heart sank lower in her chest.
“Oh no you don’t. Who will I gossip with? Who will I complain to? I am not above visiting you in prison if you did it, but you didn’t kill the woman. We’re getting you out of this situation.” Charlotte tried to lift up Annie, bolstering her to find some inner strength.
Annie let out an exaggerated sigh. “Okay,” she said before standing. “Let me let Pip out before we leave.”
Opening the door, Annie screamed.
The cat hissed and darted across the yard. It had been sleeping against the back door and when Annie opened it, the cat jumped and hissed. Annie placed her hand on her chest and caught her breath. That darn cat kept coming back. Pip snuck out between Annie’s legs and the chase was on. Pip almost nipping the cat, but the cat springing to the top of the fence and scrambling up a tree before the small dog could catch it.
Chapter 13
“Charlotte! Go to the shop first. I just thought of something ,” Annie squealed, her mind suddenly kicking into gear.
“But it’s locked up ; it’s not like you can get inside.” Charlotte wanted to help, but wasn’t sure what Annie was up to.
“I have to get inside. I just remembered something. Before they locked me out of my shop, in the back room where my supplies are, I made a mental note that I needed to mop the floor. We sweep and give it a once over daily, but it needed a thorough cleaning. There were footprints. I’m sure most were mine and Trish’s, but what if…”
“Got it, I’m on my way,” she said. She was worried about breaking in, but if it helped clear Annie’s name, it would be worth it. There was just one problem. If they found a lot of different prints, how would they match the print to the shoe? People owned numerous pairs of shoes.
Pulling up, Annie jumped out of the car and ran to the window in the back. No, it was too narrow. She’d have to brazenly break the glass by the front door. It was her last chance. She’d obviously be arrested if she got caught, but if she could get in there and figure something, anything out , it would be worth it.
“What do you need me to do?” Charlotte asked, ready to jump into action.
“Maybe distract Mrs. Bushmiller, so she doesn’t call the cops on me again. I’m sure she’ll see us.” Annie hated that the nosy neighbor was one of her worst hurdles.
“Got it.” Charlotte took the initiative and went for it.
Annie looked around. She had no idea how to break the window. It was now or never. She decided to use her purse like a swinging weighted weapon. She swung hard into the window, but nothing happened. One more time, harder, still nothing. Annie held her breath, and out of frustration kicked the glass. She pulled a muscle in her thigh, grunted as her toes screamed with pain, but thankfully the glass shattered and gave her access to the interior lock. She finagled it at a weird angle, and sighed. One down, one to go. The deadbolt would be at a different angle. She’d have to push out more of the glass to reach higher. She took her purse and swung it into the shattered glass that remained, and knocked out a bigger section.
When the police showed up, she was in the back supply room, examining the footprints.
Officer Nick Rossi’s voice startled her. “And what exactly are you doing?”
Annie’s heart raced. “I didn’t do it. But there are footprints here that might be a clue. Did you guys dust for prints?”
The officer sighed. “Fingerprints, but not footprints,” he sheepishly mentioned. It was an oversight. They weren’t used to doing investigations of this kind. “Listen, I’m going to have to take you in for breaking and entering, tampering with evidence, and I’ll be honest, it doesn’t look good for you.”
“Please, just this one time, listen to me. I’m trying to save my life. I did not kill the woman, but I think I might know who did.” She was panicked that her time was running out.
The officer turned away. “I
“Oh no you don’t. Who will I gossip with? Who will I complain to? I am not above visiting you in prison if you did it, but you didn’t kill the woman. We’re getting you out of this situation.” Charlotte tried to lift up Annie, bolstering her to find some inner strength.
Annie let out an exaggerated sigh. “Okay,” she said before standing. “Let me let Pip out before we leave.”
Opening the door, Annie screamed.
The cat hissed and darted across the yard. It had been sleeping against the back door and when Annie opened it, the cat jumped and hissed. Annie placed her hand on her chest and caught her breath. That darn cat kept coming back. Pip snuck out between Annie’s legs and the chase was on. Pip almost nipping the cat, but the cat springing to the top of the fence and scrambling up a tree before the small dog could catch it.
Chapter 13
“Charlotte! Go to the shop first. I just thought of something ,” Annie squealed, her mind suddenly kicking into gear.
“But it’s locked up ; it’s not like you can get inside.” Charlotte wanted to help, but wasn’t sure what Annie was up to.
“I have to get inside. I just remembered something. Before they locked me out of my shop, in the back room where my supplies are, I made a mental note that I needed to mop the floor. We sweep and give it a once over daily, but it needed a thorough cleaning. There were footprints. I’m sure most were mine and Trish’s, but what if…”
“Got it, I’m on my way,” she said. She was worried about breaking in, but if it helped clear Annie’s name, it would be worth it. There was just one problem. If they found a lot of different prints, how would they match the print to the shoe? People owned numerous pairs of shoes.
Pulling up, Annie jumped out of the car and ran to the window in the back. No, it was too narrow. She’d have to brazenly break the glass by the front door. It was her last chance. She’d obviously be arrested if she got caught, but if she could get in there and figure something, anything out , it would be worth it.
“What do you need me to do?” Charlotte asked, ready to jump into action.
“Maybe distract Mrs. Bushmiller, so she doesn’t call the cops on me again. I’m sure she’ll see us.” Annie hated that the nosy neighbor was one of her worst hurdles.
“Got it.” Charlotte took the initiative and went for it.
Annie looked around. She had no idea how to break the window. It was now or never. She decided to use her purse like a swinging weighted weapon. She swung hard into the window, but nothing happened. One more time, harder, still nothing. Annie held her breath, and out of frustration kicked the glass. She pulled a muscle in her thigh, grunted as her toes screamed with pain, but thankfully the glass shattered and gave her access to the interior lock. She finagled it at a weird angle, and sighed. One down, one to go. The deadbolt would be at a different angle. She’d have to push out more of the glass to reach higher. She took her purse and swung it into the shattered glass that remained, and knocked out a bigger section.
When the police showed up, she was in the back supply room, examining the footprints.
Officer Nick Rossi’s voice startled her. “And what exactly are you doing?”
Annie’s heart raced. “I didn’t do it. But there are footprints here that might be a clue. Did you guys dust for prints?”
The officer sighed. “Fingerprints, but not footprints,” he sheepishly mentioned. It was an oversight. They weren’t used to doing investigations of this kind. “Listen, I’m going to have to take you in for breaking and entering, tampering with evidence, and I’ll be honest, it doesn’t look good for you.”
“Please, just this one time, listen to me. I’m trying to save my life. I did not kill the woman, but I think I might know who did.” She was panicked that her time was running out.
The officer turned away. “I
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