A Story to Kill by Lynn Cahoon Page A

run background checks on all the guests, not just Billy. Sara’s record had been squeaky clean, but she was a graduate student at the college. “I was asking people how the retreat was working for them. Have you been able to get any work done? I’m concerned you keep going back to campus and the real world. Maybe you should try to detach while you’re here for the week. You only have three days left.”
    â€œI’m getting everything I need from the retreat. I don’t know why people think you have to have total silence to write. I do my best work in small diners and dive bars. At least before the drunks get too loud.” Sara’s phone buzzed and her attention dropped to the display. “Sorry, I’ve got to take this.”
    Then she disappeared out of the living room, taking her tote bag with her.
    â€œKids,” Billy muttered. “They don’t know what they have until they lose it. Just wait a few years, she’ll be dying for a retreat away from her loser husband and the six brats.”
    Rose pointed a finger at him. “You stop talking bad about the girl. She’s just a child. I’ve watched her this week. I’m sure she’s missing home, especially her father. She just lights up when she talks to that dean fellow.”
    â€œDean Vargas?” Cat focused on Rose.
    â€œThe man who knew Tom? I believe that was his name. When I left the study cube where Tom was working on his book, Sara was talking to Dean Vargas down the hallway. She must have gotten some bad news, because she looked really sad.” Rose shook her head. “I walked right by and she didn’t even recognize me. She almost knocked me down the stairs when she ran to the restroom.”
    Cat thought she knew why Sara was upset. Dean Vargas didn’t keep his favorites long. He believed in a catch-and-release type of relationship. It must have been Sara’s time to be released. Poor girl. No wonder she was distracted during the retreat.
    â€œYou all can play nursemaid to the kid. I’m going to my room and writing. That’s what we’re here for, right?” Billy stood and tucked his laptop under his arm. “I won’t be attending library time today. Or maybe even tomorrow. If things go well, I might have my first draft done before I check out Sunday afternoon.”
    The women watched as he walked out of the room. “At least he’s in a better mood now,” Daisy remarked. “The man was a horror the first day we were here. All he did was throw dagger eyes at Mr. Cook.”
    â€œI’m still not convinced he didn’t kill poor Tom.” Rose turned her attention on Cat. “You’re related to the police chief, right? What has he said about the murder?”
    â€œNothing to me.” Cat shrugged. “Real police officers don’t go blabbing their information all over before they catch a murderer. That only happens in the movies or in books.”
    â€œNot sure that’s entirely accurate, my dear.” Daisy set her pen down on her notebook. “I dated a cop for several years. I would have broken up with him sooner, but he would tell me the craziest stories about his job. I loved listening to him at dinner.”
    â€œHarry made up half of what he told you and the other half happened to some other cop.” Rose turned a page in her notebook and started scribbling away.
    Daisy narrowed her eyes at her sister, then turned back to Cat. “Okay, maybe some of that’s true. But they were good stories.”
    Cat looked at her watch. They were due at the library in thirty minutes. The head librarian had offered to talk to the group about the research tools the school had acquired. “We better get going if we want to meet Miss Applebome on time.”
    Daisy tucked her notebook away in her tote. She stared at her sister. Finally Rose groaned and put her own notebook away.
    â€œThe next time we go on a retreat,