when Tilly came roaring in. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
Liv cocked an eyebrow, but didn’t turn around. “You’re always sorry for running your mouth, Til.”
“I told him you needed to get laid,” she blurted. “Implying he was the man to do it.”
Liv smiled ruefully, “No chance in hell.”
“You scared him off?”
Liv turned, rolling a jar of salmon in her palms. “I think he saw right through me, which is a first. And he didn’t like me trying to play him.”
“Whoa. He said that?”
“Not in so many words.”
“Well, he got more out of me than I planned to say.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah.” Tilly jabbed her elbows on the counter and stared at an array of purses. “He made me so nervous that I sicced him on you. It was like junior high, for Christ’s sake. The guy has a way of looking you right in the eye and really listening to what you say. He spooked me, seriously.”
Liv gave Tilly a pat on the shoulder, thinking she’d captured exactly what made Parker Browne different from most men. “That takes some doing.” Tilly’s lifelong goal seemed to be shocking people with her crass observations. How different was her friend’s method of diversion from Liv’s habit of presenting a light, flirty side? This is what the town expects of us.
Tilly said, “You do need to get laid.”
Liv squinted at the orderly rows of salmon on the shelves, reminded of the disarray in her life. She shook her head. “I’m on his suspect list, not his ‘to be laid’ list.”
****
Parker stalked past the Coffee Hüs, the Norsk Hotel and Viking Travel, casting a critical eye on the whimsical red and blue rosemalling swirls and grinning Norwegian elves that decorated storefronts. I will not be cheered up. Ivor better be in his office, dammit!
He shoved open the door of the police station. After a nod from the receptionist, he entered Ivor’s office and slapped Liv’s chart on his desk.
“Had lunch?” Ivor asked.
Parker took a deep breath, knowing he had to calm himself and match the habits of these people if he was going to get anywhere. He took a seat, stretched his arms and put his hands behind his head. “Could have eaten krumcake , but professional that I am, I got right down to business at Liv’s.”
Ivor shook his head. “Your loss. She doesn’t bake often, but when she does—”
Parker raised a palm, interrupting Ivor. “Would have been nice to know that half of Petersburg was in Seattle during the week Olson died.”
With a shrug, Ivor said, “We go to Seattle all the time. Alaska Airlines, twice a day, nonstop. They’ll give me lists of who went where and when, any time I ask. But the fly-in event our folks attended in Seattle is tip of the iceberg. People come and go in fast boats and helicopters, too. Those lists aren’t so easy to obtain.” He glanced at Liv’s tidy chart of people, places, and times. “She likes spreadsheets.”
“This is gnat’s eyebrow stuff. I hadn’t seen that aspect of Liv.”
“She’s a writer.”
“Yes?”
“She’s the detail person in the family, but doesn’t flaunt it.” He cleared his throat. “Look, we don’t know time of death; nor has the autopsy revealed if he fell or was pushed into the water. True?”
“Correct. But we’re guessing Olson had more than three million dollars tucked in the Grand Caymans so his death doesn’t feel accidental to us. Even without TOD or, say, evidence of a blow to the head, we’ve got to assume foul play.”
“Or you wouldn’t be here, investigating.”
“Right.” Parker pointed to Liv’s chart. “So you’re saying that’s only one list.”
Ivor nodded. “Her data includes people she was with in Seattle. Ev had enemies and access to a lot of money. There will be more lists, for sure.”
****
“Uff da,” Jenny Skogland said as she sank into her cushioned rocking chair.
Parker smiled a greeting from his seat on the living room couch of the B&B where he was waiting for his father to
Liv cocked an eyebrow, but didn’t turn around. “You’re always sorry for running your mouth, Til.”
“I told him you needed to get laid,” she blurted. “Implying he was the man to do it.”
Liv smiled ruefully, “No chance in hell.”
“You scared him off?”
Liv turned, rolling a jar of salmon in her palms. “I think he saw right through me, which is a first. And he didn’t like me trying to play him.”
“Whoa. He said that?”
“Not in so many words.”
“Well, he got more out of me than I planned to say.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah.” Tilly jabbed her elbows on the counter and stared at an array of purses. “He made me so nervous that I sicced him on you. It was like junior high, for Christ’s sake. The guy has a way of looking you right in the eye and really listening to what you say. He spooked me, seriously.”
Liv gave Tilly a pat on the shoulder, thinking she’d captured exactly what made Parker Browne different from most men. “That takes some doing.” Tilly’s lifelong goal seemed to be shocking people with her crass observations. How different was her friend’s method of diversion from Liv’s habit of presenting a light, flirty side? This is what the town expects of us.
Tilly said, “You do need to get laid.”
Liv squinted at the orderly rows of salmon on the shelves, reminded of the disarray in her life. She shook her head. “I’m on his suspect list, not his ‘to be laid’ list.”
****
Parker stalked past the Coffee Hüs, the Norsk Hotel and Viking Travel, casting a critical eye on the whimsical red and blue rosemalling swirls and grinning Norwegian elves that decorated storefronts. I will not be cheered up. Ivor better be in his office, dammit!
He shoved open the door of the police station. After a nod from the receptionist, he entered Ivor’s office and slapped Liv’s chart on his desk.
“Had lunch?” Ivor asked.
Parker took a deep breath, knowing he had to calm himself and match the habits of these people if he was going to get anywhere. He took a seat, stretched his arms and put his hands behind his head. “Could have eaten krumcake , but professional that I am, I got right down to business at Liv’s.”
Ivor shook his head. “Your loss. She doesn’t bake often, but when she does—”
Parker raised a palm, interrupting Ivor. “Would have been nice to know that half of Petersburg was in Seattle during the week Olson died.”
With a shrug, Ivor said, “We go to Seattle all the time. Alaska Airlines, twice a day, nonstop. They’ll give me lists of who went where and when, any time I ask. But the fly-in event our folks attended in Seattle is tip of the iceberg. People come and go in fast boats and helicopters, too. Those lists aren’t so easy to obtain.” He glanced at Liv’s tidy chart of people, places, and times. “She likes spreadsheets.”
“This is gnat’s eyebrow stuff. I hadn’t seen that aspect of Liv.”
“She’s a writer.”
“Yes?”
“She’s the detail person in the family, but doesn’t flaunt it.” He cleared his throat. “Look, we don’t know time of death; nor has the autopsy revealed if he fell or was pushed into the water. True?”
“Correct. But we’re guessing Olson had more than three million dollars tucked in the Grand Caymans so his death doesn’t feel accidental to us. Even without TOD or, say, evidence of a blow to the head, we’ve got to assume foul play.”
“Or you wouldn’t be here, investigating.”
“Right.” Parker pointed to Liv’s chart. “So you’re saying that’s only one list.”
Ivor nodded. “Her data includes people she was with in Seattle. Ev had enemies and access to a lot of money. There will be more lists, for sure.”
****
“Uff da,” Jenny Skogland said as she sank into her cushioned rocking chair.
Parker smiled a greeting from his seat on the living room couch of the B&B where he was waiting for his father to
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