Chapter 4

"Leave the Blazer here. It'll be safe enough with all the cops around. You're coming home with me tonight," Grace said as they approached her truck. She kept her voice low, not wanting anyone else to overhear her plans.

Was she starting to become paranoid? Maybe. But they didn't know who'd done it, or why, or why Jeremy was even in Summit Springs to begin with. Maybe she had a right to be a little paranoid.

"Oh, Grace, I don't know…"

"Give me some credit. No funny business, I promise. I want to make sure you aren't alone tonight."

"That's not what I meant. I mean I have roommates—"

"Whom you don't know all that well, right? How long have you known them?"

"About a month and a half…"

"That's not long enough. One of them might have had something to do with this."

Molly narrowed her eyes and gave Grace a sideways glance. "I've only known you a day."

"And you probably shouldn't trust me either, but this is my maze, and your dead boyfriend's in it. That means my maze won't open on time, maybe not at all. Why would I do this to myself?"

"I don't know. Did you invest with him?" Molly countered.

"No, Molly. I didn't know him. I swear it."

"I believe you. I don't know why, but I do. I have to trust somebody, right? Look, I don't want to put you out. You've done enough for me already, and anyway, it's my fault all this crap is happening."

Grace arched an eyebrow. "How is it your fault? You didn't kill him."

"No, of course not. But he's my ex. He must've been in town because of me. Why else would he be in Summit Springs?"

"You didn't call and invite him up?"

Molly shook her head. "No! That's ridiculous. I haven't spoken to him in a year."

Grace spread her hands. "Then it's not your fault. For all you know, he was stalking you."

Molly looked aghast. "I know that's supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn't." But she slid onto the passenger seat of the Silverado just the same. It seemed she trusted Grace, which made Grace feel even more protective of her.

Grace got into the truck and started it up. She drove slowly because her nerves were still shot. "We never got breakfast. You must be starving. Let's stop at Caffeine Ivy's and pick up some muffins and coffee at least."

"I don't think I could eat anything…"

"You will. It'll make you feel better." She pulled to the curb in front of the shop, too distracted by what had happened to realize she just scored rock-star parking, something that rarely happened. "Why don't you stay in the truck? I'll be right out."

Inside Caffeine Ivy's, the owner and barista, Em Lewiston was working the counter. "Hey, aren't you Grace Conroy, who builds the hay maze every year? I thought I saw you in here earlier."

"Hi, Em. Yes, I'm Grace, and I was in here to grab a bun and a coffee earlier this morning. Now I need two large coffees and a pair of blueberry muffins, please."

"Coming right up." Em looked at Grace from the corner of her eye as she made the coffee. "Something going on up at the maze? I heard they found a body."

"Holy crap! News travels fast around here."

"Not usually this fast, but Tom Padgett happened to be in here getting coffee when he got the call on his radio." Em looked sheepish. "I guess I overheard it."

Grace managed a smile. "It's true. They did find a body. They're taking care of it."

"I guess the maze won't open this weekend, huh?" Em slid the two coffees across the counter and bent to retrieve two large blueberry muffins from the case.

"No, I don't expect so. Maybe next weekend," Grace said and couldn't help sighing. It was terrible that someone was dead, even someone as awful as Molly said her ex-boyfriend was, but she still wished her maze could open. Did that make her a bad person? She hoped not.

Before it could possibly open, of course, the body would have to be removed, and the bales stained with blood would have to be replaced.

Then she chided herself again for being a pretty awful person herself. How could she be thinking of opening the maze when there'd been a murder?

She paid for the coffee and muffins, threw some money in the tip jar, wished Em a good day, and hurried back to the Silverado before Em could ask any more questions. She didn't want to get into all the details. It was exhausting and scary, and she just wanted to drink her coffee and eat a muffin with Molly in peace.

Grace drove Molly toward the Victorian owned by Zoe and Emily. Along the way, they sipped their coffees, but inevitably the subject they were trying to avoid came up between them.

"How can we be suspects?" Molly asked. "We both have alibis."

"I guess they need to check them out to make sure we're telling the truth," Grace posited. "For all they know, we could be making it all up."

"Why would we do that?"

"If we were the killers, we naturally would."

"But we're not!" Molly cried.

" I know that, and you know that, but the police don't know it yet. That's why we're still suspects." She pulled the Silverado into the parking spot in front of the house.

They'd just entered the house when they were practically jumped by Zoe and Emily.

