Dearly Deleted by Sarah E. Burr

Author:Sarah E. Burr
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sarah E. Burr

Chapter 18

I found Strider settled at a cozy vinyl booth overlooking the harbor.

He perked up when he saw me approach. “Learn anything?”

In hushed tones, I replayed my strange interaction with the Martins, pausing briefly to place our order with a friendly server. “It was weird, Stri,” I muttered once the bubbly young woman left. “Clint was seriously boiling with rage.”

He glanced inconspicuously over at the Martins’ table. “Just because Hannah bought a laptop with her rent money?”

I frowned at his dismissive comment. “A high-end laptop can cost upwards of three thousand bucks. That kind of money matters to people,” I reminded him with a stern glare. Strider was letting his privileged lifestyle cloud his judgment.

His cheeks grew rosy and he winced at his error. “Sorry.”

I stared out the window, studying the gray waters swirling around Copper Bay Harbor. Did Clint and Peggy have a motive to kill Hannah? Yes. But did the couple have it in them to do such a terrible thing? Despite Clint’s clear resentment toward his niece, I simply couldn’t wrap my mind around it.

Not the best way to approach an investigation, I knew. But what did the Martins have to gain from Hannah’s death anyway? It sounded as though they’d successfully extricated themselves from her tumultuous lifestyle. Her death had suddenly, and begrudgingly, sucked them back into her world.

Strider and I opted to put the case aside once our piping-hot food arrived. We enjoyed a meal of fried haddock, salad, and mashed sweet potato, intermittently interrupted by well-wishers saying a hearty hello to my brother. Everyone also wished me happy holidays, so I didn’t feel too much like a third wheel. But by the time we left Copper Pot at five, both Strider and I were ready to get out of the public eye for the evening.

“Any news from the terrible twosome?” Strider yawned as we settled into the car once again.

I swiped through my phone notifications before tucking it back into my jacket. “Nothing from Bex. Owen asked for an update, but I’ll fill him in later.”

“I wonder what he’ll think about the emails between Diane and Hannah?”

I shrugged before guiding my car toward home. “I know Owen is worried about how Timeless Tomes is going to be affected by all this. Things are hard enough for independent bookstores.”

“Hmm, you’re right. Maybe we should ask Dad to make an appearance while he’s here,” Strider suggested hesitantly. “Give Owen’s store a bit of a boost.”

I snorted. “Not sure Lyle Lark doing a children’s book event so soon after an unsolved murder is the best optics for Dad or for Owen.”

“Hey, we still got a few days before the ’rents arrive.” His nonchalant comment made my stomach flip. “We might solve this thing by then.”

I gripped the steering wheel tightly as we rounded a corner. I needed to be alert and on the lookout for black ice this time of evening. “Maybe it’s already been solved,” I voiced a growing concern weighing on my mind. “Maybe Rose and Detective Kim have the right person in custody.

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