oooh. Was this what Ashley meant by hogwash?
So. Hannah’s ex recently received a surprise windfall of cash. Finances weren’t a motive for him. Unless they were. He might not have needed to take over or sell the Treasure Room, but what if Hannah had a legal right to a cut of his new funds and he’d feared losing everything? Or maybe Mr. Thorton did the dirty deed for nothing but revenge. Who better to use as a distraction than the best detective in town and her incredibly handsome fiancé?
