Chapter Forty
Chapter
Forty
My thoughts spun in my head like a frantic dust devil. As soon as I stepped on the elevator, I typed out a text to Jemma.
HALP! So confused!
I sent the message and tried some deep breathing.
It didn’t do much good. I really needed my best friend to talk me out of my confusion.
Bodie had nearly kissed me, and I’d wanted him to.
Yet, in that moment when our lips had almost touched, I’d felt a tiny ping of guilt about Wyatt.
Which was crazy, because Bodie was smoking hot and—even better—we had an emotional connection.
And I still wasn’t convinced that it was the right time in my life for a romantic entanglement with either Bodie or Wyatt.
“There she is!” someone exclaimed as I stepped off the elevator.
Carmen and Agnes hovered outside the door to my apartment. Carmen held a silver-headed cane, and Agnes had a Tasty Buns box in her hands.
“We’ve come for an update on the case,” Agnes announced as I got closer. “We don’t want Zita and Zoltán suffering anymore.”
“And that detective was sniffing around the building,” Carmen added.
I stopped a few feet away from them. “Again? When?”
“He was knocking on your door not five minutes ago,” Carmen replied.
My heart sank. Here I was worried about men and relationships when what I needed to be worried about was keeping myself and Mr. Nagy out of jail.
Priorities, Emersyn! Come on!
Apprehension crept along my skin. “Did he mention why he wanted to talk to me?”
“We didn’t ask,” Agnes said. “We watched from around the corner.” She pointed over her shoulder, down the hallway.
“So?” Carmen cut in. “How’s the investigation going?”
I jangled my keys in my hand. “I’ve got a person of interest I want to speak with.”
“Who is it?” Agnes asked.
I unlocked the door to my apartment. “Well, I don’t want this getting back to Bitty…”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Agnes assured me. “Our lips are sealed. Right, Carmen?”
“I never engage in gossip,” Carmen said, her posture as regal as always. “You can confide in us.”
The ladies followed me into my apartment, and Agnes shut the door.
She handed me the box and nudged her glasses up higher on her nose. “An assortment of day-old goodies from my bakery. You need to keep your strength up.”
I peeked inside, and my mouth watered at the sight of the éclairs and the rolled lace cookies filled with mocha cream. “Thank you, Agnes.”
“The person of interest?” Carmen prompted as I tucked the box in the fridge.
“Freddie was seen talking to Bitty’s godson, Vincent, in the days before his death,” I said. “Apparently, Vincent owns a pawnshop, and I have reason to believe that Freddie may have been quietly trying to sell some expensive whiskey from the early twentieth century.”
Carmen nodded with understanding. “And you think Vincent was his fence.”
“Ooh! Fence!” Agnes exclaimed with delight. She nudged Carmen with her elbow. “Look at you with all the fancy lingo.” She turned her eager eyes on me. “So, where is this pawnshop?”
“East Fordham Road,” I said.
Carmen’s gaze sharpened. “Vinny’s Pawnshop? Is that the one?”
“Apparently.”
“You can’t go there alone,” Carmen said. “All sorts of questionable characters go in there.”
“Bodie warned me about that.”
Carmen nodded with approval. “He’s a good man. You could do far worse. Although juggling two men isn’t something I recommend doing for long.”
Agnes nodded sagely. “It rarely turns out well.”
“I’m not juggling two men,” I said.
Agnes’s eyes widened. “Is there a third? You’ve been busier than we thought.”
“No!” I rushed to correct her. “I’m not juggling any men! I’m not in a relationship with Bodie or Wyatt or anyone else.”
Carmen and Agnes exchanged a look.
Then Agnes tapped the side of her nose. “We understand. You don’t want them getting wind of each other.”
I was about to correct her again when Carmen opened the door.
“Let’s get a move on,” she said. “There’s no time like the present.”
“Get a move on?” I echoed with surprise.
“To the pawnshop,” Carmen said with obvious impatience. She used her cane to herd Agnes and me out the door.
“But I don’t have anyone to accompany me,” I protested as I snatched my keys from the entryway table where I’d dropped them moments before.
“What are we? Invisible?” Carmen groused as I locked the door. “That’s what happens when you become a senior citizen. Everyone looks right past you, thinks you’re good for nothing.”
“I didn’t mean that!” I hurried to assure her. “I just thought that you ladies would have better things to do.” Or that I should take someone stronger and more imposing with me. I decided it was best to keep that thought to myself.
“Better than solving a murder and helping our beloved neighbors?” Agnes said with surprise. “What could be more important than that?”
I didn’t have a good answer for her.
“Yoo-hoo!” Leona called as she hurried along the hall toward us. She staggered slightly but got herself back on course. “What’s happening?”
“We’re going to question a murder suspect!” Agnes said with excitement.
“Speak with a person of interest,” I corrected.
“How exciting!” Leona said as she wrapped a green feather boa around her neck. “It’s a good thing I caught you then.”
“Why’s that?” I asked, not sure I wanted to hear the answer.
Leona lifted her chin. “It’s not like any of you have experience playing a detective on television.”
“And you do?” Agnes asked with genuine curiosity.
“Well, I never played a detective,” Leona admitted. “But on Passion City I certainly played with one. If you know what I mean.” She gave us an exaggerated wink.
Oh, dear heaven.
I sent a longing glance at my apartment door. I was wondering if I could somehow sneak back inside when Carmen put a hand to my back and propelled me down the hall.
“Come on,” she said, setting a brisk pace. “I’m driving.”