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The tears were joyful. Rarity felt her body starting to work again. She’d been bracing against the news that something bad had happened. Instead, Shirley was being honored for her work. Rarity picked up the paper and read the article. It wasn’t long, but it painted not only Shirley but the bookstore is a positive light as a welcome addition to Sedona. There was even a list of book clubs and their schedule in a sidebar article. “This is amazing. I bet our traffic today is going to be crazy. At least from thein-town folk.”
“I’ve never been in a paper before.” Shirley beamed and took the paper back. “I’m going to show this to George tonight. I wasn’t going to go to the home today, but he really will want to see this. I know it.”
Archer and Rarity exchanged a look, and she realized he’d been thinking the same thing. He’d been worried about her concern being for George too. “This is great, Shirley. You should get a second copy to send to your daughter. I bet she’d love to see it.”
Shirley’s eyes widened. “You’re right. I need to go to the store and pick up another copy now. Do youmind, Rarity?”
“Go on. I’ll be fine.” Rarity laughed at her over-the-top joy. “The club doesn’t start until ten, soyou have time.”
“I’llbe right back.”
Archer watched Shirley spin around and leave the shop. He glanced at his watch. “Let me text Mike and let him know I’ll be late. I’m taking him with me on today’s tour so he can get a feel for what we’re doing here. I still need to pick up the bus.”
“You go ahead. Jonathon will be here any time. We talked yesterday about his writing hours today. And he’s so excited about visiting the tubes tomorrow.”
“Lava River Cave, not the tubes,” Archer corrected her. He looked outside at the nearly empty street. “Are you sure? I hate to leave you alone.”
“I won’t be alone for long. And I’m pretty sure the killer is focused on getting us to believe Marcus is the real killer. He’s got to be thinking that we’re taking the picture he dropped off seriously.”
Drew had called her last night and said he’d brought Marcus into the station to make it look like the picture had worked, but instead, he’d just tried to get him to remember anything about the dayat the quarry.
“Drew’s been playing it up. I’m pretty sure Sam’s still mad.”
“Well, just don’t take any chances. If someone comes in that looks scary, run. Or sic Killer on him.” He glanced at his watch again.
“Leave. Jonathon will be here at nine. We were early getting here.” She pushed him toward the door and started to shut it. “I’ll keep the door locked until then.”
“Okay, fine.” He leaned in and kissed her. “Be careful.”
She locked the door, making sure the closed sign was still turned. Then she went to the counter and unpacked her tote. Killer had found his bed by the fireplace and was already back to sleep. He’d move as soon as the kids started piling in the store for the club. He didn’t hate children, but Rarity thought they must scare him. Especially since theymoved so fast.
As she got ready for her day, she realized she was smiling. Having Shirley recognized in that manner was heartwarming. She’d have to do something special like bringing a cake for her at the next Survivors’ club meeting. After the last one went so poorly, this would be a way to bring the group back together. She’d tell Holly and Malia during thehike tomorrow.
When the knock came at the door, she hurried over to let Jonathon in, but he wasn’t at the door. Instead, it was Trish. Janey’s sister. Rarity left the chain on the door as she opened it just a little bit. “Sorry, we’restill closed.”
“Oh, this won’t take but a minute. I just wanted to give you something that Janey had made for you. I found it on her desk when I went over to clear out her office at the school. It’s sweet. I thought you might like it.” Trish dug in her purse. “I just had it.”
Rarity wasn’t sure what Janey might have made for her, but this might give her some time to talk to Trish and see if she could find out where she’d actually been the morning Janey was killed. She went to unlatch the chain lock, and as she was doing it, she saw the gun that Trish was pulling out of her purse. The chain dropped, and as Rarity struggled to grab it and put it back in its place, Trish aimed the gun at her through the narrow slit of the door.
“Let’s not make this a problem, okay?” Trish met Rarity’s gaze, and Rarity realized that there was no life in Trish’s eyes. They looked dead.
Rarity stepped away from the door and raised her hands. Hopefully someone would see Trish force her way into the shop. Jonathon was coming any time. And the kids. The kids and their parents would be showing up soon. She needed Trish to say what she needed tosay and leave.
“Okay, come on in. What do you want from me?” Rarity moved to the table. She glanced over, and Killer wasn’t in his bed by the fireplace. He must have moved behind the counter.
“Well, I tried to get you to point that policeman’s attention to Marcus, but you didn’t listen. And now I find out that my friends are being asked about my whereabouts. That won’t do. I’m a big name in supporting charities here in Arizona. I can’t have people thinking I killed anyone, especially not my sister. That doesn’t seem very generous, now does it?”
“I’m not sure how this gets you cleared. If I’m dead, they’re going to be looking for someone who killed two people. And killing a bookstore owner, that’s just being mean.” Rarity glancedat the clock.
Trish hadn’t noticed that the door was still unlocked. From the way Trish looked, Rarity thought she wasn’t noticing a lot of things. Her makeup looked like it had been put on at clown school. And the mascara on her eyes showed she’d been crying. There were still some feelings there. Maybe Rarity could use it.
“I brought his coat from his car and cigarette butts. Can you believe he doesn’t even lock it? What does he think, Sedona’s small-town enough for no one to steal from him? Men, they’re idiots.”
“His car?” Now Rarity wasjust confused.
“Marcus’s car, idiot. He thought you were getting too close to finding out that he killed Janey, so he came over just to talk. When he realized what you knew, he killed you.” Trish looked at the gun. “The gun is clean. No attachments to any other murders. At least that’s what the nice man on the corner of Flagstaff Avenue and Eleventh told me when I bought it from him. It’s surprisingly easy to get a gun these days.”
Rarity wondered if getting into a spirited conversation about gun rights would at least delay Trish from shooting her until Jonathon figured out how to save her, but she doubted Trish was in any condition to argue logically. The woman looked like her sister’s death had pushed her over a cliff that she wasn’t coming back from anytime soon. “I’m surprised you didn’t use Caleb. He seemed like a more likely fall guy.”
