“I’ll get this.” Sam called their order into the speaker and took some cash out of her center console. “So our first sleuthing adventure was successful.”

  “How do you figure that? We don’t have anything to tell Drew or the book club on Tuesday.” Rarity stared out the side window and thought she saw Ingrid and Vi getting out of a car and walking into the taco stand.

  “Don’t be so sure. Checking out something and finding out there’s nothing there makes one less spot that Drew has to focus on.” Sam moved the car up in line. “I love a good drive-thru.”

  “Look over there. Are those our friends from the spa?” Rarity guessed Sam’s theory was true, but it seemed like a waste of time. It would have been a great spa day, if the staff hadn’t been so focused on selling the next treatment.

  “I guess the staff doesn’t all just eat salads and sprouts.” Sam laughed as the woman at the window took her money.

  The woman glanced toward where Sam was looking. “I take it you’ve been to the spa?”

  “You get a lot of business from them, I take it?” Sam held her hand out for the change.

  “You wouldn’t believe how much. We can always tell when a session’s let out, since we get slammed. And their employees eat here too.” She handed Sam a bag. “Our food’s twice as good. And still healthy for you.”

  As they drove away, Sam sipped on her soda. “I’m not sure about the tacos being healthy, but I’m enjoying the sugar in this soda.”

  “Do you want to stop at the overlook and eat so you won’t have shell crumbs all over yourself when we see Drew?” Rarity asked.

  Sam smiled at her. “You’re a great friend, you know that, right?”

  * * * *

  When they got back to the house, she spied Drew outside on the deck talking to another man. Rarity could only see the guy’s back from the doorway. Great, a double date setup. Rarity scooped up a barking Killer and gave him a hug as she opened the sliding glass door and stepped out on the deck. And right into Archer. She felt her cheeks flush as she managed an “Oh, hi.”

  “Hey, you’re back. And still alive. I was worried. I’ve never sent civilians undercover into an investigation before.” Drew opened the cooler. “I have beer on ice for your trouble.”

  “Don’t tell me you don’t want our very thorough report before we start drinking. Oh, wait, you already checked the place out and were just humoring us.” Rarity took the beer he offered her. “I see how it is. Hi, Archer. I didn’t know you knew our scheming police detective here.”

  “Actually, Drew and I went to school together. We’ve been friends for a while.” He reached out to pet Killer. “I didn’t know you two were acquainted, though.”

  “Barely. He likes my dog, so I let him hang around here sometimes.” She nodded toward Sam. “You remember my friend Sam?”

  “You two are some of my best local customers.” He tipped his beer bottle toward her. “Nice to see you again.”

  “Nice to see you too.” Sam focused on Drew. “So you’d already talked to the spa people about Martha? Don’t you think the place is a little off? It gave me goosebumps at times.”

  “I do want your impressions. That’s why I sent you there. So are you saying ‘off,’ as in focused on the buck rather than the healing they claim to do? Definitely. I think they were robbing Martha blind with all those supplements and food shakes. Remember I’ve been in her house. They were all over the place.” Drew went back to the grill and opened it. “Now, I like to get my nutrients the old-fashioned way. I hope you all like steaks.”

  “Works for me,” Sam said, shooting a glance at Rarity.

  “Sorry, I’m off most red meats. Just a taste thing after the chemo. I’ve got a chicken breast in the fridge if you wouldn’t mind grilling that. I’ll go grab and season it.” She moved toward the kitchen.

  When she returned, he took the plate from her and opened the grill. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I didn’t even think. I should have asked this morning.”

  “No need to be worried about it. I see you all brought a variety of salads and fruits and vegetable trays for snacking. I wouldn’t have gone hungry.” She took the now-empty plate.

  “Yeah, but I should have been more thoughtful.” He glanced at his watch. “We’ll be ready to eat in about fifteen, twenty minutes. Do you want to eat out here by the pool?”

