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Authors: Leighann Dobbs
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with that, he turned and walked out the door, robbing me of the chance to spear him with a nasty reply.
***
“Have you ever heard anyone be so rude and condescending?” I asked Pepper who was still staring at the door.
“He sure did grow up nice,” she replied.
“What? He’s a condescending jerk.”
“Oh, I don’t think you really think that.”
I scrunched up my face. “What is wrong with you? Did you hear the way he talked to me?”
“I saw the way he looked at you … and the way you looked at him,” she said smugly. “I think there’s a spark there. I could feel the heat myself—don’t try to deny it.”
The truth was I felt the heat, too, but at my age I just figured it was another hot flash.
“Pffttt…” I flapped my hand at her. I didn’t like the way she was looking at me. Pepper loved playing matchmaker. “Now, don’t go getting any ideas about fixing a special tea for me or Sheriff Meanie.”
“I won’t,” she said innocently. Too innocently. I put my teacup down and made a mental note not to drink anything she served me any time in the near future.
“So anyway, what was this other thing you were starting to tell me before Eddie came in?” Pepper picked up her teacup and sipped.
I scrunched up my face. Sheriff Meanie had gotten me so worked up I’d forgotten what we’d been talking about.
“You told me about the fabric on the embosser and said there was something else…” Pepper prompted.
“Oh yes, the bronzes,” I said, then told her what Josiah had told me about the old bronzes that had been donated to the library.
“Why would Ophelia be after bronze statues?” Pepper asked. “She already has enough money.”
I shrugged. “Who knows? She seems money-hungry to me. Plus, with her background being married to an antique auctioneer, she’d know the value of them.”
“But how would she even know they were there? Bates donated them long before she came to town and, as you said, everyone has pretty much forgotten about them. They aren’t on display in there or anything, are they?”
“No. I remember noticing them once downstairs in the paperback section, but they aren’t in the main section upstairs.” Something niggled at the back of my mind. “Lavinia said that Ophelia had scoured the library, so she would have seen them.”
“Did Lavinia say Ophelia was looking for the bronzes?”
“No, in fact she was kind of cagey about the whole thing.” I picked up a molasses cookie and took a big bite, relishing the combination of sugar and spice. “But if we could match one of Ophelia’s coats to that navy blue fabric, then we’d have something concrete.”
Pepper wrinkled her nose. “I’m still not convinced Ophelia is the killer, but I do have a special tea for her. Maybe we could pay her a visit.”
“You’re not trying to make her nice with one of your teas are you?” I could only picture what would happen if that backfired like some of Pepper’s other attempts. I shuddered to think of a meaner Ophelia Withington.
Pepper smiled. “Not trying to make her nice . Just restoring her faith and her natural personality.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I know she always leaves the office at three p.m. and goes home to sort through her client list and match the new properties to potential clients,” Pepper said. “We could stop by and catch her off-guard. I’ll bring some tea and cookies and distract her and you can pretend you need to use the bathroom and look through her closet.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“So, I take it you’re not going to heed Eddie’s warning and step out of the investigation?”
“Heck, no.” I gave Pepper my, ‘you-know-me-better-than-that’ look. “I’m going to do just what Lavinia asked and find her killer, even if it’s the last thing I do.”
Chapter Twelve
Ophelia Withington lived in a big, old barn converted into a house just outside of town. We stood on the granite slab doorstep—Pepper in her
***
“Have you ever heard anyone be so rude and condescending?” I asked Pepper who was still staring at the door.
“He sure did grow up nice,” she replied.
“What? He’s a condescending jerk.”
“Oh, I don’t think you really think that.”
I scrunched up my face. “What is wrong with you? Did you hear the way he talked to me?”
“I saw the way he looked at you … and the way you looked at him,” she said smugly. “I think there’s a spark there. I could feel the heat myself—don’t try to deny it.”
The truth was I felt the heat, too, but at my age I just figured it was another hot flash.
“Pffttt…” I flapped my hand at her. I didn’t like the way she was looking at me. Pepper loved playing matchmaker. “Now, don’t go getting any ideas about fixing a special tea for me or Sheriff Meanie.”
“I won’t,” she said innocently. Too innocently. I put my teacup down and made a mental note not to drink anything she served me any time in the near future.
“So anyway, what was this other thing you were starting to tell me before Eddie came in?” Pepper picked up her teacup and sipped.
I scrunched up my face. Sheriff Meanie had gotten me so worked up I’d forgotten what we’d been talking about.
“You told me about the fabric on the embosser and said there was something else…” Pepper prompted.
“Oh yes, the bronzes,” I said, then told her what Josiah had told me about the old bronzes that had been donated to the library.
“Why would Ophelia be after bronze statues?” Pepper asked. “She already has enough money.”
I shrugged. “Who knows? She seems money-hungry to me. Plus, with her background being married to an antique auctioneer, she’d know the value of them.”
“But how would she even know they were there? Bates donated them long before she came to town and, as you said, everyone has pretty much forgotten about them. They aren’t on display in there or anything, are they?”
“No. I remember noticing them once downstairs in the paperback section, but they aren’t in the main section upstairs.” Something niggled at the back of my mind. “Lavinia said that Ophelia had scoured the library, so she would have seen them.”
“Did Lavinia say Ophelia was looking for the bronzes?”
“No, in fact she was kind of cagey about the whole thing.” I picked up a molasses cookie and took a big bite, relishing the combination of sugar and spice. “But if we could match one of Ophelia’s coats to that navy blue fabric, then we’d have something concrete.”
Pepper wrinkled her nose. “I’m still not convinced Ophelia is the killer, but I do have a special tea for her. Maybe we could pay her a visit.”
“You’re not trying to make her nice with one of your teas are you?” I could only picture what would happen if that backfired like some of Pepper’s other attempts. I shuddered to think of a meaner Ophelia Withington.
Pepper smiled. “Not trying to make her nice . Just restoring her faith and her natural personality.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I know she always leaves the office at three p.m. and goes home to sort through her client list and match the new properties to potential clients,” Pepper said. “We could stop by and catch her off-guard. I’ll bring some tea and cookies and distract her and you can pretend you need to use the bathroom and look through her closet.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“So, I take it you’re not going to heed Eddie’s warning and step out of the investigation?”
“Heck, no.” I gave Pepper my, ‘you-know-me-better-than-that’ look. “I’m going to do just what Lavinia asked and find her killer, even if it’s the last thing I do.”
Chapter Twelve
Ophelia Withington lived in a big, old barn converted into a house just outside of town. We stood on the granite slab doorstep—Pepper in her
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