“You kind of are since you go over there once a week.” He leaned back in his chair. “I suppose you need the job to afford to pay rent, right?”
Meg nodded. “But it’s not only that. I’m learning. I’m engaged. I’m loving work for the first time in a long time. I can be creative and yet useful.”
“I’m happy for you. I don’t know who else to chat with to get your favorite author off my suspect list. She said she was writing and didn’t even look up at that amazing view all day.”
Meg thought about her promise to Dalton. Maybe she could steer her uncle toward another suspect without mentioning Emmett Harding. Besides, Dalton had said Emmett had already talked to Uncle Troy.
“Have you looked at Meade’s financials? If he loaned money to Natasha, maybe he made loans to other people. Ones who didn’t want to or couldn’t repay him.”
CHAPTER20
People may not like you or your questions during an investigation. Including your friends.
Dalton brought pizza over to the bookstore after Natasha arrived. He sat the pizza down on the table, and when Meg went to open the box, he slammed it shut again. “Tell me you didn’t tell your uncle about Emmett.”
“I didn’t tell him about Emmett. I did point out that if Robert Meade had loaned money to Natasha, maybe he had loaned money elsewhere.”
“Which is the same thing,” Dalton said, but he moved his hand away from the box and they all took a slice of the thick-crust kitchen sink pizza inside. “Okay, I’ll agree with your technicality. Besides, Emmett told me he’d already talked to Troy and he has an alibi. He was cooking with his crew the afternoon Meade was killed. There was no way he left the kitchen. They have proof. He was making a training video for new employees on the current menu items.”
“Congratulations. Your friend isn’t a killer. I didn’t say he was one, but if Meade made two loans, he might have made more. And maybe to someone who didn’t or couldn’t pay it back.” Meg took a bite of her pizza slice, taking off the olives.
Natasha looked at Meg and Dalton. “Who’s going to say they’re sorry first? You know I can’t stand the tension.”
Dalton caved. “You were right to tell your uncle. And thank you for leaving Emmett’s name out of it.”
“You’re welcome.” Meg reached for another slice, but this time, Natasha held the box closed.
“And . . .” She stared at Meg.
“And I’m sorry I broke your confidence without telling you about it.” She stared Natasha down. “Can I eat now?”
“If you mean it, yes.” She moved her hand away from the box. “I’m glad we settled that. I didn’t kill Meade, and Emmett didn’t kill Meade, so who did?”
“I’ve been thinking about that. All roads seem to lead to Lilly Aster,” Dalton said and held his hand up when Meg started to deny the idea. “So why does someone want us to think it’s Lilly?”
“And who? Who would benefit if she went to prison?” Meg saw where Dalton was heading with the idea.
Natasha grabbed a pen and started writing on the pizza box. “Well, there’s her new agent, Sarah, but she only makes money if Lilly’s free and writing. And her assistant, Jolene, would lose her job. As would you.”
“So we have a list of three people who wouldn’t want Lilly to go away. I can see Sarah killing to be Lilly’s new agent. I wonder if Uncle Troy talked to her?” Meg got up and grabbed a notebook for Natasha. “Here. Use something that won’t smell like pepperoni tomorrow.”
Natasha grinned and took the notebook. “Thanks. Sarah wouldn’t be framing Lilly, but she can’t be counted out on the ‘killing Robert’ list.”
“Maybe Jolene’s the same way,” Meg said thoughtfully. “She’s protective of Lilly. She didn’t even call her by her first name when she was speaking to me until she accepted me into the group.”
“We need to talk to your boss and see if she has an alibi. If we can take that possibility off the table, then the other blocks might fall into place.” Dalton served the last three slices of pizza, putting one on each person’s plate, then stood up to take the box to the trash.
“It’s kind of like the game Clue. We need to show each other our cards so we can figure out who didn’t kill Meade, which will tell us who did.” Natasha’s eyes were wide as she realized she hadn’t practiced what she preached. “I was holding back my cards from you guys. I’m so sorry.”
“You were worried about what people might think if you told us that you drove Robert Meade to Summer Break. Now that you’ve told us what was going on, Uncle Troy can check out who else Meade loaned money to and maybe find the killer.” Meg didn’t want her friend to feel bad about her omission. “Besides, what goes on in your business isn’t our business.”
“Unless it makes me look like a murderer,” Natasha corrected. “I’m so glad you’re back, Meg, and we can get together like this.”
“Hey, I stopped by the bakery at least weekly to see you. I can’t help it if you didn’t tell me what was going on.” Dalton came in from the back, with Watson in tow. “I took the mutt out with me.”
“It’s not the same if all three of us aren’t together,” Natasha told him. “It feels like that summer before Meg and I went to high school. We were thick as thieves then.”
“Not to break up the lovefest, but it’s time to close up the bookstore. We need a plan for where to go next.” Meg finished her last bite of pizza as she stood to throw away her paper plate.
