Reservations for Murder by Tim Myers Page B

we’re
gone. We can’t make any money if we don’t have anybody here selling
our wares.”
    Craig said, “The sheriff wants us one at a
time, and he wants to see us now!”
    “He’s just going to have to wait,” Marilynn
said calmly. “Shantara! Could you come over here?”
    Shantara joined them and readily agreed to
take over their sales while they were gone.
    As the three of them walked to the inn. Alex
said, “I don’t know what the sheriff’s going to say about this. He
only asked me to get one of you.”
    Craig started to snap a retort when Marilynn
put a hand on his shoulder, “He’s in luck. Today’s special is two
potters for the price of one.”
    Alex said, “Do you mind me asking how well
you two knew Jefferson Lee?”
    Did Craig flinch at the question? He couldn’t
tell for sure; the hot afternoon sun was in his eyes.
    Marilynn stepped in and said, “We’ve done a
few fairs with him in North Carolina and parts of Tennessee, but we
traveled a lot more than he did.”
    Craig grunted, “Jefferson liked to stay close
to home. For everything.”
    The man was definitely on edge. Alex decided
it might be a good time to give him a shove. “Did you have any
reason to hate him, Craig?”
    The man started to speak when Marilynn
interrupted coolly, “Who’s running this investigation, Alex, you or
the sheriff?”
    “The sheriff is, of course. I just couldn’t
help wondering about it from the way your husband’s been
acting.”
    “It’s none of your business then, is it,”
Craig said before Marilynn could stop him.
    “You’re absolutely right,” Alex agreed,
smiling.
    They were on the front porch by then, and the
couple hurried in ahead of him.
    Armstrong didn’t look all that surprised that
they’d come together.
    “I just need one of you right now. That way
the other can go back to your booth,” he said.
    Marilynn said, “That won’t be a problem. We
have someone watching it for us. Don’t you think it would be more
efficient if you talked with both of us at the same time?”
    “Ma’am, I’ll do it my way, if you please.
Since you’re so eager to talk, why don’t you go on in first?”
    Craig started to say something, but Marilynn
cut him off yet again. It was a wonder the man ever got to say
anything. “Let’s get this over with, Sheriff, I have a living to
earn.” Marilynn turned to Craig. “Why don’t you go back to the
booth? I’ll come get you when the sheriff’s ready for you.”
    Craig obviously wasn’t thrilled with the
plan, but Alex could see there was no room for debate. The potter
stormed past Alex and slammed the door on his way out.
    Marilynn said, “You’ll have to forgive him.
Craig hasn’t been sleeping well lately.”
    “He can join the club,” the sheriff said.
“Murder gives me insomnia, too.”
    As they disappeared into his office, Alex
couldn’t help feeling that Armstrong was wasting his breath with
Marilynn Baxter. She was too cool to let anything slip. He would
love to hear the sheriff’s interview with Craig Monroe, though.
That should prove to be very interesting.
    As predicted, Marilynn’s time with the
sheriff was brief, and from the look on Armstrong’s face, not all
that productive.
    After she left in search of her husband,
Armstrong said, “That woman missed her calling. She should have
been a lawyer.” There was no admiration in his voice as he said
it.
    “Maybe you’ll have more luck with her
husband.”
    “I doubt it. By the time she’s through with
him, I doubt I’ll be able to get him to admit his own name.”
    As predicted, by the time the sheriff got
Craig in Alex’s office, the man was as silent as the nearby
mountains. Armstrong shook his head sadly as Craig left the
lobby.
    “Well, that was purely a waste of
breath.”
    Alex asked, “What now?”
    “It’s time I talked with our lady woodworker.
I’ve been putting it off, since Rachel blew up at me, but I’ve got
to interview her. She’s strong as an ox, and I