Read Online Town in a Pumpkin Bash by B. B. Haywood - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: B. B. Haywood
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discovered
here, in a field you happened to be working in?”
Candy let out a long breath at the question and shook her head. “To be honest, Chief,
I just don’t know. I agree it looks suspicious….”
“It looks a lot more than suspicious, Ms. Holliday.” His tone wasn’t accusatory, just
matter-of-fact.
She felt a chill. “You think there’s a reason he was murdered here…and that it has
something to do with
me?
”
The chief shrugged as he looked back toward her, his gaze sharpening. “We already
know there was a connection between the deceased and Ms. Tremont, and between him
and you as well. You’d met the deceased before, right? You had a relationship with
him?”
Candy couldn’t help grousing at that. “I wouldn’t call it a relationship.”
“But you knew each other?”
“Yes, we knew each other. But I haven’t seen him in over two years.”
“And you knew he was coming here this morning?”
“To meet with Maggie, yes, to get the keys to Sapphire’s house.” She involuntarily
tightened her arms across her chest, a protective gesture.
“Did he tell you or Ms. Tremont why he was interested in renting the place?”
Candy shook her head. “He was…well, kind of secretive about the whole thing. But he
might have mentionedsomething about it to Maggie. Maybe you should talk to her.”
“I intend to do just that,” the chief said as he rubbed his chin, pondering what she’d
told him. “But we have to assume it’s more than coincidental that the deceased was
murdered here in your field, don’t we? There’s a definite connection between you,
Ms. Tremont, and Mr. Quinn. How exactly that connection resulted in Quinn’s death
remains to be seen. So here’s what I need you to do, Ms. Holliday…Candy.”
He pointed toward the dark-haired female officer who was just finishing up her conversation
with T.J. and the man in the bee costume. The woman was short and curvy yet solid,
with big shoulders and a round face. “Have you met Officer Prospect?” the chief asked.
“No, I don’t think so.”
The chief waved the officer over, introducing her while she was still several steps
away. “This is Officer Molly Prospect. Molly, this is Candy Holliday. I’d like you
to take her statement.”
Officer Prospect gave her a professional yet friendly nod. She seemed like the type
of person who had a hard time keeping a smile off her face, and there was a twinkle
in her dark eyes that told everyone she met that she loved her job. “Hello, Ms. Holliday,”
she said pleasantly.
“Hello,” Candy said softly, with a nod.
“I want you to tell Officer Prospect everything you just told me,” the chief instructed,
looking Candy carefully in the eyes. “She’ll take notes and create an initial report.
I’d like you to come down to the station Monday morning to review it and make sure
everything’s accurate, and we’ll get your signature on it. Can you do that?”
“Of course.”
The chief patted her on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit. Now if you think of anything
else we should know about, I want you to immediately call Officer Prospect here. She’ll
give you her business card so you can get in touch with her.And if you can’t reach her, I want you to call the station and ask for me personally.”
He forced a grim smile. “And try not to worry too much, Ms. Holliday,” he told her.
“We’ll figure out what’s going on around here.”
With that, he turned and made his way back toward the crime scene, while Officer Prospect
began asking Candy a series of directed questions, making careful notes of the answers.
Her manner was efficient and professional as she guided Candy through the series of
events that had occurred that morning. Candy noticed that her black hair, which she’d
tucked up under her hat, was straight and shiny, and Candy imagined that when she
let it out, it must fall to her shoulders, and perhaps
here, in a field you happened to be working in?”
Candy let out a long breath at the question and shook her head. “To be honest, Chief,
I just don’t know. I agree it looks suspicious….”
“It looks a lot more than suspicious, Ms. Holliday.” His tone wasn’t accusatory, just
matter-of-fact.
She felt a chill. “You think there’s a reason he was murdered here…and that it has
something to do with
me?
”
The chief shrugged as he looked back toward her, his gaze sharpening. “We already
know there was a connection between the deceased and Ms. Tremont, and between him
and you as well. You’d met the deceased before, right? You had a relationship with
him?”
Candy couldn’t help grousing at that. “I wouldn’t call it a relationship.”
“But you knew each other?”
“Yes, we knew each other. But I haven’t seen him in over two years.”
“And you knew he was coming here this morning?”
“To meet with Maggie, yes, to get the keys to Sapphire’s house.” She involuntarily
tightened her arms across her chest, a protective gesture.
“Did he tell you or Ms. Tremont why he was interested in renting the place?”
Candy shook her head. “He was…well, kind of secretive about the whole thing. But he
might have mentionedsomething about it to Maggie. Maybe you should talk to her.”
“I intend to do just that,” the chief said as he rubbed his chin, pondering what she’d
told him. “But we have to assume it’s more than coincidental that the deceased was
murdered here in your field, don’t we? There’s a definite connection between you,
Ms. Tremont, and Mr. Quinn. How exactly that connection resulted in Quinn’s death
remains to be seen. So here’s what I need you to do, Ms. Holliday…Candy.”
He pointed toward the dark-haired female officer who was just finishing up her conversation
with T.J. and the man in the bee costume. The woman was short and curvy yet solid,
with big shoulders and a round face. “Have you met Officer Prospect?” the chief asked.
“No, I don’t think so.”
The chief waved the officer over, introducing her while she was still several steps
away. “This is Officer Molly Prospect. Molly, this is Candy Holliday. I’d like you
to take her statement.”
Officer Prospect gave her a professional yet friendly nod. She seemed like the type
of person who had a hard time keeping a smile off her face, and there was a twinkle
in her dark eyes that told everyone she met that she loved her job. “Hello, Ms. Holliday,”
she said pleasantly.
“Hello,” Candy said softly, with a nod.
“I want you to tell Officer Prospect everything you just told me,” the chief instructed,
looking Candy carefully in the eyes. “She’ll take notes and create an initial report.
I’d like you to come down to the station Monday morning to review it and make sure
everything’s accurate, and we’ll get your signature on it. Can you do that?”
“Of course.”
The chief patted her on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit. Now if you think of anything
else we should know about, I want you to immediately call Officer Prospect here. She’ll
give you her business card so you can get in touch with her.And if you can’t reach her, I want you to call the station and ask for me personally.”
He forced a grim smile. “And try not to worry too much, Ms. Holliday,” he told her.
“We’ll figure out what’s going on around here.”
With that, he turned and made his way back toward the crime scene, while Officer Prospect
began asking Candy a series of directed questions, making careful notes of the answers.
Her manner was efficient and professional as she guided Candy through the series of
events that had occurred that morning. Candy noticed that her black hair, which she’d
tucked up under her hat, was straight and shiny, and Candy imagined that when she
let it out, it must fall to her shoulders, and perhaps
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