“He wasn’t in the force.” Shep looks to Lloyd. “What was he up to?”
Lloyd gives the back of his neck a quick scratch before he looks my way.
“Craig came from money. Not a lot but enough to give him a financial cushion the rest of us didn’t have once we graduated. He got his BA and went straight into investing—apartment buildings mostly, and that’s how he came to be silent partners with Oliver.”
I nod. “I heard. It’s nice that he was helping out a friend.”
“He helped out a couple of friends,” Lloyd offers before turning to Shep. “James was one of them.”
Shep lifts his chin. “And what did they do? I know James is still a deputy, but I had no idea he had a side gig.”
Lloyd chuckles. “That’s some side gig. James has a brother that got sick and decided to sell his maple farm. James wanted to keep it in the family but needed an investor, and that’s when Craig stepped in. That was pretty much the end of their friendship.”
“The end?” My antenna goes up. “Something went awry?”
Lloyd’s cheek flickers. “You could say that. Craig wanted to run the place, and soon enough he was trying to buy James out. And like I said, James wanted to keep it in the family.”
Shep ticks his ear up a notch. “You’re not implying James had something to do with Craig’s death, are you?”
“No way.” Lloyd lifts his hands. “I’m staying clear of that accusation. I’m just saying James and Craig were locking horns. Unfortunate all the way around.” He takes a breath and his chest expands the size of a wall. “How about we change the subject to something a little cheerier.” He gives Shep’s shoulder a jostle. “I just spoke to Nora down at the homicide division to see how the case was going and she let me know they’re stretched thin. So how about it? You up for coming back to do a few good deeds with the rest of us?”
Shep inches back as if he were considering it. “No one’s offered me a job.” Shep looks my way with a sigh. “I’m not sure I’d take it.”
“Why not?” Lloyd is right back to smacking Shep on the shoulder. “I spoke with Sheriff Harris. He says the door is always open to you.”
“Wow”—I muse—“that’s a huge compliment.”
Shep shakes his head as if it wasn’t.
I’m about to laugh or roll my eyes when that all too familiar warm, fuzzy feeling takes over and I can feel myself falling into a pleasantly numb trance.
A vision appears in my mind’s eye, and it’s Lloyd with a grief-stricken look on his face. “You killed Craig. You did this. How dare you try to weasel out of it. And you’re not going to kill me. I won’t let you.”
“Bowie?” Shep’s voice sounds distant and dreamlike. “Bowie?” He gives my hand a shake. “Hey, are you all right?”
The room zooms back into focus around me and I take in a sharp breath.
I blink over to Lloyd. He’s going to solve this case. My heart drums wildly in my chest. And the killer is going to try to make sure he doesn’t. If Lloyd isn't careful, he’ll end up with a bullet in his chest, too.
“What?” I glance from Shep to Lloyd. “I’m sorry. I’m just so tired. It’s been a long day.”
Lloyd gives a soft laugh. “I think someone needs a vacation. Shep, I expect you to treat this girl right. Take her somewhere nice, would you?”
The two of them wrap it up and take off and I do the same as Hilary follows me into the library located in the heart of the manor on the main floor.
Lloyd might be in hot pursuit of the killer, but for his own sake someone else needs to find them first.
Someone like me.
Chapter 10
The library is basically an antique in and of itself and is host to thousands upon thousands of old clothbound books that are probably worth thousands.
The wood shelves are stained chocolate and are ornately carved with faces of lions and cherubs near the expansive ceiling. There are rows of dark glossy tables in the middle of it where the women of Starry Falls have chosen to congregate for a group crafts night full of tea, cats, books, and knitting needles, or whatever needle of choice it may be.
Last month, I had the brainstorm to upsell these women with a spike of “comfort” to their tea for a nominal fee, and a fruitful business venture was born. Opal has us pull out a variety of fine china for the event, and a dozen carafes of hot water are set out on what used to be the old marble reception counter in the front of the room. Tilly and I made sure to bring baskets brimming with a variety of tea bags, and Opal herself brought in the whiskey from her private reserve.
And then there are the cats. Every variety, every level of adorableness, every level of aloofness, too. King sits over the marble counter up front as if he were overseeing the operation, while his many minions prance around dodging the grabby hands looking to love on them—one of which is me.
I scoop up a black fuzzy long-haired creature named Tabitha and plant a kiss on her forehead as I walk around and admire all the different craft projects.
Last month, I did cross-stitch, and I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s just a string of X’s that you can work on mindlessly while watching TV, and before you know it, you’ve made a whole picture. That pillow I sent my Uncle Vinnie comes to mind. I should find another way to get our code word to him. The word is meow and it means all is well in my undisclosed neck of the woods.
Every
