Mint Chip Murder: A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery - Book 6 Read Online Free PDF Page A

their turn lined the front wall on
either side of the door.  A coffee table held magazines.  A plastic plant stood
in one corner.
     
    Heather jumped as a young woman came
out of what Heather assumed was the stock room carrying a bag.  “We’re closed!”
the young woman called out, her voice faint through the glass.
     
    “I don’t want a haircut,” Heather
said, trying to strike a balance between making her voice audible to the
employee and not broadcasting her business to anyone who might be walking by. 
     
    “I just want to ask you something.”
     
    The young woman came to the front
door, turned the lock, and opened the door a crack.  “We’re closed,” she
repeated.  “Sorry.”
     
    “I know,” Heather said.  “I know what
happened here.  I just had a question.”
     
    “What’s your question?”
     
    “Could I come in?” Heather asked.
     
    At first, the young woman hesitated,
and Heather thought she was going to tell her to go away.  But then the woman
stepped back, pulled the door open further, and allowed Heather in.  “Let’s go
in the back room,” she said.  “I don’t want anyone to see us talking and think
we’re open.”
     
    Heather followed her into the stock
room, where the light was already on.  “I’m Heather Janke,” she said.
     
    “I’m Lisa,” she said.  “Lisa
Giddings.  Look, I’m not sure how you think I can help you, but I didn’t want
to try to have this conversation through the front window.”
     
    “I appreciate that,” Heather said.  “I
was just wondering…are you still going to keep the shop open?”
     
    Lisa shook her head.  “Nope.  It
wasn’t my shop.  I just worked for Kelly.  It’s up to her family what they want
to do with it.  They said they’re thinking about it.  So right now, I’m out of
a job.”
     
    “Could you set up your own salon?”
     
    “If I had the money,” she said.  “But
I don’t have anyone to get me started in business like Kelly did.”
     
    “Do you know if Kelly had any
enemies?” Heather asked.  “Somebody who hated her enough to do this?”
     
    “I don’t know,” Lisa said, shrugging. 
“I mean, I guess nobody gets along with everybody.”
     
    “Any unhappy customers?”
     
    Lisa’s eyes narrowed.  “Why do you
want to know all this?” she asked.  “Are you with the police?”
     
    “I just wanted to see if Shear Beauty
was going to stay open,” Heather said.  “I figure if Kelly’s customers were
pretty happy with her, then her family might consider reopening the shop.  I
know my friend Amy Givens came to Kelly for years.  She loved Kelly’s work.”
     
    “Oh, you’re Amy’s friend?” Lisa
asked.  “I know Amy.  Kelly cut her hair, but I knew her.  She was always so
much fun to talk to.  I’ll miss her.  Actually, I’ll miss all the customers. Except
Lana Sturmer.”
     
    “Lana wasn’t one of your nicest
customers?” Heather probed.
     
    “To say the least,” Lisa said, rolling
her eyes.  “Every time she came in here, she acted like she was queen of the
world or something.  She was so full of herself and that daughter of hers.  Emily
competed in beauty pageants.  I think she might have even won a couple.  Lana
always brought her here to get her hair done before a pageant.  And believe me,
everything had to be just perfect, or it would be our fault her Emily didn’t
win.”
     
    “No pressure,” Heather said.
     
    “I know, right?  Emily was as sweet as
could be.  But not Lana.  Kelly spent way more time on Emily’s hair than she
should have to, just to make sure Lana was satisfied.  And Lana left here happy
every time.  Even the last time Kelly did Emily’s hair, Lana was happy with
it.  But then she came in the next day and started screaming at Kelly in front
of the other customers.  Apparently, Emily only got runner-up, and Lana said it
was all Kelly’s fault.”
     
    “Why didn’t Kelly just fire Lana as