Ginny Gold - Early Bird Café 05 - Smashed Potatoes and Gravy by Ginny Gold Read Free Book Online Page A

end of the couch. “She was arrested this morning and hasn’t been released. Apparently she doesn’t have an alibi that can be verified. Kyle doesn’t know why she was out at their land yesterday. So we went there looking for clues, and get this … He found her shoe.” Nora’s eyes widened. “At least he was pretty sure it was hers.”
    “That’s not good.”
    “No,” Kori agreed. “But it was a high heel. Why would she have been there yesterday in heels? So he doesn’t think it’s from yesterday, and I’m inclined to believe him.”
    “Of course. We both know Jenna, and Kyle, and that they weren’t involved in this.”
    Kori sipped her still too-hot tea and burned her tongue. “But then who is?”
    “You don’t have any leads?” Nora asked.
    “Well, there’s this brother of Lou’s that no one seems to know. And Kyle took me to Lou’s house and a black SUV was parked in the driveway and it looked a lot like one I saw speeding through town yesterday morning. And another weird thing from yesterday morning was that Vera was at the shelter earlier than usual, and had blood on her hands when I knocked on the front door to see if everything was okay. She looked worried and didn’t come let me in so Ibis and I went back to the café. By the way, where are the dogs?”
    Nora waved her hand in the air toward the stairs. “Milo and Otis went upstairs to pass out and Ibis followed them. I’ve never seen them get tired out so quickly. Maybe it’s the weather.”
    Kori felt a cool air blow through the room and she shivered at the thought of snow just around the corner. She took another sip of tea, being more careful this time.
    “So, do you think Vera is involved somehow?” Nora asked, bringing Kori’s thought back to Kyle and Jenna.
    Kori shook her head. “No. She’s gotta be as innocent as Jenna. I mean, I guess I want her to be. But there could always be that possibility of something we don’t know about.” Kori looked up at Nora. “We’ve known her our whole lives. How could she go and kill someone?”
    “I know. But honestly, if it’s between Vera and Jenna, I’d put my money on Vera.”
    Kori considered this idea. Finally she said, “I guess I’d have to agree.”
    Just then, Ibis came charging down the stairs, Milo and Otis right behind her, and jumped on to the couch and crawled into Kori’s lap. “Oh hi, I missed you too,” Kori said between dog kisses on her cheek.
    Kori’s phone started ringing in her pocket, only adding to the confusion. Somehow she managed not to spill any of her tea as she placed it on the windowsill behind her, pushed Ibis off and dug her phone out of her pocket. She just missed the call but saw that it was the police station. Likely Zach calling from work, but something at the back of her mind made her question that theory.
    “I’ve gotta return this call,” Kori said and walked toward the kitchen. If it was just Zach calling to say hi, she preferred privacy rather than sitting right next to Nora.
    She touched the green callback button and listened to it ring twice before she heard Zach’s voice. “Hey Kori. We just missed you.”
    “Hi Zach. What do you mean, we?” she asked, scrunching her forehead.
    “I have Jenna with me. We found some evidence we were going to go through with her to have her explain to us and she asked for you to join us. Is that okay?” Zach asked.
    Kori was confused. Wouldn’t Jenna want a lawyer? How was she getting roped into this case?
    “Sure,” she said hesitantly. “I can be right over.”
    “Great. We’ll wait for you.”
    Kori hung up and walked back to the living room. “I’ve gotta go. Zach called from the police station and Jenna asked that I come sit in on some conversation about some evidence he has or something. It all seems really weird.”
    “Do you think you’re being setup?” Nora asked. “Why would she want you there instead of Kyle or a lawyer?”
    Kori shook her head, concentrating hard. “I