Hooked on Murder: A Crochet Mystery

identity. But I came up blank. 'Natalie didn't even make any reference to whether it was a man or woman. But it certainly could have been Lawrence. We know he was working with her. He could have stopped by the office and overheard her.' I thought back to Barry's saying that Ellen had known her killer and that the crime wasn't planned. 'And as for killing Ellen, suppose Lawrence came home for lunch and said he wanted a divorce to go off with Miss Water Glass and they started to argue. He could have suddenly decided it would be more efficient and more cost- effective to just strangle her.'

'But I thought Natalie was Miss Water Glass,' Dinah said, confused.

'Maybe she wasn't. Or maybe she was, but Lawrence decided she was a problem because she could tie him to Ellen's murder. He'd already killed once, so doing it again probably wouldn't have been as hard, and this time he planned it. And the suicide note ties everything in a nice little bow, and he's off the hook.'

'You sure aren't a fan of his,' Dinah said.

'And you are?' I countered. 'Besides, whether I like him or not has nothing to do with it. I'm just thinking about motive and opportunity.'

'You've been looking at that investigating book again,' Dinah said. I nodded and admitted I'd broken down and bought it.

'And there's CeeCee.'

'CeeCee?' Dinah repeated. 'But she's so--'

'Exactly. You wouldn't expect her to be a serial killer. But don't you remember the part she played in that movie Whatever Happened to Aunt Peggy? The whole point was, nobody suspected her character of being the killer. The tinklylaugh and the sweet smile made her seem sugar and spice and everything nice. And you know, I think she even killed the people by strangling them.' My voice had started to rise with my excitement, and I had to force myself to slow down and soften my tone. 'And as for motive-- there's her secret, and I don't mean the toilet paper.'

Dinah pushed away her cup. 'Don't forget, there are alwaysthe wild cards, like Sheila. We did see her with Lawrence. And Will Hunter. Who knows what's really underneaththat laid-back charm?'

'Don't say that,' I protested. 'He can't be the murderer. Then I'd have no chance of getting him back for the book signing.'

CHAPTER 20

I was mulling over the events of the afternoon as I moved around my kitchen. Dinah and I had come up with many possibilities, but no proof. Again I regrettednot having the few seconds more to see the entry in Ellen's book. Seeing a name would have narrowed things down.

It was strange how quickly Pink Sheridan Shaw Public Relations had gone back to business. But, then, there was really no choice if you wanted to have a business. Clients were sympathetic for about five minutes, and then if you weren't back up and operating, they were off looking for someone else. They always talk about the show having to go on, but it is even truer in show business.

Mrs. Shedd had gone off to an Arizona spa for a few days, and I hadn't enlightened her yet about losing Will Hunter. I was afraid she wouldn't take it well. Besides, I hadn't given up hope on fixing it before she returned.

I had left the bookstore around noon, but since I would be working until closing for the next couple of days, I had decided to cook some meals in advance. I was in the kitchen when Barry came to the back door. He gave me his usual warning when he discovered it was unlocked.

A big pot of corn chowder simmered on the stove along with a saucepan of boiling water with matzo balls in it. The yeasty smell of baking bread filled the kitchen as the bread machine did its thing. I was at the counter, making up some individual salads.

Barry sniffed the air before checking what was under the pot lids. 'Smells great. Interesting concept, corn chowderwith matzo balls,' he said with a chuckle. As usual, he couldn't stay long. He had to get Jeffrey to the dentist and then go back to work.

'Everything goes with matzo balls. What about your dinner?'

'Pizza. I'm picking it up on the way home,' he said, displayinga coupon from Yummie's.

'That's the place Natalie Shaw got the pizza from,' I said in an excited voice. 'The one she ordered the night she supposedly killed herself.' I took enough salad for two, put it into a ziplock bag and poured some of the balsamic honey-mustard dressing I'd just made into a plastic cup. I liked to think I excelled at salad. None of that bland ice-berglettuce with a few cucumber slices. I went all out. I bought herb salad mix and put in cucumber, grated carrots, blue cheese, walnuts and dried mixed berries.

Barry smiled in appreciation as I handed him the salad to go.

'You know, I remembered that she was talking to someonein her office when we were on the phone. I'm thinking. . .'

Barry put up his hand to cut me off. 'They finished the psychological autopsy. It turns out she'd been treated in the past for a drug overdose, which had all the trappings of a suicide attempt. Something about getting fired from a job. And one of the assistants in the office said Natalie had been talking about feeling guilty about ending up with the business, along with being worried that she wouldn't be able to handle it. The coroner ruled her death a suicide.'

'But what about the pizza and the somebody in the officeand . . . ?'

Barry quieted me the way he knew best. He kissed me with a long, slow, mind-blowing dance of tongues that definitelywould have been a gateway to other things if he hadn't had to leave. When he pulled away, he waved a piece of paper in front of me.

I snatched it and read it over. It was an e-mail confirmationof the trip to Maui, including flights. In large type along the bottom, it read nonrefundable.

'I can't believe you did this.'

He smiled, appearing pleased with himself, until he checked my expression and realized he'd misunderstood.

'But I never said yes. I don't have the time off.' I handed him back the paper with a less-than-thrilled expression.

'Taken care of. I talked to your boss, and she was fine with it.'

'I can't believe that you went ahead without telling me.' If I'd been upset about his showing up unannounced, it was nothing compared to this.

Barry began to pick up that I wasn't overjoyed with what he'd done. 'Molly, you're making a big deal out of nothing. We'll go and have a good time. So what if I didn't wait to get the official yes from you?'

'So what?' I didn't mean to, but my voice rose. 'You can't just assume.'

He made an annoyed face, and his eyes flared. 'It's about Charlie, isn't it? You really have to let go and get on with your life.'

'It isn't about Charlie this time. I can't believe you don't get it.'

'And I can't believe you're making such a fuss over a small detail. I knew you would agree, and time was running out on the deal.' He shrugged and put the paper in his pocket. 'It was a nothing detail.'

My mouth dropped open. 'A nothing detail.' I might have sounded a little crazed by now. I even had some awareness of it, but no way was I backing down. Not when he wouldn't even acknowledge that he'd been wrong to assume. 'It's not a nothing detail. You can't just decide for me.'

'If I'd had any idea you were going to act like such a crazy woman over this, I never would have gone ahead with the plans.' He still sounded way too calm. The only giveaway was the clenching of his jaw.

'Now I'm a crazy woman because I won't let you just bulldoze over me. Maybe you can take Jeffrey instead.'

It was hard to believe that a few moments ago we'd been kissing, and now everything was falling apart right before my eyes.

Then he smiled. 'No, I have a better idea. I just happen to know someone who would love to spend a long, romanticweekend on the beach with me.' Aghast, I felt my mouth fall open as he walked out the door. I would have slammed it if I were Barry, but he was too controlled and shut it quietly. His threat of going with Detective Heather made enough of a bang.

'That went well,' I said as the soup began to boil over.

Did we just break up?