Page 15 of Retool

“This isn’t a productive conversation,” the sheriff said.“I’ll be happy to talk to you about it again after everyone’s had a chance to calm down.”

“Calm down?I’m not going to calm down.You’re telling me thatyoumight not think I killed Vivienne, but everyone else will?Why?Because she tried to frame me for murder, and then she tried to kill me, and then, after she gets out of prison unexpectedly and we have a public confrontation, she dies under mysterious circumstances, and I’m the one who finds the body?”

(Okay, when I said it all out loud like that, it wasn’tgreat.)

“Now would be a good time to get Dash home,” the sheriff said to Bobby.

Bobby nodded.“I’ll be right back.”

“You’d better stay with him.”

“Oh no,” I said.“That’s not fair.This is Bobby’s first murder!”

They both looked at me.

I mumbled, “As a detective.”

“I understand, Sheriff,” Bobby said.

“Are you kidding me?”I asked.“Why?Because he’s my boyfriend?”

“Go home,” the sheriff said as she turned back toward the grotto.“Get some rest.Let me know if you remember anything else.”

Chapter 7

“She can’t do this,” I said as I stormed into Hemlock House.

Yes:stormed.

Hemlock House is the perfect house for storming.It’s this weird, pseudo-Georgian, pseudo-Victorian monstrosity with damask wallpaper and priceless antiques and a massive front door that goesboomwhen you slam it.

It was less dramatic when Bobby caught the door on his way into the house behind me.

“This isn’t fair,” I said as I continued into the hall.“This is a travesty!”

“What’s a travesty?”Fox asked from the doorway to the billiard room.Tonight’s outfit consisted of crêpe palazzo pants, a Simpsons T-shirt (Bart on his skateboard), and what I knew was supposed to be called a “mourning wig” (because Fox had worn it before and made a big deal out of it).Behind them, Indira, Keme, and Millie watched, expressions ranging from suppressed rage (Keme) to red-eyed worry (Millie).

“You already heard,” I said.

“Jacket,” Bobby said as he turned me out of my jacket.

“Millie told us,” Indira said.“Is it true?”

“She’s dead this time, right?”Keme asked.“Somebody actually checked?”

That almost made me laugh, but suddenly I felt too tired.“Oh, she’s dead.The sheriff swears she is.Which, as we know, is super reliable.”

“That’s not fair,” Bobby said.

“What happened?”Fox asked.

“It’s a long story,” I said as I turned toward the stairs.

“Are you all right?”Indira called after me.

I didn’t answer as I started up the steps.

In the bedroom I shared with Bobby (pretty much all the time, now, since he was a detective and didn’t have to work nights unless he was on a case), I heeled off my Mexico 66s and flopped onto the bed.In the dark.