Goose in the Pond - Earlene Fowler [16]
“You mean like rope burns? She was strangled by a rope?”
“Very good, Detective Harper. Now, thanks for lunch, but don’t you have something you need to attend to? Maybe planning a gourmet dinner for your hardworking husband?”
I reached over and snagged a slice of avocado. “I’m guessing that’s your not very subtle way of telling me I’m asking too many questions. And Chief Ortiz, the only gourmet dinner you’ll be getting this week is the one you’re holding in your hands. I’m up to my ears in storytellers and artists, not to mention I got a phone call from Dove this afternoon.”
“And?”
“You’ll never guess who’s back in town.” I reached for his sandwich again. He held it away from my grasp.
“If this is all I’m getting, then I’m not sharing. Who’s back in town?”
“Aunt Garnet. Or at least she will be as of tomorrow. She and Uncle W.W. are on the outs. Dove’s having a hissy fit over it. Aunt Garnet’s visit, that is, not their marriage woes.”
“The infamous Aunt Garnet,” Gabe said, chewing thoughtfully. He took a long drink from his grape soda, then grinned at me. “Well, they’re your family. I’d help, but as you can see I’m going to be extraordinarily busy the next few days. Sorry.” He set his can down on his desk blotter, not looking the least bit remorseful.
“Don’t act so smug,” I warned, slipping down off his desk. “If Dove has her way, Aunt Garnet will be staying with us. And believe me, if you think Dove meddles—”
He reached over and pulled me between his legs. “Querida, I have complete confidence in your ability to maneuver around your grandmother. Now give me a kiss and run along like a good girl. I’ve got work to do.”
I bent down and kissed him, nipping him sharply on his bottom lip.
“Ow!” he said, jerking back. “That hurt.”
“Then don’t talk so condescending to me, Friday, or the next time I’ll draw blood.”
He laughed and ran his hands over my hips. “What makes you think that’s a turnoff?”
“You’re a real sicko, Chief.” I gave him a real kiss that time. A slow, lingering one. “What time will you be home?” I eventually asked.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Who knows? You know how these things go. As soon as I get changed, Jim and I are going to head over to the sheriff’s crime lab and wait for some test results. Looks like it might be a long day. What do you have planned?”
“There’s an emergency meeting of the festival committee at the museum at two o’clock. I ran into two of them when I dropped by Blind Harry’s. They’re very upset about Nora’s murder.”
His face grew sharp and questioning. “What are their names?”
“Peter Grant and Ash Stanhill.”
“That first one sounds familiar.”
“He’s very active in environmental rights here in San Celina. You’ve probably seen his name in the newspaper. He and his friends would love for all the ranchers and farmers to just donate all our land to the public trust. Of course, I don’t know what he expects us to do for a living or where in the world he and his vegetarian friends would get their broccoli and salad greens, not to mention the leather for their Birkenstocks—”
He interrupted me. “Did they know Nora Cooper well?”
“Peter did. We all went to Cal Poly together. She was a few years older than us. I don’t know if Ash knew her well but I could casually ask—”
Gabe stood up and rested his hands firmly on my shoulders, squeezing them in warning. “No.”
Before I could answer, a knock sounded on the door. “Come in,” Gabe called out.
The door opened, and Jim Cleary’s head appeared. “Am I interrupting anything?” He gave us a wide, white smile.
“Nope, Benni was just leaving,” Gabe said evenly. He kissed the top of my head. “See you tonight. Stay out of trouble, niña.”
I rolled my eyes at Jim. “You promised me that you’d have that arrogant macho stuff trained out of him by now.”
Jim stepped into the room. He was wearing dark slacks, a pure white dress shirt, and a conservative striped tie. He was head deacon at St. Stephen’s Baptist Church over near the lake where Nora was killed, and from the looks of his attire, he’d been called straight out of church services.