about Clyde and Max? What about one of your waitresses? What about Juanita herself? Then there’s the Dumpster haulers, and the list goes on.”
I waved a hand, dismissing his suspicions. “I can’t believe that anyone I know is involved.”
“You just moved here, Trixie. How well do you actually know anyone?”
Maybe he had a point.
“But still, can’t I help you?” I asked. “Please? I have a lot at stake. The Silver Bullet and all…Well, I have a large payment to make to Aunt Stella. And I don’t have any customers, and I need to get to the bottom of this in a hurry.”
He leaned forward, and a river of water flowed from his hat brim onto the sleeve of my parka, soaking it.
“Oops. Sorry about that, Trixie.” He stepped back. “Let’s continue this conversation someplace dry.”
“Does this mean you’ll let me help?”
“I don’t want to put you in danger. You’re a civilian, not law enforcement. Leave this to the experts.”
“Like you?”
“Yes, me.” He took a deep breath. “Have youever thought that the pork and scalloped potatoes with the poisoned mushrooms might have been meant for someone else? What about Clyde or Max? What about Juanita? Or another customer? Or—” He paused. “What about you? What if Cogswell ate it by mistake?”
“You think it might have been meant for me?” My stomach turned. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
He shrugged.
“Why would anyone want to kill me?” I shook my head. “My high cholesterol will get me first.” I wondered if the people Aunt Stella mentioned who were interested in buying the point wanted it badly enough to kill to put me out of business, but that was a stretch. Wasn’t it?
“Nah. You’re fishing, Ty. Didn’t you tell me that the mushrooms were only in Mr. Cogswell’s meal? To me, that means he was the target.”
“Maybe, maybe not. I just want to stress to you that you could be playing with fire.”
“Understood. But I’ll take that risk.”
“It’s my job to see that you don’t take that risk,” he said, “so stay out of it.”
“I’ll be at my house,” I said, not wanting to continue this line of conversation. “I need some sleep.”
He tweaked the brim of his hat. Did I mention how I loved that?
Deputy Ty Brisco was getting to me.
No. I couldn’t let that happen. I had a lot to deal with right now, and I was still reeling from my divorce.
And I had so much to do.
But first, I had to eat my piece of Wacky Cake.
A shot of excitement ran through me every time I saw the Silver Bullet Diner sign in red neon. Today it blazed through the fog and guided my way home. I still couldn’t believe that it was all mine—my diner, my home, and my twelve cottages.
Well, it would be mine when I paid off Aunt Stella.
When I noticed the empty parking lot, my excitement disappeared faster than a box of mint Girl Scout cookies with a cold glass of milk. The parking lot was completely empty, and it was noon.
Where was the lunch crowd?
They must all be at Brown’s Four Corners or at the Crossroads Restaurant.
I could see Antoinette Chloe Brown now, with her flowered muumuu and turban, fluttering from table to table and thriving on the commotion and customers.
I remembered how Ty Brisco showed up at Juanita’s house. I was hoping that he’d say that by working together, we’d get the murder solved in half the time.
But he’d never said those words.
I would check out Sunshine Food Supply and see if I could find anything suspicious. It could be a dead end, but since there had been a delivery from them just before Mr. Cogswell was poisoned, it was worth looking into.
Hurrying inside my house, I kicked off my boots and shed my coat. I went into Aunt Stella’s office and fired up her laptop. I wanted to see if she kept track of what she ordered from Sunshine Food Supply.
Nothing.
From what I could tell, Aunt Stella used her laptop for buying clothes and for e-mail.
I checked a five-drawer oak filing
I waved a hand, dismissing his suspicions. “I can’t believe that anyone I know is involved.”
“You just moved here, Trixie. How well do you actually know anyone?”
Maybe he had a point.
“But still, can’t I help you?” I asked. “Please? I have a lot at stake. The Silver Bullet and all…Well, I have a large payment to make to Aunt Stella. And I don’t have any customers, and I need to get to the bottom of this in a hurry.”
He leaned forward, and a river of water flowed from his hat brim onto the sleeve of my parka, soaking it.
“Oops. Sorry about that, Trixie.” He stepped back. “Let’s continue this conversation someplace dry.”
“Does this mean you’ll let me help?”
“I don’t want to put you in danger. You’re a civilian, not law enforcement. Leave this to the experts.”
“Like you?”
“Yes, me.” He took a deep breath. “Have youever thought that the pork and scalloped potatoes with the poisoned mushrooms might have been meant for someone else? What about Clyde or Max? What about Juanita? Or another customer? Or—” He paused. “What about you? What if Cogswell ate it by mistake?”
“You think it might have been meant for me?” My stomach turned. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
He shrugged.
“Why would anyone want to kill me?” I shook my head. “My high cholesterol will get me first.” I wondered if the people Aunt Stella mentioned who were interested in buying the point wanted it badly enough to kill to put me out of business, but that was a stretch. Wasn’t it?
“Nah. You’re fishing, Ty. Didn’t you tell me that the mushrooms were only in Mr. Cogswell’s meal? To me, that means he was the target.”
“Maybe, maybe not. I just want to stress to you that you could be playing with fire.”
“Understood. But I’ll take that risk.”
“It’s my job to see that you don’t take that risk,” he said, “so stay out of it.”
“I’ll be at my house,” I said, not wanting to continue this line of conversation. “I need some sleep.”
He tweaked the brim of his hat. Did I mention how I loved that?
Deputy Ty Brisco was getting to me.
No. I couldn’t let that happen. I had a lot to deal with right now, and I was still reeling from my divorce.
And I had so much to do.
But first, I had to eat my piece of Wacky Cake.
A shot of excitement ran through me every time I saw the Silver Bullet Diner sign in red neon. Today it blazed through the fog and guided my way home. I still couldn’t believe that it was all mine—my diner, my home, and my twelve cottages.
Well, it would be mine when I paid off Aunt Stella.
When I noticed the empty parking lot, my excitement disappeared faster than a box of mint Girl Scout cookies with a cold glass of milk. The parking lot was completely empty, and it was noon.
Where was the lunch crowd?
They must all be at Brown’s Four Corners or at the Crossroads Restaurant.
I could see Antoinette Chloe Brown now, with her flowered muumuu and turban, fluttering from table to table and thriving on the commotion and customers.
I remembered how Ty Brisco showed up at Juanita’s house. I was hoping that he’d say that by working together, we’d get the murder solved in half the time.
But he’d never said those words.
I would check out Sunshine Food Supply and see if I could find anything suspicious. It could be a dead end, but since there had been a delivery from them just before Mr. Cogswell was poisoned, it was worth looking into.
Hurrying inside my house, I kicked off my boots and shed my coat. I went into Aunt Stella’s office and fired up her laptop. I wanted to see if she kept track of what she ordered from Sunshine Food Supply.
Nothing.
From what I could tell, Aunt Stella used her laptop for buying clothes and for e-mail.
I checked a five-drawer oak filing
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