“I agree,” I say as Macy comes up. “I’ll wash you up at Lather and Light.”
Jasper blows out a slow breath. “I’m sorry, Bizzy. I’m going to have to ask you to stick around. That blood on your hands could be evidence. We’ll have to swab you and take pictures. In fact, stand right here and don’t move.”
Jasper shouts for the crowd to congregate in the back of the room just as the coroner walks in.
“That was fast.” Macy shudders. “It looks as if Jasper has the morgue on speed dial.”
Mom grunts, “He’ll have to if he plans on marrying this one. You keep this up, Bizzy, and he’ll rethink the wedding.”
“Mother!” I look to my sister, desperate for help. “Why don’t you take Mom over to the refreshment table and get some coffee in her before I rethink my wedding invites?”
She does just that as Georgie and Juni head this way.
“Way to play the game, Bizzy.” Georgie hugs herself as she looks to my bloody hands. “I always knew you were a bit too competitive.”
Juni snorts. “The woman plays to win. You have to respect that. Has anyone ever broached the topic of your fierce competitive nature?”
“Please,” I groan. “I didn’t kill him.”
Georgie makes a face. “Come on, Bizzy. You stabbed the guy like you were going at a human piñata. Just tell the cops you thought it was a fake knife. They’ll let you off because you’re cute. And if you’re not sleeping with the lead detective yet, I say there’s no time like the present. Word of advice, I’d hit the stacks before you leave the building. Better to be safe than sorry.”
Juni gives an aggressive nod. “And then plead insanity. At best, they’ll give you community service. Sure, you might be ladling gravy at the community center for the next thirty Thanksgivings, but look at it this way—you’ll get a free meal out of it, too.” She leans in, looking every bit like her sweet yet very much demented mother. “But hey, if you end up doing time, don’t get too worked up over it. Those penitentiary guards are smoking hot. The Collingsworth Correctional Facility has a calendar out. January and March come highly recommended.”
A garbled scream lives and dies in my throat. “I’m not having a prison tryst with hot security guards. The only thing insane is this conversation. There’s a real killer in this room,” I say in a panic as I do my best to pick up on any roving thoughts. Typically, I need to be in range to hear them, preferably within a few feet, but when adrenaline is running high, I can pick up a good circumference. The voices come out a bit more monotone that way, so it’s hard to tell if it’s coming from a man or a woman, but at this point, I’ll take any word the killer wants to give me.
A svelte woman comes forward with her light brown hair swinging in a ponytail. She’s head to toe in black, long sleeves, and long pants, save for her red pointed shoes. Her features are miniaturized and delicate, and there’s an elfish appeal to her in general.
“It looks as if you’re in a bad position.” Her pale face brightens a shade of light pink. “My advice to you would be to secure a good lawyer.”
Juni slaps her hands together. “That’s where I know you from! You’re that Knight lady. You put me away a few years back on a possession charge.”
The woman straightens a moment. “That might have been me. I used to work as a defense attorney for the state. I’m guessing you’re out and living a clean life now?”
Juni barks out a laugh. “Let’s just say my use of the substance is no longer considered illegal. So whatcha got cookin’ now, you hot little legal eagle? Are you trying to drum up some business in those cute red shoes?”
The woman winces. “No, actually.” She offers a stern look my way. “Just a little friendly legal advice.”
“My brother is an attorney,” I say as I glance to the refreshment table across the room and find my mother on the phone. “In fact, I bet I’ll be seeing him sooner than later.”
“Good.” She takes a deep breath. My God, that’s blood on her arms. I don’t know how she’ll ever get out of this one. She looks down at Wyatt. There are some things we simply bring upon ourselves. It looks as if he suffered. She shakes her head. He made so many other people suffer. It must be true what they say—what comes around goes around.
She sniffs hard as tears fill her eyes.
“Did you know the deceased?” I ask the question, but it’s just a formality. Something tells me she knew him well.
“I worked with him on a few legal matters a few months back.” She nods my way. “I wish you well.” She starts to take off and Juni jumps in front of her.
“Not so fast, missy. We should go out for drinks sometime. I just popped back into town, and I’m ready to network. What do you say? Bubba’s Roadhouse? I hear the quality of men who hang out at that blowhole has gone up considerably since Bubba bit the big one and his wife took over.”
The woman chuckles. “It sounds like fun. But I’m swamped at work. It was nice seeing you again. I’d better check in with the sheriff’s department so I can get out of here.”
“It was nice meeting you,” I say. “What was your first name?”
She hesitates a moment, most likely because she doesn’t want to share it with Juni. Can’t say I blame her. Juni will probably bend her ear with stories of prison relations all night.
“Brooklynn Knight. And you are?”
“Bizzy Baker. I run the Country Cottage Inn.”
She nods. “I’ll stop by sometime and see if you firmed up a good defense team.” You’re going to need it, she thinks as she takes off.
Georgie leans
