Treacherous Tart by Ellie Grant

‘good.’ ”
    â€œOkay.” Maggie glanced around the empty pie shop. “What’s bad about it? You can use it to trace the killer, yes?”
    â€œProbably not. No fingerprints.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œNormally, we’d question your aunt about this since she and Mr. Wickerson were having a relationship.” Frank slurped some coffee. “I know your aunt. I don’t think she’d hurt a fly.”
    â€œNot to mention that she was here working the whole time.”
    â€œSee, that’s the hard part about this. Your aunt was here, but Mrs. Hightower told us that Clara wasn’t in the kitchen when Donald came in. Odd, huh? Where was she?”
    â€œShe’s been feeding a stray cat we’re adopting.” He can’t possibly be serious about Aunt Clara killing Donald!
    â€œFrom my boss’s point of view, she could’ve slipped out the back door and killed her boyfriend, hidden the gun, and then slipped back in like nothing happened. How long was it between times that you saw her?”
    Maggie’s eyes widened. “You’re joking, right? I don’t know how long it was. I wasn’t keeping track. You know she’d never do such a thing.”
    He shrugged. “I know that. My boss doesn’t know her as well as I do. He has this crazy theory that your aunt read Ryan’s story in the paper that morning and wanted revenge on Donald. And since no one is stepping up to take responsibility . . .”
    â€œThat’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.” Maggie leaned closer to him. “You know that didn’t happen. Can’t you convince Captain Mitchell?”
    â€œNot until we’ve checked out everything. Did you know she put up a dating profile for herself on some website? That looks bad too, Maggie. Like she was already planning for the future without him.”
    Dating profile? Oh no! “I put her up on that dating site. She wouldn’t know how to do that.”
    He shrugged. “I don’t like it either, Maggie, but the captain is right. Clara looks guilty for killing her boyfriend. If it was anyone else, I’d be going after her like this pie!”
    â€œSo what can I do?” She felt sick at the idea that anyone would think Aunt Clara had killed Donald. It was insane.
    â€œThe captain thinks Clara had motive and opportunity. She’s on that singles’ place with those other women your boyfriend thinks could be suspects. Telling the captain that someone else knew exactly when to kill Donald—the moment when youraunt was missing from the kitchen—sounds like I’m reaching.”
    â€œI don’t know what else to say. What can we do to protect her?”
    â€œOne thing happened in your favor. A rookie officer at the scene checked everyone’s hands for gunshot residue. Clara’s hands were clean.”
    Maggie remembered the officer putting the sticky substance on their hands and keeping the results. “But Captain Mitchell still thinks she could be guilty?”
    Frank shrugged. “She could’ve washed her hands or been wearing gloves. We need another suspect.”
    Maggie didn’t like where this was going. “Please don’t talk to Aunt Clara. She’s still in shock over what happened. This could push her over the edge.” Maggie knew an accusation like this could ruin the rest of her aunt’s life.
    â€œI just want some answers. Ryan is playing hard to get right now. I know I chewed him out, and I’d do it again in a similar circumstance. He’s lucky I don’t arrest him. I know newspapers have the right to print what they want, but he was trying to circumvent an ongoing police investigation with that piece.”
    Maggie’s heart was beating wildly. Her eyes were burning with unshed tears that she quickly wiped away. She couldn’t show Frank how upset and scared this little conversation had made