Part 4 (1/2)
At the register, Maggie picks up a copy of todays newspaper. The cover story, written by none other than Karl Jacobs, catches Maggies attention. 'Imbalanced Woman Dead in Silver Springs, the headline reads. Maggie is impressed that he was able to get something written so quickly but still wanted to talk to Ginger Rae today. He already had his sensational headline and story that he must have written late last night, so why would he want to upset her by asking more questions?
Back at home, Maggie sits down to read the article. She almost read it in her car in the grocery store parking lot but decided against it. She spreads it out on the kitchen table and as she reads every word, shes glad she had patience so she can really take the time to notice the details.
”. . . Valerie Hunt saw someone running down the street in front of the house in question just before the police arrived . . .”
”. . . Hunt also said she heard shouting before the young woman screamed . . .”
Maggie wonders if Daniel Stevens has seen this yet and what his take on it is. Instead of speculating, she picks up her phone and calls him.
”Hi Maggie,” he answers, his tone just friendly enough but much less so than before she decided to date Drew instead of Daniel.
”Hi Daniel. I was just reading the newspaper-”
”Karl Jacobs. That man has no sense of privacy or police protocol,” Daniel fumes.
”So youve seen it.” Maggie crosses her legs under the kitchen table and leans back against the slats of the chair, waiting for Daniels full reaction.
”Oh yes, Ive seen it. And Im going after Karl. He cant b.u.t.t into an investigation like this and provide possibly false information. He knows as well as anyone that Silver Springs thrives on gossip and rumors. All hes doing is starting them.”
”You do know thats how the media functions, right?” Maggie smiles.
Daniel takes a deep breath and Maggie hears the exhalation. ”Yes. I know. Im just sick and tired of it.”
”But have you talked to Valerie Hunt?”
”Not yet. Shes not answering her phone and she wasnt home when we went to her house.”
”Any idea who she saw?” Maggie asks.
”Not a clue. And Im not even sure she saw anyone.”
”Why not? Why would she lie?”
”Dont you know how the media works?” Daniel laughs. ”Everyone wants their fifteen minutes of fame and this could have been her way to get it. We havent heard anything else about shouting before Clara was killed or a mystery man running down the street. Ive been interviewing every party guest today and the only sound anyone heard was Claras scream just before the gunshot.”
”I think I have an idea to get Valerie to talk.”
”First she has to come home.”
Maggie smiles again. ”Well, theres that. But if shes avoiding talking to the police, which maybe she isnt, then we could have Ginger Rae talk to her.”
”That could be our last resort. Ill keep trying to get in touch with her. Hows your side of things going? Any information on Claras family?”
Maggie updates Daniel quickly about Marla and David coming to town and their feelings toward Ginger Rae, Claras relations.h.i.+p with Jessie, and Stewart Coles divorce. ”So far, not really anything thats going anywhere fast. But Ill keep digging.”
”Great. Keep me in the loop.”
”Will do. And let me know if you want me or Ginger Rae to talk to Valerie.”
They say rather cold goodbyes and Maggie unpacks the groceries that she let sit on the kitchen floor while she read and talked on the phone. The rustling of bags in the kitchen brings Opal out of the bedroom but the dogs are nowhere to be seen.
”Its not dinner time yet,” Maggie tells her cat, who winds herself between her legs in an effort to guide her to the cabinet with her canned food.
Opal meows in protest but Maggie doesnt give in. Instead, she kneels down and scratches Opals ears and back, much to the cats delight, who purrs in happiness. ”Wheres that collar I gave you in the spring? We should put that back on since you spend so much time outside,” Maggie says, standing.
She finishes putting the groceries away and goes to her bedroom where she remembers leaving the collar on the bedside table. She doesnt find it on top so opens the drawer, but its empty. She quickly looks behind the table and under the bed but doesnt find the collar with the trinket anywhere.
Maggie gives up her search without a second thought.
CHAPTER 10.
Suzie raises her powerful Australian shepherd nose to get a better scent of whos around and then wags her stump of a tail. Shes been patrolling near her house all day since Clem left and Yogi is finally outside next door. Yogi doesnt usually have much news from the neighborhood because shes trapped in her yard by an invisible fence that her person, Leah Scott, put up, but Suzie likes to visit with her.
”Careful of the fence,” Yogi warns with a bark, jumping around on her small feet. The poodle is full of energy and forgetful.
”It only gets you,” Suzie reminds her friend. ”Because of your collar.” She confidently and painlessly leaps through the invisible barrier that keeps Yogi trapped at home.
”Thanks for coming over.” Yogi runs circles around Suzie and Suzie sits to wait for her to settle down.
”Anything happen this morning in your yard?”
Yogi sprints two more circles and then rolls onto her back, her feet flying in the air like shes running upside down. When she satisfies her itches, she sneezes and sits opposite Suzie. ”Just some cats. I didnt come outside. I didnt want them to know I was watching them.”
”Could you hear them?”
”Yup. They forget that walls arent soundproof.” Yogi laughs, proud of herself for getting in an extra jab at the cats.
”What were they talking about? And which cats?” Since Suzie has so much freedom, she tries to keep tabs on everything that happens around her house and even as far away as the dog park.
”It was that big black one without a tail. Thats why I didnt go outside. Hes the same size as I am.”
Suzie smiles her dog smile. ”Jester,” she reminds Yogi. ”Thats Jester. Was he alone?”
”Right. No, not alone. He was with the yellowish cat. Is that Luna?”
Suzie shakes her head. ”Tango. Luna is the white one. Luna means moon. The moon is white.”
”A lot of things are white.”
Suzie agrees. Their color vision is limited, but at least they can make out yellow so Yogi could identify Tango. ”Could you hear what they said?”
”Jester thinks he knows where you hid the sacred object last month after you recovered it from Opal.”