mention of her daughter’s name, Nanci snapped to attention.
“How do you know my daughter?”
“I don’t really know her very well. It’s more her boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?” Nanci was really alert now.
“Yes, Jeffrey Greenberg or maybe you know him by his stage name Columbia.”
Nanci appeared dumbfounded. “The kid on the bicycle? He’s like a baby.”
“Isn’t that the truth. Girls mature so much faster. I just wanted you to know that he’s a really good kid and Autumn couldn’t do any better.”
Apparently Nanci didn’t agree. She went into a whole rant about how Autumn had no time for boyfriends now. She had school, her dance lessons, the soccer team, show choir and of course, preparing for her future, which Nanci was confident was going to include an Ivy League college and a big career. “She’s going to use her talents for more than running the PTA.”
Nanci must have given up her concern about being rude, because she started walking toward the door. “You must have some important appointments to get to.”
Dinah and I looked at each other. It was our last chance. The Average Joe’s Guide to Criminal Investigation said if time for questioning was limited, go right for the throat.
“Here’s the thing,” I said as we reached the front door and she opened it. I quickly told her how Dinah and I had been next door the day Kelly was shot. “We’re pretty sure a real estate agent stopped by while we were there.” I told her I was trying to find out their identity and wondered if they’d left information at her house.
Nanci paused. “Nobody left anything here.”
“Were you home that day?” I asked.
She looked me directly in the eye. “I heard about you two. Someone at the PTA called you Sherlockette and Watson. Not that I have to tell you anything, but I wasn’t home.”
“Where were you?” Dinah said.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Nanci said as she ushered us out. “I don’t have to give you an alibi.”
CHAPTER 19
“You better not tell Jeffrey what Autumn’s mother said,” Dinah said as we walked into the bookstore through the café. The smell of baking chocolate chip cookie bars was so delicious, it practically put me into a stupor. So, nobody baked anymore, huh. True it was for the café, but Bob was using my recipe, which I used all the time. I pinched a little excess on my hip—maybe too much of the time.
“I would never tell Jeffrey what she said. But at least we got our answer about the real estate agent. I’m pretty sure he or she doesn’t exist. So for whatever reason, Kelly didn’t want us to know who’d come over,” I said.
“It could have been Nanci,” Dinah said. “You notice that she got her way. After L.A. 911 uses the yard, that will be it.”
“It seems crazy, but she was pretty upset about the idea of filming on her street. And we know she knows how to shoot a gun.” I reached out to take the red eye Bob had made for me. He handed Dinah her café au lait.
“Do you think she has a gun?” Dinah asked.
I nodded. “And I bet it’s a pretty one.” I reminded Dinah of the brochure showing off fancy guns.
“Too bad we didn’t ask to see it. Not that I have any idea how to tell if it had been fired recently. I suppose the cops must have found bullet casings and can match them up with a gun. Do you think Detective Heather knows about Nanci’s gun?”
I put up my hands in ignorance. “I’m not going to be the one to tell her, either, unless I’m sure it’s the murder weapon.” We took our drinks and went on into the bookstore while trying to figure out a way to get a look at Nanci’s gun or trick her into admitting that she’d killed Kelly.
The production company must have been filming a scene because none of them were hanging around. Rayaad was even reading a magazine at the cashier stand. She looked up and said Mrs. Shedd and Mr. Royal were unloading books for the signing.
We found my bosses setting up a display of the books with Stone’s photo and story. They had moved one of the signs promoting the event to stand next to the table. Once Stone had agreed to sign his picture in the surfing book, I’d put up signs around the bookstore and was trying to spread the news by word of mouth. It was all kind of last minute and