Her purse lay on the counter nearly beside her, and for once, she immediately located the cell phone amid the myriad assortment of objects she needed to get through her day. She glanced at caller ID and felt a slight leap of joy, although she knew this could be more bad news.
“Good morning, Eric.”
“You sound chipper. Getting ready for work?”
“Of course. I managed to shower, dress, and eat without waking Catherine. This Christmas is supposed to be a break from all the work she does at school, but so far I don’t think she’s getting much rest. I didn’t want to tell her about the fire last night or early this morning. I want her to sleep as late as possible.”
“You’re a kind, considerate soul, Marissa Gray.”
“I know. I’m expecting to be presented a medal for my goodness at the Christmas parade.” She paused. “You didn’t call just to see if I’m ready for work.”
He drew a deep breath. “Marissa, Tonya was murdered last night.”
Numbly Marissa looked outside, shielding herself from the news by watching a brilliantly red male cardinal hop from twig to twig on the big oak tree. Would he fly away or just spend the morning sightseeing from the Grays’ yard? Then she felt her hand trembling and the shield shattered. Eric’s news finally hit it like a hammer blow. “T-Tonya?
Murdered?
”
“Yes. Andrew found her. He said he’d had to work late. She was in her kitchen and someone stabbed her in the throat. Puncture wound, the doctor says. Must have gotten one of the jugular veins. I’ll have to wait for the ME’s report to know.”
“But that couldn’t be. She was
here!
”
“There?”
“Yes. About half an hour after you left, she arrived without calling. I guess she didn’t notice the flower garden. If she did, she didn’t mention it. She said she wanted to patch up our friendship. She stayed for about a half hour, but she was nervous and quick to take offense and she was rambling about Dillon and finally she left in a huff and told me not to go
whining
to Andrew about her being here.”
“Good God!” Marissa could hear Eric draw a deep breath. “She was wearing a coat when Andrew found her. She must have just gotten home, which means—”
“Someone was waiting inside for her?”
“They weren’t there when Andrew got home. He’s a wreck.”
“Of course he is. I didn’t see them together often, but I know he was so in love with her. And vice versa, from what I heard last night.”
“He won’t be in to work today. I think someone called the guy who retired as editor and Andrew replaced. He’ll fill in.”
“Oh. Sure.”
“Marissa, are you all right? You sound so vague.”
“I’m just trying to take it all in.”
“I think everyone is. Marissa, have you talked over everything that’s happened with Catherine? Does she know all about Tonya’s visit?”
“No. I’d gone to bed when she came in.”
“Good. I don’t want her to know about Tonya right now. Will she be home this evening?
“As far as I know she doesn’t have plans.”
“Then I’d like to ask a favor from you.”
“Anything I can do to help, Eric.”
“I need to get a time line on Tonya’s murder, and the time Andrew says he returned home. Also, you said Tonya’s visit was strange. I want to hear all the details, and I’d like to keep this stuff between the two of us for now.”
“All right. I won’t say a word to her. You took the postcard and the doll and the ‘Tyger’ note, so she can’t accidentally run across them. Only you and I know about them. She’ll see the rose garden, though.”
“No getting around that. You’ll have to tell her about the fire. Leave out the doll and the other stuff for now.”
“Was that the favor you wanted to ask of me?”
“No. I didn’t get any sleep last night and I’ll be working all day, so here’s the favor. I wonder if you would meet me at headquarters about five thirty. Outside, of course. We don’t want to set off the gossipmongers here. Anyway, we’ll go back to my place and you can tell me everything you can remember about times, things you and Tonya discussed—anything that might help. That way we’ll have complete privacy.”
“Catherine will pester me to death wanting to know why you want privacy with me.”
“I’ve already thought of that. I think it’s best she knows where you are in case something happens and she needs you—us. Tell her I want to go over details about your wreck again. I know by six o’clock or so I’ll be tired and in need of a shower to wake up my brain. And I have some files at my apartment I’d like for you to read.”
Marissa didn’t hesitate. Eric’s tone told her he had nothing in mind but business for tonight. He wasn’t trying to lure her to his apartment for a romantic interlude. “I understand. You said you’d want to eat. So will I. I haven’t worked on my cooking skills the last few years, so I can’t go into your kitchen and whip up something wonderful in a jiffy.”
