Knit Your Own Murder by Monica Ferris Page A

dismissed.”
    â€œAgainst anyone we know?”
    Chaz looked uncomfortable. “Harry Whiteside,” he admitted. “I think she was in the right, but Harry had a big-time law firm on his side, so she never had a chance. But at least she fought him to a draw.”
    â€œNow, let’s turn my question around. Who was Maddy angry with? Was there anyone she hated?”
    Chaz leaned back into the couch and fell silent. Betsy bit her tongue, and Connor, after a glance at her, followed suit.
    â€œOh God,” sighed Chaz. “Harry came to Maddy’s office a few days before he was killed. Now, he’d come before, just a few times, like less than once a year. I think there was bad blood between them going way back. Years before I came to work for her. I’m not sure what started it, or when, but whenever they communicated with each other, they tried to do it by letter or e-mail. If it was necessary for them to meet face-to-face, the temperature in the room would drop about thirty degrees when he walked in, and then the mercury would start to rise until they both came to a boil. Then the shouting would start. And a funny thing, she would meet him in the outer office where I could overhear at least the first part of their conversation. Maybe she wanted him to be aware there was an eyewitness.”
    â€œWhat would they argue about?”
    â€œDeals they were making. She’d find a property she liked and then discover he was the one selling it. Or vice versa. Or she’d bid on a project and find herself dealing with him somehow, like maybe he was financing another part of the build, or bidding against her. She was always sure he was rooking her somehow, and he was sure she was doing the same. He’d swear to God that one day she’d regret ever knowing him, and she’d say that he was the one who’d be sorry, and when he left she’d sit in her office knitting ninety miles an hour until she cooled off.”
    â€œAnd this last time was different?”
    He nodded. “It was like he was the one who won the bidding war. He was smirking and, and . . . well, it’s hard to describe. He was standing like a winner. No, worse than that, like he was standing over her dead body and glad to be there.”
    â€œDo you think he’d found some kind of weakness in the deal?”
    He sighed lightly. “Well . . . no, I don’t think so. Oh, I don’t know! Like he beat her in some other area. Yeah, like that.”
    â€œSo this bidding war they got into wasn’t just about acquiring the property.”
    â€œNo, it was about ‘doing’ the other.” He grimaced.
    â€œWas she expecting him to come in that day?”
    â€œYeah, I think so. She didn’t act surprised to see him. But the look in his eye—and the look in hers—made me break out in a sweat watching them, scared they’d lose it and she’d grab my laptop and smack him upside his head, or he’d knock her down. But neither one of them ever took that swing.”
    â€œWhat did he say that was different?”
    â€œHe said, ‘Have you had your windows replaced yet?’”
    â€œHad there been some windows broken in her properties?”
    â€œNot that I knew of. But there must’ve been, because that’s when I got scared she was going to pop him one.”
    â€œDoes she have properties you’re not aware of?”
    Chaz stared at her, and suddenly she laughed. “Like you would know about some building you don’t know about.”
    He nodded, grinning. “Yeah, like that.” The grin faded. “On the other hand, if there was damage somewhere, I should’ve known. That was one of my jobs, arranging repairs. Or even doing them. I’m pretty good at replacing windows. Plumbing, not so much.”
    â€œSo what do you think?”
    â€œI think you’re right, there’s a piece of property I don’t