A Curio Killing by Mary Ellen Hughes

Author:Mary Ellen Hughes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mystery;mystery fiction;mystery;novel;mystery books;fatal collection;cozy;cozy mystery;cozy fiction;antiques;collecting;maine;mary hughes;maryellen hughes;vintage death;keepsake cove;keepsake cove mystery;keep sake cove;keep sake cove mystery series;CVR01152019;CVR03262019
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Published: 2019-07-31T17:35:41+00:00

Twenty

Back at her laptop, Callie found an email from Todd Wright waiting for her and immediately opened it.

Dear Ms. Reed,

Yes, Duane Fletcher was at my home on Saturday night at 11 o’clock. An unusual time to do business, but I was eager to settle on the sale of my painting before leaving on a planned trip, and Mr. Fletcher was willing to both meet my price and pay immediately in full. We had a pleasant drink together afterward, and I believe he left around midnight. I hope that covers all you needed to know.

Yours sincerely,

Todd Wright

Well. That was that. Callie mentally filed the email away under “disappointing information,” at the same time shaking her head at herself for wishing someone she’d come to dislike could be legitimately sent to prison.

She returned to the search engine and typed in “Portis Theater.” A string of movie theaters came up, along with a single live-performance venue: the Portis Playhouse. Callie clicked on that link and scanned the website. The home page naturally featured the playhouse’s current offering, a new play by an “Up-and-coming playwright!” titled Song of the Iguana. After reading the brief synopsis of it, Callie wished them luck selling tickets, but then again, who knew? Tastes differed.

She clicked on the “About Us” page, hoping to find mention of either Bobby Linville or Jill in the theater’s history. But the page displayed old photos of its modest beginning in a church basement, then told of a successful fundraiser and community support that led to the building of its beautiful new home about twenty years ago. Photos showed the various stages of construction, inside and out, up to the opening-night ribbon-cutting ceremony. All very interesting, but of no help to her. She clicked out of it and thought for a minute.

It was almost time to close shop. Should she do so now and run over to Shake It Up! to catch Jill? Callie went out front to check on nearby foot traffic. All looked quiet, as it had been most of the day, so she could safely assume no new customers were coming. She was ready to grab her keys when she spotted Delia and Jill step out of the salt and pepper shaker shop and turn down the street toward Delia’s car.

Had she imagined it, or had Delia purposely avoided looking her way? Callie shook her head. That wouldn’t have been like her friend at all. Delia was probably preoccupied or deep in conversation with Jill.

Callie heard her phone signal a text message and smiled when she saw it was from Brian. She’d thought he’d already left to go to Annie’s.

Coming over in a sec, his text said. Don’t disappear.

Callie texted back: Too late. Poof! J Then she hurried to close up her register, wondering what was up. When Brian arrived, he had an unexpected invitation.

“Annie would love to have you come for dinner.”

“Tonight?”

“Last minute, I know, and she apologizes, but still hopes you’ll come.”

“Well, I don’t know. Can she top any

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