“Hell, he even flirted with me sometimes, just to keep in practice,” Caroline said. “You learned to ignore him.”
“Sounds like a real charmer,” I said.
“We could still find out that a jealous lover did him in,” Caroline said. “Or a jealous husband or boyfriend.”
“But I think Meg has the right idea,” Rose Noire said. “Follow the money.”
“What happened to cherchez la femme?” Caroline countered.
“I will let the chief do both,” I said, with a yawn. “I’m off to bed. Rose Noire, can you lock up?”
“Of course,” she said.
I headed for bed.
Though I did stop by on the way to say a word to the chief.
“Did Michael get a chance to tell you what he saw in Parker Blair’s furniture store?”
“The elusive woman who didn’t want to be seen? Yes, thanks. I’m already keenly interested in any of Mr. Blair’s lady friends who might not be unattached.”
“I can think of other reasons why the woman might have fled,” I said. “Have you talked to Louise tonight?”
“No,” he said. “Louise who, and why should I talk to her?”
“Dietz, “ I said. “Works in the mayor’s office. Was seeing Parker. And now thinks he was using her to get information.”
“Was he?”
I shrugged.
“Rob said she was their mole in the mayor’s office,” I said. “I thought she was doing it out of conviction. Who knows? Anyway, I told her to come and talk to you, but perhaps she was too tired to do it tonight.”
“She give him that contract you found?”
“No idea. She says not, but even if she’s telling the truth, he could have used her to get it. And if she knew he was gunning for the mayor, she might not have wanted anyone to see her consorting with her boss’s enemies.”
He nodded, and rubbed his eyes.
“I’ll track her down tomorrow,” he said. “Thanks. For this, and for not trying to make away with the papers you found at Blair’s house. Although maybe I shouldn’t thank you for expanding my suspect list.”
“I thought I’d narrowed it down,” I said. “And don’t try to convince me that you hate having the mayor at the head of your suspect list.”
He smiled slightly.
“The girlfriends are still suspects, too,” he said. “And now I pretty much have to interrogate every susceptible female who works down at the town hall, in case one of them gave him the contract and killed him to cover it up. Well, time enough for that tomorrow. Night.”
I went back to the house. I was exhausted from getting even less sleep than usual, but curiously energized by the evening’s events. I had the sinking feeling that if I went to bed right now, I’d toss and turn for hours.
I decided to fix myself a cup of tea. Herbal tea, of course, but not one of Rose Noire’s odd brews. Maybe some old-fashioned rose hip tea.
I grabbed a mug, filled it with water, and put it in the microwave.
Just as I was taking the cup out, Caroline came in.
“That was amazing!” she exclaimed. “I can’t believe how well the county is pulling together!”
Clearly she also needed to unwind.
“Would you like some tea?” I asked.
“Love some. You were pitch perfect.”
I handed her a couple of boxes of tea bags, set the heated cup in front of her, and put another in the microwave for myself. I leaned against the counter and nodded as she enthused over the meeting.
The microwave dinged. The back door opened.
“Caroline?”
It was Ms. Ellie, the librarian.
“I’m right here,” Caroline said. “You look agitated. Meg, fix her some tea.”
I put the second mug down at a place for Ms. Ellie and started a third.
Ms. Ellie did look agitated. And I’d never seen her agitated—not even when one of the juvenile delinquent Pruitts turned his ill-tempered dog loose in the children’s room during story hour.
“I have favors to ask,” she said. “Of both of you. Caroline, may I borrow your truck? The big one?”
“Well, sure, if you need it,” Caroline said. “What’s up?”
“The big move.”
“It’s definite, then?” I asked.
“Committee’s leaning that way,” she said. “And the county board’s standing by in the barn to take a vote as soon as the committee makes its recommendation. And your cousin’s advising the committee, by the way.”
“If Festus thinks the big evacuation is the best plan, I won’t argue,” I said.
“So we have to move all the books out of the library,” Ms. Ellie said. “Not just the books, of course. We have to move everything. But the books are the main problem. So, Caroline, may we use your truck?”