Free To Thine Own Self Be True by Judy Clemens

the state. Call themselves Artists for Freedom. Wolf and Mandy found out about Bergman a few months ago, and, well, you know Mandy. Not about to let the government tie her hands, or Wolf’s. Jumped in with both feet.”
    I spread my fingers on top of the papers on my lap. “And you think it could lead to this? To Wolf disappearing? To Mandy…dying?”
    Jewel whimpered, and Mickey returned his arm to her shoulders.
    “Just last week Mandy was on a rampage,” he said. “Said Farley was trying to sabotage their lobby. Said he sent a spy to infiltrate the meetings and get dirt on whoever was there.”
    I sat up. “You think Farley had to do with Billy getting beat up last month?”
    Jewel’s face hardened. “Asshole boys, whoever they were. I could just kill them.”
    Mickey patted her arm. “Wolf and Mandy wouldn’t talk about that. Never told us who was behind it. But they kept on with the lobby. In fact, they were going to meet with Artists for Freedom the night Mandy died. Mandy had gotten hold of something she said would stop Farley in his goddamned tracks.”
    I whipped my head toward him. “They were meeting that night? In Harrisburg?”
    “Well, sure. That was the plan.”
    A plan no one else knew about. I wondered if a certain state senator had been informed.

Chapter Ten
    “You don’t happen to have your cell phone on you, do you?” I asked Nick. We were back in the truck, while Rusty made tearful good-byes with the Spurgeons.
    “Sure.” He reached into his coat and pulled out the smallest phone I’d ever seen.
    “This thing actually works?”
    He smiled. “Has every time I’ve tried it.”
    I took it from his outstretched hand, at the same time pulling Detective Shisler’s card from my pocket. She answered almost immediately.
    “Stella Crown here. You haven’t found Wolf, have you?”
    “I’m sorry, no.”
    “I know where Wolf and Mandy were going the night Mandy was killed.”
    “What? Where?”
    “They’ve been active in a political lobby called Artists for Freedom. They’re pushing against a bill that’s working its way through the Pennsylvania senate, restricting tattoo artists and body piercers.”
    “I think I’ve heard about that. Isn’t Senator Farley heading that up that bill?”
    “Yup. And he apparently has no love lost for these folks. No one’s quite sure why he’s so gung ho about coming down on these artists, but he’s going after them with everything he’s got.”
    “Interesting, but I can’t see him killing Mandy over body art.”
    “Perhaps if you could find out what she had on him, it might be clearer. She told her friends she’d discovered something big that would make him think seriously about continuing with the bill. She was going to tell the group that night at the meeting so they could formulate a plan.”
    “And you think Farley found out about this?”
    “Mandy told the Spurgeons Farley had a spy in the group. He could’ve easily known about the meeting.”
    She was silent for a moment. “You have someone I could talk to about this?”
    I sighed. “Not sure. I hate to say it, but these people aren’t real up on cops. Been raided and discriminated against too many times. But they’ve promised to call me or Rusty if they think of anything else.”
    “Rusty Oldham, the artist I talked with?”
    “That’s him.”
    “I guess it’ll have to do.” She paused. “I finally ran down Lance Thunderbolt, the tattoo artist who’d been trying to sue Wolf for plagiarism. He’s in New Jersey, visiting family. I’ve been able to verify that he’s been there since Saturday.”
    “I guess that’s good.”
    “Sure. One less suspect. Wish I could say the same for that other guy. Tank. I still haven’t found him. Any ideas?”
    “Nope. Never set eyes on the guy before that day. I’ll see what I can find out.”
    “I’d appreciate it. I don’t know where else to look. I have calls in to other police districts, but with Christmas and all, it’s