Yuletide Murder (A Deadline Cozy Mystery Book 10) by Sonia Parin

Author:Sonia Parin [Parin, Sonia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-10-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

“I’ve scoured through social media and only found happy group photographs,” Jill said. “I didn’t see a single slanted glance or narrowed look. The Tinsel-Toners meet once a week in a recording studio owned by one of them.” Jill looked through her notes. “Arty Manningham. His room is two doors down from mine. He’s a quiet sleeper. They do annual recordings to raise money for charity.” Jill raised a finger. “The Yule-Tiders collect money as well, but not as much. Both groups have posted photos of themselves holding up those oversized checks that always make me wonder how they get it over the counter. I mean… someone must have the job of taking it into the bank… Oh, never mind. Anyhow, if you ask me, I think the Yule-Tiders are jealous but I don’t think that’s motive for murder.”

Eve carved the roast but didn’t comment.

“I’ve been working on a list of questions,” Jill continued. “Did Todd Emerson go out for a breath of fresh air?”

“In this weather?” Eve didn’t think so.

“Okay. If the killer forced him to go out,” Jill said, “I’m sure we would have heard something.”

“Not if he had a gun pointed at him.”

“Would that stop me?” Jill wondered. “I mean, what’s the worst that can happen? Someone has a gun pointed at you, you scream, they lose their focus, you duck or run. If you run, you make sure to avoid running in a straight line. Duh, that goes without saying. I think I like my chances of escaping unscathed.” Jill tapped her chin and nodded. “Yes, I would definitely scream and now I’m not so sure about running. I think I would have a better chance of survival if I lunged at my attacker using all my girl power.”

“Girl power?”

“Scream and screech. Scratch and gouge.”

“You’ve got it all worked out.”

“It pays to be ready especially since I spend so much time around you.”

Eve wondered if the police had searched the guests. Then again, if a killer resided among them, they would have taken precautions, either hiding or disposing of the weapon.

“It could have been a clandestine meeting.” Jill looked over her shoulder to make sure no one could hear her. “Maybe one of the Yule-Tiders suggested a truce as a way of luring Todd outside.”

“Oh, I like that.”

“What if Todd wanted to defect?”

“Leave the Tinsel-Toners and join the Yule-Tiders? Why would he do that?”

“I’ll have to do some more digging. There might be something in his past to suggest he was really a Yule-Tider at heart.”

But they would still need a motive, Eve thought. Granted, some people didn’t need much incentive to commit murder. Had Todd Emerson been killed because of his singing or because he belonged to a rival caroling group?

“This next question is really baffling me,” Jill said. “Location. Why would someone commit murder here at the inn… on this island?”

Eve grinned from ear to ear, her teeth clenched together. “I’ve been asking myself the same question. Why here? Why me?”

Jill raised a finger.

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