Fudgy Christmas Murders by Nancy Coco

Author:Nancy Coco [Coco, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781496748454
Publisher: Kensington Books

Chapter Eleven

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the mayor said after cueing the band to take a break. “Thank you for coming out tonight and supporting a good cause.”

“Yes, beer!” a man in the audience hollered out.

“Yes, the island craft brewery,” the mayor said. “And donating toward the Engle girls’ scholarship fund. This event has raised three thousand dollars for the fund and to date we have raised twenty thousand dollars. What a generous island community.”

There was a round of applause and cheers.

“Before we get to the winners, Mrs. Engle would like to say a few words.”

Emma went up to the podium and took the microphone from the mayor with his encouragement. She thanked everyone for their support of her, her girls, and Leigh Ann.

I looked around the crowd to see if Henry Higginboom was in the crowd. I saw a few people roll their eyes at Emma’s thank you and it bothered me. Then I noticed Rex Manning in the corner, watching the crowd as closely as I was.

Douglas stood by Rex. He smiled at me. I relaxed. If there was any news from Rex on the investigation, Douglas would get it.

Emma finished her speech and went back to her seat. The mayor stirred up the crowd, getting them excited about the beers and the local breweries.

There was a tap on my shoulder. I turned to find a young woman standing there. “Please come with me,” she said.

“Is something wrong?” I asked and followed her out.

We went into the coatroom, where the sound of the crowd was dimmed enough that it was easy to talk.

“Mrs. Devaney,” she said, “I heard you were investigating Warren Engle’s murder.”

“Taylor White, is that you?” I said. She was a young girl of about twenty wearing tight blue jeans, snow boots, and a Christmas sweater. I’d taught her mother in school. “What can I do for you?”

“I think I know who killed Mr. Engle.”

“Did you talk to Officer Manning?”

“No,” she said. “I can’t go to the cops.”

“Why not?” I asked and drew my eyebrows together.

“No cops,” she said and put up her hands.

“Okay, all right, fine. Are you in danger?”

“I’m okay now. I would be in danger if I went to the cops.”

“Why? What’s is going on?”

“My boyfriend, Justin, told me he knows who did it.”

“Why? How? Was he involved?”

“Look, I don’t know the whys or hows,” she said and shoved her hands in her back pockets. “I know what he said makes sense and someone should be told.”

“Who is Justin? Can I talk to him?”

“No, no way. He’ll know I told.”

I blew out a long breath. “Why don’t you tell me what you think you know?”

“He told me the sleigh that was used to dump the body belonged to the Andersens.”

“I didn’t know the Andersens had a sleigh or even any horses still on the island.”

“You see, no one really knows. Old Man Andersen hasn’t used the sleigh in years. He keeps it in a small carriage house behind his cottage. It’s usually buried under a ton of stuff.

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