"Oh, my God! You poor things." Zoe cried, grabbing their arms and guiding them toward the living room. "Come and sit down. I've just made a pot of coffee and there are muffins. Oh, you already have muffins and coffee…well, you can have more."

"We heard about what happened. How horrible!" Emily said.

Hands full of muffins and coffee, they allowed themselves to be herded into the living room and sat side-by-side on the overstuffed sofa.

"How did you find out so fast?" Molly asked.

"News travels like lightning in a small town," Grace said.

"We heard it from Alicia who got it from Em at Caffeine Ivy's," Zoe explained.

"We just came from there," Grace said, indicating their coffee and muffins.

"Is there anything we can do? It must've been awful." Zoe said. She hurried to the kitchen before Grace or Molly could answer and returned with a pot of fresh coffee and a plate of muffins. "What happens now?"

"I'm not sure. It seems Sheriff Maverick considers us both suspects, at least until they check out our alibis."

"That would be us, right?" Emily asked. "We both saw you last night, Grace."

"Yes, and Molly's roommates saw her last night, too." Grace sighed and nibbled on her muffin. She turned to Molly. "I just can't understand why he was in Summit Springs. Did you tell him that was where you were living?"

Molly held her coffee cup in her hands. "No. When I broke up with him we weren't living together. I was still living at home with my mom and dad. I'd finished college and was looking for someplace to start my life. I'd been to Summit Springs and loved the place. Without Jeremy to keep me in Denver, I had no excuse not to move, so I did. I didn't tell him because I wasn't speaking to him anymore. I wanted to be shed of him."

Grace's eyes flashed open wide as a thought occurred to her. "Maybe he didn't even know you were here. He didn't try to contact you, right? Maybe there's someone else in town he came to see."

Molly considered it. "It could be. Maybe a victim of the Ponzi scheme? He might've been trying to get somebody to drop the charges against him. Or maybe he was still up to his old tricks, trying to con someone."

"Either way, somebody else in town must have known he was here." Grace exclaimed. "We need to find out who."

"What do you mean, we need to find out who? What about the police?" Molly asked, eyes wide.

Grace sighed. "I'm sure Sheriff Maverick will be looking at us first and foremost. We found the body, you knew him, and we were together at the maze. Let's face it – we look guilty as hell." Grace sighed and continued. "Look, you're just starting your life here in Summit Springs, and I own a big firm in Denver. We need to clear our names as soon as possible or both our reputations will be trashed. Finding out who knew Jeremy Prada was in town and why may lead us to figure out who killed him, and that's the only way to absolutely clear our names. Even if the police say we're no longer suspects, rumor will keep us guilty until proven otherwise."

"Do you think we can do it? I mean, will people talk to us?" Molly asked.

"I don't see why not. We're only asking questions and we're not the police. Most people like to talk." Grace looked at Zoe and Emily. "What do you think?"

"I think it can't hurt to try. Most people up here are friendly. If they know something, they'll probably tell you," Emily said.

"And if they kick you to the curb, you might have reason to suspect them," Zoe added.

"If you don't mind, I asked Molly to stay the night. Maybe more than one night. I don't want her alone in her apartment."

"She's welcome, but I thought she had roommates?" Zoe asked.

Grace nodded. "She does, but I don't know them. We don't know if one of them knew Jeremy. I don't trust anyone I don't know well. You two and Jenny and Alicia are probably the only people I truly trust in town."

"Grace, of course, she can stay here with you." Emily cried. "And if you need help, just holler at us. We'll be glad to help."

"You have a family, Emily. It would be best if you didn't get caught up in whatever this all is," Grace said. She stood up. "Give me two nights. I'll find another apartment."

"We don't want you to go." Zoe said as she ran up and threw her arms around Grace's neck. "You're family, too. You've been staying with us every year since we built this house!"

"I know, I know, and after this is all over I'll be back. But until we know why Jeremy was in Summit Springs and who killed him, it's safer this way."

"No. You're staying here and that's final!"

Grace sighed and nodded, and then gently removed Zoe's arms and stepped away. She turned to Molly. "Is there anything you need from your apartment?"

"Just some clothes, I guess. Toiletries. The usual stuff, you know."

"Then we'll stop at the apartment so you can get them. After that, the only person you talk to is me, Zoe, Emily, Alicia, or Jenny. Okay?"

Molly nodded.

Grace was determined. "I really want to find out what he's doing in Summit Springs. I'm curious."

"You know what they say about curiosity."

"Then it's a damn good thing I'm not a cat."