I decided that she’d already dealt with enough tonight.
As we cleaned up the dishes, I found myself working out various scenarios in my head, scenarios revolving around different people killing Michael and hiding the body in the construction area for the pool. Could someone have really buried a body there without being seen? Was more than one person involved? I thought about Scott. He was familiar with the construction site and might have resented Michael, but was that really a motive for murder? Hell, I hadn’t liked Michael even before I found out about his attack on Ann, but I still couldn’t fathom someone killing him. Unless, I thought with a sick feeling, Michael’s attack on Ann was the very reason for his murder. I quickly glanced over at Ann, wondering if she’d thought of that. Her face, as she dried the cheese platter and put it away, was unreadable.
We said good night around ten o’clock and went upstairs to bed. I called Peter and quickly brought him up to speed on what had happened. After quietly listening to my tale, he said, “Another murder? Jesus, Elizabeth, I hardly know what to say. For a fact checker, you certainly have a fair amount of excitement thrown your way. Well, at least this time, thank God, you have no reason to get involved.”
When I didn’t answer right away, Peter said, “Elizabeth? You’re not actually thinking of getting involved in this, are you?”
“Well…” I paused, unsure how I really felt.
“Elizabeth! No! Please, no! I know you’ve been thrown into investigations in the past, but in those cases it was because the murder happened when you were there!”
“But in a way, I was there! I was at the Fourth of July party and no one saw Michael after that—or at least no one is admitting to it. After the party, Michael disappeared, and about a week later it was discovered that he’d embezzled Uncle Marty’s money. For all we know, he might have been killed during the party!”
“Yes, but he might not have. I don’t see why you think you need to get involved! Let the police handle this!”
“But this is family! I think Ann wants me to help—”
“Did she ask you to?” Peter interrupted.
“No, not in so many words but—”
“Did she ask in any words?”
“Peter! What is your problem? Ann is upset; she needs me now!”
“Fine! Hold her hand, talk to her, listen to her, but don’t play detective!” Peter took a deep breath and continued in a calmer tone. “I know you helped the police in the past, but Elizabeth, that doesn’t make you some kind of expert.”
“Hey, if it wasn’t for me, the police would have never figured out who killed Gerald Ramsey! I helped clear Aunt Winnie’s name!”
“And you also came very close to getting yourself—and me, I might add—killed!”
I squirmed a bit when he said that. I preferred to gloss over that part when I thought of my first success at sleuthing. “Peter, I’m not doing anything dangerous—nor am I going to do anything dangerous,” I quickly added, hearing him about to interrupt again. “I am just helping Ann while the police conduct their investigation. It’s bad enough for her that they discovered Michael’s body on the old property, but knowing that Joe is in charge of the whole investigation is pushing her over the edge. I am merely here for moral support right now.”
Peter groaned. “Right. Until you decide that moral support isn’t enough.” I had a sudden image of him resting his forehead on his desk in frustration. “Elizabeth, I don’t like this. I know you, you can’t not get involved, and I’m afraid that you’re going to get hurt!”
“How can I get hurt with you coming home to protect me?” I joked, hoping to lighten the mood.
“That’s just it—I won’t be home for at least another week.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“Oh, it’s a long, complicated, and ultimately stupid story,” Peter groused. “But I’ve got to stay out here awhile longer to
As we cleaned up the dishes, I found myself working out various scenarios in my head, scenarios revolving around different people killing Michael and hiding the body in the construction area for the pool. Could someone have really buried a body there without being seen? Was more than one person involved? I thought about Scott. He was familiar with the construction site and might have resented Michael, but was that really a motive for murder? Hell, I hadn’t liked Michael even before I found out about his attack on Ann, but I still couldn’t fathom someone killing him. Unless, I thought with a sick feeling, Michael’s attack on Ann was the very reason for his murder. I quickly glanced over at Ann, wondering if she’d thought of that. Her face, as she dried the cheese platter and put it away, was unreadable.
We said good night around ten o’clock and went upstairs to bed. I called Peter and quickly brought him up to speed on what had happened. After quietly listening to my tale, he said, “Another murder? Jesus, Elizabeth, I hardly know what to say. For a fact checker, you certainly have a fair amount of excitement thrown your way. Well, at least this time, thank God, you have no reason to get involved.”
When I didn’t answer right away, Peter said, “Elizabeth? You’re not actually thinking of getting involved in this, are you?”
“Well…” I paused, unsure how I really felt.
“Elizabeth! No! Please, no! I know you’ve been thrown into investigations in the past, but in those cases it was because the murder happened when you were there!”
“But in a way, I was there! I was at the Fourth of July party and no one saw Michael after that—or at least no one is admitting to it. After the party, Michael disappeared, and about a week later it was discovered that he’d embezzled Uncle Marty’s money. For all we know, he might have been killed during the party!”
“Yes, but he might not have. I don’t see why you think you need to get involved! Let the police handle this!”
“But this is family! I think Ann wants me to help—”
“Did she ask you to?” Peter interrupted.
“No, not in so many words but—”
“Did she ask in any words?”
“Peter! What is your problem? Ann is upset; she needs me now!”
“Fine! Hold her hand, talk to her, listen to her, but don’t play detective!” Peter took a deep breath and continued in a calmer tone. “I know you helped the police in the past, but Elizabeth, that doesn’t make you some kind of expert.”
“Hey, if it wasn’t for me, the police would have never figured out who killed Gerald Ramsey! I helped clear Aunt Winnie’s name!”
“And you also came very close to getting yourself—and me, I might add—killed!”
I squirmed a bit when he said that. I preferred to gloss over that part when I thought of my first success at sleuthing. “Peter, I’m not doing anything dangerous—nor am I going to do anything dangerous,” I quickly added, hearing him about to interrupt again. “I am just helping Ann while the police conduct their investigation. It’s bad enough for her that they discovered Michael’s body on the old property, but knowing that Joe is in charge of the whole investigation is pushing her over the edge. I am merely here for moral support right now.”
Peter groaned. “Right. Until you decide that moral support isn’t enough.” I had a sudden image of him resting his forehead on his desk in frustration. “Elizabeth, I don’t like this. I know you, you can’t not get involved, and I’m afraid that you’re going to get hurt!”
“How can I get hurt with you coming home to protect me?” I joked, hoping to lighten the mood.
“That’s just it—I won’t be home for at least another week.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“Oh, it’s a long, complicated, and ultimately stupid story,” Peter groused. “But I’ve got to stay out here awhile longer to
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