head. “Right. Well, I think you should give the Alton research a
pass for now and concentrate on your studies. I’ll do it.”
“I can do both, really I can.”
“I’m sure you can, but what if, for some reason, there’s a problem with one of your
marks? Your mama’s going to have my head.”
“And I won’t allow you to come to any more book club meetings, if that happens,” Molly
threw in for good measure, although Lizzie knew that she would never follow through
on that threat. “Besides, if Lizzie loses her head, we may have to abandon the club
anyway.”
Andie folded her arms across her chest and gave her own head a shake. Her black and
blue hair, cut blunt to chin level, swung around and her nose ring danced. “All right.
But just until I ace my tests. Then I’m back on the case.”
Lizzie smiled to herself. Some case. But at least she wouldn’t have Andie’s exam marks
on her conscience. “One thing does nag at me.”
“What’s that, Lizzie?” Jacob asked.
“Why now? What made this the right time to kill Derek Alton?”
Chapter Nine
I took a deep breath unwilling, though ready, to face the world with another murder
on our hands.
GRACE INTERRUPTED
—JULIE HYZY
F ridays were usually good days. The end of the work week. Choir practice night. What’s
not to like?
The answer would be, this Friday, Lizzie thought to herself as she opened the front
door to Officer Amber Craig. How could an early morning visit from this woman be a
good start to a day?
“Are you leaving for school soon?” Officer Craig asked, without so much as a good
morning.
Lizzie’s first appointment was at ten with the vice principal but she felt the sudden
urge to get there early. “Yes.”
“This won’t take long.” Craig didn’t wait for an invitation but walked into the living
room while Lizzie got settled.
Lizzie glanced nervously out the window, thinking she’d sit in her comfy bucket chair
in front of it.
Nothing to worry about
. No one with a rifle in any case. Her eyes narrowed as she thought she saw a quick
movement at the end of the driveway, but the police cruiser blocked her view.
Stop being paranoid.
She decided to sit on the settee instead, though.
“What can I do for you, Officer?”
“Tell me all about your relationship with Derek Alton.”
Lizzie didn’t miss a beat. “There was no ‘relationship,’ as you put it. He was a visiting
author and would have spoken to our book club at last night’s meeting, had he not
been shot. But of course, you know that already. I’ve said it before.”
“Do you go out for a romantic dinner with all visiting authors?”
Lizzie tried to appear unbothered by the question. “It was a working dinner to discuss
the book club and help him focus his talk. It was
not
a romantic dinner.”
Craig pulled out her notebook. “According to Mr. Trent at the Shasta Room of the Jefferson
Hotel, Alton called ahead and asked for a “secluded table for two, with low lighting,
candlelight and a single rose.” Now, that sounds to me like someone thought of it
as a romantic dinner.” She cocked an eyebrow and stared at Lizzie, with a slight smirk
on her face.
Lizzie squared her shoulders. “You asked me about the dinner and I’m telling you,
to my mind, it wasn’t a romantic dinner. It was a working dinner.”
“So you say.”
“Yes.”
“And, did he try to kiss you during the dinner?”
Lizzie groaned inwardly. She’d bet Mr. Trent had been lurking and had told all. “Well,
yes, but I didn’t reciprocate.”
“Sounds like he planned the evening from start to finish, though. He picked you up?”
“He came early and we drove around a bit before going to dinner. I showed him some
landmarks in town on the way to the hotel.”
“Huh. Right. And after this unromantic dinner?”
“I took a cab home.”
“Why?”
“Let’s just say he’d had too much to drink.”
“Sure. We’ll say that.
pass for now and concentrate on your studies. I’ll do it.”
“I can do both, really I can.”
“I’m sure you can, but what if, for some reason, there’s a problem with one of your
marks? Your mama’s going to have my head.”
“And I won’t allow you to come to any more book club meetings, if that happens,” Molly
threw in for good measure, although Lizzie knew that she would never follow through
on that threat. “Besides, if Lizzie loses her head, we may have to abandon the club
anyway.”
Andie folded her arms across her chest and gave her own head a shake. Her black and
blue hair, cut blunt to chin level, swung around and her nose ring danced. “All right.
But just until I ace my tests. Then I’m back on the case.”
Lizzie smiled to herself. Some case. But at least she wouldn’t have Andie’s exam marks
on her conscience. “One thing does nag at me.”
“What’s that, Lizzie?” Jacob asked.
“Why now? What made this the right time to kill Derek Alton?”
Chapter Nine
I took a deep breath unwilling, though ready, to face the world with another murder
on our hands.
GRACE INTERRUPTED
—JULIE HYZY
F ridays were usually good days. The end of the work week. Choir practice night. What’s
not to like?
The answer would be, this Friday, Lizzie thought to herself as she opened the front
door to Officer Amber Craig. How could an early morning visit from this woman be a
good start to a day?
“Are you leaving for school soon?” Officer Craig asked, without so much as a good
morning.
Lizzie’s first appointment was at ten with the vice principal but she felt the sudden
urge to get there early. “Yes.”
“This won’t take long.” Craig didn’t wait for an invitation but walked into the living
room while Lizzie got settled.
Lizzie glanced nervously out the window, thinking she’d sit in her comfy bucket chair
in front of it.
Nothing to worry about
. No one with a rifle in any case. Her eyes narrowed as she thought she saw a quick
movement at the end of the driveway, but the police cruiser blocked her view.
Stop being paranoid.
She decided to sit on the settee instead, though.
“What can I do for you, Officer?”
“Tell me all about your relationship with Derek Alton.”
Lizzie didn’t miss a beat. “There was no ‘relationship,’ as you put it. He was a visiting
author and would have spoken to our book club at last night’s meeting, had he not
been shot. But of course, you know that already. I’ve said it before.”
“Do you go out for a romantic dinner with all visiting authors?”
Lizzie tried to appear unbothered by the question. “It was a working dinner to discuss
the book club and help him focus his talk. It was
not
a romantic dinner.”
Craig pulled out her notebook. “According to Mr. Trent at the Shasta Room of the Jefferson
Hotel, Alton called ahead and asked for a “secluded table for two, with low lighting,
candlelight and a single rose.” Now, that sounds to me like someone thought of it
as a romantic dinner.” She cocked an eyebrow and stared at Lizzie, with a slight smirk
on her face.
Lizzie squared her shoulders. “You asked me about the dinner and I’m telling you,
to my mind, it wasn’t a romantic dinner. It was a working dinner.”
“So you say.”
“Yes.”
“And, did he try to kiss you during the dinner?”
Lizzie groaned inwardly. She’d bet Mr. Trent had been lurking and had told all. “Well,
yes, but I didn’t reciprocate.”
“Sounds like he planned the evening from start to finish, though. He picked you up?”
“He came early and we drove around a bit before going to dinner. I showed him some
landmarks in town on the way to the hotel.”
“Huh. Right. And after this unromantic dinner?”
“I took a cab home.”
“Why?”
“Let’s just say he’d had too much to drink.”
“Sure. We’ll say that.
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