flaming. “It wasn’t as stupid as it sounds.”
“I didn’t say it was stupid.”
I dared a look at him. “Still, you don’t understand.”
He gave in with a tip of his head. “I will admit to that.”
It wasn’t until I ordered my thoughts that I attempted to explain. “Kate Franciscus was supposed to come in and see me this evening. At eight. I ran out a little before five-thirty to get something to eat.” I thought of the to-go sandwich in the white bag, wondered what had become of it, and decided I didn’t care. I’d long since lost my appetite. “I was planning on telling Brina she could leave as soon as I got back. Leaving her in charge while I was out, that was the stupid part.”
He pursed his lips. “Because . . .”
“Because Brina’s not responsible, and I should have realized that. I mean, I do realize it; it’s just that it was only for a few minutes and I figured it wouldn’t hurt. I was hungry, and Kate was early, and Brina . . .”
“The girl with the weird hair and the tattoos.”
I nodded.
“According to the first officer on the scene, Ms. Martingale was here, in Dr. Levine’s office.”
I nodded. “Like I said, not very responsible. And easily distracted. And not very—”
“Bright?”
I was grateful for the assist, and I smiled my thanks. It was the first I’d even tried for a smile since I found Kate, and my face was stiff. That would explain why the expression didn’t last long. “Kate showed up way early, and Brina, she said she was keeping an eye on the place but apparently, she wasn’t. She says she didn’t see Kate, or anyone else, come in.”
At least he didn’t point out that trusting Brina was my first mistake.
Instead, he blindsided me. “Unless she’s lying about what she saw.”
I sat up so fast, the Cubs sweatshirt slithered off my shoulders. “You don’t think—”
“Can’t say. Not yet. So, Ms. Franciscus, she was dead when you got here?”
I tugged the sweatshirt back in place, toying with the sleeves, tugging them closer around me. “I’ve never seen a dead body before, not outside a funeral home,” I said. “But there was all that blood, and . . .”
“Did you touch her? Anything in the store?”
I shook my head. “I went outside and called the cops.”
“And that’s it.”
I nodded. “Dr. Levine and Brina ran out to the street and I told them what happened and we waited for the police to arrive. You know the rest.”
Nevin flipped his notebook shut. “Then that’s it. You can go.”
“Home?” I thought about the chaos in the Button Box. “I’d rather wait until everyone is gone. I guess I’m feeling a little possessive when it comes to the shop. There’s a lot that needs to be cleaned up, and a whole lot of recataloging and re-sorting and cleaning. My poor buttons!”
Too late, I realized I’d used the B word.
I didn’t wait to see Nevin’s eyes glaze over. Once in a lifetime is enough for that.
Instead, I got up and hurried to the door. I was already there when I heard him say, “You know, Josie . . .”
I spun around to find him tapping his notebook against the table.
“Not that it matters or anything . . .” His shrug emphasized his point. “I just want you to know that last time I saw you . . . that phone call I got from the office . . .” He tugged his left earlobe. “I mean, I know that looked pretty fishy and all, but . . .”
What else could I do but deny I’d had my suspicions? “I never thought—”
“Yeah. Sure. I just thought—”
“No, really.” I managed a fleeting smile. “I hope you didn’t think—”
“I wondered. I mean, it really was pretty awkward and—”
“No problem.” I turned back to the door.
“Josie.”
I looked at him over my shoulder.
“It was legit,” Nevin said. “And important.”
“I figured.” It was another lie, but I was rewarded for it by the look of relief that swept over his face and the one-sided smile that made him look cuter
“I didn’t say it was stupid.”
I dared a look at him. “Still, you don’t understand.”
He gave in with a tip of his head. “I will admit to that.”
It wasn’t until I ordered my thoughts that I attempted to explain. “Kate Franciscus was supposed to come in and see me this evening. At eight. I ran out a little before five-thirty to get something to eat.” I thought of the to-go sandwich in the white bag, wondered what had become of it, and decided I didn’t care. I’d long since lost my appetite. “I was planning on telling Brina she could leave as soon as I got back. Leaving her in charge while I was out, that was the stupid part.”
He pursed his lips. “Because . . .”
“Because Brina’s not responsible, and I should have realized that. I mean, I do realize it; it’s just that it was only for a few minutes and I figured it wouldn’t hurt. I was hungry, and Kate was early, and Brina . . .”
“The girl with the weird hair and the tattoos.”
I nodded.
“According to the first officer on the scene, Ms. Martingale was here, in Dr. Levine’s office.”
I nodded. “Like I said, not very responsible. And easily distracted. And not very—”
“Bright?”
I was grateful for the assist, and I smiled my thanks. It was the first I’d even tried for a smile since I found Kate, and my face was stiff. That would explain why the expression didn’t last long. “Kate showed up way early, and Brina, she said she was keeping an eye on the place but apparently, she wasn’t. She says she didn’t see Kate, or anyone else, come in.”
At least he didn’t point out that trusting Brina was my first mistake.
Instead, he blindsided me. “Unless she’s lying about what she saw.”
I sat up so fast, the Cubs sweatshirt slithered off my shoulders. “You don’t think—”
“Can’t say. Not yet. So, Ms. Franciscus, she was dead when you got here?”
I tugged the sweatshirt back in place, toying with the sleeves, tugging them closer around me. “I’ve never seen a dead body before, not outside a funeral home,” I said. “But there was all that blood, and . . .”
“Did you touch her? Anything in the store?”
I shook my head. “I went outside and called the cops.”
“And that’s it.”
I nodded. “Dr. Levine and Brina ran out to the street and I told them what happened and we waited for the police to arrive. You know the rest.”
Nevin flipped his notebook shut. “Then that’s it. You can go.”
“Home?” I thought about the chaos in the Button Box. “I’d rather wait until everyone is gone. I guess I’m feeling a little possessive when it comes to the shop. There’s a lot that needs to be cleaned up, and a whole lot of recataloging and re-sorting and cleaning. My poor buttons!”
Too late, I realized I’d used the B word.
I didn’t wait to see Nevin’s eyes glaze over. Once in a lifetime is enough for that.
Instead, I got up and hurried to the door. I was already there when I heard him say, “You know, Josie . . .”
I spun around to find him tapping his notebook against the table.
“Not that it matters or anything . . .” His shrug emphasized his point. “I just want you to know that last time I saw you . . . that phone call I got from the office . . .” He tugged his left earlobe. “I mean, I know that looked pretty fishy and all, but . . .”
What else could I do but deny I’d had my suspicions? “I never thought—”
“Yeah. Sure. I just thought—”
“No, really.” I managed a fleeting smile. “I hope you didn’t think—”
“I wondered. I mean, it really was pretty awkward and—”
“No problem.” I turned back to the door.
“Josie.”
I looked at him over my shoulder.
“It was legit,” Nevin said. “And important.”
“I figured.” It was another lie, but I was rewarded for it by the look of relief that swept over his face and the one-sided smile that made him look cuter
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