Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon Read Free Book Online Page B

the call would be all I needed to convince her to come.
    â€œOkay, I’m back, Jilly. What’s going on? Problems with a supplier? I told you not to put all your eggs in one basket. You need to have options.”
    â€œNo, it’s not a problem with a supplier. In fact, the shop’s doing great.”
    â€œThen what do you need from me?”
    I took a deep breath. “Aunt Jackie, I’ve had a friend die. She didn’t have anyone, so I’m responsible for getting her affairs in order. I just can’t do all that and keep the shop going. Is there any way—” I didn’t get to finish the sentence.
    â€œYou want me to come down and run the shop?”
    â€œBasically, yes. I mean, I’ll be in town to help out if you need me, but there are just so many things I need to do.” Who knew planning a funeral would be so time-consuming? Especially when you added in the looking-for-a-murderer part.
    The line went dead. Oh God, she’d hung up on me. “Aunt Jackie?”
    â€œHold on, dear, I’m looking at my calendar. I had a cruise scheduled next month to the Galapagos Islands to see that Lonely George turtle. I hear he’s not as lonely anymore.” She giggled. “But I’m free for a few weeks. I guess it wouldn’t hurt me to spend some time with my favorite niece.”
    I was her only niece. “So you’ll come?”
    â€œI’ll drive down this afternoon. We can eat dinner together. I should be there no later than five, depending on traffic.”
    â€œGreat. I appreciate this.” I wrote down Dinner at Lille’s on my list.
    â€œDo I need to book a room at that lovely B-and-B down the road?”
    I hadn’t thought about where she’d stay, but then I had an idea. If Miss Emily’s house was now mine, it would be more convenient for me to stay there while I pulled everything together. “Nope, don’t book anything. You’ll stay in my apartment.”
    â€œBut dear, you only have one bedroom and I’m not a couch sort of girl.”
    Boy, was that ever true. “You’ll have the place to yourself. I have other plans.”
    â€œYou aren’t taking off with some loser and leaving me stuck with the shop, are you?” The words sounded light, almost casual. But the meaning was clear. My aunt considered me a flake.
    Ouch, that hurt. “No, I’m not taking off. I’ll explain it all when you get here.”
    â€œAll right, then. I’ll see you this evening.”
    â€œDrive safe. And thank you.”
    â€œNo problem, dear. What is family for?”
    Breathing a sigh of relief, I made another call. In a few minutes, I had the first appointment on the mayor’s schedule for the day. Ten o’clock. I headed to the bedroom to pack a bag for my move into Miss Emily’s house.
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    I sat in a turquoise-blue plastic chair, right in the middle of the row of blue plastic chairs I’m pretty sure came from a rummage sale from the California DMV. Think 1960s-era molded backs with most of the lip at the top broken off. Surely the town could afford something a little more upscale, like the folding chairs they sell at Costco, ten for fifty dollars?
    Amy pecked at her keyboard, searching for any trace of the lawyer whose letter we’d found in Miss Emily’s desk. My travel bag sat in my Jeep, and I was heading directly to Miss Emily’s house after hearing what Mayor Bird had on his mind.
    I’d called Jimmy Marcum’s office and made an appointment for tomorrow afternoon rather than wait until Monday. I figured I had time to get Aunt Jackie settled in the store before I took off for Bakerstown. My mind was running in a thousand directions when I heard my name.
    â€œMiss Gardner?” Mayor Baylor stood in front of me. I hadn’t heard him come out of his office. Amy shrugged and started going through the files on her desk. I noticed her screen had gone