Read Online Costume Catastrophe (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 21) by Kathi Daley - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kathi Daley
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fact that he was shot in the back does seem to support his assertion that he was being stalked, but there are other reasons—medical reasons—that could explain his behavior as well. Salinger is having the medical examiner take another look. We’ll know more once he determines whether there might have been a medical reason for Joey’s behavior.”
“The fact that he was fired explains why he stopped paying his alimony, although I don’t know why he didn’t just tell Margo about the loss of his job. She seemed to think he was just flaking.”
“As far as I can tell, Joey didn’t tell anyone he’d been fired. We know he told Levi he was going to go to the haunted house after work, and Salinger spoke to his closest neighbors, who all said he left for work over the past month dressed in his power company uniform, the same as he had every other day since he’d lived there.”
I frowned. “Why would he do that? It makes no sense. It isn’t like he had a wife he was trying to hide his recent unemployment from.”
Zak shrugged. “Beats me. It would seem that rather than pretending to go to work every day it would have been a better use of his time to look for another job.”
“Which leads to the question of where it was he went every day.”
“Salinger is looking into that,” Zak informed me. “He figures someone must have seen him somewhere. This is a pretty small town and Joey was well known. On another note, Salinger told me that he’s looking at Clint Masterson.”
“I spoke to Clint. He said he was at work at the car dealership on Monday.”
“Did you verify that?”
Actually, I hadn’t. Man, I was slipping. “No. I didn’t think to follow through at all. He said he was at work and I took his word for it. He didn’t seem guilty.”
“Salinger told me that he has a witness who claims Joey came into the bowling alley and accused Clint of spying on him.”
“Yeah, Clint told me that.”
“Did he tell you that he responded by threatening the man?”
“No. He left that part out.”
“Salinger planned to have a chat with him this afternoon. I haven’t heard how it went, but I wouldn’t take him off your list just yet.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t ask more questions when I spoke to Clint.” I really was upset with myself.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You aren’t a cop and you haven’t been trained in interrogation. Salinger is also looking at Kenny Brantley.”
Spade got up from his resting place on the sofa and jumped down onto the floor. He trotted out the door, I assumed to head to Alex’s room. While both Marlow and Spade spent time with me, they both clearly had decided they preferred to sleep with Alex and whatever animals she was fostering at the moment.
“Why does Salinger suspect Kenny?” I asked after Marlow repositioned himself to take advantage of Spade’s absence.
“He was hired on full-time at the power company after Joey was fired. Joey thought Kenny was behind his being let go. He was pretty vocal about it. The day Joey was shot Kenny and Joey got into a heated argument at the diner where they both happened to go for lunch. Kenny threatened to use force to shut Joey up if he didn’t stop slandering him.”
I didn’t know Kenny well. He’d only moved to Ashton Falls a couple of years ago and we didn’t travel in the same circles, though Tawny Upton had dated him for a while, so I’d been introduced to him. I could see how it would get irritating if someone was going around town saying bad things about you, but to shoot someone because of it?
“If Salinger is following up we’ll just wait to see what he comes up with. I’ll add Kenny to my list and put Clint back on.” I laughed. “Did I tell you Clint tried to sell me a car when I went in to speak to him today?”
“Your car is a couple of years old.”
“My car is fine. He tried to sell me a yellow Mustang. What in the world would I do with a car like that?”
Zak grinned. “I think
“The fact that he was fired explains why he stopped paying his alimony, although I don’t know why he didn’t just tell Margo about the loss of his job. She seemed to think he was just flaking.”
“As far as I can tell, Joey didn’t tell anyone he’d been fired. We know he told Levi he was going to go to the haunted house after work, and Salinger spoke to his closest neighbors, who all said he left for work over the past month dressed in his power company uniform, the same as he had every other day since he’d lived there.”
I frowned. “Why would he do that? It makes no sense. It isn’t like he had a wife he was trying to hide his recent unemployment from.”
Zak shrugged. “Beats me. It would seem that rather than pretending to go to work every day it would have been a better use of his time to look for another job.”
“Which leads to the question of where it was he went every day.”
“Salinger is looking into that,” Zak informed me. “He figures someone must have seen him somewhere. This is a pretty small town and Joey was well known. On another note, Salinger told me that he’s looking at Clint Masterson.”
“I spoke to Clint. He said he was at work at the car dealership on Monday.”
“Did you verify that?”
Actually, I hadn’t. Man, I was slipping. “No. I didn’t think to follow through at all. He said he was at work and I took his word for it. He didn’t seem guilty.”
“Salinger told me that he has a witness who claims Joey came into the bowling alley and accused Clint of spying on him.”
“Yeah, Clint told me that.”
“Did he tell you that he responded by threatening the man?”
“No. He left that part out.”
“Salinger planned to have a chat with him this afternoon. I haven’t heard how it went, but I wouldn’t take him off your list just yet.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t ask more questions when I spoke to Clint.” I really was upset with myself.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You aren’t a cop and you haven’t been trained in interrogation. Salinger is also looking at Kenny Brantley.”
Spade got up from his resting place on the sofa and jumped down onto the floor. He trotted out the door, I assumed to head to Alex’s room. While both Marlow and Spade spent time with me, they both clearly had decided they preferred to sleep with Alex and whatever animals she was fostering at the moment.
“Why does Salinger suspect Kenny?” I asked after Marlow repositioned himself to take advantage of Spade’s absence.
“He was hired on full-time at the power company after Joey was fired. Joey thought Kenny was behind his being let go. He was pretty vocal about it. The day Joey was shot Kenny and Joey got into a heated argument at the diner where they both happened to go for lunch. Kenny threatened to use force to shut Joey up if he didn’t stop slandering him.”
I didn’t know Kenny well. He’d only moved to Ashton Falls a couple of years ago and we didn’t travel in the same circles, though Tawny Upton had dated him for a while, so I’d been introduced to him. I could see how it would get irritating if someone was going around town saying bad things about you, but to shoot someone because of it?
“If Salinger is following up we’ll just wait to see what he comes up with. I’ll add Kenny to my list and put Clint back on.” I laughed. “Did I tell you Clint tried to sell me a car when I went in to speak to him today?”
“Your car is a couple of years old.”
“My car is fine. He tried to sell me a yellow Mustang. What in the world would I do with a car like that?”
Zak grinned. “I think
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