Free Dog Days Murderous Nights: Winnona Peaks Mysteries Book 1 by Emily Page Page A

He’d had too many excursions in Singapore to trust many people. Why?”
    Diana snorted, “Leave it to that blowhard to have an Italian camera.”
    “Just go get the camera please and give it to Christy,” Kathleen asked again.  As she got up off of the couch, Kathleen said, “It’s actually French, Diana.  Charlie said it was J.W.’s little joking way of saying spare camera.  Didn’t Charlie ever mention it to you?”
    “Charlie knew I wanted nothing to do with that overdressed pretty boy.” Diana snarled.
    Gregory took another sip and raised his glass to Diana.  “You really should take a sip.  Great stuff.  They don’t serve this in prison.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”  Diana asked.
    “We know you did it.  It’s just a matter of time.”
    Diana smiled again. “Well I guess that still comes back to all of you proving it was me instead of the little princess with the pocket full of cash and a new job.” Hailey came back and handed Christy the camera. 
    “So what’s so special about the spare camera?”
    Christy started perusing the different shots, frowning.  She would glance at the photos on the table and then back at the view finder.  Then she would look again at the photos, comparing notes in her head about something.  Thinking out loud to herself she kept looking.
    “So from the beginning the trail mix on the table didn’t make sense.  From the first time they said that it was an accidental death we knew it didn’t add up because J.W. knew to never touch peanuts.  The problem was who knew that he had a peanut allergy?  Hailey was the first to even mention it but then she had the most to gain from his death.  I actually made everyone a suspect when I told you all that I changed my Pad Thai recipe because of his allergy. 
    On top of that none of you were at dinner.  But you know what I never understood?” Christy kept talking to herself as the others listened.  “How you got in the room?  I would have heard you go up the stairs.  It’s force of habit.  I listen to this old house.  I would have heard the stairs creak. So it was a genius move to hide in his closet.  All that was left was to figure out was which of you hated him more.  Hailey or Diana.”
    “I didn’t hate him,” Hailey protested.
    “I didn’t care about his stupid talentless butt.”  Diana yawned.
    “Well I guess that makes us grateful that J.W. took a video on his spare camera,” Christy said, showing Gregory the view finder.  Gregory waved the policemen that had been biding their time into the living room.  Christy hit play on the camera and everyone heard Diana say, “Looking for these?” while she hummed a strange lullaby.
    “You didn’t wipe this video off this camera when you wiped down all the handles, did you, Diana?”
    Diana’s smug grin dropped to horror and then rage.  “He deserved it!  I would do it again if I could!  I’m so sick of rich people taking things from me!  First my Grandma cut me out of her will for breaking that damn bowl and now this!  And he didn’t even want to get paid!  I’ve never been so insulted!  He could go anywhere in the entire world for peanuts and instead he’s here stealing the bread out of my mouth!”
    The officers flanked her as she started to stand up.  Gregory stood up in case there was any reason to subdue the murderer.  The officers tugged at her elbow to get her away from the coffee table.  Gregory saw her eyes flash for a second as she looked out the front door but she thought better of it as they put the handcuff on her right wrist.  “You have the right to remain silent.”  Their voices faded through the front door as they took her to the squad car.  Christy handed Hailey back the camera and picked up the tray of lemonade.  Nobody else knew what to say.

Chapter 15
    Christy offered Hailey a muffin for the road.  Hailey took one and walked out through the screen door.  It sagged a little and Hailey looked up