Murder Has a Sweet Tooth - By Miranda Bliss Page 0,83
and found Michael looking appropriately solemn in a black suit and an understated gray-and-black-striped tie.
“I am so sorry.” I didn’t have to pretend to be rushed and out of breath; it was a long walk from the car and over to the gravesite. “Oh, Michael! I can’t believe I missed the entire service. I had to stop at Ballston Common Mall in Arlington this morning and when I came out, my car had a flat. Doesn’t it just figure!” I threw my hands in the air in frustration. “My cell phone wasn’t working, either. The battery was dead. And have you ever tried to find a public phone these days? It’s practically impossible.”
He was distracted. Who could blame him? Michael had just seen his wife’s ashes interred. The emotional undercurrent of the situation was, of course, exactly what I was hoping to take advantage of.
His answer was a throwaway designed to dismiss me as quickly as possible. “There’s a public phone right there at North Glebe and Seventh Street North,” he said, and it wasn’t until the words were out of his mouth that he realized he’d given himself away.
This was no time to gloat, so I didn’t dare crack a smile when I said, “North Glebe and Seventh Street North. That’s the pay phone that was used to call in the anonymous tip about Vickie. You know, the one that led the police to her body. They had a theory that the murderer made the call. It’s funny that you’d know exactly where that phone is located.”
Michael’s face went as gray as the stripe in his tie. Right before a color like hot lava shot up his neck and into his cheeks. “It isn’t funny,” he growled. “It isn’t anything. It’s just a comment. It’s just a phone. And plenty of people know it’s there.”
“Of course.” I backed off. There was no point in doing anything else, at least not until I talked to Tyler and told him about everything I’d discovered that day. “It’s a public phone. On a public street. I only wish there was someone over at the mall this morning who knew where it was. Then I could have called for a ride and gotten here on time. You know, Michael, I really am sorry about Beth.”
His jaw was so tight, I was afraid it might snap, and besides, I’d found out all I needed to know. I turned and walked away.
By now, the crowd had dispersed. I saw Chip take Glynis’s arm. With one sharp look over his shoulder at me, Scott walked over to where Celia was waiting. I didn’t see Edward at all, and I figured he was already back in his car and headed home.
With that in mind, I took a moment to stop in the shade of a tall standing headstone to pull out my cell and give Tyler a call. Reception was terrible; I couldn’t get a connection. Determined, I skirted a newly dug grave gaping like a bottomless pit in the sunshine. I ducked under the low-hanging branches of a tree and walked another dozen yards, hoping for a better signal. When I didn’t get one, I told myself there was no hurry and turned back toward my car.
Edward Monroe stood directly in my path.
I sucked in a surprised gasp.
Edward took a step closer. “You’re not very good about following advice,” he said, his voice even, though there was a spark of annoyance in his eyes. “I told you—”
“To mind my own business. Yeah, I remember that.” My heart beat double time and I forced myself to take a few steadying breaths. Without making it look too obvious, I looked to my right and my left out of the corner of my eye, just to see who was around. Nobody was, not within yelling distance, anyway. I reminded myself there was nothing to be gained by trying to be a hero, and decided to play it cool. With that in mind, I offered Edward a quick smile. “I appreciate your advice. It’s always nice to have good friends watching your back. That’s what friends are for, isn’t it? They care about you.”
He took another step closer. His hands balled into fists at his sides.
Oh, yeah, there was a time to play it cool, all right. But there was a time to run, too. Since cool was getting me nowhere, I gathered my courage, told myself I could sprint with the best of them even though I knew it