paced, going over endless possibilities.
And if it wasn’t one of them, who else could have done it? Patsy’s lover seemed like a possibility at first, but he was a leach, just letting her pay his bills. With her dead there was no money, so it didn’t pay for him to take her out. Who else, who else?
And at the bar, everything seemed fine until she dropped. Greg seemed shocked that she fell and had a heart attack, or what everybody thought was a heart attack. It didn’t seem like he was faking his grief, but maybe he was. Then again, there were still other people around that she still couldn’t remember. What if one of those people, or someone she didn’t even know was responsible? It’s not like she had access to Patsy’s inner world. She didn’t even know the woman had a lover!
Annie settled onto the sofa with a pen and paper after pacing so much she could have worn a hole through the carpet. She jotted down everything she could think of, every person she knew on the island, and questions that she knew would keep her up at night . It’s not like she’d been sleeping well of late, anyway.
Mrs. Bushmiller had shown up multiple times; always watching things going on, coming into the shop, and then calling the cops on her when she was trying to break into her shop. Did Mrs. Bushmiller have something to hide? There was only one way to find out. She didn’t know if she’d talk, but Annie needed to try.
When Annie showed up at her door, Mrs. Bushmiller was none too happy. “What are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to you. I know what you think, but I didn’t do it. I’m trying to learn more about Patsy to see if there’s somebody that might have been overlooked. Would you at least tell me what you know about her?”
Mrs. Bushmiller looked away. “And if I don’t, are you going to take me out too?”
“Please, you know me. Think about this. I’m not a killer. Please, is there anything you can tell me about the woman?” Annie pleaded with her.
“Woman is putting it too nicely. She was nothing but a harlot. She ruined my marriage with her love child.” Her tone turned icy. “My Harold was everything to me, but once she got her claws into him, well, that was the end for us. There’s no way I’ d keep a cheating husband around.”
“And Harold?” Annie asked. And who was the love child? Was she talking about Greg?
“He passed about five years ago. Last I heard he’d moved off the island. I only learned about his passing because he’d never changed his emergency contact information or insurance policies. At least he left me enough to cover my expenses. He owed me that. I gave him years of my life.” Mrs. Bushmiller sulked.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Annie juggled the new information around in her mind. “Is there anything else?”
“Look, I’m sorry, but I just don’t feel right talking to you about this stuff. You seem like a nice enough girl, but now you’re wanted for murder. Those things don’t mesh well in my world. You’ll have to excuse me,” she said, before shutting the door.
Chapter 12
Charlotte made her way over to Annie’s house to console her friend. Things weren’t looking good, and she didn’t know how much more time she’d have with her. Annie’s heart was breaking at the thought of being accused of something she didn’t do and the real possibility that the murder would be pinned on her due to an inadequate investigation. Something had to give.
And then it did.
Alex called to give her the news. They were able to take their partial fingerprint and find a match. They wouldn’t reveal who it belonged to at this time, but would be speaking to the person. It apparently wasn’t a landscaper’s glove, a cleaner’s glove, or a local painter’s glove, but it was the glove of somebody who has no reason to leave a glove outside Annie’s Beachside Beauty shop.
Annie hung up the phone and turned to Charlotte. “There’s a break in the case.”
And if it wasn’t one of them, who else could have done it? Patsy’s lover seemed like a possibility at first, but he was a leach, just letting her pay his bills. With her dead there was no money, so it didn’t pay for him to take her out. Who else, who else?
And at the bar, everything seemed fine until she dropped. Greg seemed shocked that she fell and had a heart attack, or what everybody thought was a heart attack. It didn’t seem like he was faking his grief, but maybe he was. Then again, there were still other people around that she still couldn’t remember. What if one of those people, or someone she didn’t even know was responsible? It’s not like she had access to Patsy’s inner world. She didn’t even know the woman had a lover!
Annie settled onto the sofa with a pen and paper after pacing so much she could have worn a hole through the carpet. She jotted down everything she could think of, every person she knew on the island, and questions that she knew would keep her up at night . It’s not like she’d been sleeping well of late, anyway.
Mrs. Bushmiller had shown up multiple times; always watching things going on, coming into the shop, and then calling the cops on her when she was trying to break into her shop. Did Mrs. Bushmiller have something to hide? There was only one way to find out. She didn’t know if she’d talk, but Annie needed to try.
When Annie showed up at her door, Mrs. Bushmiller was none too happy. “What are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to you. I know what you think, but I didn’t do it. I’m trying to learn more about Patsy to see if there’s somebody that might have been overlooked. Would you at least tell me what you know about her?”
Mrs. Bushmiller looked away. “And if I don’t, are you going to take me out too?”
“Please, you know me. Think about this. I’m not a killer. Please, is there anything you can tell me about the woman?” Annie pleaded with her.
“Woman is putting it too nicely. She was nothing but a harlot. She ruined my marriage with her love child.” Her tone turned icy. “My Harold was everything to me, but once she got her claws into him, well, that was the end for us. There’s no way I’ d keep a cheating husband around.”
“And Harold?” Annie asked. And who was the love child? Was she talking about Greg?
“He passed about five years ago. Last I heard he’d moved off the island. I only learned about his passing because he’d never changed his emergency contact information or insurance policies. At least he left me enough to cover my expenses. He owed me that. I gave him years of my life.” Mrs. Bushmiller sulked.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Annie juggled the new information around in her mind. “Is there anything else?”
“Look, I’m sorry, but I just don’t feel right talking to you about this stuff. You seem like a nice enough girl, but now you’re wanted for murder. Those things don’t mesh well in my world. You’ll have to excuse me,” she said, before shutting the door.
Chapter 12
Charlotte made her way over to Annie’s house to console her friend. Things weren’t looking good, and she didn’t know how much more time she’d have with her. Annie’s heart was breaking at the thought of being accused of something she didn’t do and the real possibility that the murder would be pinned on her due to an inadequate investigation. Something had to give.
And then it did.
Alex called to give her the news. They were able to take their partial fingerprint and find a match. They wouldn’t reveal who it belonged to at this time, but would be speaking to the person. It apparently wasn’t a landscaper’s glove, a cleaner’s glove, or a local painter’s glove, but it was the glove of somebody who has no reason to leave a glove outside Annie’s Beachside Beauty shop.
Annie hung up the phone and turned to Charlotte. “There’s a break in the case.”
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