noon.â
âWas she here?â
âNo.â Skye shook her head. âAt first glance the lounge seemed to be empty and we figured the group had finished early, so we started to leave.â
âBut you didnât.â
âBefore we got to the exit we heard a thud and the sound of breaking glass. We thought someone might be hurt, so we went toward where the noise had come from, and we found Guinevere lying on the floor.â Skye fingered the purse strap that lay diagonally across her chest and asked, âIs she going to make it?â
âIâm afraid not.â Officer Trencher watched Skye closely. âThe doctor said she never had a chance. Her carotid artery was nicked.â At Skyeâs gasp, the security officer sat down in the chair opposite Skye. âThe only reason she lasted as long as she did was because you didnât remove the knitting needles.â Trencher raised a brow. âHow did you know not to do that?â
âI read a lot of mysteries.â Skye stared down at her hands. Before Officer Trencherâs arrival, Skye had founda couple of Wet-Naps in her purse and managed to wipe off her hands, but they were far from spotless; she only hoped her conscience was cleaner. Had she done everything possible to save Guinevere? âAny idea who stabbed her?â
âDid you or your friend do it?â
âNo!â Skye squeaked. Was the security officer serious? âOf course not.â
âHow about your mother?â Trencher asked. âShe certainly was upset with Ms. Stallings.â
Skye felt a quiver of alarm. Was there any chance her mother had quarreled again with Guinevere and stabbed her in a fit of rage? No. Skye was absolutely sure May would never do that.
âMom is over last nightâs misunderstanding,â Skye said.
âIs she?â Officer Trencher didnât appear satisfied by Skyeâs assurances.
âYes.â Skye chewed her lip. How to convince the security officer of that fact? Then she remembered something and said, âBesides, Mom is too short. The needles where thrust straight in Guinevereâs throat. If my mother had done it, theyâd be angled upward.â
âOh?â The security officerâs tone was skeptical. âAnd you know this how?â
âMy mother is five-foot-two. Guinevere was a couple of inches taller than me and Iâm five-seven. Mom would have had to reach up to stab Guinevere in the throat.â
âSo youâre saying the killer had to be close to the victimâs height,â Officer Trencher said, then paused and added, âOr the murderer was standing on something that made them taller.â
âThe only things around to stand on were chairs and tables, and then the angle would be downward.â Skye was beginning to worry that the security officer was seriously considering May as a suspect.
âThen perhaps Ms. Stallings was sitting,â Officer Trencher suggested.
âWe found Guinevere on the floor behind the chairs. If sheâd been sitting, the needle position would only be possible if both she and the murderer were both seated knee to knee, in which case height would come into play again,â Skye pointed out. âIf Guinevere was sitting and the killer was standing, the angle would be downward.â
Trencher shot Skye a thoughtful look. âThose are insightful observations to have made in the heat of the moment.â She tilted her head. âYou said your husband was a police chief, but you didnât mention if you were in law enforcement as well.â
âIâm a psychological consultant for my husbandâs department.â
âI see.â Officer Trencher studied Skye, then seemed to make a decision. âHave you had much experience with homicide investigations?â
âIâve been part of a team that has solved nearly twenty murders,â Skye answered, then hesitated. If Trixieâs