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"Not to mention, you're getting to be a big deal, and they're going to sueyou," I said, realization dawning.

"Exactly. I had to tell her that this was it. The last time. We're all over her tantrums and craziness." Molly frowned. "I had to sit her down and tell her she's out of the band if it happens again. Any fighting at all, not just her favorite guitar-over-the-head trick."

"That couldn't have been fun." I reached out and touched her arm. "I know, believe me. Dealing with employees feels too adult, somehow. How are we other people's bosses? It feels like yesterday you were beating up Nancy Hoffman for stealing my crayons."

"I know. But speaking of being an adult, what in the world is happening in Dead End? And how could anybody believe Rooster was a killer?"

I glanced at her, surprised, but then I remembered she'd been on the road a lot. "There's a lot going on. Alot. And Susan is out of town."

"Tell me."

So, I did. I filled her in on everything Jack and I had learned, everything we suspected, and where we were now.

"The thing he was going off to do was confront Rooster about those missing hours? What if he just took a long time because he burned the first batch of eggs? I do that all the time."

"Then it will be a simple conversation." I tried to smile and not think about how betrayed Rooster would feel by our suspicions.

Molly grabbed her bag. "I know! Let's put any thoughts of bad bad-movie nights and insurance and killers out of our minds and go shopping! I have so much still to get. Plus, I think I hear the Cinnabon place calling my name."

We chatted about men, gifts, and her unfairly high metabolism on the hike to the mall. Then, despite an underlying sadness for the Petersons and worry about Rooster, the next two hours went by in a haze of shopping, laughter, and a much-needed break from the challenges of life in Dead End.

Until the security guy lost control of his Segway and plowed right into us.

33

Jack

It was time. I wanted to procrastinate by fixing Molly's car, or cleaning Tess's pool, or even starting a fight with that bunch of angry, drunk werewolves I'd mentioned to Tess.

Instead, I went to confront Rooster. Those two hours of "breakfast cooking" at the exact time of murder were a problem. A big problem. And if he couldn't explain them to my satisfaction, I was going to have to tell Andy about it.

The day had dawned sunny and gorgeous, and it was already in the sixties at ten in the morning. We'd likely get thunderstorms or a thirty-degree temp drop by midnight.

Florida: If you don't like the weather, hang on an hour or two.

When I pulled up to Rooster's place, he was out in the yard in a T-shirt and overalls, hauling a roll of fence wire over one massive shoulder. His whole face broke into a smile when he saw me, sending stabs of guilt shooting into my gut.

"Hey, Jack! Did you come by to help me rebuild the goose enclosure? Pesky birds keep getting out. I swear that big guy learned how to work the latch."

I grinned. "Let me tell you a story about that goose…"

By the time I'd filled him in on Tess and the goose attack, we'd nearly finished repairing the goose fence. Rooster laughed long and hard, then mopped his face with a red bandanna he pulled out of a pocket.

"That Tess. She's a wonder, isn't she? Took right over at the pawnshop after your uncle passed, God rest his soul, and is really making something there. Plus, she's got a heart bigger than the moon."

"She is definitely a wonder." I studied the new enclosure and then turned to Rooster. "Why do you have a goose pen, anyway?"

"Well, it's more a chicken pen." He pointed one meaty finger at the chicken coop I'd barely noticed and then walked over and opened the latch on the wooden door at the top of a narrow ramp. A storm of chickens, loudly clucking out their indignation at being penned up, rushed out of the coop and down the ramp, where they calmed down and started pecking at the seeds he scattered for them.

"But the geese?"

"Well, a goose is better'n a guard dog for protecting a flock. Loud and aggressive." He flashed that grin. "Like Tess discovered, if she didn't already know, growing up with Mike and Ruby."

He pointed at the enormous goose who'd led the attack on Tess. "I got that fellow to protect my hens, and somehow the other geese just kept showing up to hang out with him. I guess it's his feathered harem or something. As you can see, they're all free to leave if they want, all day long. They can just fly away. But I reckon the big guy there enjoys being the king of the hill, so to speak."

I had to laugh, watching the goose strut around and periodically aim beady-eyed warning glares in my direction. "I think he's plotting revenge."

Rooster finished the job and brushed his hands off on his overalls. "Well, I sure appreciate the help, but I figure you didn't drive out here to jaw about geese and help me fix the fence. What's up?"