Crêpe Expectations by Sarah Fox

Author:Sarah Fox [Fox, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Cozy, General, Women Sleuths, Private Investigators
ISBN: 9781516107759
Google: PaRsDwAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1516107780
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Published: 2019-05-28T10:10:54.882000+00:00

Chapter 18

“Do you know where Lonny went after he dropped you off in the woods?”

I asked, hoping I could find an easy way to eliminate him from my pool of suspects.

“Home. He wanted to go to bed because he had to be up early.”

“Are you sure he went home?”

A crease appeared across Chloe’s forehead. “That’s where he said he was going. Why?” Her eyes widened. “No way! You can’t be thinking Lonny is the killer.”

“I don’t want him to be.”

“Why would you even suspect him?” Brett asked. “Did he know Demetra at all?” He directed that last question at his sister.

“He knew who she was,” Chloe replied, “but I don’t know if they ever had anything to do with each other.”

They both looked to me, so I told them about Lonny’s reaction to hearing about the ring.

“Are you sure that’s what he was reacting to?” Chloe asked. “Maybe it was something else. Maybe he wasn’t feeling well.”

“I could be mistaken,” I said, although I didn’t really believe that I was.

Chloe had a tight grip on her empty glass. “You must be. Lonny wouldn’t hurt anyone. And why would he recognize the ring, anyway? It’s a woman’s ring.”

“It was for Hope,” Brett said.

Chloe and I looked at him.

“Didn’t they get married pretty soon after you and Hope graduated?” he

asked Chloe.

“About a year later,” she confirmed.

“So he was carrying the ring around, planning to propose to her, waiting for the right moment.” He shrugged when Chloe and I didn’t say anything.

“It’s possible.”

“It is,” I agreed.

“But he didn’t propose to her until around Christmastime,” Chloe said.

I remembered what Hope had told me the day before. “New Year’s Eve.”

“Because he lost the ring,” Brett said. “He probably had to save up to buy another one.”

It made sense, unfortunately.

Chloe shook her head. “No. I don’t want to believe it.”

I didn’t either and said as much.

Brett shifted his arm from the back of the couch to rest across my shoulders. “What about a motive?”

Chloe perked up. “Exactly. He hasn’t got one.” She sent an apprehensive glance my way. “Right?”

“I don’t know of any.”

She visibly relaxed. “I’m sure it wasn’t Lonny.”

“I hope you’re right.” I decided to shift the conversation slightly. “When I was at Chrissy’s store and overheard her talking about the ring, Amy Strudwick was there too.”

“Is she the photographer?” Brett asked.

Chloe drained the last of her iced tea. “Yep. She has a studio in Port Townsend now.”

“Was Amy at the party?” I asked.

“No. And she never had much to do with Demetra. She hung out with the artsy people like the Olafson twins, and I don’t think Demetra was very nice

to her in middle school. Not that Demetra was nice to anyone, but there were a few people she picked on in particular, me and Amy being among them.”

She pressed her lips together. “Although…”

“Although?” I prodded.

Chloe took a second before responding. “Amy did help out Demetra with her modeling portfolio senior year. Demetra wanted some pictures to take with her when she went to New York, and Amy was already a good photographer back then.

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