Page 59 of June's First Murder
Looking back, Sara Lee was uncertain why Petunia had specifically gone to Nana June. Unless she wanted an audience in the library, knowing the word about Raymond being at the festival would travel.
"As soon as she said that," Sara Lee continued, the memory vivid and unsettling, "it seemed that the energy in the library just changed. Almost as though everyone had a reaction. I knew he was an unpleasant person, but everyone's reaction just seemed... intense."
"You've got that right," Barb said, her jaw tightening. "He was such a jerk. And Dad and Bill were furious when he bothered me at the festival. I thought Dad was going to punch him right there in front of everyone."
Sara Lee remembered that moment… Bob's face turned red with anger, and Bill had to physically pull his father away. She also remembered who stepped in. "And Tom, too?" Sara Lee asked, a little smile slipping out despite the serious conversation.
Barb laughed, but there was something wistful in it. She picked up a napkin and began folding it absently, not meeting Sara Lee's eyes. "For a man who I think is interested, he sure moves slow! We had one date… one! And now with all this Raymond stuff, I feel like I'm never going to see him again unless someone is found guilty."
"Tell me about it!" Sara Lee said with feeling.
Barb's head snapped up. "Carl?"
"Oh, yeah. And Raymond's death doesn't make things any better." Sara Lee took a long sip of her coffee. "Carl's been so stressed about the drug being stolen from his clinic. He blames himself even though it's not his fault."
At that, Barb sobered completely. She set down the mangled napkin and reached for Sara Lee's hand. "I heard that the drug was the kind that vets use. That's got to be hard on Carl. Everyone in town knows how careful he is, how much he cares about his practice."
Sara Lee nodded, her throat suddenly tight. "Yeah."
Barb squeezed her hand. "So, what's going on with you and Ms. June? Don't the two of you asking questions seem... I don't know, dangerous?"
Sara Lee held her friend's gaze, seeing the genuine worry there. When Sara Lee lost her parents to a caraccident when they were in college, she knew her friend worried about her.
"I'm not sure how it really got started," Sara Lee admitted, her voice dropping even lower. "But after Petunia Melton made her announcement about Raymond being in town, there were just so many reactions. And then we were the ones that found the body... well… Pippi did."
"I know this sounds weird," Barb breathed. "But what was that like?"
Sara Lee closed her eyes for a moment, the memory still vivid and horrible. "He was just sitting there on the bench. At first, I thought he was passed out drunk. But then..." She opened her eyes, shaking her head. "Pippi went crazy, barking at the flask on the ground. She knew something was wrong before we did."
"Then what?" Barb prompted.
The elderly couple in the corner stood to leave, nodding pleasantly to Barb as they passed. The college kid continued typing, oblivious to the world. But not taking any chances, she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Then the Sheriff had to wait on the medical examiner's report, which wasn't as fast as they show in the movies," Sara Lee said. "But Nana June had concerns and wanted to talk to people. Ted, then the Judge, then one thing led to another, and we just kept looking. Kept asking questions."
Barb's eyes widened. "Isn't that obstruction of justice or something?"
"Only if we were actually obstructing anything," Sara Lee said, echoing something Sheriff Gordon had said tothem. "I think the Sheriff has discovered that Nana June and I… well, especially her… know how to talk to people. They open up to us in a way they don't with someone in a uniform."
Barb jumped slightly. “Wait… Ted Masterson?” She leaned back slightly, her gaze pinned on Sara Lee as she picked up her coffee.
"He was never a suspect," Sara Lee clarified quickly. "But Nana June knew he had the experience as a lawyer, and lifelong resident, to explain everyone’s situation here, of course, from his perspective.”
“But so does your grandmother.”
“True… but she wanted his opinion about Raymond, since his son, Carl’s dad, was the same age. I think my parents were a little younger. Anyway, he gave her context that we couldn't get from anywhere else."
Barb tilted her head thoughtfully. "I never thought of that. Ted probably knows everyone's secrets going back about seventy years!" She paused, then added with a self-deprecating laugh, "I wouldn't make a good investigator. I'd probably just feed people pastries and hope they confessed."
"You're much better at pastries and coffee!" Sara Lee said, finally taking the last bite of her lemon bar. The perfect balance of tart and sweet exploded on her tongue, and she couldn't help but close her eyes in appreciation. "God, this is good. How do you make them so perfect?"
"Trade secret," Barb said with a grin. "Passed down from my grandmother. If I told you, I'd have to kill you."
The words hung in the air for a beat too long, and both women realized what Barb had said. Then they both burst out laughing, the sound of slightly hysterical laughter from dealing with too much stress.
"Oh my God," Barb gasped between giggles. "I can't believe I just said that."
"Given the circumstances," Sara Lee managed, wiping tears from her eyes, "maybe not the best choice of words."
Their laughter drew a smile from the college kid. As their laughter subsided, Sara Lee felt something shift inside her. For the first time in almost a week, she relaxed. She hadn't realized how tightly she'd been holding herself together until this moment with Barb, laughing about something as dark as murder.