  “Sounds perfect.” She took the plate back in the kitchen and was surprised when Archer followed her. “I’m glad Drew dragged you along.”

  “I’m glad you’re glad. He said it would be cool with you, but I just want to make sure. If it’s weird somehow, I’ll eat and leave.” He met her gaze and held it.

  She couldn’t catch her breath. Finally, she reached for the cabinet and started loading up a tray with flatware, napkins, plates, and seasonings. She waited until she’d felt her face cool a bit before turning around. “Why would it be weird? I enjoy your company. Do you want to help me get stuff outside so we can get the table set up?”

  “I’m here to serve.” He smiled, and as he picked up the tray she’d just filled, she noticed the dimples in his cheeks. He paused at the sliding door. “Are you coming?”

  “I’ll be right out. I’ve got to grab something.” She hurried into her bedroom and the en suite bath and closed the door. Then she ran cold water over her hands, letting the chill bring her temperature down and slow her heart rate. She studied her face in the mirror. “He’s just here as Drew’s friend. Stop pretending you’re in a regency romance.”

  She wasn’t sure either she or the woman in the mirror believed her words. But she dried her hands and then went to set out the salads that Drew and Archer had brought over for dinner. One thing was certain, they wouldn’t starve. Even if they were stuck in the house for the next week.

  As they were eating, Drew’s phone buzzed. He picked it up, read the text, then set it back down.

  “Something important?” Sam asked.

  He shrugged. “The coroner just got back to me on a question I had. Nothing I need to handle right now.”

  Rarity studied him, thinking about the day they’d had at the health spa. Something had bothered her when they’d been talking with Vi and Ingrid. Now she couldn’t put her finger on it. It hadn’t been a lie, but it had been something surprising. Now she couldn’t remember what it had been.

  He shook his head. “Don’t even ask because I’m not going to tell you. You and Sam did enough by going to the spa. Send me your receipt, and I’ll get your expenses reimbursed. I appreciate your insight.”

  “Did you talk with Kelly O’Reilly yet?” Sam surprised Rarity by pushing the subject.

  “He has an alibi for the night Martha died. And yes, he was seeing both Martha and Gay at the same time. That’s not a crime.” Drew cut his steak and took a bite. “Everything tastes better grilled.”

  “Not everything. Chocolate doesn’t taste better grilled,” Archer challenged him. “Who’s Gay?”

  “Gay is Madame Zelda’s real name. We went to school with her daughter, Heather. Don’t you remember?” He cut another slice of steak and ate it.

  “No way. Skinny kid, glasses, always had her nose in a book?” He smiled at Rarity. “No offense to our local bookseller here.”

  “That’s her. Heather and I dated for a while, then she went off to college and met someone in computers. Gay told me she thought her daughter was an idiot leaving me behind. That I was the only guy Heather dated that she could even stand.” He picked up the potato salad container and refilled his plate. Then he handed the container to Archer.

  “Wait a minute. I dated Heather sophomore year.” He set the container down without taking anything.

  Rarity and Sam locked gazes and broke out into giggles. Finally, Sam came up for air. “I’m not sure if that was true or not, but the two of you are hilarious.”

  “So, you don’t think Kelly had anything to do with Martha’s death?” Rarity played with a piece of watermelon on her plate. “I’ve handed you two suspects on a platter, and you’ve managed to alibi them both out. I’m beginning to think you’re not trying very hard.”

  “Honestly, I want to get this case off my desk. I’m tired of people showing up telling me about the time they saw Martha talking to one random person or another.” He set his fork down. “I know people want to help, but all I’m getting are vague descriptions, which I’m thinking are mostly sightings of her and Kelly.”

  “I think they’re just trying to help, Drew.” Archer grabbed one of the cookies off a plate in the middle of the table. “I hear about the murder all the time on the hikes. I’m worried it’s going to affect the tourist trade.”

