Murder on the Half Shelf Read Online Free PDF Page B

the last Chamber of Commerce meeting. A night’s stay at the inn. Pippa thought she’d be bringing Bob along. She was shocked to see it was me.”
    “Oh?” Baker asked suspiciously as they rounded the first landing.
    “And don’t read anything into that. Bob’s a real estate agent. I’m sure she was hoping he’d tell prospective clients about the inn. Pippa gave us the master suite, which is why we’re still climbing stairs.” But by the time she’d said that, they had finished their ascent. Tricia rattled the door to the room and only then realized that Angelica still had the room key. “Oh, crap! Ange has the key.”
    “There’s got to be a spare. I’ll go down and ask Comfort for it. Do you want to come with me and see him again for yourself? Make sure he’s the man you say he is?”
    “After what he pulled, I have no desire to see or hear from Harry Tyler ever again. I’ll wait here, thank you.”
    Baker frowned, noticed the back stairs, and took off.
    Tricia leaned against the locked door and sighed. This was
not
how she’d envisioned her evening would go. A soak in the suite’s Jacuzzi tub would be just the thing right now, too. Then again, she’d felt guilty leaving Miss Marple alone for the night. When she got home, she’d make up for her absence by filling the cat’s bowl with kitty snacks.
    She heard footsteps coming up the main staircase and seconds later saw Jon/Harry. He paused when he saw her standing there.
    “What do you want?” Tricia asked.
    “I live here.”
    “Not in this suite. Did Chief Baker ask you to come up with the key?”
    “No, I—” He stopped, ran his tongue over dry lips, and didn’t finish the sentence. He swallowed. “I thought you’d already be gone. I figured I should make sure the room was…inhabitable.”
    “You’re still planning to open next week after what happened tonight?”
    “I’ve got to make a living, if only to bury poor Pippa.”
    Poor Pippa indeed. Only he didn’t sound all that sorrowful. Then again, maybe he was in shock. It hadn’t even been an hour since he’d learned of his wife’s death. Maybe he was in denial, and maybe Tricia was being too hard on him.
    “I’m so sorry about Pippa. I only spoke to her for a minute or two, but…she seemed like a nice person.”
    “She was. Maybe too nice.”
    “Did she know about your past life—your other identity?”
    Comfort hesitated. “We talked.”
    As evasive an answer as Tricia had ever heard, but at least he wasn’t denying his former identity.
    “Did you know I was in Stoneham?” she asked.
    “Not until a couple of days ago when I saw the Chamber roster, and even then, I couldn’t be sure it was you. And why in God’s name did you have to show up here, anyway? Pippa was expecting Bob Kelly to accompany your sister.”
    Footsteps on the stairs made them both turn. An annoyed Baker topped the landing. “Here you are. I’ve been chasing all over the house looking for you. Do you have the passkey?”
    Comfort took a ring from his pocket and offered it to Baker.
    “Which one opens this door?”
    Comfort chose a key and handed it to the chief. “I’ll be downstairs if you need me.” He turned his attention back to Tricia. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Miles.” He turned away and headed down the stairs.
    Tricia’s mouth dropped open in amazement, and for a moment she couldn’t speak. “Don’t tell me he denied being Harry Tyler when you questioned him before.”
    “He did,” Baker confirmed. “And if he’s lying about not knowing anything about his wife’s death and then being Harrison Tyler, he’ll be in even more trouble.” He thrust the key into the lock and opened the door to the suite. “Let’s not talkabout this any more tonight. We’ll get your luggage and get you home. I’m sure Miss Marple will be glad to have you back.”
    Baker ushered Tricia in. Thankfully, Angelica hadn’t taken time to unpack. Tricia gathered up the white waitress uniform, stuffed