Free Jewelry Can Be Deadly (Sage Gardens Cozy Mystery Book 6) by Cindy Bell Page B

of his lips. Had she lied to Samantha when she said she let him go for the purpose of getting more information out of him? In the shadows of the room, as her heart slowed into a steady rhythm she wondered if he was capable of killing Valda. There was a time when he would do anything to get that necklace. Did that anything include murder?

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    J o woke up still troubled by the thought that Drew could have killed Valda. She forced herself into the shower and then headed out to her garden. She always found peace with her hands in the dirt. There was a sense of freedom that came with giving life to plants. As she watered a few of her tomato plants she heard someone walk up to the garden. For just a second she hoped that it would be Drew. Instead it was Samantha.
    “I heard from my contact. Tony Farie was paroled three months ago.”
    Jo dropped the hose. “Are you sure?”
    “I’m sure, and not only that I saw him in the diner the other day,” she said. “The day Valda was murdered.”
    “Really?” Jo said bewildered. “How did you know it was him?”
    “I managed to get a picture of him and he has this distinctive scar,” Samantha said. “I’ll never forget a scar like that. It is jagged and goes from the base of his hairline to his mouth.”
    “That seems like such a coincidence.”
    “I know.” Samantha nodded. “I tried to get his last known address, but they couldn’t access it.”
    “So, he was in the area on the day of the murder and there is a very good chance he’s still here. There is an even better chance that he’s going to go after Roger.”
    “The question is, does he have the necklace?” Samantha frowned. “We still don’t know where it’s ended up.”
    “No, we don’t, but I can tell you that if it’s anywhere nearby, Drew and Tony will stick around until it’s found. If Roger somehow kept it, then he is in some serious danger.”
    “I think it’s time we had a conversation with our friendly, new neighbor. We need to find out once and for all if he has that necklace,” Samantha said.
    “I agree,” Jo said.
    “But I’m not sure how we’re going to do that.”
    Jo spun the bracelet on her wrist. “I think I can manage it. But we should meet with Eddy and Walt first to let them know what is going on.”
    “Yes, we’d better. Do you want to meet up at the café?”
    “No, I have a better idea. Let’s meet down by the water, in one of the gazebos. I want whoever might be watching us, whoever might be involved, to know that we are meeting and discussing them.”
    “Wow, I thought secrecy was your thing.” Samantha said.
    “Normally it is, but in this case a little creativity is going to be required. I think we need to draw them out. We have no idea where Tony is, or where Drew is. We have no idea where Roger might have stashed the necklace.”
    “I don’t know if he would have had time to stash it. According to Walt and Eddy he was at the buffet most of the night.”
    “That’s why I think it has to be in the house somewhere. If we hadn’t been so rudely interrupted, we would have found out for sure.” She clenched her jaw. “There’s a good chance that Drew will do whatever it takes to get that necklace.”
    “Then we need to be extra cautious. You finish in your garden, just join us when you’re done.”
    Jo nodded. She started to collect her gardening tools as Samantha walked away. She did her best not to feel it, but there was some disappointment within her that Drew hadn’t bothered to come back in search of her. She did her best to push it out of her mind as she carried her tools to her shed. When she opened the door of the shed she was startled by the presence of a shadowy figure inside. She jumped back, poised to yell for help, but she was too late. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the shed, then slammed the door shut.
    Through the shadows Jo could see a very familiar body shape. Even after all of the years they were apart his shoulders and