  “I’ve heard that from the business chamber too.” Drew stood and walked over to the pool, then knelt beside it. He ran his hand in the water. “Everyone needs Martha’s killer brought to justice.”

  Chapter 16

  On Monday morning, Rarity headed outside to her pool to do laps before starting her day. She wasn’t opening the bookstore this morning. No conventions were in town, so it wasn’t worth the time. Besides, she knew she needed time off from the job, even if it was becoming her life. Before she’d been diagnosed, she was a self-proclaimed workaholic. She loved the fast-paced run she’d maintained to be at the top of her game. It didn’t matter who the client was, she was their number-one fan, at least until their contract was over. She logged sixty- to seventy-hour workweeks during most campaigns. Looking back on it now, she wondered if she’d worked herself into the cancer diagnosis. Her body’s way of waving a white flag and giving up.

  Now she swore she was going to be more focused on healthy living. Like making sure she took time for exercise. Once she’d paid the extra money to get the house with the pool, she felt duty-bound to use it.

  She floated in the cool water for a bit, thinking about how enjoyable last night had been. She hoped she could stay friends with Drew and Archer, no matter what happened in the love department. She’d enjoyed dinner and their game of cards afterward. She hadn’t played blackjack in forever. Starting with a soft side stroke, she focused on her swim and the memories playing in her head.

  She made the turn for the last few laps and looked up to see someone watching her from the deck. She blinked the water out of her eyes and saw Drew standing at the end of the pool. He was holding out her towel. She walked through the water toward him. “I take it my swim’s over?”

  “I’ve got a couple of questions you might be able to answer for me, if you have a minute.” He jerked his head toward the house. “Do you have coffee made?”

  “I have a Keurig. Make me a cup while you’re in there, and I’ll finish off my laps for the day.” She leaned back and started the backstroke for her last five laps. Then she stepped out of the pool, drying off with the towel he’d left on a chair by the stairs. She didn’t wear a swim cap, so she dried her hair first, then wrapped the towel around herself and went to the table to wait.

  He brought out two steaming cups of coffee and set one before her. “Sorry to bother you this early, but something’s bothering me.”

  “About the medical examiner’s report.” Rarity could see by his face that she’d hit the nail on the head.

  “Yeah.” He sipped his coffee. “Martha didn’t have a relapse or a recurrence of cancer. The tox report didn’t show any cancer medications in her blood work. So, why was she going to that spa for cancer treatments?”

  “That’s what was bothering me, too. I was told by several people, including workers at the spa, that she’d just beaten cancer again. And so it wasn’t fair that she was killed.” She sipped her coffee. “It could be the spa’s doctor is just a modern traveling medicine man with a new twist.”

  “But would that be enough for someone to kill her over?” He shook his head. “That spa has tons of reviews saying that people questioned their medical advice, but the massages were supposedly top-notch.”

  “If Martha threatened to expose them, they’d probably laugh in her face. There are plenty of places selling get-healthy-quick scams. Just think about all the weight-loss miracle cures you can find on the internet.” Rarity finished his thought for him.

  Killer barked at her feet. She picked up the little dog, and he cuddled into her towel. Rarity rubbed his ears.

  “I wish Killer could talk. Maybe he’d give us some clues to solve this murder.”

  Drew finished off his coffee. “Thanks for talking that out with me. I didn’t mean to interrupt your swim.”

  “I was glad to help. When you got the text last night, I knew something was off with the results. I just wish I could be more helpful.”

  “You and Sam have done a lot. I appreciate the leads you’ve brought my way. And that you have kept from investigating yourselves. I’d hate to have to throw one of you in jail for obstruction.” He put on his ball cap and rubbed Killer’s head on the way out through the gate. “You might want to put a lock on your gate. I got in here way too easily.”

  “Says the man who just broke into my backyard.”

  He paused at the gate. “I thought I heard someone calling for help and splashing. It was an urgent situation.”

