Deadly Magic by Elisabeth Crabtree Page B

that he was in love with her, but I don’t think he would do something like this. It’s just not his style.”
    “ Why didn’t she come home with you three months ago?”
    “ She was afraid that whoever was sending these letters was going to try to kill her again. I told her she was being ridiculous.” To Grace’s surprise, he looked ashamed.
    “ Go to the police. Show them these letters.”
    “ And hand them a motive for my killing her? They’ll say I killed her in a jealous rage or so that I could run off with my ‘mistress.’ Do you know how long they questioned me? The only thing that saved me was the fact that I didn’t even know she was going to be on stage that night and this note.” He pointed to the suicide note. “Right now they’re confident that she committed suicide. I show them these letters and they may start to suspect me.”
    “ But what about those accidents with the horse and on the escalator? Surely, the police thought—”
    Straker shook his head. “She didn’t report them when they happened. I tried to tell them, but they just said that sometimes accidents happen.”
    “ And you have no idea who wanted to hurt her?”
    “ No, but I believe that it’s someone from this office.”
    “ Why? None of the attempts on her life happened here. The first one was on the escalator, the second on the street, another at a horse farm. Surely, if it was someone at the office, she would have recognized them—”
    “ Not necessarily. There were always a lot of people around, but that day she got sick . . . It was during Daniel’s birthday party in June. The only people here were office staff.”
    “ Did she go to the hospital that night?”
    “ No.”
    “ Then you’re assuming that she was poisoned. You don’t know for certain.”
    “ No one else got sick.”
    “ Flu?”
    “ That wasn’t the only time she got sick and it was always when she had something to eat here.”
    “ You still need to speak to the police.”
    He shook his head. “I’m not handing them a noose.”
    “ Did it occur to you that you may have been threatened? ‘Hopefully, you’ll be joining me soon,’” she repeated, “That sounds like a threat to me.”
    He scoff ed. “Who would want to kill me? Everyone loves me.”
    Grace resist ed pointing out the multiple death threats from disgruntled employees shouted at him as they packed up their desk and left the building. “Still, even the most lovable people can pick up an enemy or two—or twenty.”
    “ I’m not afraid. Besides, no one’s tried to kill me. They’ve been after her, not me.”
    “ So, why are you telling me all of this?”
    “ I want you to figure out who killed her.”
    Grace’s mouth dropp ed open. “You’ve got to be kidding?”
    “ No, I’m not kidding. Go out there. Ask questions. I want a daily report of your activities. I want to know who you talked to and what they said.”
    “ Why me?”
    “ You’ve got some experience with this sort of thing.”
    The confusion must have register ed on her face, because he quickly added, “Didn’t they teach you how to investigate crimes in your criminal justice classes?”
    “ It was one class and no they did not.”
    Straker look ed at her in disgust. “I’m not asking for a lot. I’m just asking you to talk to your coworkers. It’s not like that isn’t something out of the ordinary for you. You’re always gabbing with everyone in the office when you ought to be working. Now you can add in a few extra questions.”
    “ Such as?”
    “ How did you feel about Lily would be a good start.”
    “ And then you want me to report back?”
    “ That’s what I’m paying you for.”
    “ You’re paying me to create toys for your business. My job description doesn’t say anything about playing detective or spying on my coworkers.”
    “ Really? Well, I’ll make sure to add it in for the next person.”
    “ But, I’m flexible,” she quickly added. “I’ll nose around for you,