to ask you about Helen Patterson.”
“We told the police all we know,” the mayor said. “Please, shut that door. I don’t want my wife to find out that—”
“That you and blondie, here, aren’t just working together?” Petunia asked innocently. “We’re not here to blackmail you. We’d just like to know if Helen ever talked about her past?”
“Or ever indicated that she was in danger?” Noah added.
“I wish I could help you,” Florence said. “She didn’t talk about anyone other than Jeremy, but that was after he’d turned up missing. I’m sure you know all about that case since the word around town is that Petunia is considered a suspect.”
“I’m not, as far as I know, but I’m not here to talk about that case. We’d really like to find out who might have wanted Helen dead.”
“Do the math,” Florence said. “You were the one who was dating Jeremy, too, and now he’s missing and Helen’s dead.”
“True, but Helen’s not the only woman who was murdered via knitting needles,” Petunia said.
“What if Jeremy had dated all of the victims and then mysteriously disappeared before Helen was murdered? He might have killed those women and then planned his great escape and since the sheriff thinks he’s really missing, he comes back to murder Helen,” Noah said. “That sounds very plausible—if he dated those other women, too.”
“Jeremy was like that, a serial dater,” Florence said. “But he’s not bright enough to be involved with a plot like that.”
“I wouldn’t say that. I’ve seen very regular guys who perpetrated some horrendous murders during my days as a detective in New York City.”
Petunia thought Noah made perfect sense other than Jeremy was a cat now, and cats just couldn’t commit murder on this scale. She couldn’t believe Jeremy capable of murdering anyone either.
“Do you know anyone who owns a ‘70s Camaro with racing stripes?” Petunia asked.
The mayor looked at Florence and they both shrugged. “Not that we know of.”
Petunia sat down, enjoying the feeling of the steam, even though she was getting a little too sweaty. “You have to know something more, like did she mention how she got along with her neighbors?”
“Well, she didn’t care for you, Petunia, that’s for sure.”
“I know and I just don’t get that. Just because we dated the same man doesn’t give that woman a reason to go hating on me.”
“Oh, don’t you ever wonder why you and Helen have the same last name, then?” the Mayor asked.
Petunia leaned forward. “Not really. I mean, we’re not even related.”
“Oh, and it’s just a coincidence that she turned up in the same town as you?”
“I guess I never considered that we were related. Did she tell you that I was?”
“Actually, yes, but she never went in-depth about it,” Florence said. “And now we’ll never know, I suppose. Are you sure you didn’t shut her up, permanently?”
Petunia rose to her feet, stepping closer to Florence. “I don’t like what you’re implying here.”
“You have every reason to want Helen dead if her claims that she’s related to you are true. Everyone in town knows that your Aunt Maxine is loaded. If it was proven that Helen was related, she’d have a stake in the estate if your aunt died.”
Noah had to pull Petunia off Florence who, at this point, had lost her towel. “Calm down would you?” Noah whispered into her ear.
“If anyone tries to hurt my aunt, there will be hell to pay.”
Florence and the Mayor laughed as Petunia was hauled outside. “Why did you pull me off her, you heard what she said.”
“All she said was that Helen might be related to you. Have you never considered it?”
“No, I mean the name Patterson isn’t obsolete, you know. Plenty of people with that name.”
Noah scratched his head. “Is there anyway you can find out, like ask your aunt, at least?”
Petunia strutted back through the patio door and into the main lobby,
“We told the police all we know,” the mayor said. “Please, shut that door. I don’t want my wife to find out that—”
“That you and blondie, here, aren’t just working together?” Petunia asked innocently. “We’re not here to blackmail you. We’d just like to know if Helen ever talked about her past?”
“Or ever indicated that she was in danger?” Noah added.
“I wish I could help you,” Florence said. “She didn’t talk about anyone other than Jeremy, but that was after he’d turned up missing. I’m sure you know all about that case since the word around town is that Petunia is considered a suspect.”
“I’m not, as far as I know, but I’m not here to talk about that case. We’d really like to find out who might have wanted Helen dead.”
“Do the math,” Florence said. “You were the one who was dating Jeremy, too, and now he’s missing and Helen’s dead.”
“True, but Helen’s not the only woman who was murdered via knitting needles,” Petunia said.
“What if Jeremy had dated all of the victims and then mysteriously disappeared before Helen was murdered? He might have killed those women and then planned his great escape and since the sheriff thinks he’s really missing, he comes back to murder Helen,” Noah said. “That sounds very plausible—if he dated those other women, too.”
“Jeremy was like that, a serial dater,” Florence said. “But he’s not bright enough to be involved with a plot like that.”
“I wouldn’t say that. I’ve seen very regular guys who perpetrated some horrendous murders during my days as a detective in New York City.”
Petunia thought Noah made perfect sense other than Jeremy was a cat now, and cats just couldn’t commit murder on this scale. She couldn’t believe Jeremy capable of murdering anyone either.
“Do you know anyone who owns a ‘70s Camaro with racing stripes?” Petunia asked.
The mayor looked at Florence and they both shrugged. “Not that we know of.”
Petunia sat down, enjoying the feeling of the steam, even though she was getting a little too sweaty. “You have to know something more, like did she mention how she got along with her neighbors?”
“Well, she didn’t care for you, Petunia, that’s for sure.”
“I know and I just don’t get that. Just because we dated the same man doesn’t give that woman a reason to go hating on me.”
“Oh, don’t you ever wonder why you and Helen have the same last name, then?” the Mayor asked.
Petunia leaned forward. “Not really. I mean, we’re not even related.”
“Oh, and it’s just a coincidence that she turned up in the same town as you?”
“I guess I never considered that we were related. Did she tell you that I was?”
“Actually, yes, but she never went in-depth about it,” Florence said. “And now we’ll never know, I suppose. Are you sure you didn’t shut her up, permanently?”
Petunia rose to her feet, stepping closer to Florence. “I don’t like what you’re implying here.”
“You have every reason to want Helen dead if her claims that she’s related to you are true. Everyone in town knows that your Aunt Maxine is loaded. If it was proven that Helen was related, she’d have a stake in the estate if your aunt died.”
Noah had to pull Petunia off Florence who, at this point, had lost her towel. “Calm down would you?” Noah whispered into her ear.
“If anyone tries to hurt my aunt, there will be hell to pay.”
Florence and the Mayor laughed as Petunia was hauled outside. “Why did you pull me off her, you heard what she said.”
“All she said was that Helen might be related to you. Have you never considered it?”
“No, I mean the name Patterson isn’t obsolete, you know. Plenty of people with that name.”
Noah scratched his head. “Is there anyway you can find out, like ask your aunt, at least?”
Petunia strutted back through the patio door and into the main lobby,
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