Murder by Artifact (Five Star Mystery Series) by Barbara Graham Page A

Tony’s assumption. Finally, he reached into his wallet and removed a receipt for a room in a chain motel in nearby Pigeon Forge. Before he relinquished it, he looked directly into Tony’s eyes, “I need you to swear you’ll keep my secret, especially from your wife.”

    Unsurprised the man had secrets, Tony nodded.
     
    “I was in Pigeon Forge until it was too late to safely drive home.” Calvin’s voice shook slightly. “It’s not what you think, at least not this time.” He cleared his throat several times.

    Fascinated, Tony watched the mayor in silence.

    “I am taking private quilting lessons from a woman over there.”

    “Why?” The word fell out of his mouth. He never would have guessed this secret.
     
    “I want to finish some quilts my mother started.” Calvin twitched again.

    For a moment, Tony couldn’t respond. He cleared his throat. “What I meant is why not have Theo teach you?”

    “It’s a matter of pride. I want to be accomplished before I ask if I can join her quilting group.” His big hands flopped to his sides. “Your wife is my quilting goddess. I’m not fit to share the air she breathes.”

    Tony stared. Keeping this story from Theo might kill him. If she learned about it from someone else, she might kill him. Either way, he hoped the mayor would call her soon.
     
    On his way back to his office, Tony stopped at Doreen’s Flower and Gift Shoppe. His hand barely touched the handle before it opened abruptly. His eyes dropped to the woman holding it open.

    “Are you closing the shop?”

    “No. Why would I close the shop?” Tony stared at Bernice Osborne’s tired face and thought Doreen’s only fulltime employee fit the description of downtrodden, desperate, and impoverished. She raised eight, mostly normal, children with minimal support from their father, Slow.

    Slow Osborne worked odd jobs, badly, and was usually hired because people felt sorry for his family. The local churches bore the brunt of his services.
     
    “Then, why are you here?” Bernice’s words jarred him back to the present.

    “I thought I’d ask if you knew of anyone Doreen argued with lately.”

    Bernice stuck her fingers into her tight gray curls and closed her eyes. “There’s Calvin, of course, Pansy, your aunt Martha, a few customers I ain’t seen before.” Her eyes widened behind the thick old-fashioned glasses she wore. “Can’t honestly say I haven’t wanted to kill her.” Her tired eyes stared up into his. “But she pays regular and the checks don’t bounce.”

    Tony accepted her claim. “I haven’t seen Warren around lately.” Bernice’s youngest child was a familiar sight in the county jail, mostly for public intoxication.

    “Warren?” The name rolled slowly off her tongue as she considered his statement. “Oh, you mean my boy Speedy. I forgot what I wrote on the birth papers.”

    She clearly expected he’d understand losing track of eight names, so he nodded. “Okay, so bring me up to speed on Speedy.”

    Bernice didn’t react to his play on words. “He’s away.”

    “Where?”

    Speedy picked that moment to let himself in through the back door. “Got you a burger, Ma.” In contrast to his name, he moved gingerly through the shop, edging between displays as he clutched a go box from Ruby’s Café. “I ate most of the fries on the way.” He didn’t notice Tony standing outside. “Now that the Queen is dead, is all this stuff yours now?” His homely face glowed with delight.

    “No.” Bernice took the food box.
     
    “Why not? She’s not going to need it anymore.” Speedy’s eyes moved across Tony’s badge and he stopped smiling.

    “It don’t work like that. If Calvin don’t want me to work here, I’m out a job.”

    Seeing there was little to learn from Bernice, Tony eased away, leaving mother and son discussing their future prospects, or lack thereof.

C HAPTER T HIRTEEN
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    After a late dinner, Tony put the last of the clean dishes in