Free Cut to the Corpse by Lucy Lawrence Page A

girl?” Tenley asked.
    Brenna gave her a look, but Tenley’s attention was focused on Matt. Brenna got the feeling she was fishing, but not for the information Brenna wanted. Rather, she was inquiring for herself. Well, that wasn’t helpful at all!
    Brenna cleared her throat to bring Matt’s attention back to her. “For example, I’m sure Clue Parker would have found his mate for life—eventually.”
    Both Tenley and Matt looked at her.
    “What?” she asked. “Not subtle enough?”
    They exchanged a look that said they found her both amusing and worrisome.
    “Brenna, truthfully, I came here because I knew you were the one who found Clue, and I wanted to know how you’re doing,” Matt said. “But now I’m getting the feeling that you are up to something.”
    “Me?” Brenna asked. She batted her eyelashes as innocently as she could. Matt didn’t look like he was buying it. “Oh, all right, who was Clue Parker dating?”
    “Why do you want to know?”
    “Because I am sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong.”
    “Good, so long as we’re all clear on that,” Matt said.
    “You may as well have a seat,” Tenley offered. “She’s not going to let you go until she gets what she wants.”
    Matt took a seat at the table and Brenna sat across from him. Tenley went to the break room and came back with a pot of coffee and three mugs.
    As they fussed with their cream and sugar, Matt studied Brenna. “What does Nate have to say about you looking into the murder?”
    “Nothing,” Brenna said.
    “Nothing because he doesn’t know, or nothing because you told him to mind his own beeswax?”
    “He’s out of town for a few days,” she conceded. “Not that it matters.”
    “Uh-huh,” Matt said. “Why are you so interested in this murder?”
    “Because I was there,” Brenna said.
    “Try again,” Matt said.
    “He’s very clever,” Brenna said to Tenley, who nodded and said, “I know.”
    “Flattery will get you nowhere,” Matt said, but Brenna could tell he was pleased.
    She decided to put all of her cards on the table. “Okay. I don’t think Tara did it, but I do think she will get blamed because she’s not from around here, and I want to see if I can help.”
    “We’re not that narrow-minded,” Matt said.
    Brenna just looked at him. Tenley coughed into her fist.
    “Oh, all right, some townspeople might be narrower than others,” he said. He took a long sip from his coffee. “You know Clue was working his way through every bedroom in town.”
    “Not mine,” Tenley said. They both looked at her. “I just wanted that clear.”
    Matt grinned at her, and Brenna had to stifle the urge to groan.
    “Ahem, yes, well,” she said to get his attention. “Was there anyone he had any sort of a relationship with?”
    “A few lasted longer than others,” he said. “Bonnie Jeffries from the post office was his first real love, but she dumped him when he cheated on her with her mother.”
    Brenna and Tenley both winced at the same time.
    “Then there was Lisa Sutton,” Tenley said. “Remember, they used to circle the town green on his motorcycle until Mayor Ripley threatened to have it impounded for violating the noise ordinance.”
    “Yeah, but she ran off to be a chef in Boston,” Matt said. “He did go with Julie Harper for a while.”
    Brenna sat up. “Julie over at the salon?”
    “That’s the one,” Tenley said. She spooned in more sugar and stirred. “I heard it was a pretty bad breakup.”
    “Yeah,” Matt agreed with a shudder.
    Brenna suspected this was a vast understatement. “What happened?”
    “Well, she didn’t go all Fatal Attraction and boil a bunny or anything,” Tenley said. “But Clue did have a restraining order out on her for a while, something about stalking.”
    “Great,” Brenna said. “Maybe I’ll start with the one who got cheated on first.”
    She noticed that neither of them offered to ride shotgun. That couldn’t be good.
    “I did stop by for