Sales, Secrets & Suspects (Dogwood Springs Cozy Mystery Book 2) by Sally Bayless

Author:Sally Bayless [Bayless, Sally]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781946034229
Publisher: Kimberlin Belle Publishing
Published: 2022-11-16T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Early the next morning, before the day got hot, I took Bella on a walk downtown. She was in her element, greeting every person we met, and I, well, I may have been mooning over Sam just a bit. But at least I was getting some exercise while I did it.

Since it was Sunday, most of the shops were closed until noon, but the restaurants were open for brunch, and the outside seating at the café was packed, with two groups of people standing near the hostess stand, discussing how good the pancakes smelled.

I inhaled deeply as Bella and I walked by. “Personally, it’s the bacon that smells good to me, girl. What do you think?”

Bella gave a soft woof, which I took as agreement.

A block farther down the street, near a restaurant with a popular brunch buffet, I drew in a quick breath.

Coming out of the restaurant was the woman from the auction, Lisa Brown. Her leopard-print purse was slung over her shoulder.

She and another woman stopped on the sidewalk and hugged. They went through a long, dramatic goodbye filled with many promises to get together again soon. From what they said, I gathered they each lived about two hours away, but in opposite directions.

I pretended to look at items in the window of the accessory store, all the while keeping an eye on Lisa. The minute she was done with her reunion, I had some questions to ask her.

Finally, after one last hug, the other woman turned away and headed up the street.

Lisa turned toward me.

Now was my chance. Subtle. Remember to be subtle.

“Oh, hello.” I put myself directly in her path. Bella cooperated fully, turning her body perpendicular to the flow of the sidewalk.

Lisa’s over-plucked eyebrows pinched together, and a fuzzy look came into her eyes.

“We met at the auction.” I stepped closer. “Well, we didn’t actually meet, but I saw you in the room with the armoire.”

“Oh, yes!” Lisa’s face lit, then dimmed. “Such a tragic event.”

“It certainly was. I’m Libby Ballard, by the way.” I stuck out a hand. “I’m the director of the local history museum.”

“Lisa Brown.” She shook my hand. “I’m sorry I never called you back. I listened to your message and then got distracted and forgot all about it.”

“Been there. Done that.” Luckily, fate had given me a chance to talk to her in person. “Were you able to buy what you were interested in before the auction was shut down?”

“No. I was actually hoping to buy that armoire.” She gave an exaggerated shiver. “I’m not so interested now.”

Excellent. Despite the fact that Sheila’s body had been hidden in the armoire, the museum still might want it. Maybe. But if we did, I didn’t want to be bidding against anyone. “I was interested in that myself. It’s not a great piece, but it’s got ties to the town founder, and I was hoping to buy it for the museum.”

“Really?” Lisa stepped into the shade of a nearby awning. “It’s also got ties to me, so I’d be very interested to learn what you know about the history of the piece.

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