A Second Helping of Murder by Christine Wenger Page B

Cogswell brought out his guitar and yelled, ‘Antoinette Chloe Switzer, sing us some songs.‘”
    â€œAny thoughts on who would want Claire dead?”
    â€œNot at all. Everyone liked her. We’d gotten to know her since she came here every summer. She was like one of us.”
    â€œDid everyone feel the same way?”
    â€œNaw. Laura VanPlank Tingsley didn’t like her in the least.”
    â€œWonder why.”
    â€œProbably because her Ricky asked Claire to the bonfire.”
    â€œAs his date?” I asked.
    â€œIt looked like it to me. Matter of fact, Ricky looked more in love with Claire than with Laura, and he’d been going steady with Laura for years.”
    I knew it! I just knew it.
    â€œAt any point did Rick and Claire go off together?”
    â€œNot that I can remember, but they were holding hands.”
    â€œI’ll bet Laura didn’t like that.”
    â€œShe was sitting at the bonfire, staring at Ricky and Claire, and steam was shooting from her ears. I told her that she should cool off in the lake. She told me to shut up and sing.”
    ACB laughed loudly, sounding like rusty springs, and the noise bounced around the kitchen. Her laugh was so contagious, I couldn’t help joining in.
    I said good-bye, promised that I’d stop by for dinner with “that hunk of a cowboy cop,” and left.
    My head always spun after an encounter with ACB, but basically I got some good information:Rick Tingsley definitely was with Claire Jacobson, and Laura VanPlank Tingsley hated seeing them together.
    But there was no “B” still and did Laura hate enough to kill?

Chapter 8
    I told Ty what ACB had said.
    â€œI should get her down to the station and get an official statement from her.”
    â€œCan you hold off for a while? Don’t scare everyone off.”
    â€œMaybe it’ll be good to shake everyone up, especially those who were interviewed for the
Lure
back then.”
    â€œI don’t get it, Ty. Claire was two months pregnant before she even showed up at the cottages the year she died. It couldn’t have been a townie. It must have been someone from her hometown!”
    â€œIt still could have been a townie. Someone with wheels who took a trip to visit her in—” He checked the file. “In Rochester. I still want to interview everyone in that senior class, but that’ll take such a long time, and probably less than a third are still here. Maybe I’ll just start with Rick Tingsley.”
    â€œIf you law enforcement types start getting allofficial with the future president of the United States, he’ll suddenly take an extended vacation or lawyer up.”
    â€œIt’s just questioning.” He shook his head, obviously frustrated. “I’ll take that chance.”
    â€œIf the First Ladies get wind of that, they’ll be all over you like salt on french fries.”
    â€œThe . . . who?”
    â€œLaura Tingsley and her mother. They just remind me of . . . Oh, never mind. It’s just me.”
    He was silent for a couple of miles. “You know, Trixie, I’m getting kind of tired of chauffeuring your butt around.”
    â€œHey, wasn’t it your idea to drag me around?”
    â€œI believe that it was your idea,” he said.
    â€œEveryone was blabby today. I got some stellar gossip.”
    â€œUh-huh. Like what?”
    â€œNothing much. Just gossip. If it turns into anything, I’ll let you know,” I said.
    A misty rain started falling, just enough for Ty to turn the wipers on slow. On the right side of the SUV was a rainbow.
    â€œIsn’t that just beautiful?” I asked, pointing to the right.
    Ty looked quickly, then returned his gaze to the road. “Look for a pot of gold.”
    â€œI could use a pot of gold, but I’d settle for solving these two mysteries.” I sighed, suddenly feeling that I was concentrating on Claire and