Page 61 of Little Dark Deeds

“It’s not funny.”

She waved me off, shifting her attention to Everett.“And who might you be, handsome?”

I turned toward Everett, head shaking.“You don’t need to answer.”

“It’s all right.I’m Everett.”

“What are you doing here, Queenie?”I asked.

“Helping you with your case, of course.”

“How isfollowing mehelping?”

“I don’t know how many times I have to say Iwasn’tfollowing you, though I’m glad I ran into you.I tried calling.You didn’t answer.”

“When?”

“This morning.”

I picked my phone out of my pocket and looked at it, shocked to see I’d had two missed calls from the same unknown number.In my haste to get to the coffee shop on time, I’d forgotten to turn the ringer back on.

“My ringer was on silent,” I said.“Why did you call?”

“I saw someone,” Queenie said, “inside Tiffany’s house—a man, not one hour ago.”

“How do you know it was a man and not a woman?”

“He was tall.”

“Women can be tall too, you know.Did you get a look at his face?”

“I did not.”

“Where is he now?”

“He left in a white pickup truck.I have the license plate written down in my notebook, but we won’t be needing it nowwill we, Mr.Everett?”

It seemed she wasn’t following me, after all.

She was followinghim, and I was sure she was shocked to arrive at the coffee shop to find the two of us together.

I turned to Everett, whose face had gone pale.“Well?Were you at Tiffany’s house this morning?”

“I can explain,” he said.

“Good.I can’t wait to hear it.”

“I was there, yes.But I didn’t break in.I have a key.”

“Why?”I asked.

“After your wedding, Tiffany planned to stay in New York for a couple of weeks.”

“I had no idea.She never told me.”

“She thought a little time away might help her clear her head and move past the breakup.”

“Sounds like something she would do, though it doesn’t explain why you have a key to her house or why you were there this morning.”