She began counting the money. 'Happy to do it.'
'Did you have any trouble finding the place?' he asked.
She looked up. 'What? Oh, no. You gave excellent directions.'
Sure. Like she'd never been to the co-op before. Probably just one more lie to add to the list.
When she'd finished with the money, she put it in her purse. 'I'd better get back. Rocky's watching the boys.'
'Gabi,' I said again. 'May I have a word?'
'I'm not really in the mood to chat right now.' She began to turn away.
I kept my voice even and low, though my anger had grown exponentially during their short exchange. 'We need to talk.'
Ah, those magic words. She paused, then turned back. I could hear her breathing. We both looked at Zak.
'Oh, um, right. I gotta go,' he said, no doubt anxious to escape the mounting tension. He gestured toward the painting. 'I'll pick this up later, 'K?'
'No problem,' I said.
`A°K,' he said again. 'Bye.'
After he'd left, I shut the front door and locked it. I might be locking myself in with a killer, I realized, but I was too angry to care. Besides, it wouldn't have been the first time. Remembering, my hand started to go to where my long braid used to hang down my back, but I stopped and let it drop.
'Thanks again for siccing the cops on me, Sophie Mae. That was real special. I don't know why I ever thought you were a nice person.' She stood regarding me with both arms folded across her chest. 'Now what's so important that we have to talk about?'
'I think you know.'
'Gosh, I'm afraid I don't.' Sarcasm dripped from every syllable.
'A semi totaled my pickup earlier today when my brakes went out.'
Something crossed her face, then was gone. Guilt? Fear? As carefully as I'd been watching, I couldn't tell.
'Why are you telling me this? It has nothing to do with me, and you're obviously fine if you're here.'
'Oh, I'm fine and dandy. However, my brake lines were deliberately cut.' Okay, so I was jumping the gun. But she was right there in front of me, and I wanted to see her reaction.
She met my eyes without flinching.
'You wouldn't know anything about that, now would you?' I asked.
She glared. 'What exactly are you implying?'
'I'm not implying anything. I'm asking you straight out. Did you mess around with my truck?'
'Of course not! And you'd better not go around telling anyone that I did, or I'll sue you for defamation of character!'
Oh, brother.
I pushed further. 'Guess Rocky must have changed his mind about keeping all of his sister's artwork if you sold that piece to Zak, huh.'
Her eyes slewed to the side. 'That's none of your business.'
Bingo.
But it didn't make her a murderer.
Gabi's eyes narrowed to slits. 'What do you want?'
'I want to know if you killed Ariel. I want to know if you tried to kill me.' The words flew out of my mouth, propelled by anger at the idea that she'd done exactly those things. Goose bumps rose on my arms. I clamped my mouth shut.
I watched the accusation settle into her psyche. I barely dared to breathe. Gabi, on the other hand, turned pale under her tan and began sipping oxygen through her overbite, almost panting. Suddenly red rage infused her face and she stood, towering over me. I backed away a few steps, then forced myself to stop.
'How can you say such a horrible thing?' she hissed. 'I've never met anyone so cruel.'
I stood my ground. 'Not as cruel as your sister-in-law's murderer.'
'Are you crazy? Rocky told you I was home that night.'
'Sure he did. But we both know you could have sneaked out when he was fast asleep, and driven down here to meet Ariel. Did you plan to kill her before you came? Or did she ask for yet more money? What did she do to send you over the edge?'
Her lips turned up, then down, as if she didn't know what to do with her mouth. She shook her head. 'I'd never kill anyone. I was home that night. All night. Rocky knows that. He'll swear to it.'
'And someone saw you messing around with my truck,' I lied, looking her straight in the eye. Who's a bad liar? Not me.
It seemed to work. Gabi looked really scared.
But she still didn't tip. 'They couldn't have. I was home last night, too.'
'And Rocky will confirm that.'
'That's right. Listen, I don't know what your problem is, or what you want from me, but I didn't do anything wrong.' Her voice wavered on the last few words.
I kept pushing. 'Why did Ariel have Thea Hawke's bamboo fiber clutched in her hand when I found her? Why do you think we came up to see you about that fiber, anyway?'
She blinked. And slumped.
I took the opportunity and walked to the other side of the counter. 'Gabi. You know what I'm talking about. You took those batts when you were here. I understand. You couldn't help yourself. You must have been looking at them when you were talking to Ariel, which is why she was by Ruth's spinning supplies instead of in her own studio space.'
'I don't know what you're talking about,' she mumbled.
'Ariel had a tuft in her hand. She must have grabbed it from you when you came up behind her.' I said, thinking out loud now. 'No, not yet. Because you were holding my yarn.'
Her head jerked up. 'Your yarn?'
'My yarn. My first sheep's wool two-ply.' I couldn't keep the fury out of my voice, consumed with the thought that she'd used my yarn to kill that little girl.
'I have to go,' she whispered, backing toward the front wall. She reached behind her back and fumbled with the lock on the door. Turned the knob. It opened.
'I didn't do anything wrong,' she insisted one last time and fled.
I followed, but she was already pulling the Suburban out of the parking lot. She left rubber on the asphalt and barely missed hitting a silver sedan with Canadian license plates. The driver honked as she sped away.
The adrenaline seemed to disappear from my veins in a reverse rush. Weariness and inexplicable regret settled on me, heavy as sin, and I had to sit down on the bench located outside the door until I got my bearings again.
A bitter feeling that I'd screwed up crept over me and took up lodging in my stomach. Screwed up royally.
TWENTY-SEVEN
THE UNUSUALLY NICE SUMMER weather we'd been enjoying had been pushed out by a low pressure system and glowering skies. I walked quickly, hoping to beat the rain while at the same time gratefully inhaling the cooler air. Thoughts ping-ponged around my brain as if superheated. The more I thought about it, the more I questioned whether Gabi had killed Ariel. All the evidence seemed to point that way, even if she did have reasonable explanations for everything. But her reactions to my accusations were out of sync. She seemed more afraid than guilty. I wished I knew her better, so I could get more of a read on her. If only I could know for sure whether or not she was telling the truth.
As I came up our block, I saw someone on our front step. The closer I got, the more it looked like me sitting there.
Oh, great. Just what I needed.
Hannah Ambrose stood as I approached, her weight on one foot as if she were on the verge of running away.
If I'd had the sense of a gnat I'd have walked right on by, let her twist in the wind long enough to talk herself out of her visit.
But I apparently didn't have the sense of a gnat. 'Hello, Hannah'
She looked at the ground. Awkwardly shuffled her feet. 'Hi.'
This was not the cocky, confident woman I'd met on Barr's front step.
I stopped in front of her. 'You here to see me?'
She nodded. 'Uh huh.'
'Give me a second.'
'Okay.'
I went inside, shut the front door in her face and marched into Meghan's office. She looked up in surprise.
'Hannah's outside,' I announced.
She leaned back. 'So? Let her in.'
'Really?'
'Or talk to her out there. Either way, I don't know what you want me to do about it'
