Chapter 14 #3
“If he’d already been broken up with, why did it matter if he got the photos back or not?” Ziya’s words popped into Amie’s head, which wasn’t really helping her efforts to distract herself from thinking about Ziya. She moved her thoughts away from the speaker and focused on the words.
“We thought Benny was searching for the photos because if the police found out Savannah was blackmailing him, that would make him a suspect,” Amie said. “But … imagine he wasn’t smart enough to actually realize that.”
“Done,” David said immediately.
“If Hallie broke up with Benny on Wednesday instead of Monday,” Amie continued, “it makes more sense why he had been looking for the photos before then. Because Savannah was dead and no longer blackmailing him, and he had a chance to destroy the evidence before Hallie could find out.”
Another memory emerged at the front of her mind. “I was wondering why Benny never returned to the Harlows’ apartment after Elena found him there. He could’ve easily gone back as soon as Elena had left, but he didn’t. We know he didn’t, because Andrew’s alarm system hadn’t been triggered.
“Elena said that Benny had been looking for something, but when she offered to help him find it, he said it didn’t matter anymore.
I just assumed he was saying that to get her to leave, but what if he really meant it?
What if Hallie had just broken up with him, just as he was going into the Harlows’ apartment to search for the photos, and he really believed it when he said it didn’t matter anymore?
As far as he knew—or cared—the photos couldn’t harm him.
The secret was out. It really didn’t matter anymore. ”
David stuffed the rest of the muffin into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. Amie waited, feeling like a student watching her teacher finish grading her work.
“It’s believable,” David said, swallowing. “Especially considering your theory about the murderer changing the flower delivery time to lure Savannah back to the bookshop. That didn’t seem like something Benny would have thought to do.”
“Agreed.”
“But where does that leave you?”
“Without a prime suspect.” Amie ticked off her fingers as she spoke. “It’s not Benny, not Raina, probably not Andrew—”
“Why not Andrew?”
Amie paused, not quite sure why she’d been so quick to clear Savannah’s husband from suspicion. “I guess … he just seemed really sad?”
David gave her a flat look.
“Okay! It could be Andrew. Or …” Amie turned in her seat, casting about the café in search of its owner. “Do you think Madeline’s around?”
“I can ask,” David said, pushing his chair back.
Amie gave a start, nonplussed by the offer. “Really?”
“I have to throw this trash out anyway.”
“I was preparing myself for another lecture about leaving things alone.”
“I said I’d help,” David said, heading back to the counter. “I’m bound by my honor and the sacred rule of no take backsies.”
After learning that Madeline had gone to the park, then buying a second muffin for David, the duo left Eons Café in pursuit of Amie’s new top suspect.
“Here’s a question,” David said as they walked down the street. “If Benny didn’t kill Savannah, why’d he leave that note in your apartment last night?”
Amie hummed into her bagel. She hadn’t had much time to eat while she was monologuing in the coffee shop, so she was trying to get in a few more bites between locations.
“Maybe he didn’t leave the note,” David continued, scratching his chin. “It makes sense, honestly. How would he have known you were looking into Savannah’s death?”
“I thought maybe Elena mentioned it to him,” Amie admitted. “Though now that I’m saying it out loud, Elena probably wouldn’t have done that, considering she suspects Benny.” She took another bite of her bagel.
“You found the note relatively close to the door, right?”
Amie hummed again in confirmation.
“So,” David said, “it’s possible that whoever left the note slid it under the door.”
“But what was Benny doing there?” Amie asked—although, with the bagel in her mouth, it sounded more like, “Bub wub wuz Bene dun ner?”
Apparently fluent in Mouthful of Bagel, David answered, “That’s still up in the air.
Also, who sent you the photos? Were they the one who left the note?
” David snapped his fingers, pointing at Amie.
“Maybe they didn’t slip the note under the door at all.
Once Benny unlocked it and entered, they could have thrown the note inside.
” David snapped his fingers again. “Or maybe they somehow managed to attach the note to Benny’s shoe with some sort of release mechanism that was remotely activated once Benny entered your apartment. ”
Amie swallowed, snapping her fingers and pointing back at David. “I don’t think I know anyone other than you who could figure out how to turn Benny into a living Trojan horse. Are you confessing?”
