Free If the Shoe Kills by Lynn Cahoon Page A

some time to cool off. I took the stairway back down to the office. I tossed my apron into the laundry bin, grabbed my purse, and started power walking home, hoping nothing or no one else would stop me.
    One clean kitchen and two loads of laundry later, my phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID, no longer sure I wanted to talk to Jackie and hear about the drama again. “Happy Saturday,” Amy’s voice was consistently set on loud chipper level. I’d only seen her depressed once, and of course, it was the result of a man in her life.
    â€œYou working today?” Amy surfed any time she didn’t have to work, so I knew she was probably calling me from her desk at City Hall.
    â€œWe’re decorating City Hall for Thanksgiving.” Amy’s voice dropped to a loud whisper. “Tina Baylor is here and we’re going all-out. Turkeys, pilgrims, and Indians. It’s terrible.”
    â€œSounds like you’re her test project for the holiday festival.” I grinned. Darla must have struck again, leading Tina in a very bad direction. The girl was evil.
    â€œWe’re something, all right. In all the years I’ve worked for the mayor, I’ve never spoken to Mrs. Baylor more than three times. Today, we’re best friends.” Amy sighed.
    â€œSo I’m being replaced,” I teased.
    â€œYou couldn’t get that lucky.” Amy groaned. “She’s coming this way, I’ve got to go. See you tomorrow?”
    â€œSorry, I’m opening Sunday. Aunt Jackie’s had a bad day, and I’d like to give her some time off. How about lunch on Monday?” I took out my notebook and my running list of chores I needed to take care of, including appointments.
    â€œWorks for me.” Amy’s voice changed. “I’m sorry, the office is closed today, but if you’d like to call Monday, I’d be glad to walk you through the building permit paperwork. Thanks for calling.”
    â€œShe’s standing right there, isn’t she?”
    â€œYou’ve got that right. Talk to you then.” Then the line went dead.
    I had to hand it to Tina, she knew how to control her employees, or the people she assumed were her employees. I guess being the mayor’s wife gave you certain privileges.
    I glanced at the clock. If Greg was going to show up for dinner, he would have called by now. I checked the Internet and saw that if I left now, I’d have plenty of time to get into Bakerstown before the library closed. It was time for some background research on a Mr. Ted Hendricks. And what better place to find it than the local gossip column.

CHAPTER 7
    I ’d reviewed ten rolls of microfilm before I found even a mention of the man. He’d kept a low profile for the short time he’d been in town. According to an interview in the Bakerstown Gazette , Ted had moved there from his hometown of Boston, wanting to experience the more relaxed California way of life. Even in words, the man’s arrogance shown through. Some would call it confidence, but I felt the anger behind the words.
    At least I knew he’d arrived two years ago. Now I just needed to go deeper into his family tree. Maybe there would be a mention of why he left “the more civilized East,” as he referred to his prior home.
    My cell rang.
    The librarian at the research desk glared at me. I stepped out of the quiet room and took the call. “Hello?”
    â€œWhere are you?” Greg asked.
    I flushed, even though he couldn’t see me. I didn’t want to listen to a lecture on staying out of an investigation. “I’m in Bakerstown. I needed to do some research at the library for”—I paused, trying to make up an excuse that he would believe—“our holiday festival decorations. I heard Tina’s going for a more traditional theme this year.”
    â€œOh God. The woman came in and had Esmeralda in fits. Esmeralda claims the decorations