Death Indoors: Target Practice Mysteries 4 by Nikki Haverstock Page A

her empty tray. "No worries, just get all the clues."
    Liam avoided my eyes. "Di, I want to help, but I'm not sure if this is--"
    Jess bustled around the table, precariously balancing too much on her tray. "Here." She placed a big glass of water and a small tumbler of orange juice in front of me then handed me a plate of eggs with some fruit and yogurt on the side. Normally, I would avoid having my yogurt touch my eggs, but since she saved me the trouble of getting the food myself, I wouldn't complain. "Why didn't you tell me that you both hit your heads? I would have come over and checked you out."
    I took a drink of the cool water. "'Cause it wasn't that bad, and I just wanted to go to bed. Besides, you had a lot on your plate last night. How late were the police here?"
    She groaned and dropped her still-clean fork onto the plate without taking a bite. "Forever. I don't know why I bother to plan nice events. I should just start advertising everything with 'and there'll be a murder' at the end. Come to a coaching course, stay for the murder. Come to a brand summit, enjoy being a murder suspect. Come shoot a tournament, hope you don't die."
    Her voice rose steadily, and I tried to make calming noises. "No one blames you. These things can happen anywhere."
    She leaned over her plate of eggs. "It could happen anywhere? Are you kidding me? Where else would this happen?"
    "Cabot Cove?"
    "Nice reference, Jessica Fletcher. But seriously, I'm really freaked out. The parents aren't happy, the archers aren't happy. I've been pitching them a coaching weekend here at the center, and they seem less than enthused. Why do people keep dying and ruining my business plan?"
    Liam let out a big sigh. "I've two things to cheer you up. One, the national team manager from Bordistan emailed me back and agreed with my suggestion to visit the center while in America. They're coming for the tournament in Vegas in a few weeks then staying until the tournament in Arizona. They were going to train in Arizona but I convinced them that here, with the on-site housing and food and the seventy-meter indoor range, was a much better option for their team. I'll forward over the email."
    "That'd be great. The whole team?" Her energy level picked up a little, and her shoulders were less slumped.
    "Yes, the whole team. Though there seemed to be some confusion about whether the females would come, but then I insisted."
    Her eyes cut over to me briefly. "Ivana will be there?"
    "I assume so." Liam gave no further information.
    "That'll be nice. The video room will be done with the slow-motion cameras. What was the second thing?"
    Liam blew out a long sigh then braced himself to say something he clearly didn't want to say. "Di had an idea of a way to make it up to the kids that were questioned by the police yesterday. A little something unique we could offer them to make up for the inconvenience." He stopped talking and waited.
    "And...?" Jess leaned forward, waiting for him to continue.
    Minx and Loggin flopped down in Orion and Mary's empty chairs, sliding trays with dirty plates onto the table.
    Liam scrubbed his face. "We could offer up mock sponsorship interviews for the kids and give them feedback on how to improve their chances of eventually getting a sponsorship."
    Jess's eyebrows shot up. "Seriously? That'd be awesome, but I thought you didn't do sponsorship interviews."
    He leaned back in his chair and scratched behind Moo's ears. "Mock interviews. Make sure that everyone understands that we won't be giving out any sponsorships, we're just giving feedback for the future. And I won't be conducting the interviews, Di will. I'll just provide the feedback."
    I sat up in my chair. "I'll conduct the interviews? I don't know how to do that." This was not what I'd had in mind.
    He turned to me with a crooked smile. "Well, Miss Marple, this was your idea."
    Loggin chuckled. "It's easy: get their shooter resume, ask them about how they plan to promote your product, what