Photo Finished by Christin Brecher

Author:Christin Brecher [Brecher, Christin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-07-27T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

“Tell me this isn’t the best pizza you’ve ever had,” I said as we sat at a table on Bleeker Street at my favorite pizza joint.

“This was worth it,” said Harry.

He reached for a second slice from the large pie we’d ordered. The mozzarella stretched from the tray to his paper plate. I handed him a jar of red pepper flakes.

“OK,” he said, tossing a healthy amount of the herbs onto his slice. “Who are your suspects at this point, and what do we have on them?”

“Excellent question,” I said, wiping my mouth with my third napkin. “Detective Thorne said that the murder of Charlie Archibald was a crime of passion. That deduction was based on the violence of the act itself. I guess stabbing someone in the eye isn’t the sort of thing you plot.”

“Unless the murderer was going for a symbolic ‘eye for an eye’ statement.”

“True,” I said. “But when balanced against the fact that the murder itself was so public, and therefore risky, it still reads ‘crime of passion.’ I’d like to take credit for that deduction, but it came from Detective Thorne.”

“The crust is amazing,” said Harry.

“I’ve tried to replicate it at home,” I said, agreeing with his appraisal. “I’ve come close, but I’ve concluded that it’s the oven here that provides the magic touch.”

“I see investigating things isn’t entirely new to you,” he said with a wink.

“I honestly think it would be easier to find a killer than discover the secret to this pie crust.”

It was weird to laugh over murder, but that’s what a great pizza can do for you.

“So, a crime of passion,” he said. “Basing the investigation on this assumption, who are the suspects?”

“There were nine of us remaining at the Pierre, at the time Archibald was murdered: Donna Archibald, the Toppers, the Headrams, a waiter, Regina, Elizabeth Everly, and me. Thorne said that security was watching points of egress, and no one exited between the time that Archibald left the ballroom and when Regina and I found him.”

“Assuming you and Regina were not the killers, that leaves seven suspects?” said Harry. “Maybe eight,” I said. “I am not sure, but I think Felicity Cromwell might have been there, too.”

“I’m overwhelmed already.”

“Me too,” I admitted.

We each focused on our pizza for a moment.

“We know at least seven suspects left the room and returned at some point after Archibald stormed out,” I said.

“Who had motive?”

“Between love and money, arguably everyone had a motive,” I said. “Detective Thorne has focused on the love angle from the get-go. Given the behaviors and dynamics I observed in my suspects the night of the ball, however, I keep coming back to money.”

“Since Archibald was skimming off of the foundation to prop up LaunchTech, it feels like money’s a solid motive,” said Harry.

“Except the news of Archibald’s financial crimes was released after his death,” I said. “It seems certain that Felicity Cromwell had figured it out. Bill Topper or Donna Archibald might have, too. I haven’t spoken

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