Free Bound To Die: A Cozy Mystery (Strawberry Shores Mystery Book 1) by Mak K. Han

innocent, and between the Sheriff having no leads and me running out of mine, it was starting to look more and more like Mr. Brooks's killer was going to get away with the murder.

Chapter 18

“Why are we doing this again?”
    “Because,” I explained to Emily as we crossed Stem Street toward the gas station, “Susan was my number one suspect.”
    “You said yourself that she was telling the truth,” Alex remarked. “I mean, you didn't hear the static stuff while she was talking, right?”
    “Right,” I couldn't help but agree. “Then again, I didn't have any radios nearby. We were in the library.”
    “I think you're getting obsessed,” Emily said flatly.
    I looked over my shoulder and scowled at her. “That's something I'd expect to hear from Alex.”
    “Hey!”
    I opened the door to the gas station. Alex and Emily stepped inside. I followed them. They spread, Emily going to the snack aisle to look at the cupcakes, Alex browsing the energy drink refrigerator. I approached the counter.
    The attendant was a kid about my age with dyed-black hair combed to one side. His ears were gauged, and I could see out the window behind his head by looking through the holes in his lobes. Behind him a radio played death metal.
    “Can I help you?” he mumbled.
    “What are the odds that I could see the footage from your security camera?” I asked.
    The kid—his name tag read Jimmy—cocked his head to the side and frowned. “Slim to none. Do you need gas or something?”
    My static tickled when he said 'slim to none'. That was good news.
    “Please?” I pressed. “I think my boyfriend is cheating on me. I want to know for sure.”
    “And looking at the security footage is going to help how?”
    “I know he was here on Saturday night. I want to see if he was here with someone.”
    Jimmy shook his head. His earlobes flopped. “No go, sweetheart. I won't show it to you.”
    Again with the static. This told me that I had a chance to see it, but Jimmy wasn't going to just let me watch it. That meant there was something I could say to soften him up – but what was it? Time for a new approach.
    “What would it take for you to change your mind?”
    Jimmy shrugged. “I don't think there's anything.”
    The static went off, but I didn't need it this time—just the sound of his voice told me that he himself didn't believe what he was saying.
    “I'll give you ten bucks,” I offered.
    Jimmy shook his head and then nodded toward the back of the store. “You friends with her?”
    I followed his gaze. He was looking at Alex. Amazingly, I hadn't picked up on it, but Alex had probably caught his eye the moment we walked into the store. I could see why, too – she was in a black skirt today, with Converse All-Stars and a band T-shirt with pink skulls on it. Her hair color today was black with purple tips. Jimmy was wearing his employee uniform, but outside of work, I could definitely imagine he and Alex getting along pretty well.
    “Who, Alex? In the skirt?”
    Jimmy nodded. “Yeah. Get me her phone number and I'll show you the tape.”
    I shrugged. “Alex. Come here!”
    Alex glanced over her shoulder, pulled an energy drink off the shelf, and approached the register. “What's up?”
    I smiled. “Well, this is Jimmy. Jimmy, this is Alex. Jimmy wants to know if you'd be willing to share your phone number.”
    Alex looked Jimmy up and down. “Is this so he'll show you the camera footage?”
    “Uh huh.”
    “Whatever. Buy me this energy drink and I'll do it.”
    Emily appeared behind Alex. “And these cupcakes. Buy me these cupcakes.” She placed a package of Little Debbie cupcakes on the counter.
    “What do you need a package of Little Debbie cupcakes for?” I asked her.
    “They look good. I want to see if I can duplicate them using the ingredients list.”
    “Can't you just take a picture of the package?”
    Emily shook her head. “I'm hungry, too. I'll share!”
    I rolled my eyes. “Fine. I'll take the energy