Rear-View Murder: A Gemma Stone Cozy Mystery by Willow Monroe Page B

of Opal.
    “Opal,” he said, his smile growing wide. “She’s friends with Sadie.”
    “Yes, yes she was,” Gemma said. “When was the last time you saw her?”
    “Right here.”
    “At the bus station?” Holly asked in surprise.
    Jimmy Blue’s head bobbed up and down. “Yes, ma’am. She was with a man with white hair.”
    “Older or young?”
    “Young,” he answered quickly.”
    “So she got on the bus,” Gemma said.
    “Oh, no, ma’am. There was one big argument. She didn’t want to go. Opal was stubborn and refused to get on that bus,” he told them.
    “She left the bus station with this man?” Gemma asked. “Are you sure?”
    “Yes, ma’am, as sure as I can be.”
    Gemma and Holly exchanged glances.
    “Jimmy, thank you so much. You’ve been a huge help.”
    “Will you ladies quit running from me now?” he asked. “It makes me look bad.”
    Holly laughed. “Absolutely.”
    “I hope you find Opal,” he said, opening his guitar case and pulling out a banged-up old guitar that looked like someone had really loved it and used it...or they’d really hated the thing.
    “Jimmy, Opal’s dead,” Gemma said quietly.
    He looked at her for a minute while tears filled his chocolate brown eyes. Then he shook his head angrily. “I told her that ring was gonna be nothin’ but trouble.”
    As they left the bus station they heard the low, mournful sound of a blues song echoing across the space.

Chapter Thirteen
    “G emma, honey, I think we should take what we know to the police,” Holly suggested as they pulled back out into heavy city traffic.
    “Chuck Miller, chief aide to a state senator, purchased a very expensive ring for Opal. Then he’s seen arguing with her at the bus station. And then she ends up dead in the trunk of my car. Do you really think the police are going to do anything about it? You heard them. They don’t have time,” Gemma said, feeling utterly defeated. “And, frankly, I don’t think they would care.”
    Holly was quiet, giving Gemma time to reconcile her thoughts.
    “We need to talk to Miller again,” Gemma finally said. “I’m pretty sure he was the last one to see her alive here in Richmond, whether she was involved with the senator or not. If we confront him with what Jimmy just told us...”
    “Okay, back to the capitol building,” Holly said.
    Before they made it to the building, Gemma spotted Chuck Miller hurrying through the parking lot with his jacket over one arm and a briefcase in the other. His white-blond hair stood out in the afternoon sunshine like a beacon.
    “There he is,” Gemma told Holly and pointed.
    Holly had already seen him and circled back through the car filled lot. She stopped right in front of Miller as he was pulling car keys from his pocket. Gemma had her car door open before she came to a complete halt. She did not miss the look of surprise on Miller’s face when he realized who she was.
    Holly followed close behind.
    “Mr. Miller, we need to talk to you,” Gemma said as she approached. Her heart was thudding in her chest. She wasn’t even sure where to start.
    He looked from side to side as if he was trapped and finally nodded. “The special session has ended and I have an errand to run. My grandmother is diabetic and I have to pick up her medications from the pharmacy...”
    “What do you know about Opal Sparrow?” Gemma blurted out bringing him up short.
    “I don’t know anyone by that name?”
    “Yes, you do. You purchased a ring that I found with her body and you were seen arguing with her at the bus station,” Gemma threw out the facts. “I have a picture of her to remind you.”
    Miller’s face was unreadable as he looked at the picture Gemma held up for him to see. A hot wind blew through the parking lot, ruffling his white hair.
    “I can’t protect him any longer,” he said quietly and his head dropped to his chest.
    “Protect who?”
    “Senator Dixon,” he said. “He met her at a party. It was a big