Frozen Stiff by Mary Logue Page A

situation. Claire shook her head as if to say, give him a chance to talk, and Amy turned back to Walker.
    Walker shook his head. “I don’t seem to remember much about last night. Sherri wasn’t there, at the cabin. I think I was by myself.”
    “No one else came over? It was New Year’s. Did you invite someone over to celebrate with you?”
    “Danielle was busy. I remember that. I don’t remember anyone else coming over. I think I was alone.”
    “No one stopped by?” Amy asked.
    He looked up at her, distress creasing his face. “I just can’t remember what happened. It’s like a blank. Why can’t I remember?”
    Amy wanted to reassure him. “The doctor said that it’s not unusual to not remember much.”
    Claire stepped forward, patting Amy on the shoulder. “Mr. Walker, when you remember more, just let us know. We’ll let you rest now, but before we go I have one final question. Who all has a key to your house besides you and Sherri?”
    Walker calmed down but seemed confused when he said, “Sherri and me.”
    “That’s all?”
    He thought for a moment. “And Danielle, my daughter.”
    “No one else?” Amy asked. “You didn’t give it to anyone else? No friends or neighbors?”
    “Oh, yeah,” he licked his lips. “My neighbor has a key. He was doing some work for me. John Gordon.”
    Amy’s heart sank when she heard him say John’s name. She was afraid of that. John had a key. Unfortunately she knew he also had a good reason to want Daniel Walker dead.

CHAPTER 10
    2 January: 11 am
    A s Meg left her fourth hour class, history, she knew that Curt would be waiting for her at the lunch room. They had their routine and usually it made her happy, but today she felt like skipping lunch. She didn’t want to be mad at Curt anymore, but she didn’t seem to be able to let go of her anger at what he had done.
    Focus on Andy, she thought. Put your anger there. He’s the one who is making Curt behave this way. Plus, she wanted to find out if Curt knew anything about Bonnie’s pregnancy. He certainly would have heard about it by now. News traveled the school faster than the speed of sound, if that was possible.
    Curt was standing by the lunch room door, waving his brown paper bag. That gesture meant he had something good to share. His mother was a wonderful cook, old-fashioned, but wonderful. The Queen of the Bars, Curt liked to call her. Dessert bars, he would clarify.
    “What do you have there?” Meg asked.
    “Something you like,” he teased.
    “My favorite or my second favorite?”
    “I get them mixed up.”
    “Lemon bars are my favorite, brownies are my second.”
    They walked into the lunchroom together and went right to their usual table. Meg tried to grab the bag, but Curt held it up high, over her head. “I think the word you’re looking for is please.”
    She laughed, then kicked him in the ankle. When he bent over to rub the spot, she grabbed the bag and opened it. “Pumpkin walnut bars. I think they’re around my fifth favorite. But still that’s plenty high enough to thoroughly enjoy.”
    “What’s on the menu?”
    Meg didn’t even have to look. “Olive loaf.”
    “When are you going to get tired of olive loaf?”
    “Never. I’m fascinated by the pattern the olives make in the loaf.”
    “You’re fascinating,” Curt said and leaned over and kissed her on the nose.
    “Ooo, public affection. You’re trying pretty hard.”
    “I should have asked Mom to make lemon bars, then you’d be putty in my hands.”
    “Save the putty part for later.”
    “So you’re not so mad at me anymore?” he asked hopefully.
    “No, I’ve decided to blame it all on Andy.” She laughed as she said it. Andy had always been a fairly popular guy in school. In fact when Curt and Andy had first started to hang out together, Meg was rather pleased. She sometimes felt that Curt kept to himself too much. Except for her, of course.
    “That’s a great idea. He has been a very bad influence on