Sam had only teased Molly a little when she’d bought a rolling whiteboard earlier in the year, while she’d been trying to figure out who had killed the caterer at a wedding hosted at the bed and breakfast. Now, however, with their relationship on stronger footing, he didn’t hold back.
After they had gone in and greeted Tigger, Sam said he was going to walk him. Molly hemmed and hawed for a moment.
Sam walked away into their bedroom and came back a few minutes later while Molly was still trying to decide whether to be a good dog owner and girlfriend and go on the walk with them.
Sam had pulled on a hoodie and held a brown paper bag. He passed it to her. “We’ll go for a walk and you do your thing.”
Brows scrunched and curiosity vibrating through her, Molly opened the bag and then tipped her head back to laugh. And laugh. Then she dug out the items in the bag.
“Those are the tools, right?” Sam grinned at her.
One Sherlock Holmes hat, a toy pipe, a toy magnifying glass, and a package of whiteboard markers. She shook her head, her heart unexpectedly full.
“You are, without a doubt, the best boyfriend ever.” She set the items on the counter and wound her arms around his neck.
“I don’t really like you putting yourself in danger. I wanted to put a stun gun and some pepper spray in there, too.” He pulled her closer so their bodies aligned perfectly and met her halfway in a sweet, soft kiss.
“I don’t want to be in danger either. I kind of like the life I’m living. But I do want to help your friend.”
Sam pressed his forehead to Molly’s. “I want that, too. We’ll be back in a bit, okay?”
“Okay. I love you.”
“I love you.”
Tigger, who loved them both unabashedly, jumped from one spot to the next, pouncing back and forth with excitement.
“Okay, buddy. Let’s go,” Sam said, chuckling.
She didn’t put on the cap or put the pipe between her teeth, but Molly did open the new pack of markers and chose black. She went to the small hallway off the entry way that housed a washer and dryer and her whiteboard. She’d wiped it clean after the last mystery.
She should get ready for bed. Maybe read a book to get her mind off of things, but she knew herself well enough to know that her brain wouldn’t switch gears until she’d purged it of information.
In the middle of the whiteboard, she put Magnolia Sweet with a circle around the woman’s name. From there, she drew lines to the most likely suspects. At least in her mind. She listed them in order of her suspicions with reasons beside each:
Debra: jealousy/Beau/did she find out he’s married? Alibi is a lie.
Beau: money/anger/did he stand to inherit anything? Chris checking.
Tiffany: gets to be director, resentment over treatment/ connection to V?
Vivien: lied about being at theater and arrival, arguing with T, anger toward mom, inheritance?
Jeffrey: moves up in his mother’s company, anger/resentment, inheritance?
Cora: revenge for booting her from the play? The argument. Why is she covering for Deb?
In the top left corner, Molly drew a rectangle and put Judd’s name in it along with the reasons he’d been arrested.
Judd Brown: Found with the body, handkerchief under her head, history of bad blood/money owed, text messages.
Molly drew a line from “text messages” and made a note reminding herself to check into the broken locker. If her list was accurate, the people who had the easiest access to Judd’s locker were Tiffany, Deb, and Beau. Was it possible one of them wrote the texts and Magnolia responded because of that? Judd didn’t check his phone often so maybe he hadn’t even opened up the text app. Thinking about the rigid schedule at the theater made Molly think Tiffany was the one with the most opportunity. She certainly stood to gain a lot. The play, the credit, the meetings with Magnolia’s Hollywood people, whoever they were.
On the bottom right side of the board, she wrote down the things she needed to do next.
1. Talk to Cora, ask about Deb’s alibi
2. Confront Vivien on her timeline/flight
3. Speak to Tiffany about fight/relationship with V
Until she’d done those things, she couldn’t go any further. She heard the door open and close as she capped her marker. Tigger came skidding into the kitchen, making Molly laugh. She kneeled down and rubbed his floppy ears.
“Wasn’t that supposed to wear you out?” His mouth flopped open as he huffed and puffed.
“You’d think, right?” Sam set his keys down on the counter and glanced up. “How long were we gone? You’ve filled the board.”
She looked back at it as she stood up. “Haven’t solved anything yet except the fact that the only person who doesn’t seem to be lying is the one they’ve accused.”
Sam pulled her into a hug. “You’ll find something.”
No pressure, she thought. “Hopefully tomorrow. Do you want to meet at City Hall for the council announcement? I’ll be there taking photos anyway, but I wanted to hear who is running.”
“I can do that. I’ll see if my mom wants me to swing by and pick her up. We’ll meet you there. I’m curious to know who’s throwing their hat in the ring.”
Molly tipped her head back. “You ever think of it?”
Sam laughed. “No. I’m good right where I am. I like cars.”
Molly tried to deepen her voice. “Fast cars and sexy women?”
“What more does a man need?”
Tigger let out a low, long howl and flopped on their feet. Both of them laughed.
“Just a dog,” Molly said.