Chapter Twenty-Four

“I’m glad you told me.” Tuesday morning Trinity adjusts the row of ceramic teapots that line half a wall to point all the spouts toward the door. “These need to be angled like this, for good luck.”

“I think that applies to elephants. I’m not so sure about teapots.” I have to admit, though, that the eclectic collection pops after her quick revamp. “Since when are you about fortune? Isn’t your job all about the facts?” I’ve spent the last half hour telling her all that I’ve figured out. Which isn’t a whole lot, if looking at just the facts.

“It is, but one can never underestimate the human instinct.”

“To kill?” I hand her a teapot that I wasn’t sure where to put as it’s square, from the UK, and looks nothing like the others. “It’ll fit in fine now, with the spout angled with the others.”

Trinity smiles. “Maybe I should quit the force and be your shop assistant.”

“You’d last an hour, tops. The first time a customer complained you’d tell them to pound sand.”

“Pretty much, yeah. And no, not the instinct to harm one another. That’s not natural, unless it’s a protection thing. The scariest people I’ve ever faced have been a mother or father thinking they had to protect their child from me or one of my colleagues.”

“I totally get that.” I know I’d lay down my life to protect Ava and Lilly. And take the bad guy with me.

“I’m talking about gut instinct. I’m under the impression the Navy taught you to ignore it a lot of the time.”

“Not ignore it but keep it in its place. During pilot training and follow-on certifications, instinct always made me want to panic when I was blindfolded, underwater, strapped into an upside-down held frame. Solid training allowed me to stay calm, focused. Wait for the held to settle at the bottom of the pool. Then I was able to unbuckle and let buoyancy get me out and up to the water’s surface.”

“Well, in police work it’s a little different. No, make that a lot. We face life or death every day, depending upon our beat and assignments. A good cop always listens to their instincts. But don’t take it the wrong way; everything has to be backed up by facts.”

“It sounds like you’re not any closer to solving Frannie’s murder than—” I stop myself before my arrogance shoves my foot into my mouth.

Trinity’s brow raises simultaneously with the side of her mouth. “Go on. You were saying?”

“I’m sorry. I know I’m not the expert here, believe me.”

“You just can’t help yourself, Angel. You wouldn’t have the successful career behind you, or the one to look forward to here, if you weren’t driven.”

“Are you okay with me talking to Liza?” I purposefully don’t ask if she or anyone at SPD has contacted the former assistant. Because, when it comes down to it, I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize it getting solved. I can handle an ego blow for not figuring it out myself.

“I don’t see that it’s a problem. One of my detectives made contact with her, and her supervisors. Her alibi is the most solid of everyone’s so far.”

“The living in Namibia part?” I manage to draw a snort out of Trinity.

“Yes. Just make sure you don’t disclose anything about the investigation that you’re aware of. The last think we need is Cornelia Applebaum telling her friends that we have a suspect, when we don’t.”

“How could I tell her that when, um, we don’t?”

“Trust me, the most basic facts in a murder investigation can turn into gossip fodder with zero effort from you.” Trinity speaks with conviction.

“Okay, got it. I can talk to Liza, but keep it to what her experience was while working for Frannie and Ken.”

“Leave out the having an affair with Ken part, maybe. See what she brings up on her own.”

“Are you giving me expert tips on interrogation, Detective Colson?”

“Don’t push it.”

Nate’s coming to pick me up for our date at seven tonight, and it’s already after five. Even though it’s past midnight in Namibia, Liza insisted we do our FaceTime now because “my WiFi is too unpredictable at any other time.”

I’ve set up my personal tablet in the shop office, and Ralph’s content on his portable perch, chewing on a stick. The building settles around me as the sun’s been down for over an hour, and a strong wind is coming in from the north. A nor’easter is brewing and we’re predicted to have snow by Thanksgiving. Enough to make everything look like Christmas has arrived early, but not enough to keep customers away on Saturday.

My stomach pitches and rolls as I stare at my tablet, willing Liza to call. It’s all I can do to not make the call myself, but best to let her run the show on our connection. A tip from Trinity. It will make Liza more comfortable to speak to me, instead of coming across as invading her space.

“Eeeetch.” Ralph doesn’t scream his mystery word, but his gaze is intent on something in the shop. He can see straight through to the front window and I’m sure he’s complaining about the passersby. Stonebridge has come alive these past evenings since the town’s Christmas lights are up, with matching green glitter garland tree silhouettes on every lamppost. All the small businesses, mine included, have an oversized red bow atop their display window, with the ribbon ends hanging to flap in the wind.

Excitement about the opening swirls with my nerves over knowing the killer is still out there, and maybe a bit of anticipation for tonight’s dinner with Nate. Before I can go into that dark neighborhood in my mind where the killer finds me before I find them and Nate stands me up, the tablet lights up with Liza’s call.

I suck in a deep breath, paste a smile on, and press Accept.

It takes longer than it does with Ava or Lily, but within seconds Liza’s face appears. She’s remarkably pretty, with long brunette hair and bright eyes.

