Free A Killer Deal (A Seagrove Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Leona Fox

out,” Sadie said. “I’m in as much trouble as you.”
     
    “That’s right,” said Chief Woodstone from the door. “Neither of you should be in the property room. And good Lord who made this mess?”
     
    Sadie looked at Chief Woodstone and raised her eyebrows as if to say “you have to ask?” He was holding something in his hand and Sadie could see that it was the branding iron. She tried to signal him to get it out of sight, but he was too busy looking for Olivia and didn’t see her. He moved along the front side of the room, picking his way through the mess until he also had Olivia in his sights.
     
    Olivia had options. Sadie figured she wouldn’t run down the far aisle where Chief Woodstone was waiting at the end. But if she came toward Sadie there were three aisles of shelves she could duck down before she got to where she and Mr. Bradshaw were standing. So Sadie should probably advance on Olivia. This was not something she wanted to do.
     
    “That is my branding iron,” Olivia said. “I want it back.”
     
    “This is evidence in a murder case,” Chief Woodstone said. “And, as you never paid Sadie for it, it is also stolen property held under my jurisdiction.”
     
    “Mine,” said Olivia like she was talking to a toddler. She pulled a wad of paper money from her pocket and several dollars floated to the floor.
     
    “See. I have the money to pay for it right here.”
     
    The hair on the back of Sadie’s neck was standing straight up. Olivia wasn’t making any sense at all. It was like she hadn’t heard a word of what Chief Woodstone had said. So this is what it’s like to be truly crazy, Sadie thought. A shiver ran down her spine. She took a couple of steps forward.
     
    Olivia came toward her and Sadie squelched the urge to back away. She stood squarely in the aisle so Olivia couldn’t run past her. But Olivia didn’t even try. Instead, she shoved the wad of money at Sadie saying “Here. Take this.” Then she went back to her corner – Sadie assumed it was so she could keep an eye on both Chief Woodstone and herself. Sadie stuffed the money into a pocket and advanced on Olivia.
     
    “I paid,” Olivia was saying, “so that belongs to me.”
     
    “Why do you need it?” the Chief asked.
     
    “It’s very useful,” Olivia said. “I’m going to burn brands into my new sign. Did I tell you I’m making a new sign for the farm? I need to attract more customers.”
     
    Sadie stopped just out of arms reach. She wasn’t sure what she should do - if anything. She could tackle Olivia, take her down, but so could Chief Woodstone and he hadn’t done so. She had to assume he could handle the situation.
     
    “Why do you need more customers, Olivia?” Chief Woodstone asked. “I thought you had contracts with the markets and several restaurants.”
     
    “Those backstabbers.” Olivia looked as if she might spit.
     
    “They don’t just buy from me. Like Roger. I knew other farms were trying to get to him. He was buying produce from the Hudson’s. Can you believe it? The Hudson’s wouldn’t know organic if it bit them in the butt.”
     
    “Roger was a baker,” Sadie said, confused, “how much produce could he have used? He did buy some fruit and berries for muffins, but we are talking tiny amounts compared to the restaurants and markets.”
     
    “He was planning ahead,” Olivia said. “Freezing what he didn’t use. He was buying zucchini by the truckload until the others tried to steal him from me.”
     
    Roger made the best ever zucchini bread with chocolate chips, and she knew he bought produce in the summer to freeze for the winter. But truckloads?  Surely she would have noticed if truckloads of produce were being unloaded right next door. The cold chill ran down her spine again.
     
    Olivia was obviously fixated on Chief Woodstone and the electric branding iron, so Sadie ducked down a row of shelves, rounded the corner and came up behind him with Mr. Bradshaw on