Free A Most Curious Murder by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli Page B

couldn’t do it. Just couldn’t. Another wave of revulsion swept over her. Not the little, one-eyed, feminist dog .
    She wiped her hands down the sides of her jeans then dug some more until her fingers hit something hard.
    She felt along the length of it—not fur—and harder than she imagined a little dog could be—stiff or not.
    More like metal.
    She pulled the thing from its burial site. A tool. A hatchet, but not rusty. Barely dirty—the soil cleared away easily.
    Jenny took the hatchet in both of her hands and stared at it—end to end.

Chapter 12
    Jenny set the hatchet on the table. “Didn’t smell that coming, I’ll bet.”
    Zoe’s eyebrows shot up toward the fuzzy halo that was her hair. “That’s all?”
    “What’s that, dear?” Dora asked, standing to lean forward. “A hatchet? Where on earth did you get that?”
    “It was buried in Adam’s yard. I’d say it hasn’t been there long.”
    Zoe crawled up on her knees to see better. “Wow! Think he used it on the Little Library?”
    Dora looked from one to the other. “I don’t think Adam was that evil. We knew him from the moment Jim and I first moved to town. A little odd, you might say. But that was all.” She sat down heavily. “I don’t understand anything anymore. If Adam did the Little Library in, why did somebody decide to do the same to him?”
    Jenny went to call Ed Warner. If he asked how she’d found the hatchet, she decided she would just tell him the truth: hunting for Fida. Maybe Zoe could make fast and loose with reality, but Jenny wasn’t that brave.
    Before she could make the call, the phone rang.
    “Jenny, is that you? For goodness sakes, it’s me, Lisa.”
    Lisa the Good! A voice from a different world, where all the days were sunny and all the citizens tripped merrily about their happy chores.
    “I’m so glad you’re there with Mom.” Lisa’s voice went up an octave. “She told me about Dad’s library house. And now Adam Cane’s been murdered. Awful! Poor Mom. Poor Zoe. Right in her own backyard. I guess you’ve met her by now. Wonderful person. And so good with Mom.”
    Jenny pushed her hair back from her face. She looked toward the ceiling.
    “You there?” Lisa asked.
    “Yeah, I’m here. A lot of things going on.”
    “I heard. Nothing else, I hope?”
    “No. Just that Mom’s really upset. I’ve only been here a couple of days, but it feels like a month.”
    “Must be awful for you. You sure don’t sound good.” Lisa’s voice slid down the scale.
    “I’m okay. It’s just . . . well, you know, coming home hasn’t been as restful as I expected.”
    “Is Mom right there? Can you talk in front of her?”
    “And Zoe, too.”
    “Oh. Say hi for me.” Lisa seemed to be thinking. “You don’t have to say anything but yes or no. Is the divorce final?”
    “Yes. But—”
    “And you’re okay with everything?”
    “Happy as a clam.”
    “Okay, so did they find whoever murdered Adam Cane?”
    “Not yet. It’s early.”
    “How about the library mauler? They get him yet?”
    “No.”
    “Terrible.”
    “Even worse.”
    “Oh no. Not Johnny?”
    “Guessed right.”
    “Oh dear. How was it?”
    “Like you’d imagine.”
    Lisa’s voice flattened. “I’m starting to feel bad I ever suggested you go home. I thought it would do both of you—” She interrupted herself. “Bad timing, I guess.”
    Lisa the Good sounded repentant. Jenny took pleasure in the rare event.
    “Anyway, I called to say I’m coming home. I’m catching a plane on Sunday. I should be at Cherry Capitol about eight. Could you pick me up?”
    “Sure. Mom’ll be thrilled to hear.”
    She looked around at the two faces turned her way. She raised her eyebrows.
    “I’m giving you to Mom.”
    “Sure,” Lisa said without her usual enthusiasm.
    Jenny handed the phone to Dora, who chatted merrily, so happy to soon have both her girls at home with her. “The way it used to be, Lisa. I can’t wait.”
    “I’ll call