Murder by Page One by Olivia Matthews (read aloud txt) 📗

Corrinne, Floyd, Viv, and Adrian had gathered around us to offer their congratulations.

“But, Marvey, you and Spence won.” In my current mood, Jo’s laughter seemed to be in poor taste, since I wasn’t convinced I wouldn’t soon be revisiting at least one of those servings of cobbler.

“Not bad for our first Cobbler Crawl.” Spence had already started plans to defend our title at next year’s event.

I had to nip that in the bud. “Our first and last.” I cautiously straightened, then waited to make sure the nausea had passed.

Jo shook her head in mock chastisement. “This from the woman who faced down an armed gunman.”

It had been five days since Jo and I had put our lives in danger to clear her name and had caught Fiona Lyle-Hayes’s killer in the process. Willy Pelt had confessed to killing Fiona and attempting to kill us.

He’d also set off my motion sensors during his prowl around my home, booby-trapped my chair, invited the snake into my car, and tried to run me over with a car he’d rented to direct suspicion away from himself. All of those acts had been attempts to frame Bobby for Fiona’s murder.

After reading the account of Willy’s capture and my role in it in their online version of The Peach Coast Crier, my parents and my brother had called in a panic. Understandably. Almost a week later, I was still trying to calm them down.

I’d assured them in a dozen different ways that I wasn’t going to do anything like this again, but my words weren’t having any effect. That was why Phoenix and I were preparing for a surprise family visit any day now.

I scowled. “Jed and Errol still owe you an apology.”

“Marvey, they did apologize.” Jo spread her arms, drawing attention to her Florida Gator tattoo, which matched the image screened onto her bright orange T-shirt. “And customer traffic in To Be Read is getting back to normal. Slowly.”

“Humph.” I wiped the sweat from my eyes with the back of my right wrist. “If they hadn’t been so focused on you, they would’ve found the truth before things got out of hand.”

Spence and I chugged bottles of water as Jo and the librarians led us through the crowd to the event parking lot. It looked like all of Peach Coast had come to either participate in or cheer on the fundraising event, which started and ended at the Mathilda Taylor Beasley Park & Recreational Center. It was a beautiful day for the event and a lovely venue in which to hold it. The sun was smiling brilliantly. A cool breeze played tag with the Sugar Maples. The sky was a warm azure with only wisps of clouds sailing past.

Corrinne turned to catch my eye. “Actually, Marvey, they should thank you. If it wasn’t for you, they would’ve committed a miscarriage of justice and a murderer would’ve gone free.”

I swallowed a drink of water as I shook my head. “You’re giving me too much credit, Corrinne.” I swept my arm to indicate her, Spence, Jo, Floyd, Viv, and Adrian. “Everyone contributed something to this inquiry’s success.”

Jo looked around the group with a shaky smile. “I really can’t thank everyone enough. This tragedy could have become a personal nightmare.”

Floyd gestured toward Jo with the box of peach cobbler he was carrying away from the event. “Just remember us when you get the library donor package in the mail next month.”

Spence opened another bottle of water. “Jo, we have a dinner party to plan.”

“Oh, that’s right.” She grinned, clapping her hands.

I laughed, remembering her disappointment from being excluded from our librarians’ dinner party and that Spence had cheered her up by promising to host a special dinner party once we cleared Jo’s name.

“Uh-oh.” Adrian did his best impersonation of a subdued warning system. “Here comes Ms. Delores Polly at ten o’clock.”

I was so surprised my water went down the wrong pipe, which triggered a coughing fit. Six sets of arms tried to assist by pounding on my back. I was fortunate enough to wiggle free before their caring bruised me. I dried my eyes and caught my breath in time to see Delores march up to Jo.

“Jolene Gomez.” The older woman stood a few inches below Jo’s five-foot-eight-inch height, but still seemed to be scowling down on her.

“Yes, Ms. Delores.” Jo sounded understandably wary. “How can I help you, ma’am?”

“By accepting my apology.” Delores didn’t even crack a smile. “When I’m wrong, I admit it.”

Around me, I sensed a collective sigh of relief from the group. During the inquiry, I’d shared with them Delores’s assertion—based on Betty’s word—Betty and Bobby were innocent, and Jo was guilty.

Delores continued. “I allowed myself to be duped by someone I considered to be a friend. This person led me to believe the worst about you, and for that I sincerely apologize. I’ve since had some strong words with this person. I’ve made it quite clear she’ll have to do much better if our friendship is to continue.”

Jo’s smile was warm and full of joy. It lit up her face and brought a smile to those of us around her. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Delores. For a moment, the other woman seemed startled by Jo’s reaction, then she returned the embrace.

Their image filled my heart. “Oh, I love happy endings.”

Beside me, Spence rested an arm around my shoulder, sharing the moment.

“Congratulations, Mr. Spence.” Mayor Byron Flowers’s booming voice came from behind us.

Spence turned, still with his arm on my shoulders, so we both faced the mayor. “Good morning, Mayor Flowers, and thank you. The congratulations aren’t just for me, though. My partner deserves them as well.”

The mayor’s cheeks pinkened. “Yes, yes. Of course. Congratulations, Ms. Marvey. So happy you were able to come out today to support this community fundraiser for a worthy cause. The money will help fund our hospital’s critical services.”

I smiled, taking in the public official’s tan carpenter shorts and navy Izod shirt. “Thank you, Mayor.