Chocolate Heart Killer: A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 14 by Kathleen Suzette (guided reading books .TXT) 📗

out and came around the side, taking his hand as we walked to the chapel at the funeral home. I gave Ethan’s hand a squeeze as we walked inside and were handed a bulletin. We signed the guest book and then found a seat. Christy and Devon walked in after us and came to sit beside us. I glanced around. I spotted Mom and Dad sitting across the room and I gave them a little wave.

Logan’s family sat on the front row, along with Logan’s girlfriend, Mariah. His mother leaned against his father and Mariah sat with her head down. I was sorry to see them so broken up. Losing a loved one, especially one that was far too young to die, had to be one of the hardest things to go through.

I glanced around the room and was pleased to see the chapel was nearly filled. Logan would have been happy to see all these people, and I hoped they had all made an effort over the recent weeks and months to keep in touch with him. Sometimes, life got in the way and relationships slipped away.

I leaned toward Ethan. “Do you think the killer might be here?”

He looked at me, one eyebrow raised. “If it’s one of the illustrious citizens of Pumpkin Hollow, then I wouldn’t be surprised if the killer is here.”

I nodded and kept my eyes moving around the room. I had a feeling the killer was here. I saw a lot of people that I knew, including Amber Gleason. She sat three rows from the front, all by herself. I wondered if what Mel had said about her and Logan was true. Had they dated? I had been away from Pumpkin Hollow for ten years, and even though I had come back to visit now and then, I wasn’t up on who dated who.

I leaned over toward Ethan again. “Did you see Amber?”

He nodded. “I did. I’m surprised she would come to his funeral after she’s been badmouthing Logan all over town.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” I whispered. I glanced around to make sure no one had heard what we’d said, but no one looked in our direction. “Do you think it’s true what Mel said? That she dated Logan?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, but it makes me wonder.”

I nodded. “I bet it’s got to be driving Mariah nuts that she’s here, and that she’s sitting so close to the front of the chapel.” It was rude, if she really was Logan’s ex-girlfriend. It was also rude because she had been so hateful toward him before he died. If she wanted to attend the funeral, she should have sat in the back. And it made me wonder if the reason she was behaving so brazenly was because she was the murderer. Maybe she thought she had gotten away with it and was sitting toward the front, basking in that fact. Or rather, what she thought was a fact. Because she wasn’t going to get away with murder.

Christy leaned over toward me. “I think Amber did it. Look how confident she is, sitting up there just daring Mariah to turn around and say something to her.”

I nodded. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

Devon leaned forward. “I heard Logan and Mel had an argument a couple weeks ago.”

I turned to him. “Over what?”

Devon leaned in closer. “Apparently, Mel was looking at Mariah. And it made Logan mad.”

This was news. I glanced over to where Mel and Fred sat on the other side of the room. I turned back to Devon. “Do you know that for a fact?” With the rumors flying all over town like they were, I wanted to know if he had first-hand knowledge of it or not.

He nodded. “Gary Briggs told me they were at the bar playing pool when Mel came in and Logan started an argument with him.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“Logan got in Mel’s face and threatened him. But from what Gary said, Mel tried to smooth things over. Told him that he was mistaken and that he would never make a move on his best friend’s girlfriend.” He shrugged. “They didn’t fight physically, it was just a verbal altercation, from what I hear.”

I nodded, taking this in. Then I turned and glanced at Ethan. He had heard what Devon said, and he was deep in thought. Maybe Mel had had time to think over the argument and decided to cut Logan’s brake line. Mel was on the skinny side and Logan was a bigger guy. Maybe was afraid to fight him, but had been embarrassed enough about being caught taking an interest in Logan’s girlfriend that he sabotaged his car and took care of his problem. He could be with Mariah now that Logan was out of the picture.

“We’ll talk about it after the funeral,” Ethan whispered to Devon.

Devon nodded and sat back in his seat. The pastor from the Baptist Church was performing the ceremony, and he approached the lectern. I sighed.

***

When the funeral service was over, we got up and paid our respects to Logan’s family and Mariah. Then I took Ethan’s hand, and we headed up the aisle of the sanctuary, stopping to give Mom and Dad a hug on the way out.

“Sure was sorry to hear about Logan,” Dad said to Ethan. “I know the two of you were close. I’m sorry for your loss, Ethan.”

Ethan nodded, his cheeks turning pink from the emotion of the day. “Thank you, I appreciate that.” I squeezed his hand.

“We’re going to go and talk to Logan’s parents for a minute,” Mom said. “We’ll talk to you kids later.”

“It’s so sad,” Christy said, glancing back at the casket.

“You can say that again,” Devon agreed.

We all headed up the aisle and worked our way through the milling people at the