Free Plainly Murder: A Penguin Special from Obsidian by Isabella Alan

was a grieving mother,” I said quietly.
    Lily scowled at me. “You are not from the community. You should not meddle in something you cannot possibly understand.”
    My aunt struggled to her feet. “I’ve asked Angie to honor Evelyn’s memory by fulfilling her final request, which was to find out what happened to her son.”
    Lily swallowed. “I’ve helped you as much as I can. I already told Angie what I knew yesterday.”
    I walked in place, testing how the boots felt. “Violet said that Cooper and Eric argued not long before Eric died. Do you have any guesses as to what that was about?”
    “If my sister knows about the argument, ask her.”
    I didn’t tell her I already had. “Did you ever hear them argue about the bike shop, or anything else?”
    “No.” Her answer was clipped.
    “Maybe Ira will remember,” Aunt Eleanor mused.
    Lily folded her hands in front of her chest. I don’t know if the hand folding was in prayer or in plea or in both. “Please don’t talk to my husband about Cooper or about Eric. It will upset him. When Eric died, it was a very painful time in all of our lives and not one of us wants to relive it. I know Evelyn missed her son terribly. I can’t imagine the pain she went through, especially because he was her only child, but she is gone now, too. Can’t we just let them all rest in peace?”
    “We will leave you be now, Lily,” my aunt said.
    Leave her be?
But we hadn’t learned anything new.
    “Angie.” My aunt turned to me. “You should walk in them a bit, up and down the aisle to see how they feel when you move.”
    I hid my smile. She sounded so much like my father when he would take me back-to-school shoe shopping. I always had to take my shoes for a “spin” in the store before he would buy them. I preferred to back-to-school shop with my father because he let me choose what I wanted. Had it been up to my mother, my entire wardrobe growing up would have been one giant sequined, rosebud, bowed pageant nightmare.
    “What do you think?” Lily asked.
    The boots were surprisingly comfortable. I could wear them all the time if they didn’t have the potential to lead to Dallas fashion suicide.
    Aunt Eleanor patted Oliver’s head. “They look nice on you.”
    Lily nodded. “They are a popular boot and more importantly, they are warm. I have a pair on the farm and use them for chores.” She smiled. “I haven’t fallen in them yet.”
    Not falling was a plus. I sat back on the footstool. “How much do I owe you for the boots?”
    “Do not tell her, Lily. Put them on my tally.”
    “Aunt Eleanor, you can’t pay for these.”
    “Who says? You are my niece and I can give you a gift if I so choose.”
    I sighed. “Can you at least let me pay you for the socks? I’m not letting you pay for those.”
    My aunt nodded. “All right, I will accept money for the socks.”
    Opting to keep my new boots on, Aunt Eleanor and I followed Lily to the cash register.
    “You’re back already?” Ira asked with a smile. He turned to Eleanor. “It’s
gut
to see you out, Eleanor.”
    “Thank you, Ira.”
    “They were just about to leave.” Lily flushed. “Angie was shopping for boots.”
    I held up my right foot as proof.
    “Great choice,” Ira said.
    “I was surprised to see you by the courthouse in Millersburg yesterday afternoon,” I said.
    He frowned and his expression became hooded. “Surprising? Why?”
    “I’d just seen you here at the store that day.”
    “That doesn’t mean anything. I have business in Millersburg.”
    “Business with Judge Mueller?” I asked. “Were you meeting with him?”
    He folded his arms. “If you’ve found what you needed, maybe it’s time for you to leave.”
    I opened my mouth but clamped it shut when I saw Lily’s pleading look. “Thanks for your help, Lily. These boots will keep my feet toasty warm.”
    “You’re welcome.” She seemed to want to say something else, but her husband’s scowl put an end to