“You certainly couldn’t. I have beer, a jar of mustard, some shriveled hot dogs, and some milk I’m sure has gone sour. We’ll stop and get something. How about Kentucky Fried Chicken?”
“I love it.”
“I remember. See you later, Marissa.”
2
The offices of the
Aurora Falls Gazette
were almost eerily quiet. People sat at their desks, working efficiently, but they all had a look of shock and bewilderment. In the mornings, Marissa always walked by Andrew’s office and waved. Today, she saw a much older man with weathered skin and thick white hair sitting at Andrew’s desk. She recalled that Peter Hagarty had been the former editor. She didn’t know him and would have stopped in his office to introduce herself, but he held the phone in his hand as he took notes, his forehead furrowed.
Marissa sauntered to the coffeemaker Tonya had given to the
Gazette
not long before Andrew hired Marissa. As she poured a cup of the aromatic blend, the call from Eric repeated itself in her mind. He’d said Tonya had suffered a puncture wound in the neck damaging a jugular vein. She’d probably died in a pool of blood. Marissa cringed. She’d seen Tonya just twelve hours earlier and her features remained sharp in Marissa’s mind. Tonya had looked so young last night, she thought. So young and…blooming. Many people said a woman looked blooming when she was—
Marissa nearly dropped her cup before she got back to her desk.
Could Tonya’s odd behavior last night have had anything to do with a pregnancy? People said a woman’s hormones went wild during pregnancy. Marissa sat down and took a sip of hot coffee and then another, as if they could clear her head. No, she thought. Maybe hormones were partially responsible for Tonya’s mood swings but not for the whole conversation. Why was she so hell-bent on renewing the friendship? She didn’t want me stirring up trouble, Marissa decided. She wanted the whole issue of Gretchen’s death forgotten. Could it be that if Tonya was pregnant, she didn’t want her child ever to hear something that made it doubt its mother?
Peter Hagarty, looking harried, opened his door and called, “Marissa Gray?”
She hurried to his office and he shut the door. “Hi. Pete Hagarty,” he said, extending his hand. “Sorry I couldn’t introduce myself earlier.”
“That’s all right. I’m Marissa and I’ve always heard good things about you.” She paused. “And boy, did that sound like apple-polishing.”
He laughed, a rumbling sound deep in his chest. “Maybe from someone else, but you’re too good a reporter to need to flatter me.” His laughter stopped as quickly as it had begun. “You know about the Tonya Archer murder. I want you and Landers to cover it. Just because it’s the murder of your boss’s wife, don’t walk on eggshells—”
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Hagarty, but Tonya Archer was a friend of mine.” She hesitated. Eric had told her not to mention what Tonya had said during her visit last night, but Marissa’s reporter’s ethics overrode her desire to please Eric. “She was at my house last night.”
“
What?
” Hagarty boomed so loudly people outside his office looked at them through the glass. “Tonya Archer was at your house last night?”
I just said that, Marissa thought, but she tried to keep any annoyance from her expression. “Yes, sir. I wish I could help today, but unfortunately, I’m connected to the murders of Buddy Pruitt and Tonya Archer. Tangentially to Buddy, but as far as the police are concerned—”
“Damn. The police are out to get me.”
Marissa didn’t know whether he was serious. He stared out the window, making a steeple with his fingers. Then he let out a huge sigh and looked at Marissa with sympathy. “My wife would smack me over the head with an iron frying pan for what I just did—thinking about how things aren’t working out for me when your friend has just been murdered. I’m sorry, Marissa.”
“Thank you.”
“You and Tonya were good friends?”
She tilted her head and looked at him cannily. “Always the reporter, aren’t you?”
“You caught me. Just think—a week ago we were known for being a low-crime city. Now…” He raised his arms. “Well, I do have a story you can cover.” The expression in his gaze lightened. “Hold on to your hat—it’s a big one.”
Marissa laughed. “I would, but I’m not wearing a hat.”