  “Whatever, go to work.” She stood and took his cup inside along with her own. She had some house chores to do, but first, she was going to shower and change. Then it was time to finish that mystery she’d gotten as an ARC last week from a publisher. It had been over a year since the author’s last book, and she’d been excited to get a chance to read his new one.

  A knock on the front door made her turn back from the hallway. Drew must have forgotten something.

  She swung open the door to see Terrance, her neighbor, standing there. “Oh, good morning. What can I do for you?”

  “I was just checking to see if everything was all right.” He glanced around her into the living room. “No one is bothering you, are they?”

  “I’m sorry?” Rarity was totally confused by the line of conversation.

  “I just meant, with the police being here, I was hoping that there was nothing happening. I guess I just let my imagination run wild. I’m not much for calling the police.” He shuffled from one foot to the other.

  “No worries. Drew was just here talking about our dinner party last night. I’m sorry if seeing his cruiser worried you.”

  Terrance laughed. “I guess having a neighbor who’s good friends with the law isn’t the worst thing you could ask for. Sorry I bothered you.”

  “You didn’t bother me. I like seeing you. For a while, I didn’t think I had any neighbors at all.” She shut the door and thought about what Terrance had told her. People weren’t as closed off here as she’d originally thought. It was shaping up to be a good day.

  * * * *

  On Tuesday night, the group came at six and shared food before even looking at the clock. Everyone was there except for Kim. She glanced around the group. “Does anyone know where Kim’s at? Should we wait a few more minutes? And who made the mint brownies? They’re delicious.”

  Malia raised her hand. “The brownies are mine. I’m so glad you like them. I haven’t heard from Kim. Maybe she had a treatment, and she’s sick?”

  Shirley shook her head. “Kim called just as I was packing up to come. She said that things were bad at work and she couldn’t make it tonight. But if we choose another book, she wanted us to let her know.”

  “Do we want to talk about the book or Martha’s murder?” Rarity asked.

  Quickly, the answers came flying back. Talking about Martha had won.

  “Okay, let’s go over anything new anyone found out this week.” She turned the page on the flipchart to a blank page.

  “Kelly O’Reilly is hurting for money. He’s been getting advances from the bank on his upcoming contracts,” Shirley said as she crocheted on her blanket.

  “How did you find that out?” Rarity wrote the bit of info down.

  Shirley looked up after finishing a row and turning it to the next one. “One of my best friends works at the bank. I know she’s not supposed to tell people things like that, but we went out for a few drinks last week, and I asked her if she knew him. Boy, did I get an earful.”

  Rarity let Shirley tell her story, but Drew’s admission that Kelly had an alibi kept ringing in her head.

  “He’s always been on the edge with his deals, but lately he’s been missing his deadlines. Not enough to where they have to resort to legal proceedings, but close.” Shirley set her crochet hook down. “And I’ve seen Martha’s house. She’s got some land around her, and she’s close enough to town that he’d be able to sell it for a bunch if he found the right investors.”

  “Sounds like motive to me. He wines and dines her until she changes her will, then kills her off.” Holly pulled out a notebook. “I should have thought of this before. I’ll check the status of Martha’s property and see who is listed on the deed. If she owned it free and clear, it makes the motive even more solid.”

  “Except Kelly has an alibi for the time Martha was killed. As does our friend Madame Zelda.” Rarity wrote the word alibi by each of their names, then wrote two questions on the page. Pointing to the first question, the one about the property, she nodded to Holly. “I think you’re right about checking the deed. That gives us more information. And we need to see if Martha left a will.”

  Malia raised her hand. “There’s only one lawyer in town, so if she used him, he’s my uncle. I’ll go over and chat up his secretary and see what I can find out. If she went to Flagstaff, though, we’re going to be out of luck.”

  “Okay, then.” Rarity wrote Holly and Malia’s names by the questions. “Now, Sam and I have a report. I think we were sent on a royal goose chase by Drew Anderson, but here’s what we found out.”