Free Murder and Salutations (Book 3 in the Cardmaking Mysteries) by Tim Myers

walked in as I was trying to collect
the errant papers. “I’m sorry I missed the parade. It must have
really been something if that’s the size of the confetti. Do you
want to tell me what happened?”
    “ No, I can’t afford to have
you disappointed in me twice in one day. I had a little tantrum,
but I’m all better now. What did Addie say?”
    “ Well, it took some time and
a little feather stroking, but I finally convinced her that we
meant well with our visit. In fact, she wanted me to tell you that
she was sorry she destroyed your beautiful card. I helped her piece
it back together, and she really was touched.”
    I shook my head. “I don’t know how you do
it, but I’m hoping you’re willing to teach me. I thought it was
hopeless when you said you were going back in there.”
    Lillian squatted down and helped me gather
the rest of the paper. “You actually might have helped more than
you realize. I had the distinct impression Addie needed to blow off
some steam before she came apart, and you just happened to be
handy.”
    “ Hey, what can I say?
Everybody needs a special purpose in life. So what’s your gut
reaction? Did she do it?”
    Lillian paused a moment, then said, “She
could have. When I asked her about her alibi, there were at least
ten minutes she couldn’t account for. She claims she ducked out of
Hurley’s to get her inhaler from Heaven Scent, but nobody saw her
go, or, more importantly, come back. The store’s worth quite a bit,
despite their low sales at the moment. The two of them owned the
building outright, and it all goes to Addie now. The only person
left alive with any family connection to Eliza is Luke Penwright,
and once they were divorced, she made sure to change her will.
Addie said Eliza couldn’t wait to disinherit him.”
    I couldn’t believe the flood of information.
“How did you manage to get all that out of her in just half an
hour?”
    “ That just took five
minutes,” Lillian admitted. “Your little tirade loosened her up,
and by the time I walked in, she was dying to tell someone how
wrong you were.”
    “ So what do we do
now?”
    Lillian looked at the clock, then said, “I’m
going to take a long lunch, and when I get back an hour before
closing, I’m going to take over so you can go to your apartment and
get ready for your date tonight.”
    “ It’s not a date,” I said
automatically. “I was talking about the case.”
    Lillian shrugged. “I’ve got a few calls to
make, but they can wait. Jennifer, you can’t let this ruin your
evening. If nothing else, I don’t think Gail would ever forgive
you.”
    “ I still think we should
keep digging,” I said. “Proving that Sara Lynn is innocent is more
important than my social life this evening.”
    “ That’s where you’re wrong,”
Lillian said. “You don’t get out nearly enough, and I won’t let you
cancel this. We can investigate more tomorrow, I promise, but just
for tonight, I want you to concentrate on having fun.
Okay?”
    “ Okay,” I agreed
reluctantly.
    Lillian nodded. “Then I’m off.”
    She was gone again before I could stop her.
I hadn’t eaten yet, either, and I didn’t want to wait until four
o’clock to have my lunch. I should have known she’d realize that,
though. Thirty minutes later, a waiter named Tommy from Hurley’s
showed up with a hamburger and fries. As I offered to pay him, he
said, “It’s taken care of, and the tip, too. I don’t know how you
managed it, but I didn’t even think we delivered our food.”
    “ I’m special,” I said as I
slipped him a five despite his instructions. Tommy was in
college—I’d heard Jack saying something about it the night
before—and while he put up a token protest about taking more money,
I managed to convince him just the same.
    I felt worlds better after I’d eaten, but
the threatening skies kept things quiet in the shop, and I couldn’t
bring myself to make any more cards. I finally just gave up and
grabbed the