“Liza, hi!”

“Hey.” Her smile is warm, but her eyes narrow a bit. I don’t blame her.

“I can’t thank you enough for agreeing to talk to me. Your grandmother tells me your schedule is crazy over there!”

“Oh, if you know my grandma, she’s never going to say anything other than how great one of her grand kids are.” She laughs, and it comes across as sincere, full-bodied.

“You’re probably wondering why I asked to speak with you.”

“Not at all. It’s about Frannie Schrock, right? I stay up-to-date from my family, of course, and I go on Penn Live to get all the deets on Stonebridge.” She mentions the central Pennsylvania news site.

“Yes. I’m sure you know, then, that she was killed in my building.”

“Yeah, Grandma told me. Right in your shop, and you haven’t even opened yet. That’s awful.”

“It’s not great, but nothing compared to what happened to Frannie.”

“I was horrified when I heard. I used to work for both of them, Ken and Frannie, as you know. They are, were, complicated to say the least. Either one of them have reasons for people to be angry at them. But to actually murder Frannie? I have to think it was random. Is there any possibility of that?”

“Sure, from what the police tell me, there’s always that chance.” But Frannie’s murder was very personal, by all indications. Indicators that Liza doesn’t seem to know about. A good thing for the security of the investigation.

“You don’t think so, do you?” Liza’s intelligent observation gives me pause.

“I, I don’t know, Liza. I’m a retired Navy pilot, an empty nester. My girls aren’t much younger than you—they just went off to college. I’m not here in an official capacity at all.” I cross my fingers. I’m not lying but being buds with SPD’s lead detective makes me as official as any unofficial person can be by now.

“So you’re interested in my time with Ken and Frannie, working at the shop?” She flips her hair over a shoulder. “Well, it was fine, until I got personally involved. If you don’t know already, you will soon enough. I had an affair with Ken. According to him, I’m the only one he ever stepped out on Frannie with. And you know what? I believed him when he told me that. Frannie had the ability to get a little unhinged over their business dealings. Ken is more easygoing.”

“Who broke it off?”

“There was nothing to break off. It was very brief, I was young and naïve, and if I hadn’t been stupid with Ken, it would have been with someone else. I was on the rebound from a long-term breakup.”

“How did Frannie find out?”

“I’ve never known how. But as soon as she did, she and Ken had a huge fight. Nothing physical, or trust me, one of us would have called the cops.”

“Who else heard their fight, besides you?”

“There was only ever the two of us, me and Jenna, in the office most of the time. The other realtors came and went, busy with listing and showing properties.”

“And after the fight Frannie fired you?”

“Oh, no. It was my decision. I think they were both afraid of a lawsuit. With me being an employee and all, it was a sticky situation. Maybe I’ll think differently when I get older, but I wasn’t manipulated by Ken in any way. He was at a low point in his marriage, and I was young and dumb.” I stare at her still very young face and admire the wisdom she’s acquired.

“Did you know Jenna’s still there?”

“I’m sure she is.” Liza shakes her head. “I was there for just under a year, and I left two years ago. Jenna was supposed to be a temporary hire. She came on about a month after me. I’m sorry to hear she’s still there, but I’m not surprised.”

“Why is that? How Frannie treated her?”

“No, not at all. Jenna was willing to put up with whatever it took to stay there.”

“Really?”

“It used to drive me nuts, seeing her deal with Frannie’s temper. We all suffered from it, but I always knew I wasn’t going to stay there forever, a year at most. It was a appoint as I figured out what I wanted to do next with my life. My relationship with Ken was an awkward thing but not like it is for Jenna.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh my goodness. Now, this a bit of gossip, and things may have changed, but Jenna isn’t how she seems. She’s totally professional, never does anything at all that could be considered out of line. She’s loyal to a fault.”

“But?”

“But she had the most humongous crush on Ken. To be fair, I could have stayed on after Frannie found out. It would have been awkward, and it wouldn’t say much about me as a person if I’d stayed, but I didn’t feel forced out by either Frannie or Ken. Jenna made it so uncomfortable. She was truly shattered when she found out. I could tell by how she sniffled around the office, wouldn’t make eye contact with me. No, leaving was the best thing for all concerned. No question.” She leans back, and I see her twin bed in the background. “Anything else?”

“Gosh, no. You’ve been so generous with your time. I can’t thank you enough for sharing this with me, Liza.” Although it’s not gleaned a whole lot. So Jenna had a crush on her boss. Not uncommon, especially in the Schrock Real Estate office.

After brief niceties, we disconnect.

I might have stumbled upon a motive for murder. Jenna’s crush on Ken. But I still don’t have the murderer. Jenna’s alibi was investigated by both SPD and me, albeit SPD was far more thorough than me. I only spoke to Allie at Suds & Sparkles, whereas I’m certain Trinity covered all of the shops where Jenna claimed to have been that afternoon.

I have less than an hour to close up shop and grab a quick shower before I expect Nate.

“Come on, buddy boy.” Ralph adroitly hops onto my shoulder and we head upstairs.