CHAPTER 24
“We need to know as much about our suspects as possible. Can you find out about them?” I hated thinking of my new friends as suspects, but the only way to prove they were innocent was to find out who was guilty.
“I’m on it,” April said. “I’ll run Leroy, Tyler, and Michael’s names and see what I can find out.”
“Don’t run just them. We need to run Bradley Ellison, Jackson Abernathy, and Garrett Kelley, too.”
“Why Garrett? He’s dead.”
“True, but maybe there’s something in his past that can explain why he was murdered or that could link him to one of the others.”
She clapped her hands. “Good point. I’m on it. What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to see if Aunt Octavia left me any more messages. She was on to something. Maybe if I can figure out what, I can figure out why someone considered her a threat.” I got a text message. I looked at my phone and then put it down. After a few minutes, I picked it up and replied.
“What is it? Something’s got you frowning.”
“Nothing . . . Brad Ellison wants to go on another date.”
“I hope you told him to jump in Lake Michigan.” At my silence, she paused. “No. Please tell me you did not agree to go out with that sleazeball, again.”
“Okay, I won’t tell you.”
“Maddy, are you crazy? He could be a murderer, not to mention he called you an airhead. Even if he’s not a murderer, he hangs out with scary people. He’s the enemy. You cannot go out on a date with that guy. It’s too dangerous.”
“That’s why I have to go. I need to try and find out what he knows.”
We argued for quite some time, but eventually she must have realized that she couldn’t stop me. That’s when she went into protection mode. “Okay, fine. I can’t stop you, but at least you have to be safe. Do you have a gun?”
“No, and I don’t want one. My dad tried to get me to learn to shoot, but I just don’t like guns.”
She rummaged through her purse. “Then you need to at least take this with you.” She handed me something that looked like a cell phone.
“What is it?”
“It’s a taser.”
I started to protest, but she dug in her heels.
“Fine. I’ll put it in my purse, but I won’t need it. Brad isn’t the violent type. He might get his hands dirty.”
“There’s a first time for everything. And there’s one more thing. You need to download this app.” She held up her cell phone.
“What is it?”
“It’s a GPS tracker. I’ll be able to track your location in real time as long as your cell is turned on. So you need to make sure your cell phone is turned on.”
“My phone is always on.” I downloaded the app.
“I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. You make sure you stay in a public area where you’re surrounded by people.”
I laughed. “Trust me. I’m not trying to be alone with Bradley Ellison.” I glanced at my phone. “He wants to take me to some winery.”
She smacked her head and groaned. “No. That’ll be the New Bison Winery, and it’s out in the middle of nowhere. Nothing but country roads and farms as far as the eye can see.”
My confidence failed for an instant. “Okay, I’ve got it.” I picked up my phone and typed. After a few moments, I breathed a sigh of relief.
“What?”
“I asked if he would mind if we went to back to La Petite Maison. I raved about the food, and he agreed. I suggested we could try the winery next time.” I got up.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to bake a chocolate cake to bribe Luke Carter into letting me see Garrett Kelley’s cell phone records. Then I’m going to search the house for anything Aunt Octavia might have left me. Lastly, I’m going to get dressed to go out on the town with Bradley Ellison.”