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“It was the only medication she took. Like I said, no blood pressure problems. No high cholesterol. Nothing. Just the Xanax she started taking after butthead Ned did what he did. The bastard killed her as surely as if he’d stuck a gun to her head.”
Pieces of the puzzle were falling faster and faster into place. “Did you tell her cousin Laney about any of this?”
“Of course I did. Laney was beside herself. It was just awful. Laney was torn up so bad.”
“Thank you, Ms.Rantz.” Finley somehow managed to restrain herself from barreling toward her car long enough to give Rantz a card. “If you think of anything else you feel is important, please call me.”
Rantz promised she would. Before Finley was in her Subaru and driving away, she already had Shafer at the medical examiner’s office on the phone.
“Dennis, hey, it’s Finley.”
“Fancy hearing from you twice in one week without a second body.”
Finley laughed for his benefit. “Can you check something for me?”
“As long as it isn’t dangerous and doesn’t break too many laws.”
“You know I never break laws,” Finley teased even as her entire being was pulsing with impatience.
Shafer grunted one of those sounds that could go either way but was mostly neutral.
“Nora Duncan from Franklin. She died of an overdose back in April. Can you tell me if Xanax was the drug she used? Her death may be related to this case we talked about the other day.”
“Sounds easy enough. I’ll check it out and get back to you.”
“Thanks. Talk to you soon.”
Finley put through a call to the office. “Is he in?” she asked Nita.
“He’s having brunch with Redfield. Do you need me to interrupt?”
“No. It can wait. I’m heading to the spy shop over on Fesslers Parkway. When I get back, he and I need to talk.”
Thishad just blown the neatly wrapped-up defense Winthrop had provided all to hell.
Ellen Winthrop had promised to make the person responsible for Nora Duncan’s death pay.
Jarrod Grady was that person.
30
11:15 a.m.
Spy Shop
Fesslers Parkway, Nashville
The spy shop was hopping today. Maybe because it was Friday. Who knew? Whatever the reason, it was a lucky break for Finley when Wendy Getty finished with her customer first.
With Howard tied up with a couple of guys intent on buying the latest gadgets, Finley could maybe get what she needed without his interference.
Wendy smiled. “I wondered when you would be back.”
Finley returned the smile. “I need something to use for keeping an eye on my neighbor.”
Wendy gave her a nod and turned to the shelves behind her. While she gathered the available options, Finley pulled up a photo of Marsh on her phone.
When the gadgets lined the counter, Finley placed her phone on the side away from Howard and pointed to the photo. In a low whisper, she asked, “Did she buy the code grabber?” Then she picked up a gadget and started reading the information printed on the packaging. “This is a good one?”
