grudge against you or harbor a strong dislike for any reason?” He set his mug aside and rose.
"Well . . . I wouldn’t say that exactly,” Kelly admitted with a wry smile as she strolled back into the living room.
Morrison’s bushy eyebrows arched. “Nor would I, Ms. Flynn. If memory serves me, I recall you’ve played a role in helping police investigate several murders. Consequently, you’ve been in situations that have brought you into conflict with other people. In fact, there are four people either in jail right now or awaiting trial because of you.”
Kelly’s smile disappeared. Morrison was right. If not for her, those people would have gotten away with murder. And they would be free today. “You’re exaggerating, Lieutenant. I simply helped the process along, that’s all.”
Morrison smiled slightly. “All the same, Ms. Flynn. There are some people in town who probably don’t think of you too fondly.”
Kelly stared through the dining room windows at the snow-covered golf course while she sipped her coffee. She didn’t like the picture Morrison painted, so she shook it away as well. “I don’t know, Lieutenant. I still think it was a bunch of violent scumbags looking for trouble that damaged my place. And that’s how they found the shop.” She started to pace the small living room. “If it was someone who hated me personally, then they would have no reason to trash the shop. That doesn’t make sense.”
Morrison shoved his notepad into the front pocket of his gray suit and headed to the front door. “You’re probably right, Ms. Flynn, but we plan to look into every angle.”
Kelly followed Morrison, who was obviously eager to leave and escape any further discussion. She was about to ask him another question anyway when he turned in the open doorway and fixed her with a level gaze.
“Take care of yourself, Ms. Flynn. And try to stay out of trouble, okay?”
Kelly couldn’t resist being her usual contrarian self. She grinned. “I’ll do my best, Lieutenant. But I make no promises.”
“I figured as much,” Morrison said before he strode down the steps.
Kelly spied her friends still standing in the slushy driveway, huddled around Burt and deep in conversation. She headed their way.
“Hey, Burt, I wondered when you’d be free to fill us in,” Kelly said as she joined them. “Morrison just told me they think it was a burglary gone bad and that Tracy’s death was accidental. What can you tell us?”
Burt zipped his jacket snug to his neck as the breeze ruffled his gray hair. “That’s exactly what Dan told me a while ago. They think the vandalism was unplanned. A hasty crime of opportunity. The shop was all lit up and unlocked in a secluded setting. They were probably looking for money or anything valuable. Mimi’s cash box was emptied, and they broke into both registers and grabbed whatever cash was there. All three were dusted for prints. They’ll check, just in case there’s someone with a record of burglary and assault.”
His expression saddened. “Tracy’s death was probably a tragic accident. They must have surprised her downstairs, and maybe she started screaming. Who knows? Anyway, Dan thinks she was hit on the head to knock her out. Tracy must have slumped into the tub and drowned while they went back to trashing the upstairs.”
“How awful . . .” Mimi whispered, pulling a wad of tissues from her pocket to wipe her eyes.
Pete shook his head sadly. “Much too young to die.”
“I want to see those guys caught and sent to jail!” Rosa’s dark eyes sparked.
“Believe me, folks, the police will catch the guys who did this. I can promise you that,” Burt said with an emphatic nod. “Meanwhile, Mimi, you and Pete have to get an alarm system installed as soon as possible. You’ve got to have some security in place or none of us will sleep at night.”
Mimi nodded. “I know. Lieutenant Morrison told me the same thing. I admit, I was thinking about
"Well . . . I wouldn’t say that exactly,” Kelly admitted with a wry smile as she strolled back into the living room.
Morrison’s bushy eyebrows arched. “Nor would I, Ms. Flynn. If memory serves me, I recall you’ve played a role in helping police investigate several murders. Consequently, you’ve been in situations that have brought you into conflict with other people. In fact, there are four people either in jail right now or awaiting trial because of you.”
Kelly’s smile disappeared. Morrison was right. If not for her, those people would have gotten away with murder. And they would be free today. “You’re exaggerating, Lieutenant. I simply helped the process along, that’s all.”
Morrison smiled slightly. “All the same, Ms. Flynn. There are some people in town who probably don’t think of you too fondly.”
Kelly stared through the dining room windows at the snow-covered golf course while she sipped her coffee. She didn’t like the picture Morrison painted, so she shook it away as well. “I don’t know, Lieutenant. I still think it was a bunch of violent scumbags looking for trouble that damaged my place. And that’s how they found the shop.” She started to pace the small living room. “If it was someone who hated me personally, then they would have no reason to trash the shop. That doesn’t make sense.”
Morrison shoved his notepad into the front pocket of his gray suit and headed to the front door. “You’re probably right, Ms. Flynn, but we plan to look into every angle.”
Kelly followed Morrison, who was obviously eager to leave and escape any further discussion. She was about to ask him another question anyway when he turned in the open doorway and fixed her with a level gaze.
“Take care of yourself, Ms. Flynn. And try to stay out of trouble, okay?”
Kelly couldn’t resist being her usual contrarian self. She grinned. “I’ll do my best, Lieutenant. But I make no promises.”
“I figured as much,” Morrison said before he strode down the steps.
Kelly spied her friends still standing in the slushy driveway, huddled around Burt and deep in conversation. She headed their way.
“Hey, Burt, I wondered when you’d be free to fill us in,” Kelly said as she joined them. “Morrison just told me they think it was a burglary gone bad and that Tracy’s death was accidental. What can you tell us?”
Burt zipped his jacket snug to his neck as the breeze ruffled his gray hair. “That’s exactly what Dan told me a while ago. They think the vandalism was unplanned. A hasty crime of opportunity. The shop was all lit up and unlocked in a secluded setting. They were probably looking for money or anything valuable. Mimi’s cash box was emptied, and they broke into both registers and grabbed whatever cash was there. All three were dusted for prints. They’ll check, just in case there’s someone with a record of burglary and assault.”
His expression saddened. “Tracy’s death was probably a tragic accident. They must have surprised her downstairs, and maybe she started screaming. Who knows? Anyway, Dan thinks she was hit on the head to knock her out. Tracy must have slumped into the tub and drowned while they went back to trashing the upstairs.”
“How awful . . .” Mimi whispered, pulling a wad of tissues from her pocket to wipe her eyes.
Pete shook his head sadly. “Much too young to die.”
“I want to see those guys caught and sent to jail!” Rosa’s dark eyes sparked.
“Believe me, folks, the police will catch the guys who did this. I can promise you that,” Burt said with an emphatic nod. “Meanwhile, Mimi, you and Pete have to get an alarm system installed as soon as possible. You’ve got to have some security in place or none of us will sleep at night.”
Mimi nodded. “I know. Lieutenant Morrison told me the same thing. I admit, I was thinking about
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