The Feed Store Floozy (The Penelope Pembroke Cozy Mystery Series) by Judy Nickles Page B

the bat. I told her it wasn’t going to happen.”
    Penelope leaned close to Brice. “Tell me the truth, Brice, do you know more about Wally Powers’ murder than you’re telling the police?”
    He swallowed hard. “I can’t answer that.”
    “Bradley’s no hick-town cop,” Penelope continued. “He’s had training out the wahzoo. He’ll figure it out eventually.”
    Brice stood up. “Maybe he already has.”
    She turned and saw her son advancing toward the door of the shop.

CHAPTER TWENTY
                 
    “What are you doing here, Mother?”
    “I asked her in,” Brice said.
    “I was on my way to the library.”
    “Uh-huh, well, why don’t you go on over there.”
    She nodded. “Sure. L isten, Brice, what I told you…”
    “I heard you.”
    “Well, then, goodbye and good luck.”
    She didn’t look back as she left the shop, at least not until she reached the library. Then she turned to see if Bradley was bringing Brice out in handcuffs, but the sidewalk remained empty, so she went inside.
    “How’s Shana?”
    Shana glanced up from the books she was putting on the re -shelving cart. “I’ve been better.”
    “What’s the news from Peter?”
    “He has a court hearing next week. His lawyer can’t find anything bad about Tabby’s grandparents so he can fight fire with fire.”
    “Sam looked them up, but he wouldn’t tell me anything. He said Peter knew what he needed to know.”
    “He did? Peter didn’t mention that.”
    “Sam said they —the Bainbridges—have money, too.”
    “I know that, but Peter’s not hurting for money. He has a nice house, and Tabby has everything she needs and more.”
    “Is the hearing before the same judge who told the grandparents to buzz off before?”
    “No, I wish it was. Peter says this judge is big on grandparents’ rights, so it’s going to be an uphill battle.” Shana sighed and shook her head. “We’ll just have to tough it out. I saw you go in the antique shop a while ago. What’s up?”
    “Brice has a guilty conscience and needed to spill his guts.”
    “Did he?”
    “Not all of them. Then Bradley came in.”
    “Uh-oh. What does that mean?”
    “No clue. Listen, Shana, this Jill Jerome—what did you think of her when she came in wanting to photograph those boxes?”
    “The boxes that left here in a van yesterday, by the way.”
    “Thank goodness. I’m glad to see the last of them.”
    “Me, too.”
    “So what did you think of her? Woman to woman.”
    “She was nice enough, I guess. Didn’t argue with me when I told her she couldn’t take pictures.”
    “That’s all?”
    “What are you after?”
    “I’m not sure, but I don’t trust her. I can’t figure out why she’s still hanging around. She’s going to get herself in trouble accusing people of things and then…”
    “What did she accuse someone of?”
    “Never mind. I shouldn’t be talking about it.”
    “Inside information, huh?”
    “Sort of. Listen, don’t sit around moping. Come over any time. Daddy likes to see you.”
    “I’d hate to crash a meal with Brad and Rosabel.”
    “I thought you and Rosabel had gotten pretty well acquainted.”
    “We have. I like her, and she and Brad are perfect for each other. I just don’t want to horn in.”
    “You’re like family, too, Shana. I’ve got a vested interest in you.”
    “You’re weird, Penelope.”
    “I’ve been called worse. Come over tonight.”
    “I might. I’ll call you.”
    “I’m going to walk back to my car at the Garden Spot and see if Brad’s still in the store with Brice. See you later.”
    ****
    From the opposite side of the street, Penelope couldn’t see into Brice’s shop, but as she reached the corner, she thought she glimpsed someone hurrying from the back of the building. The man wore overalls and lumbered toward a battered pickup, got in, and drove away.
    Harvey Hadden, sneaking around the old feed store? What’s he looking for? What was Madeline Hadden to him? Did