Free Engaged in Murder (Perfect Proposals Mystery) by Nancy J. Parra Page B

Stromer. Jeb Donaldson identified him.”
    I shook my head. “I don’t know a Randy Stromer. I’ve never heard Warren speak of him.” Okay, so that was a white lie. It was Warren who had told me his name.
    “He was a janitor at the airport. It’s how he got through security. We figured he was an employee as Donaldson didn’t have a record of any other nonpassengers besides you and your video man.”
    “Do you have a motive? I mean, why would anyone want to kill a janitor?”
    “That’s the question, isn’t it?” Murphy sat back. “Did you have information for me, Ms. Pomeroy, or did you have another motive for coming by?”
    I blinked. “My sister is engaged to Warren Evans.”
    “I think that’s in the report.” His gaze was flat.
    “She is my baby sister and I need to know if marrying Warren Evans is right for my sister or not.” I clutched my purse. “Felicity said you had a lot of questions for them and that Warren called in his lawyer.”
    “I do have a lot of questions,” Detective Murphy said.
    “Is my sister in trouble?”
    “You tell me, because she wouldn’t.”
    I frowned. “That doesn’t sound like Felicity. Besides, I know she wasn’t at the airport until after five. I was there when she got there and I’d already . . .”
    “You already what?” He leaned forward.
    “Decorated the plane,” I said. “Before she got there. I decorated the plane and Cesar went up and hid himself.”
    “Are you withholding evidence? Because that is a crime.” He gave me the serious look of a parent who already knew their child was guilty.
    I could feel the heat of a blush race up my neck. “Is it hot in here?” I asked and fanned myself.
    “You’re avoiding the question. Are you withholding evidence?”
    “No,” I said as sincerely as possible. “No. I need to know what you know about Warren.”
    “I can’t reveal anything about the investigation.” He leaned back. “You know that.”
    “You can tell me how seriously you are looking at Warren Evans.”
    “You suspect something, don’t you?” he asked.
    “Did you know he is wealthy?”
    “Yes, he owns forty-nine percent of the private airline at the Executive Airport. The company owns three private jets and leases them along with the mechanics and pilots.”
    “See, he’s been seeing Felicity for over a year and lied to her the entire time. He told her he was an accountant and that he worked for the airport.”
    “Both of those things are technically true,” Detective Murphy said.
    I crossed my arms. “Is he a suspect or not?”
    “I can’t tell you.”
    I stood. “Then I’m sorry for taking up your time.”
    “Ms. Pomeroy . . .” He stopped me. “Take my card. You look like a determined person. If you come across anything you think I might need to know, call me.”
    I took his card. “I wish I could ask the same of you.”
    “Have a good day.”
    “Right.” As I walked out, I passed Officer Vandall talking to another officer I recognized from the crime scene.
    “Evans is our number one suspect,” he said to the other officer. Then I heard the word
blackmail
before they grew quiet.
    “Have a nice day, gentlemen.” I pushed my way through the doors to the waiting area and my car. Officer Vandall knew I was in with Detective Murphy. I figured I was meant to overhear what he said.
    Why would Warren kill a janitor? How did blackmail fit in? I had thirty days to find out.

Chapter 10

    “Hey, Miss Pomeroy, what are you doing here?” The kid who sat in the guard shack at the entrance to the airport looked a little less bored today.
    “Hi, Jimmy, I brought you cupcakes.” I lifted the lid on a tin holding a wide variety of cakes. “Can I come in?”
    “Wow, are those chocolate?” His blue eyes grew wide.
    “Yes, and fudge and mocha and vanilla swirl and chocolate chip. I’m trying to figure out what to serve at my sister’s engagement party. I need a second opinion and remembered that you were here. You