Page 82 of Little Dark Deeds

“I was just about to mention her.Yes, she did.She got right in my face, drilling me with questions about Tiffany, asking me where I was at the time of the murder.She told me the police were busy with the case and asked her to come out of retirement to assist.Is that true?”

“It isn’t.Queenie was Tiffany’s neighbor.She’d started conducting her own investigation into the murder.”

“What do you mean shewasTiffany’s neighbor?”

“She’s dead.She was murdered in her home earlier today.”

“Two murders on the same street in one week?That’s crazy.”

“Did she show you anything when she came to see you?”

“Yeah, a photo of a lighter on her cell phone.She said it was found at the crime scene and that it has a bloody fingerprint on it.”

A lighter was found, yes.

But it was a smear, not a fingerprint.

“What else did she say?”I asked.

“She claimed the lighter was mine and said the police were closing in.If I admitted to Tiffany’s murder, I might be able to strike a deal in exchange for my confession.”

It explained why she was dead.

She’d tried to coerce a confession.

Had Chad been the only one she’d accused?

If there were others, had she used the same tactic on everyone?

Those answers would have to wait until tomorrow.

If I was going to be on top of my game, I needed sleep.

“I’m going to head out,” I said.

“Hang on a minute.”

“What is it?”

“The lighter isn’t mine, and everything I just told you is true.I hope it makes up for, you know ...not telling you the truth before.”

“I have a lot to think about.The police will want to speak with you the first chance they get.When you do, don’t lie to them.”