Free Hot Water by Maggie Toussaint

she had some ideas where the drunken duo had been. Neither of the reported locations was anywhere near her crime scene.
    Pity.
    “How about a kiss to pay me?” Harlow asked.
    She barely stopped a grimace. “Don’t think so.”
    “You wanna go out sometime?”
    “I don’t date coworkers.”
    “That’s a dumb rule.”
    She felt like a hypocrite, given that she’d kissed Wyatt. But she had no interest in Tom Harlow. She didn’t want to spend a minute more than she had to in his company.
    “We’re colleagues, and I plan to keep it that way.”
    “Colleagues? That sounds so formal. Can’t we be friends?”
    “We’re acquaintances. Please move aside. I’ve got another stop to make this evening.”
    To her chagrin, he fell in step beside her as she exited the bar. The evening air felt thick and close, boxing her and Harlow in.
    “Where are we going?” Harlow asked.
    “ We’re not going anywhere. Get one of your buddies in there to give you a lift home.”
    “You could do it.”
    “Not happening. I hate being rude, but your tenacity is forcing me to be blunt. Leave me alone.”
    With that, she made her escape.
    The Main Mast was quieter, with folks sitting at candlelit tables. In the far corner, dapper Doug Morgan played the piano. The soft music filled the room, and she tried to relax with a deep breath. Not working. She strode to the bar and ordered a ginger ale. Before she could canvas the room, her realtor friend Megan invited her to sit at her table.
    “Love to,” Laurie Ann said in a breezy tone. The chemistry between Megan and Dave, newlyweds for four months now, fluoresced like a neon sign.
    Dave’s lopsided smile, his adorable cowlick, and his thickly lashed bedroom eyes had set every heart aflutter when he first moved to Mossy Bog. But it had been clear from the start that the blonde realtor was the only female he noticed.
    Lucky woman, Laurie Ann thought. Megan had a career she loved and a man who doted on her.
    “I want to hear all about the new man,” Megan said once they were settled. “We missed the fireworks at the picnic today, and that’s all anyone’s talked about.”
    Laurie Ann didn’t have to pretend confusion. “Fireworks?”
    “Patty said your new beau stuck by your side the entire time. Arletha said you came back from your beach walk flushed as if y’all were necking. Is he a good kisser? I want details before I explode from curiosity.”
    Laurie Ann gazed at the empty dance floor for a moment while she gathered herself. “Wyatt’s a friend, that’s all.”
    “You can do better than that. Dave doesn’t even believe you, do you, Dave?”
    Dave wore a pained expression from the elbow in his gut. He covered it with a smile. “I don’t believe you,” he said, following Megan’s lead.
    “We only met yesterday. Trust me, I’m not ready to bear his children,” Laurie Ann quipped, hoping that would defuse the inquiry.
    Megan’s face glowed with near-religious fervor. “Oh, my God. You kissed him.”
    “I’m trying to change the subject. Hint. Hint. I need information to help me solve James Brown’s homicide.”
    “What’s up with that?” Megan sipped her umbrella drink. “I thought the big guns handled murders.”
    Laurie Ann sighed with deep relief. Finally, the conversation was veering in the right direction. “They do. This is unusual. The chief and the sheriff thought it was an accidental death, and both of them are looking over my shoulder. If I make a mistake, I’ll be taken off the case.”
    “That’s harsh.”
    “I want that promotion, so I can’t screw up.” Laurie Ann leaned forward to speak in confidence. “Which brings me to why I came here tonight. Can you get me a list of the folks who had access to the place while y’all had the keys?”
    “It’s a short list. The only people who went out there during our listing were the Foxworths.”
    Would Wyatt see that as incriminating evidence? She pressed on. “Your firm handled the sale of