Free School's Out for Murder (Schooled in Murder Book 2) by Tracy D. Comstock Page B

the rumor, would she have changed her will to leave everything to Maclaine anyway? And what about what Superintendent Johnson said about Larry being "cuckolded"? Was Janice the one having an affair? Did Larry need to get her out of the way for the sake of his relationship with another woman? Or was he jealous of someone Janice was involved with?
    2. Maclaine Forrester—If the rumors were true and Janice changed her will, Maclaine would be an heiress. Janice supposedly had a large family fortune and Maclaine was her only relative. In fact, could Maclaine have moved to Ellington because she knew of Larry's supposed affair? Maybe Tad would know something.
    3. Susanna Fowler—Again, if the rumor mill was true, and it rarely was, Janice and Susanna were old high school enemies. Could Susanna have gotten Janice out of the way so that she could have the love of her life all to herself? Janice was also threatening to cut library acquisition funding, so unfortunately, that just added fuel to the fire where Susanna's hatred of Janice was concerned.
    4. Amelia Franklin—Rumored to be the one who Larry was having an affair with. Clearly, the rumor is nothing more than that—a rumor. Larry was obsessed with dental hygiene, but Amelia had told him that was no longer comfortable acting as his dentist. Was someone trying to frame Amelia? And who was her boyfriend? He might be…
     
    Tad sounded his usual rat-a-tat-tat knock on the front door before Emily could finish her thought. Laying her journal aside, she hurried to let Tad in. Even though things had been strained between them the past couple of days, Emily's heart still sped up at the sight of his tall, lean form in dark jeans, loafers, and a teal plaid button-down with the sleeves rolled up to show his tan, muscled forearms. The color brought out the blue in his gray eyes, turning them the color of a stormy sea. She reached up to run her fingers through his dark hair, going curly at the ends. She swallowed the drool pooling in her mouth before she said, "Hey, handsome, you look amazing."
    Tad's eyes warmed as he smiled down at her. Then he grabbed her hand and spun her out in a fast twirl, tugging her firmly against him when he was done. "I'd say the same goes, Em. Are you a runaway princess in disguise?" Emily giggled (something she only did around Tad) pleased that he, too, had thought of Roman Holiday . She had made him sit through more than one screening of it, as it was one of her favorites.
    "I just might be," she told him. "So be sure and show me a good time before I have to go back to my regal, yet boring, duties."
    "Your wish is my command, Your Highness," Tad said, tucking her arm securely in the crook of his elbow as he led her out to his spotless Prius.
    They enjoyed the first few minutes of the ride out to Gabby and Greg's sprawling farmhouse on the edge of town in companionable silence. The sky was a riot of colors as the sun sank below the horizon, and the rolling hills of green were a welcome sight after a particularly bitter winter. "Gorgeous night, isn't it?" Tad finally broke the silence.
    "It is," Emily agreed. "I hope we can get Amelia's mind off her troubles for a while. She looks so tired."
    Tad glanced at her at the corner of his eye as he asked, "Any news on the investigative front?"
    "Why would you ask me ?" Emily stared out her own window, careful not to meet Tad's eyes.
    He let loose a low chuckle, but said nothing. "What?" Emily asked again, crossing her arms defiantly.
    "Because, Pit, if I know you, and I do, you've already managed to stick your nose into several places it shouldn't have been."
    "You know," Emily began in her defense, "it's not my fault that people always seem to gravitate toward me when they want to pour out their troubles."
    "That's true," Tad conceded. "But your sympathetic ear and open heart are legendary in these parts, my dear." Tad raised his eyebrows meaningfully and patted her knee. "Of course, those are also some of the very