Charleston Conundrum by Stacy Wilder

Author:Stacy Wilder [Wilder, Stacy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Cozy mystery series, Labrador retriever, private investigator, women sleuth, female detective murder mystery series, Charleston, South Carolina, cozy mystery dog, romance, murder mystery
Publisher: Wild Hawk Press
Published: 2022-01-11T18:59:47+00:00

Chapter 13

The next morning, I popped by Southern Charm on my way to the Edwards’. Ellie greeted me at the door of the shop and walked me back to my favorite table outside.

“Tea or coffee today?” She asked.

“Hot tea, please. And I’ll take the quiche special.”

Ellie returned with a tray filled with a pot of steaming tea, milk, and a prosciutto and shallot quiche with a side of fried green tomatoes that smelled amazing.

“Mind if I join you? My niece is watching the front, so I can take a break.” Ellie sat across from me and filled two mugs with tea.

“I’d love the company.”

“No Duke today?” Ellie asked as she poured milk into her tea.

“No, I’m headed to visit with Tina’s parents.”

“Who’s Tina?”

“She’s the homeless girl Peg had befriended. No one’s seen her since Peg’s murder, and her parents are worried about her.” After stirring a packet of sugar into my tea, I took a bite of the quiche. The thin and flaky crust melted in my mouth.

“Oh my. You don’t think something happened to Tina do you?” She blew on her tea before taking a sip.

“No. It’s not unusual for us not to see her for a while. I just didn’t want her to find out about Peg from someone else. They were close, and Tina will be upset.” What if something happened to her that night? I pushed that thought to the back of my mind and prayed for her safety.

“How’s the investigation? And how are you doing?” she emphasized the last words.

“I’m OK. And the investigations going slower than I’d like.” I cut into a fried green tomato, a southern delicacy. I could taste the buttermilk in the batter. The tomatoes were perfectly fried. “Another winner, Ellie. You should permanently add these to the menu.”

“Thank you.” Ellie beamed and then frowned. “Do you have any idea who did it? I can’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt sweet Peg. She was such an incredible person and so generous to the Charleston community. She leaves a big void.”

After licking the fried bits of tomato off my lips, I replied, “I have a list of suspects. You know money can be both a blessing and a curse.”

“What do you mean?”

“Money is one of the top motives for murder.”

She gasped. “You think someone killed her for her money? Who?”

“A few people stood to gain from her death.” I leaned forward to tell her more, but Ellie’s niece interrupted us. “I hate to bother you, Aunt Ellie. It’s getting kinda busy. I sure could use some help.”

She turned toward her niece who was tapping her foot. “I guess we’ll have to continue this conversation later. Take care of yourself, Liz.” She patted my hand and followed her niece back inside.

***

I drove to the Edwards’ home in Goose Creek, about twenty minutes from downtown Charleston without traffic. I easily located the 1960s red brick ranch-style home. Wiping my shoes on the welcome mat, I rang the doorbell.

Susie answered and invited me in. “Please, have a seat.

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