be found on the edges of the secret doorway.
Brady said, “Who do the police suspect?”
“Me.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Emily Watkins claims that I wanted Mick out of the way so I could take over his lease and expand my business.” I took a sip of tea. “She’s wrong. I don’t want to. But my alibi is iffy. I was home alone interacting with some people via the computer.”
“Were you checking out online dating?” Meaghan asked hopefully.
“No.”
My cheeks warmed. I would never look for a date on the Internet. I didn’t judge anyone else for doing so, but that wasn’t my style. Besides, I wasn’t in the market for a relationship, no matter how hard my best friend pushed me to try, try, try again. For the past two years, she had been attempting to fix me up with someone. Anyone. She was furious that Christopher Cox had broken my heart. It didn’t matter how many times I assured her that I was happy being single.
I said, “I was networking with fairy garden aficionados.”
“That’s got to be verifiable,” Brady said.
“Not necessarily, but Joss, my assistant, is a computer wizard and is looking into it.”
“So Brady”—Meaghan curled a lock of her hair coyly—“what’s your story? Are you married?”
“I was,” Brady said. “Not any longer.”
Meaghan threw me a smug, Cupid-on-the-hunt look. Overhead, Fiona tittered. I ignored them both and took a bite of one of the blondies. Heaven.
“Tell me more,” Meaghan cooed.
“She left me for an actor. A much older and wealthier actor.” Brady cocked his head. “I understood why she did. She was born in Los Angeles and raised around the movie business. Against her will, she moved here with her mother when her grandmother got sick. She’d hated every minute of it. Truthfully, I lucked out when she left. I don’t think we were ever in love.” He refreshed my tea. “You know, if you need an attorney, I’ve got the name of a good one.”
I swallowed hard. “I sure hope I don’t.”
Chapter 6
Every time a seed is planted, a fairy flower is born.
—Hans Christian Andersen
Still unable to return to my shop until the police relinquished control—Summers and I had exchanged telephone numbers; he or one of his staff would call me—I said good-bye to Brady and Meaghan and headed off with Pixie and Fiona. My sweet fairy was determined to stay by my side. After our visit to the café, I’d given her permission to return to the shop, but she was afraid of the police. The way they’d barked orders had given her the jitters.
When I stepped outside the café and drank in the fresh air, I realized how shallowly I’d been breathing since finding Mick.
Fiona said, “Aren’t you curious to see where the secret entrance to your shop is?”
I nodded. “But we can’t.”
“Sure we can. Follow me.” Fiona flew ahead.
Observing the margin created by the police tape that required onlookers to steer clear of the area, I trotted after her along Lincoln Street. At the corner of 8th Avenue, I halted and peered up the street. Fiona was correct. It was impossible to see the secret entrance. We moved closer. Even when I was facing it, it wasn’t obvious, either. There was no handle, and the wood slats matched the rest of the courtyard’s exterior. Mick would have needed to know the entrance existed. I didn’t see any evidence cones marking items the police might have collected from the ground. I wondered if they had decided it was fruitless, given the amount of natural debris like pine needles and leaves in the area.
Strolling home, appreciating the waning sunlight, I wondered how Mick might have learned of the secret entrance. Had Logan told him? Had Mick asked for the floor plans for each of the courtyard buildings when he was deciding whether or not to lease? Did it matter how he’d figured it out? That was how he’d entered. Period. Had the killer been lying in wait inside Open Your Imagination for me—as Summers had suggested—or had the killer followed Mick? Who was the intended victim?
Minutes later, when we arrived home, Pixie bounded from my arms. She was ready to explore. And why not? There were birds and bugs and critters to chase. We had them in abundance.
“What should we do?” I asked Fiona as I made my way up the flagstone walkway and slipped into the house. “How about something to eat?”
Fairies preferred foods that were prepared with savory spices. They also liked sweet butter and teacakes. Fiona was partial to