“Well, I think—” My phone buzzed, and I fumbled it out of my pocket as fast as I could in case it was Jack or Susan.
“Why in the world is Andy calling me?”
Uncle Mike and Aunt Ruby shook their heads, and I answered the call.
“Hey, Andy, what’s up? How are you feeling? How are you and Charithra—”
“Tess! You’ve got to get over here. Now!”
“I—what? Andy, what’s wrong? Where are you? Is it your mom?” I heard shouting in the background and Andy said something to someone else. “Who’s shouting? What’s going on?”
Putting the phone on speaker, I held it out so Uncle Mike and Aunt Ruby could hear. “Andy, you’re on speaker. Aunt Ruby and Uncle Mike are here. Tell me—"
“Tess, you’ve got to get over here. To Susan’s house. And if you can call Jack, please do so right now.”
Now I was scared. “Andy, is Susan all right? Please tell me what’s going on?”
“Susan’s fine,” he growled. “But she might be a murder suspect.”
“WHAT?”
“Somebody killed her aunt Cordelia right here in Susan’s house. In the middle of the—”
“Library,” I murmured.
“Library,” he finished. “Wait. How did you know that? Do I need to check your alibi, too?”
“I’m on my way. Should I bring the mayor?”
“Not right now. The crime scene people are on their way from Orlando, but they have to get a magical objects expert from Miami before they’ll agree to go in the room. It’s going to be a long night.”
“Is Susan okay?”
“For now,” he said in a grim voice. “Tess, just get over here. Susan needs a friend right now.”
“Does she need a lawyer?” I knew there was no way she’d killed her aunt, but lawyers were always a good idea in cases like this.
“She refused. Hey! Hey, don’t touch that! Hey! Aloysius Phleabottom, I know you’re grieving, but I will put you in cuffs if you don’t stop interfering with my crime scene.”
“Andy?” I shoved my shoes on my feet and grabbed my purse.
“Yeah. Comenow, Tess.”
He hung up, and I stared helplessly at my aunt and uncle. “Another dead body in Dead End. What is happening to our peaceful little town?”
Important mission or not, I finally called Jack on my drive to Susan’s house, but the phone went straight to voicemail. Either his phone was dead … or he was.
No.
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel and headed for Susan’s house. This one I’d have to handle on my own.
17
Tess
The Phleabottoms’ car, Andy’s car, the moving van, and Susan’s car were the only vehicles in the driveway when I sped up to the house. The crime scene people had to come from Orlando, though, so it usually took them a while.
I hurried up to the porch but slowed down and took a deep breath before I rang the doorbell. I was rushing toward, not away from, a dead body.
