Free Murder in Marietta (A Trixie Montgomery Cozy Mystery Book 2) by Deborah Malone

History Museum. I’d love to interview you. I understand you’re an authority on all things Marietta. If your time allows, that is.” I was proud of myself for remembering how to make an interviewee feel at ease. Gloria seemed to relax, but she glanced at Dee Dee skeptically.
    I thought fast. “This is my assistant Dee Dee Lamont.”
    Stepping back, Gloria let us inside. “I think I can afford you a few minutes. I’m on my way to a committee meeting in a short while.” She glanced at her watch. “We’ll need to hurry.” She led us through the marble foyer and into a sitting room stuffed with antiques.
    “Gloria. May I use your first name?” She nodded affirmation and I offered a compliment, more genuine than the last. “Your furniture is beautiful.”
    Dee Dee nodded. “I own an antiques store and recognize excellent craftsmanship.”
    Gloria sat up a little straighter. “I understand your admiration. They’re family heirlooms. I’m so proud of them.” She didn’t say whose family – just family. “I’m sorry I can’t offer you refreshments, but this is Amy’s day off. What do you want to know about the museum?”
    I asked a few questions about the town in general, and Gloria happily supplied information. And then I changed directions.
    “Gloria, is it true your purse disappeared while you were at the museum?”
    Her eyebrows arched until they resembled tiny umbrellas. “Who told you that?” I expected her to show us to the door, but she surprised me when she continued. “Yes, it was stolen and there was no one around but Penny Pennington. I won’t go as far as to say she took it, but who else could have taken it? The ghosts?”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

    S peaking of ghosts.” I shot Dee Dee a sideways glance, and she returned an encouraging nod. “Have you ever seen any ghosts at the museum?”
    Gloria lowered herself to perch on the edge of a beautiful sage green brocade loveseat. “No. Of course I’ve never seen any ghosts.” The way she answered you’d have thought I’d questioned her sanity. “Doc made up all that ghost talk to try and boost traffic at the museum. I don’t believe one bit of it.”
    I didn’t believe in ghosts either until the other night. Now, I’m not so sure. “Gloria, is it true your son is the next logical choice to take over as director?” I took a big chance with this line of questioning. Dee Dee confirmed this when she looked at me like I’d lost my ever-loving mind.
    Gloria’s face scrunched up like a prune and turned a strange shade of pink, I assumed her color change confirmed what Doc suspected. “Well, someone like my son needs to take over and clean house, the books haven’t balanced for years, and no one can figure out why.”
    She stood up and walked toward the door. “Your time is up. I need to leave for my gathering. It was nice meeting you ladies.” She ushered us out the door faster than a lizard catching a fly.
    “I think you touched a nerve, Sherlock.” Dee Dee chuckled, as we hurried down the sidewalk. “Let’s find something to eat and figure out our next step.”
    “We could return to the Big Chicken and consume some comfort food for the soul.” We drudged back to the car in the sweltering heat. Thankfully it started on the first try, and after a few minutes cool air blew from the vents. Thank you Lord for small miracles.
    The Big Chicken wasn’t packed, but boasted plenty of customers. We ordered our food and found a table in the back corner. I’d taken my first bite and licked my fingers when my phone rang. I wiped off the grease then checked to see who called.
    “Hey Harv.”
    “How are things going? Is your story on the murder coming along?”
    “I’m doing as much as I can, Harv. I have to follow it from afar. The lead detective warned me to keep my nose out of his business.” He didn’t need to know we’d decided to ask a few questions ourselves.
    We talked a few more minutes before, Belinda, Harv’s receptionist