Murdered in the Man Cave (A Riley Reed Cozy Mystery) by R. Barri Flowers

show up."
    "Not at all. I was expecting you. My sister
was just leaving."
    "Yes I was," Yvonne said, and introduced
herself.
    "Actually, I think we already met," Emily
told her. "It was at a book signing party my uncle had a couple of
years ago."
    Yvonne nodded. "I remember," she said and
looked at me. "You insisted I go with you."
    I remembered. "Yes, I had to practically drag
you there, but you were glad you came by the time it was over."
    "That's true," Yvonne said and paused as she
gazed at me. "So are you going to be all right?"
    "I'll be fine," I assured her, and turned
toward Emily. "We both will."
    "Okay," Yvonne said. "I'll call you
tomorrow."
    Once Emily and I were alone, I asked, "Did
you find your cell phone?"
    "Oh...yes," she said hurriedly. "It was just
where I left it."
    "Good." There was a moment of awkwardness,
which I tried to break. "Can I get you some tea? I also have some
leftover chocolate chip cookies I made. They're pretty good."
    "Thanks, but I already ate."
    I got the feeling there was something on her
mind. I couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with
Brent. Or perhaps even Tony. I recalled that Brent thought he might
be supplying her with drugs, though she denied that she was using.
Then I remembered her job interview, for which I had given a
recommendation.
    "How did the interview go?"
    Emily gave me a dazed look. "Interview—?"
    "The job at Klackston Industries," I reminded
her.
    "Oh, that. Something came up and I had to
reschedule it for tomorrow."
    "What came up that was more important than a
job interview?" I couldn't help but ask.
    "I had to help a friend," she said
vaguely.
    "You mean your friend Tony?"
    She hesitated. "Yeah."
    I frowned. "Is he into drugs? Are you?"
    "No, it's not that."
    "Then what?" I pressed, as if I had a right
to. "I just want to help, if I can." I wondered if I was just
trying to take my mind off Brent's death by focusing on Emily's
situation.
    "You can't help!" she snapped. "Maybe I can't
either..." She sighed. "He's a gambling addict. I've been trying to
help him, but it's really hard for him to break away from it."
    "I think he needs professional help," I told
her, while feeling relieved that she hadn't turned to drugs
again.
    "You're right," Emily said, running a hand
through her hair. "Look I need a shower and then I'm going to bed.
It's been a really tough day."
    I could hardly argue with her there, all
things considered. I walked Emily upstairs and showed her to her
room and then handed her some towels for the guest bathroom.
    Heading to my room, I could only wonder what
the investigation would turn up regarding Brent's murder. No one
deserved to die that way, especially someone who had so much to
live for, even if he was losing his mind with each passing day.
    * * *
    The next morning, I was up bright and early
for my run after a difficult night sleeping. I dreamt about Brent
being clubbed to death with his own pool cue, which I witnessed.
Needless to say, it was horrible. Unfortunately, the dream did not
show me Brent's killer, as if I could trust a manifestation of my
mind in that regard.
    Though I would have welcomed running with
Emily, a peek in her room found her sound asleep, snoring lightly.
I saw no reason to disrupt that after the tragedy she'd had to
endure last night. Having lost her parents early in life, and now
Brent, seemed almost too much to bear for a young woman.
    I slipped out the house and was about to head
to the beach when I ran into Annette walking her dog. She'd left a
couple of messages on my cell phone, which I had yet to respond
to.
    "I got your messages," I told her. "I was
going to call and—"
    "I'm so glad to see you're all right," she
interrupted, "after what you went through finding Brent London dead
like that. I saw it on the news."
    "Yes, I'm fine," I assured her.
    "I wanted to drop by, but I noticed that your
sister was there and another guest. Fred said I should give you
some space."
    I was ready to start