“On January fifth, the Friends of the Library are holding a book auction to raise funds for the new library. They’re going to have refreshments and entertainment. My wife is one of the Friends and instructed me to see that we do a decent story about it, not some little blurb on the last page. The president of the Friends is Susan Montgomery—the chief deputy’s mother—but my wife says she doesn’t like talking to the press. Shy or something. So I guess you could talk to my wife—”
“I can talk to Susan!” Marissa blurted, remembering Eric saying things were uncomfortable when he visited his house. He didn’t want to ask to see albums. Marissa didn’t, either, but she wouldn’t be crushed if her request was denied. “Susan’s daughter was my best friend. I know the Montgomerys very well. I think I could get a decent interview from Susan. She’d be relaxed around me—she’s known me since I was a little girl—and if I have a tape recorder going, she might start talking and forget her stage fright. I’m sure I can get
something
helpful from her!”
Mr. Hagarty leaned back in his chair, put up both hands, and said, “Whoa! My God, Marissa, you
do
have the heart of a reporter! Not shy about going after the big stories, are you?”
Marissa laughed. “We’re not exactly talking about an interview at the White House.”
“No, but…”
“Mr. Hagarty, this wouldn’t be the same as my covering a news story about Buddy Pruitt or Tonya,” Marissa said earnestly. “It’s more of a feature story. I wouldn’t be breaching ethics.”
He frowned before bursting out, “Why not? My wife told me we have to treat Susan very gently because she lost her daughter, but if you knew that daughter, if you were friends with the family—”
“I did know Gretchen. I know the whole family. I will be my absolutely most tactful and gentle. After all, the story isn’t about Gretchen. I don’t think I’ll have to bully Susan into talking about the city library.”
“You might have to be a little forceful to get her to agree to an interview.”
“I know. And I will if must, but I can do it gently.” Marissa was already rising from her chair. “Please, Mr. Hagarty, let me do this story. I’ll call Mrs. Montgomery this afternoon and set up a time for the interview as soon as possible. January fifth isn’t far away.”
“You’re right. Get to work. And Marissa?”
“Yes?”
“Could you call me Peter? Or even better, Pete. I have a problem with a whizz kid like you calling me Mr. Hagarty—makes me feel like an old fogey.”
Marissa smiled. “I don’t think I’ll have a bit of trouble calling you Pete.”
“The
Aurora Falls Gazette,
Marissa Gray speaking.”
Catherine nearly shouted over the phone: “Marissa, how could you leave this morning without telling me Tonya was murdered last night?”
“I wanted you to get as much sleep as possible before you heard the news. Who told you?”
“Will Addison! He called this morning and was shocked that I didn’t know. We haven’t been close to Tonya for years, but she was our friend since we were children! I don’t understand what you were thinking, Marissa, letting me just sleep the morning away when you
knew
Tonya had been murdered!”
“You’ve already burst my right ear drum. Can you lower your voice?”
“What? I’m sorry, but I’m upset.” Her voice grew even louder: “And what the hell happened to the rose garden?”
“Catherine, you are beyond upset. Take a couple of breaths before you have a stroke. Now, you said Will Addison called you about Tonya. What time did he call you?”
“About eleven o’clock.”
“I found out about Tonya more than two hours earlier. That was two hours you were able to sleep and enjoy your morning. You couldn’t do anything for Tonya. I thought I could do something for you—give you a peaceful morning. Your visit home has been pretty much of a disaster.”
“Well, I guess I understand your thinking,” Catherine said reluctantly. “I could never have kept my mouth shut—I would have been up the stairs and had you awake within ten minutes—but you’ve always been much more coolheaded about everything than I am. I get so distressed.”
Which is partly why I’m not going to tell you now that Tonya visited me last night, Marissa thought. That news can wait, especially because Eric doesn’t want the news generally known. “As for Mom’s rose garden, someone poured kerosene on the bushes and set fire to them.”
“Who? Why?”
“Those are the questions I, the reporter, am supposed to ask. We don’t know who did it. Eric was there—”
“Eric! Why?”
“To talk about something that happened earlier yesterday. I’ll tell you when I have more privacy. Anyway, we were sitting in the kitchen and the blinds were down. Lindsay kept barking and at first we ignored her; then she got really frantic and Eric pulled aside a blind and we saw the fire. The fire department sent a small truck to put it out and a firefighter told us the accelerant was kerosene. Of course, Eric is investigating, but he hasn’t turned up anything yet.”