“Okay,” Brandy said, then understanding dawned on her.“Oh.I thought he was involved with that brunette.”
“I think that brunette thinks so too,” I agreed.“But he also seemed pretty involved with Ashley as well.”
“Wow, scandalous.”
“That guy is super shady,” I said, settling onto one of the bar stools.“He is clearly romantically involved with Ashley.”
“So you actually saw them being romantic?”Brandy asked, grimacing.“I’m not sure I should even ask what that means.”
I made my own disgusted face at the idea of canoodling with Nick the egomaniac.“I saw them kiss and hold hands.And I don’t think from the way Ashley reacted that she has any idea he’s involved with another woman.”
“Wow,” Brandy repeated, shaking her head.“I’m so glad I’m off the market.I never have to doubt my relationship with Justin.He’s so loyal and honest and he works really hard to show me how much I mean to him.
I tried not to make another face.Somehow, every conversation with Brandy managed to go back to Justin and how amazing he was, but I had to remember her relationship was still new.Although it needed to age quickly.I wasn’t sure I could stomach the gushing much longer.Also, I had to question Justin’s ability to do his job well if he was spending all his time reassuring Brandy.My friend was needy, to say the least.
But none of that was what I wanted to discuss, no matter how much Brandy wanted to gush about Justin.
“I really think that this Nick guy could have killed Peanut.”
Brandy frowned.“Really?Just because of their fight?That seems far-fetched.It wasn’t even a real fight, just random shoving.”
I was surprised at her skepticism.Brandy usually jumped on any possible hint of a mystery.She was even more intrigued by being an amateur sleuth than I was.
“Well,” I said, trying not to sound defensive.“I mean, he’s proven himself to be not a particularly great person.”
“True, but it’s a leap to go from being a cheater to a murderer.Lots of people cheat and don’t kill anyone.”
“Who are we talking about?”Dave asked, sliding onto a stool next to me and setting down his now-empty tray.
“We’re talking about that actor Nick,” Brandy told him.
“Nick?”Dave looked between us, the name registering nothing with him.
“The guy who played Saint Nicholas at the Christmas in July event yesterday,” Brandy clarified.“The one who got in the fight with Peanut.”
Dave considered that for a moment.“I thought his name was Chris.”
We both gave him puzzled looks.
“Chris?Where’d you get that name?”Brandy asked.
“Maybe I was thinking of Kris Kringle instead of Father Christmas.”
Brandy and I looked at each other.
“I think he was playing Saint Nicholas,” I said.“Although, I guess they’re all the same.”And Father Christmas actually made the most sense since the event was supposed to be set in Victorian England.Not that it mattered.
“You think he’s a killer?”Dave asked, keeping his voice low, which I appreciated.
“I just feel like there’s more to what happened to Peanut than a drunk guy falling over a cliff,” I said.
“Although, doesn’t it seem like the most likely person to fall off a cliff would probably be the drunk guy?”Brandy pointed out.
Dave nodded at that, and I had to agree as well.She had a point.Everyone had a point.
“Plus, Justin said that it was definitely just an accident,” Brandy added.
So there was the crux of it.If Justin said accident, then Brandy wasn’t going to question it.That kind of put a crimp in her mystery-solving skills.
