Murder in Waiting - Lynn Cahoon Page 0,67
and maybe in our newsletter. I heard the responding bing just a few minutes after I’d pushed send. “That was quick,” I said to the empty kitchen.
My aunt had sent me a one-line response. “I think I have someone.”
I emailed back a question: “Who?”
No answer this time. I went and cleaned both bathrooms and scratched that off the list. Then I checked my email again. Still no answer from Aunt Jackie, but one from Deek.
The gist of the email was about the signing on Thursday. He’d tried to get Masters to wait so he could gather more buzz, but apparently, the guy was planning on leaving next week. I wondered if Greg knew that. I responded back that it wasn’t a problem. We’d had a sign up for a few days, and Deek had posted it on our web page as soon as it was scheduled. If Mike didn’t get the turnout he wanted, it wasn’t because of our lack of trying. We were selling his books with a commission fee, so I didn’t even have to order books. I’d emailed Sadie to leave a couple dozen cookies for us tomorrow, but other than that, the signing was in the book god’s hands.
I added a note to my talk with my aunt about the new hire for tomorrow’s list. Then I finished the tasks in my email and took a quick peek at flight schedules for the weekend. We could still get on a late Friday or early Saturday flight, but anything after noon and I’d be pushing the party time too close. Greg just might miss his time with the boys. But even murder wouldn’t be a good enough excuse for me to miss out on Amy’s bachelorette party.
Even if it was my own demise.
Chapter 18
When I got to Bakerstown, instead of going straight to the pet store for Emma’s food, I made a quick stop at the Bakerstown Funeral Home. Doc Ames probably couldn’t give me any more insight into Frank’s death than I already had, especially because I’d witnessed the event, but I hadn’t seen him for a while. I took out the box of cookies I’d stopped to get at the shop when I parked and made my way inside the large doors into the chilly, formal waiting area. It gave me the chills every time I came inside. I guess I wasn’t as comfortable with the thought of death as my investigation habit would suggest. The velvet curtains and deep, dark carpet always reminded me of a gothic horror flick. I expected someone with a vampire cape and blood dripping from their lips to come out of one of the chapel doors at any time.
When Doc popped out of the chapel, I barely concealed the little squeak that came out of my mouth.
He grinned because he’d actually heard it or saw it on my face. “Sorry to startle you. But aren’t you a sight for sore eyes today? I was just thinking I hadn’t seen you around for a while. How’s South Cove?”
“Crazy as ever.” I followed him into his office and was relieved to be in the crowded room with stacks of papers cluttering his desk and the credenza behind it. He poured two cups of coffee and I opened the box of cookies, laying Coffee, Books, and More napkins next to the box. I told him about Bill’s father and his absence, along with the attacks on the shop since Alice had put out the increase in Business-2-Business fees. “She even changed the name to add that cute little two numeral in the middle, instead of a real word. Amy overheard her talking about moving the meetings to Lille’s.”
“I’m not sure Lille would enjoy the attention of the Council once a month. She loves customers, but hates the one-on-one with people. That’s why Carrie is her most important asset. She uses that woman way past her job duties as a waitress.”
Interesting. I hadn’t even known that Doc Ames knew Carrie. Was there a bit of a crush here? Greg said I was always looking for a matchmaking opportunity. I decided to think on that one a little more. “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.”
We sat and ate the cookies in comfortable silence. Finally, he brushed crumbs off his hands. “I suspect you’re here about Frank?”
“Actually, no. I just wanted to stop in. It’s been a while since we visited.” I sipped my coffee. I wanted a third cookie, but I restrained myself.