Treacherous Tart by Ellie Grant Read Free Book Online

We’re not sure why he came there.”
    Betty hugged Aunt Clara in her strong arms. “Gee, I’m so sorry. Was that the big Marlboro-looking man who came in here with you? He was chunky hot for an old dude.”
    â€œThank you.” Aunt Clara got through the bear hug. “It was terrible.”
    â€œSandwiches for all three of you, on the house,” Betty declared. “What can I get for you?”
    Maggie didn’t want to take advantage of Betty’s generosity, but her aunt said it would be rude not to accept her offer. Each of them ordered the cheapest sandwich on the menu, with a drink.
    Aunt Clara sat down at one of the small tables to wait while Betty’s son, Bobby, made the sandwiches.
    â€œI’m sorry you had to go through that.” Ryan rubbed Maggie’s shoulder and then put his arm around her. “And I feel terrible for Aunt Clara too.”
    â€œThanks. It was really horrible. I hate to say it that way.” Maggie glanced at her aunt. “I really think he thought we could help him. Maybe if he’d stumbled in a few minutes sooner. I don’t know.”
    â€œSince he was shot at such close range, he probably didn’t have much of a chance.”
    â€œHow do you know that?”
    â€œI have my sources.”
    â€œYou were standing outside the shop the whole time. What sources?”
    Ryan filled his glass with sweet tea and plenty of ice. “I gave one of the ME techs ten bucks and promised not to use his name.”
    She laughed and filled her glass, and Aunt Clara’s too. “I get it. I’m thinking of sources like people in trench coats meeting in alleys. Your sources are everywhere, even in broad daylight.”
    â€œThat’s right. A good newspaper reporter has sources everywhere.” Ryan’s bright eyes were troubled. “I also spoke with Professor Simpson on his way out of the shop. He said he didn’t think Wickerson was calling for your aunt when he went in and said her name.”
    â€œI know—he said something weird like that inside too. I don’t know what he’s talking about. It must be his years of stage drama.”
    â€œWhat about Angela Hightower?” His gaze was intense on her face. “She said your aunt was missing when Wickerson came in.”
    â€œWhat does that mean?” Maggie was beginning to get angry about Ryan’s questions, even though she knew he was only repeating what he’d heard people tell the police. “Aunt Clara was outside in the alley. So what?”
    â€œSo nothing—I hope.”
    â€œYou have a suspicious mind, Ryan.”
    â€œ Psst! ” Betty waved them closer. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of Clara, but I saw the old Marlboro dude here yesterday with another, younger chick. They were having lunch and he paid .”
    â€œDid you know her?” Ryan asked.
    â€œShe comes in once in a while. She probably lives or works around here. They were kind of chummy. He was feeding her ham, and they shared a drink.”
    â€œHe was cheating on Aunt Clara?” Maggie couldn’t believe it. “Really? How many women could a man his age handle?”
    â€œDon’t think of his age,” Ryan advised. “Some people have better stamina.”
    Betty agreed. “My first husband—he had some stamina. He was married to me, and we had Bobby and Betsy in the first two years. Come to find out, he was out there with two other women. One of them was pregnant. Can you believe it?”
    â€œThat’s some stamina,” Maggie agreed.
    â€œAnyway,” Betty confided, “I know Clara is upset, but this was probably for the best. She didn’t need to be with some two-timing dude who was taking advantage of her.”
    Maggie took the drinks to the table and went back for her sandwich. She thought about what Betty had said.
    That seemed to completely contradict what Ryan had said of