Death Waxed Over - Tim Myers [14]
“No, you don’t understand. I was at the fair today. I know you didn’t kill her, because I saw who did.”
“Are you serious? You need to go to the police.”
He looked at River’s Edge, then said, “This place must be worth a fortune.”
“You’d have to ask the bank, it mostly belongs to them. What’s that got to do with anything, anyway?’
“I was thinking maybe there’d be some kind of reward for coming forward,” the man said softly.
“Get out of here,”
It was obviously not the kind of reaction he was expecting. “What do you mean? You’re not going to pay me?”
“For telling the truth? I doubt you’d know it if it bit you on the leg. You probably weren’t even at the fair today. Now go away.”
He started to do as I’d asked, but paused before leaving the alley. “I could have seen it the other way just as easily, you know. If I give it enough thought, I might just remember that I saw you shoot her after all.”
“You’re bluffing now.”
“What makes you think so?”
“Because there’s nothing in it for you. Besides, I didn’t do it.”
I started the truck, my hands shaking from the confrontation. I couldn’t believe anybody would try to shake me down for testifying to the truth. I realized that I’d better mention what had happened in the parking lot to the sheriff, just in case the lunatic tried to follow through with his threat of smearing me. I didn’t need any more headaches at the moment than I already had. I finally managed to collect myself by the time I got to New Conover. It was just in time to break the displays down, too. Most likely I was in for another round of accusations before the night was over.
Surprisingly, things were quiet as Heather and I dismantled our tables. She said, “It’s been like this all afternoon. The other vendors have been ignoring me, and the customers just stare as they walk by.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I feel responsible.”
“It’s not your fault, Harrison,” she said. “I can’t believe this happened right under our noses. Who would have had any reason to shoot Gretel Barnett?”
“Do you mean besides me?”
“Come on, I already told you, I know you didn’t do it. But I can’t help wondering who did.”
“I don’t have a clue. It could have been anybody. With all those firecrackers going off and the crowds milling around, it would be so easy for the killer to fade back into the mob. It’s really none of my business.”
Heather said, “You’re joking, right? If anybody should be searching for the killer, it should be you.”
“Why? Let the police handle it. Sheriff Morton’s good at what he does.”
“So you’re willing to let your candleshop die, just like that? Harrison, there’s something you don’t understand. Just the implication that you had anything to do with Gretel’s death could be enough to destroy your business. What she couldn’t do in life, she might just manage in death.”
“We had a load of customers today,” I said in my own defense.
“Curiosity seekers,” she said. “How many of your regular customers will come back if they think you’re a killer? Do you think Mrs. Jorgenson is going to come waltzing in for more private lessons while you have this hanging over your head? Believe me, you’d better figure out who killed Gretel, and do it soon if you want to keep At Wick’s End open.”
I hadn’t even thought about Mrs. Jorgenson. If I lost her business, which I very possibly could, my profit margin would sink like a stone in the Gunpowder. Heather was right. If I was going to keep my candleshop open, I was going to have to figure out who had killed the only other chandler in town.
After unloading Heather’s things back at River’s Edge and putting the tables we’d used back into storage, I decided to pay a visit to Flickering Lights to see if I could find anything that might point to a reason Gretel had been murdered. Knowing Sheriff Morton, there was a good chance he would be there himself, and while he probably wouldn’t be all that crazy about me just showing up, maybe