Free Treacherous Tart by Ellie Grant

wasn’t Mr. Gino again. Instead, it was a local TV newsperson who wanted to interview her and Aunt Clara.
    Despite the possible publicity the interview could bring, Maggie turned her down. “I’m sorry. This isn’t a good time for us. Maybe later.”
    â€œCan you answer if you think your aunt was being targeted by Donald Wickerson?” The pushy reporter shoved a microphone toward her.
    â€œWe’re not talking about this today. Thanks.” Maggie closed the door in her face. It seemed to be the only way to get rid of her.
    â€œI feel like such an old fool.” Aunt Clara was mixing more filling for the pumpkin pies. “Do you really think Donald wanted to be with me so he could steal my house?”
    Maggie hugged her aunt. “We don’t know that. Even if it was true for other women—that doesn’t mean he didn’t love you.”
    â€œDo you really believe that?” Aunt Clara’s green eyes searched her niece’s face.
    â€œI really do.” Maggie wasn’t sure what to believe, but undermining her aunt’s confidence wasn’t going to help anything. Donald was dead. Everything else was speculation. And right now, what her aunt needed was love and support.
    Aunt Clara kissed her cheek. “Thank you, honey. You’re a very good person—not a spectacular liar, but I love you.”
    â€œI’m a really good liar,” Maggie argued as she put another crust in a pan.
    â€œIt might be because I know you so well. You always do this little twitchy thing with your mouth.”
    â€œWhat?”
    The two women stood side by side making piecrust and filling. Maggie made extra crust so her aunt could take a break if the shop stayed busy all day. Clara made tons of pumpkin filling.
    â€œYou know, your Uncle Fred didn’t like pumpkin pie.” Clara concentrated on what she was doing while she talked. “It’s why I started making mince. We had to have some kind of pie to serve at this time of year.”
    â€œI didn’t know that.” Maggie put two more crusts into pans. “I remember he liked key lime in the summer. He used to sneak in here when you weren’t looking and snatch some.”
    Aunt Clara stopped working. “Really? I never knew. Surprising how you think you know someone so well and then learn something new about them.”
    â€œI know what you mean. Take you, for instance.”
    â€œMe?” Clara stared up at her. “What have you learned new about me?”
    â€œYou’re willing to give people a second chance, no matter what. And that you love snow.”
    â€œThat’s true. I guess you can learn something new every day.”
    Ryan walked into the kitchen. “We’re clear out here for a few minutes, Maggie. Can you talk?”
    Aunt Clara shooed them out of the kitchen. “I’ll be fine. You two discuss what you need to.”
    Maggie and Ryan sat down at one of the small tables. Snow was falling a little heavier, hitting the plate-glass windows and making a splattering sound.
    â€œI kind of hacked the Durham Singles site and came up with five other women who Donald was either interested in or actively dating. Any of those women could be a suspect.” Ryan ate a bite of Delia’s Deep-Dish Cherry pie, named for Maggie’s mother.
    â€œFive other women? Are you serious? It’s a good thing he died before I killed him for leading her on that way!”
    â€œAs you pointed out, I was very clear about Donald in the newspaper. One of these women may have read the paper and had the same reaction you did. Anger and jealousy are powerful emotions. Most of the murders are caused by these emotions. The paper had been out for hours. Walking up and shooting him may not have been a premeditated plan. It could’ve been a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing.”
    â€œYou better hope Frank doesn’t see it that way. He could charge you with conspiracy