Much Ado About Muffin by Victoria Hamilton Page B

a quelling look, but I had to ask.
    â€œGordy knows Karl from meeting him a couple of weeks ago at the pool hall in Ridley Ridge. They played a few games, then Gordy gave him a lift back to Autumn Vale. I guess they hung out at our place playing video games.” Zeke didn’t look happy about that, and cast his friend a censorious look. “So he knew where we lived. We were watching a
Dr. Who
marathon and he banged on our door. I guess him and Minnie fought, but he didn’t say what over. He said the other two didn’t help much; I don’t know what that means. When he stormed out he came to our door. What were we gonna do?”
    Tell him to take a hike, I thought. But then I have done much the same thing in the past—caved in to an unwanted visitor—so who was I to judge?
    â€œDid Miss Urquhart have a heart attack or something?” Gordy asked.
    Binny caught my panicked look. “Don’t worry about it, guys. I agree: don’t give him a key.”
    We hadn’t told Binny it was murder, but she’s a smart cookie when she’s paying attention.
    â€œSo what should we do, Binny?” Gordy asked plaintively. “About Karl, I mean?”
    Binny’s father owned the building the bakery was in. They rent out the two two-bedroom apartments upstairs, tenanted by Zeke and Gordy in one, and Patricia and Juniper—a strange and silent girl who had landed in Autumn Vale after a series of odd events—in the other. Though Binny had originally designed the ladies’ apartment for herself, she had moved back into her dad’s home after his rough patch. “I’ll take care of it,” Binny said. “Tell him to come see me when he’s leaving, and I’ll lock up.”
    â€œYou don’t seem to trust him, fellas,” I said. “What’s up?”
    The two shrugged. I found that revealing, and was itching to tell Virgil about their guest who had had a beef with Minnie just last night. Maybe this would be one murder that would solve itself.
    â€œIf you don’t want him there, tell the guy that your landlady told you it was against your rental agreement to have long-term guests,” Binny said. “In fact, I’m telling you now: he can stay one more night, but then has to find someplace else, okay?”
    Gordy looked relieved, but Zeke, though he nodded, still seemed worried about something. Binny gave them a bag full of bakery goodies, then they left, first back upstairs to tell Karl what to do, and then off to work.
    Though Binny and Gogi kept talking, I had trouble paying attention. My mind was at the castle. Despite the potential for an easy solution, the fact remained: Roma had attacked Minnie at the castle with one of her decorative letter openers. If the weapon was a part of that collection, it was hard to imagine how some boarder of Minnie’s had gotten it out of the castle and used it on her.
    I took Gogi aside, and we whispered about Karl. She agreed that it was important information. She stepped outside and called Virgil. Shortly after that, Virgil’s female deputy approached the building and went up the stairs through the door to the right of the bakery to question both Karl and, presumably, Patricia. Juniper had left hours ago, Binny said, before dawn, since she had clients for her Jumpin’ Juniper Superclean service.
    Binny disappeared into the work area of the bakery for a while, and came back with coffee made in a French press and a plate of madeleines. Several people had come into the bakery meanwhile, and I popped up to serve them. Having worked on and off in Binny’s shop I knew where everything was and how to work her computerized cash system. People were curious about the scene. Apparently there was a crowd gathering nearby, and by now everyone in town knew that Minnie was dead. We steadfastly refused to answer questions, saying it was a police matter. Folks eyed Gogi when I said that—as