Free Organized to Death by Jan Christensen Page A

know any, anyway,” Tina said. “Crystal and I were friendly, we knew each other for years, but after she got married we sort of lost touch. When she found out I was a professional organizer, she contacted me for Rachel.”
    She noticed John’s smirk. He still thought her new profession was silly. She’d like to reorganize his face.
    “And that’s all Tina can tell you,” her mother said, folding her arms across her chest.
    Don’t tick them off too much, Mother, Tina thought. I don’t want to be a suspect.
    “I think you knew Mrs. Hudson a bit better than you’re telling us here,” Lisbeth said.
    Laura bristled noticeably. Chill , Tina begged her silently.
    “You went to her wedding,” Lisbeth continued. “You saw her socially at parties. Sometimes you had lunch together. As a matter of fact, we’ve been told that about a week ago you had a rather public argument with her.”
    Tina blushed. Laura glowered. Tina remembered the argument, of course, but she’d never thought it would mean anything. They’d both gotten over it, had even apologized to each other when Crystal called to ask her help with Rachel’s house.
    Tina picked her words carefully. “Crystal liked to run things. That was her style. And sometimes the rest of us objected. We’re planning a winter dance at the country club, and she wanted to do a Hawaiian theme. In Newport! It didn’t make sense to me, or to several other people at the planning committee meeting.”
    “You hold committee meetings in the public dining room?”
    “Yes.” Tina was surprised anyone would think that odd. It was the way it had always been done. “It’s very efficient. That way, we can eat and meet—do two things at once.”
    No one smiled. Tina shrugged and quit talking. Let them ask questions. She forced herself to stop worrying the worry stone.
    “So you argued about the theme for the next dance,” Lisbeth said.
    “Yes. It wasn’t personal. Just a difference of opinion. We both apologized to each other when she contacted me to help her sister.”
    “Anyone hear that conversation?” Lisbeth asked.
    “No, it was a phone call.”
    “What’s the theme going to be, then?” Lisbeth asked.
    “Hawaiian,” Tina said. She admitted to herself she was still a bit angry about it. But Crystal usually got her way. Of course she had been gracious when she’d called Tina. She’d won, after all.
    “You let her win?” her mother exclaimed.
    Tina recoiled, both from her mother’s tone and because she’d said that in front of the police.
    “It’s not a big deal. I was upset when she first brought it up, but I’m okay with it now.” Tina let go of the worry stone she was playing with again and crossed her fingers in her pocket.
    “Harrumph,” her mother replied.
    The cops followed this exchange, their eyes alive with interest.
    “Do you own a gun, Ms. Shaw?” Lisbeth asked.
    Tina and her mother gasped at the same time.
    “Of course she doesn’t,” Laura said.
    “Yes,” Tina admitted. It was registered, and she was sure the police came here knowing she owned a gun. It would be stupid to lie. Hank had bought it for her and taught her how to shoot. She was actually rather good.
    Lisbeth flicked a glance at Laura, then asked, “Caliber?”
    She was relentless. Tina was sure they knew all about the gun.
    “It’s a twenty-two,” she said, her voice sounding defensive in her own ears. She shuddered. She could not imagine really shooting someone.
    “Where’d you get a gun?” Laura asked.
    “Hank gave it to me.”
    “Hank who?” asked Lisbeth.
    “Hank Silver.”
    The officers exchanged glances. “You know Mr. Silver?” Lisbeth asked, her voice sounding strained to Tina.
    “Yes. He’s a very good friend,” Tina said. Somehow she thought the officers knew more about Hank than she did, and they were impressed.
    “I see. We need to take a look at the gun,” Lisbeth said.
    “Okay.” On shaky legs, Tina rose and went upstairs to her