The Pumpkin Thief: A Chloe Boston Mystery by Melanie Jackson Page B

used to be engaged and we did not part amicably. He’ll stonewall me just for fun.”
    “I understand, but I have no one. Bryce has his hands full and I don’t much trust the others to be discrete with a story like this. You’ve been itching to involve yourself in real police work. Well, here’s your chance.”
    I glowered, but couldn’t think how to complain since what he said was true.
    “I’ll call Mr. Cooper and ask him to meet you at his office. I will make it clear that you are collecting vital information about a homicide and that I expect his cooperation. Even on a Saturday.”
    “Fine.” I got to my feet. “But he’s already at his office. Call him there.” I rattled off the number.
    The chief blinked and again looked impressed. I didn’t explain that I knew David was at his office because he worked most Saturdays and I had seen his car in the parking lot on my way to the station. Let the chief think I was psychic.

    *  *  *

    David was as thrilled to see me as I was to see him, but since his secretary was watching we faked it. Though I would have liked the emotional support, I left Blue in the lobby while I followed the pustule to his office. David doesn’t care for dogs.
    “The chief called?” I asked.
    “Yes. This death complicates things. For the estate.” David leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. He thought this made him look wise.
    “You had already tracked down Hector Sayers?”
    “Yes. We were going to meet Monday. I didn’t know that he was already here.” This last bit sounded defensive.
    “And now what?”
    “And now I have more work to do. The city— and your boss— will simply have to be patient.”
    How he loved saying that. I wanted to smack that stupid smirk off his face, but my justifiable opportunity for inflicting physical damage was past. Anyway, I had another idea. David didn’t know it, but his secretary was a snitch of mine. She actively disliked him and would share information with me whenever she could as long as it didn’t betray a client— which it never previously had. Her confidences were mainly about David’s ploys to get back in my good graces. There hadn’t been any of those since June though. I had wondered what it would take to get David to stop stalking me and now I knew; threat of arrest for kidnap and a bloody nose.
    I thanked David for his consideration, decided not to mention Deborah’s other child, and cut short his smirk and gloat time. I left the office without shaking hands. Mary Grady, who is also the librarian’s daughter and a new member of the Lit Wits, anticipated my needs and David’s refusal to share any information. There was a file open on the edge of her desk right above Blue’s head.
    I couldn’t read everything while I was pretending to fumble with Blue’s leash, but I got the particulars on what interested me most. Deborah Burn’s illegitimate child had been adopted in 1981 by a family named Endicott who lived in the nearby town of Roosevelt.
    So, David already knew about the kid. That took care of any guilt I might have eventually developed for withholding information.
    Blue and I said a warm goodbye, promised to get donuts next time we met and left without a backward glance. I was so glad that that part of my life was over. I couldn’t recall what good I had ever seen in David Cooper.

Chapter 7

    I ended up with both Jeffrey and Mr. Jackman coming for dessert. That was okay, because I had a lot of frozen pumpkin pie filling that needed eating. As we listened to the rain beating on the windows, I gave an edited account of my day, glossing over how I discovered that Deborah Burns had an illegitimate child and not mentioning the incest angle at all. Both men know that I am friends with David’s secretary and didn’t need me to draw a map for them.
    We ended up discussing the more minor mystery of who the pumpkin thief might be. Mr. Jackman had a green house so he could leave his pumpkins on the vine and