Geraghty, I think I have everything I need here from you. Look it over one more time before you sign.” He slid the page across to her. “The rest of your guests and your sisters will be questioned, of course, and if by some long shot the knife—plastic or otherwise—turns out to be the cause of death we can just take your fingerprints, rule them out, and that should clear things up on your end.” He looked at her. “Please, next time something unusual happens, just wait for us to get there.”
Birdie ignored that part. “You will handle this with discretion.”
Wasn’t really a question.
Leo said, “You have my word that we’ll do our best. We’ll need to sweep the room Mr. Sayer booked and hopefully find some contact information to notify his family.” He handed Birdie a pen.
“May I see the statement?” I asked.
Birdie passed the paper to me.
Leo said, “If you want we can take your prints now and we shouldn’t need to bother you further.”
“Oh, they’re on file.” I regretted the words immediately. He may never have had to know that. Leo sat back. “They are?”
Birdie sighed. “Yes, apparently test driving an automobile is a crime.”
“It is when you drive it out of state,” I said.
Her voice gained an octave. “I had to take it on the highway. How else to know if a car runs well.”
“For six hours?”
Leo stood up, “Okay then. I think we’re done here.”
I was still scanning the statement. Birdie had said earlier Sayer helped himself to the coffee, but here it just indicated there was a coffee cup in front of him when she entered the kitchen. She assumed he was playing dead again. She didn’t mention sticking a prop knife in his back, but how could he have done that himself? And how could it have stayed there if it was just a prop knife? Unless he took his shirt off first and glued it to the fabric. Her version stated that she didn’t recall seeing the knife until Fiona and I pointed out that he was still in her kitchen.
I looked at Birdie who stood, ready to leave, and decided to ask her a few questions myself in private. Like had she left the kitchen at any time? Perhaps she had made a trip into the fruit cellar before I got there? That might have given someone enough time to slip into the kitchen undetected.
The phone buzzed then and the gate guard with the Press-On nails said, “I have someone on the line here for Stacy Justice.”
I checked my phone. No bars. Ironic, I know.
“His name is Chance,” she said.
Leo slid back noisily and stood up. “I’ll see you out, Mrs. Geraghty.” He walked around and whispered in my ear. “I’m not seeing her. She kissed me to get under your skin.”
“Didn’t work,” I lied.
He flashed a look I couldn’t read, then guided Birdie out the door.
I had no intention of telling him his assumption about Chance was anything less than accurate. Let him wonder.
I picked up the receiver and punched the blinking button.
“This is Stacy.”
“Hey, Stace. Your phone was going right to voice mail and Fiona said you were at the police station. Everything ok?”
I really didn’t want to get into the whole scenario at the moment so I told him it was.
“Listen I...found something.” His voice had an edge to it. Nervous? Excited? “You better come to my place quick. Bring Ivy too.”
IVY GERAGHTY’S PERSONAL BOOK OF SHADOWS
by Ivy Geraghty
Entry #11
I have received word from my sister to meet her back at our hideout. What is the urgency, I wonder? Has she located The Blessed Book? Has she uncovered a sinister plot that involves our mother’s kidnapping? I make haste on foot (and not a moment too soon, because I’m pretty sure the big, white ride outside isn’t a limo for the living. I mean, RIP and all that to the dude, but the creep factor is off the charts on this one, even for me.)
-Ivy Geraghty, Junior Apprentice Warrior Goddess (in training)
THIRTY-EIGHT
I texted Ivy, asked her to meet
Birdie ignored that part. “You will handle this with discretion.”
Wasn’t really a question.
Leo said, “You have my word that we’ll do our best. We’ll need to sweep the room Mr. Sayer booked and hopefully find some contact information to notify his family.” He handed Birdie a pen.
“May I see the statement?” I asked.
Birdie passed the paper to me.
Leo said, “If you want we can take your prints now and we shouldn’t need to bother you further.”
“Oh, they’re on file.” I regretted the words immediately. He may never have had to know that. Leo sat back. “They are?”
Birdie sighed. “Yes, apparently test driving an automobile is a crime.”
“It is when you drive it out of state,” I said.
Her voice gained an octave. “I had to take it on the highway. How else to know if a car runs well.”
“For six hours?”
Leo stood up, “Okay then. I think we’re done here.”
I was still scanning the statement. Birdie had said earlier Sayer helped himself to the coffee, but here it just indicated there was a coffee cup in front of him when she entered the kitchen. She assumed he was playing dead again. She didn’t mention sticking a prop knife in his back, but how could he have done that himself? And how could it have stayed there if it was just a prop knife? Unless he took his shirt off first and glued it to the fabric. Her version stated that she didn’t recall seeing the knife until Fiona and I pointed out that he was still in her kitchen.
I looked at Birdie who stood, ready to leave, and decided to ask her a few questions myself in private. Like had she left the kitchen at any time? Perhaps she had made a trip into the fruit cellar before I got there? That might have given someone enough time to slip into the kitchen undetected.
The phone buzzed then and the gate guard with the Press-On nails said, “I have someone on the line here for Stacy Justice.”
I checked my phone. No bars. Ironic, I know.
“His name is Chance,” she said.
Leo slid back noisily and stood up. “I’ll see you out, Mrs. Geraghty.” He walked around and whispered in my ear. “I’m not seeing her. She kissed me to get under your skin.”
“Didn’t work,” I lied.
He flashed a look I couldn’t read, then guided Birdie out the door.
I had no intention of telling him his assumption about Chance was anything less than accurate. Let him wonder.
I picked up the receiver and punched the blinking button.
“This is Stacy.”
“Hey, Stace. Your phone was going right to voice mail and Fiona said you were at the police station. Everything ok?”
I really didn’t want to get into the whole scenario at the moment so I told him it was.
“Listen I...found something.” His voice had an edge to it. Nervous? Excited? “You better come to my place quick. Bring Ivy too.”
IVY GERAGHTY’S PERSONAL BOOK OF SHADOWS
by Ivy Geraghty
Entry #11
I have received word from my sister to meet her back at our hideout. What is the urgency, I wonder? Has she located The Blessed Book? Has she uncovered a sinister plot that involves our mother’s kidnapping? I make haste on foot (and not a moment too soon, because I’m pretty sure the big, white ride outside isn’t a limo for the living. I mean, RIP and all that to the dude, but the creep factor is off the charts on this one, even for me.)
-Ivy Geraghty, Junior Apprentice Warrior Goddess (in training)
THIRTY-EIGHT
I texted Ivy, asked her to meet
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