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Jane: Fine. Just remember, this is a rough draft.
“I need a couple more minutes. Beau is forcing me to send him the chapter I wrote last night,” she told Conrad, kneeling in front of the couch to power up her laptop.
“CC me. For the case.” Conrad took another drink of coffee before sauntering off, whistling the rest of the way.
“You boys are incorrigible,” Jane admonished, but she did include him in the email.
Once sent, she shot her friend a new text.
Jane: I emailed you. Pay up!
The text arrived only seconds later.
Beaudyguard: Margaret “Maggie” Selene Johnson is a twenty-seven y.o. mechanic who co-owns Golden Gears Auto Shop with her brother. Co-workers refer to her as “the Breaker of Lanes.” Reviews are a mix bag. The good ones praise her straight-forward manner, the bad seem to come from those who asked her out and got turned down. She’s been a member of the book club for six years.
She sounded interesting, and not at all like the rich jetsetters Abigail usually preferred.
Although Maggie was a business owner. Perhaps she made enough money to garner Abigail’s interest.
Mulling over the information, Jane hurried through a shower and dressed in a casual, pale rose A-line dress with a hem that skimmed her knees. Once again, she forewent a hat. And once again, Conrad had breakfast prepared when she exited. Avocado toast with poached eggs. He was such a wonderful man.
After they’d eaten their fill, they hopped into his SUV and drove to Golden Gears. The building had been refurbished from Aurelian Hills’s first filling station, retro signage evoking a sense of nostalgia. Classic gas pumps flanked the parking lot entrance. Four large service bays were equipped with vintage-inspired rolling doors. Past them, skilled mechanics utilized state-of-the-art diagnostic machines and equipment.
“Is this a good cop, bad cop situation?” Jane asked as they unbuckled.
He softly chucked her under the chin. “This is an I talk, you listen situation.”
Fair enough. “Well, do us both a favor and remember my cover. I’m Jane, the future bestselling author now.”
“Got it.” He exited and rushed around to open her door.
They headed inside. Conrad flashed his badge to the man behind the counter. “We’d like to speak with Maggie Johnson.”
The guy paled but nodded, led them into an office, and mumbled, “I’ll go get her.” He closed the door on his way out.
Only a few minutes later, a short, curvy brunette with arms sleeved in tattoos and smears of oil on her cheek strode in. She wiped her hands on a rag and peered between Conrad and Jane with big, blue eyes. “May I help you?”
Jane did a double take. Minus bangs, the mechanic epitomized the murderer described in the killer’s manuscript. Same dark hair and crystalline eyes. She thought Conrad might have performed a double take too.
Surely Maggie wouldn’t be foolish enough to describe herself? Or maybe she’d done it to throw off suspicion?
“May I help you?” the mechanic repeated, taking a seat behind the desk.
“I’m Sheriff Conrad Ryan, and this is AHPD consultant Jane Ladling. We’re investigating the murder of Hannah Thorton.”
No mention of Jane’s authorly endeavors, but it hardly mattered. She preened under the “consultant” description.
“I understand you’re a member of the Golden Page Book Club scheduled to meet at Ms. Thorton’s shop this past Saturday at ten,” he said.
“I am.” Maggie’s shoulders rolled in. “It’s pretty tragic, what happened.”
“It is,” Jane concurred. “I was slated to speak to the group that morning.”
Her brows knitted together. “No. That’s not accurate. I help Jacob Thacker, our club president, line up our speakers. We discussed approaching you, but no matter how much I wished otherwise, he ultimately opted to go another route.” She winced, adding, “Sorry.”
“No big deal.” Big deal! Obviously, the club was real, but Jane’s invitation had been faked. Ouch. It must’ve come from the killer.
She gripped the arms of her seat. Had Conrad connected the same dots? His expression remained impassive, but she knew he had. The man was brilliant. But also, bombshell! The mayor’s son had discussed Jane with her ex-boyfriend’s girlfriend.