“It’s so ingenious I’m almost tempted to take credit. But I can’t.”
“Didn’t think so.” Amie wrapped up what remained of her bagel. “I think you’re right that whoever sent the photos is probably more involved than just being an accidental bystander, whether they left the note or not. Why else would they want to be anonymous?”
“Maybe Benny was right,” David said, “and Savannah is a ghost, haunting us all, sending you photos of Benny going into your apartment for some reason.”
“It’d be a lot more helpful if she sent me photos of the person who killed her,” Amie said as they crossed the street.
David scoffed. “Since when was Savannah ever helpful?”
Setup for the fall festival was in full swing as they arrived at Willows Park.
A sea of white tents flooded the grass. Hay bales were being loaded off a truck and constructed into a child-size maze.
On the far side of the park, a Ferris wheel curved out over the lake.
Several workers in hard hats swarmed the base of the ride as they attached the benches for people to sit on.
Amie and David wove through the park until they reached the culinary section, where local businesses were setting up booths across from a line of food trucks.
David was first to spot the bright-blue banner that read “Eons Café” close to the end of the aisle.
Madeline stood on one side of the booth, arms crossed as she scrutinized it.
“What’s your plan of attack?” David asked as they approached.
“I’m just gonna ask her if she thinks she might buy the bookstore.”
David pulled her to a stop. “Terrible plan.”
“Why?” Amie asked, indignant. “If she’s already getting measurements for the renovation, she must know something we don’t.”
“Or she’s delusionally optimistic. Either way, do you really think she’d just freely share her plans with a stranger who has cream cheese on her face?”
Amie wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “How about now?”
“Still a terrible plan.”
“I meant the cream cheese.”
“Oh. You got it.”
“Trust me.” Amie started toward the booth. “She’ll talk. I’m very personable!”
“Maybe you two can bond over your delusional levels of optimism,” David called from behind her.
Not waiting to see if he was following, Amie strode confidently up to the Eons booth. She could see now that Madeline was directing two workers hanging up a banner at the back of the tent.
“Hi, Madeline!” Amie chirped, rounding the side of the booth to where the other woman stood. “I’m Amie. Big fan of your establishment.”
It was remarkable to consider how much difficulty Amie had experienced speaking to people on her first day out of the time loop.
Despite having yet to easily fall asleep alone in her bed, the occasional bouts of anxiety, and struggling to make her memory operate as it used to, she was finally starting to feel like herself again.
Madeline gave her a quick glance before returning to supervising the hanging of the banner. “Hi. Blueberry bagel, right?”
Surprised to be recognized, Amie said, “Yeah! That’s me.”
“I almost took it off the menu about a month ago.” Madeline’s gaze was still on the banner. “Once word got around, I had three different employees mention you. Ended up keeping it on. A little higher on the right, guys.”
“Wow.” Amie was amazed. “Well, thanks for that.”
“We love our regulars.” Madeline circled back to the front of the booth to supervise the banner-hanging from there. Amie beamed at David as he caught up to her.
“I’m a beloved regular!” she whispered, shaking his arm.
“Congratulations,” he replied, gently removing himself from her excited grip. “Is she no longer a murder suspect now that she’s flattered you?”
“Oh. Right.” Amie cleared her throat, approaching Madeline once more. “I just wanted to ask … you know, as a faithful patron … I’d heard rumors that Eons might be expanding into the bookshop next door. Is that true?”
Madeline gave her a look so sharp Amie almost took a step backward. “Who told you that?” she asked. Her voice was calm, as if she was reining herself in after her initial reaction to Amie’s words.
“You know …” Amie waved her hands vaguely. “The rumor mill. Hard to keep track of who said what to who.”
“Sure.” Madeline gave a thumbs-up to the people hanging the banner, who descended from their stepladders. “I don’t discuss private business like that, sorry. You’ll hear about any changes being made to the café once that information becomes public.”
Fighting her instinct to politely back off, Amie continued to press. “So there are changes being made?”
“Again—”
“What my intern means to say,” David interrupted, stepping in, “is that there are other parties interested in the store next door to yours.” He held out his hand to Madeline. “David Lenski, pleased to meet you.”
Madeline shook his hand, looking at him warily. “Hi. I’ve seen you at the café.”