The meeting went well. Milt Chadwick, treasurer for the parks and recreation steering committee, reported that they had stayed within their budget, which Mary considered a minor miracle. The vendors were pleased, had all made donations to the park and rec committee and all of the events were considered a success, especially the fireworks. It went exactly as planned. Except for the murder of Ian Miller.
It was almost nine and people were leaving. Only Mary, Milt Chadwick and Joy Chambers were left. Mary drained the last of her coffee and pushed her chair back, careful to miss Millie who was asleep under it, and took her mug to the sink in the city hall meeting room. Another meeting was scheduled for first thing the next morning and she wanted to make sure they left the room clean.
‘We’ll help with that in a minute.’ Joy tipped her mug back and forth, as if looking for one last drop, sighed and looked at Mary. ‘I hear you bought a computer. How are you doing with it?’
Mary leaned back against the counter. She fleetingly thought it was a good thing she didn’t have any secrets to hide. In this town they wouldn’t remain secret for more than a day. She frowned. Someone was keeping a secret. One serious enough that it resulted in murder.
‘Yes. I bought it from Mo Black and he’s already given me one lesson. It’s complicated, but when I figure it all out I think I’m going to like it.’
Milt laughed. ‘Almost no one figures it all out. If you can answer your emails, do your banking and sort of work Windows, you’ll be doing fine. Has he taught you how to get on the Internet yet?’
‘That was first. I have a username and a password. I’d already set up an account with the bank on my phone so getting into my account online wasn’t hard. Then we got into websites. I had no idea the library had so many … what do you call them? Those buttons. You can find anything.’
‘Are you going to put up your own website?’
Mary couldn’t tell if Joy thought that was a good idea or the silliest one she’d ever heard. ‘I hadn’t thought about it. Do you think I should? What would I put on it?’
‘Of course you should.’ Milt, at least, was positive. ‘You could put on your calendar – you know, what committees you’re chairing, notices of meetings, results of committee decisions, that kind of thing. I’m sure there’s lots of things.’
Her calendar? ‘Why would anyone be interested in a list of my committee meetings?’
‘If they were supposed to attend one and couldn’t remember the date, they would be. It could be sort of like a community calendar.’ So Joy did think it was a good idea.
It was something Mary would have to think about when she got better at all this. One lesson hadn’t even scratched the surface of what she needed to know. But Joy was warming to her subject.
‘Half the people in town who have websites have some kind of calendar. Even Ruthie does.’
Mary blinked. ‘Ruthie has one? Why?’
‘Specials. She has a list of holidays and days of the week when she has specials.’
‘If you want The Yum Yum’s special, all you have to do is read the chalkboard.’
Joy shook her head. ‘If you want her cheese and broccoli quiche you don’t want to drop in every day to read the chalkboard. You can look it up online. Same with lots of things. Why, even those Gradys have a calendar. That way, if some town or event wants fireworks, they know right off if the date they want is already booked. Saves everybody time and fuss.’
Mary didn’t remember anyone looking at the Gradys’ calendar when they booked them, but admittedly she hadn’t known they had one when she’d called. Maybe she’d gotten lucky.
‘It’s something to think about. However, I need to learn a lot more before I attempt something like that.’
She turned, filled the sink with soapy water and began to gather up all the mugs.
Joy brought over a tray of empties and started dumping used napkins in the trash. ‘Does Dan have any idea who shot that poor man?’ She picked up a dishtowel and proceeded to wipe as fast as Mary could wash.
‘If he does, he hasn’t shared that information.’
Milt handed Mary his empty mug. ‘I’ll take out the trash. Is there anything else that needs doing?’
‘I don’t think so. You go on home. We’re almost finished here, then we’re going to leave as well.’
He hesitated, the look on his face one of doubt. ‘Mary …’
She handed Joy the last mug, faced him and waited.
‘That man who’s been with Dan since the Fourth – who is he?’
‘He’s Eric Wilson, a member of the California Bureau of Investigation major incident crimes unit.’
‘Oh.’ There was a lot in that little word.
‘Why? Is something wrong?’
‘No. No, I’m sure not. It’s just that …’ The look on Milt’s face was indecisive.
‘Milt, what are you not sure about?’
‘It’s just that … I think I’ve seen him before. Here. In town. I’ve been thinking about it and I’m sure he’s the same person.’
Mary heard her sharp intake of breath. ‘Where did you see him?’
Milt looked uncomfortable. ‘In the alley behind the computer shop. I remember because I’d parked back there and saw the guy when I went in. I wondered about him then. He didn’t seem to be going anywhere, just sort of hanging around. We don’t have too much crime in this town but there are several shops that open onto that alley and I immediately wondered what the guy was up to. I mentioned it to Mo Black, just so he’d watch the back door. The guy was still there when I left with my computer. Mo helped me out to the car with it, and he went over and talked to him. I sort of waited a minute, you know, to make sure everything was all right, but it seemed to be and I drove off. I’m sure it was this man who’s been around town with Dan.’
‘Have you mentioned this to Dan?’
‘No. I didn’t think it was important, just … interesting. Do you think I should?’
‘Never mind. I’ll mention it but I’m sure you’re right. It’s probably not important.’
‘Hey, how’s that dog – the one Miller had? He seemed a nice kind of dog.’
Mary told him about Ranger. Milt nodded, took out the trash and left. Mary and Joy finished the kitchen and left as well, Millie leading Mary eagerly toward their car. She opened the back door and Millie jumped in, then she placed her tote bag with all her files in it on the passenger seat. She remembered little about the drive home. She was too busy wondering why Mr Wilson had come to town but never mentioned it. She had little doubt Milt had recognized him but what was Wilson doing in the alley? What had he wanted with Mo Black? When was all this? But, most importantly, did Dan know?