A prickle of excitement rippled through my stomach. “You heard a grunt? Did you recognize who it sounded like?”

Lavinia shook her head, her shoulders drooping. “No, sorry. It was just an odd grunt. It sounded like a man, though … most definitely a man.”

“Well, I guess that narrows it down some.” My head was starting to throb and my leg was aching. I glanced at the clock, my stomach sinking when I realized the day was just beginning. I made a mental note not to drink so many Appletini’s on a work night.

“Willa?” Lavinia pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Yes?”

“I don’t want to rush you, but I feel it’s urgent that you step up the investigation.”

I felt a tinge of annoyance. Who was she to be so pushy? “Oh, sorry I’m not investigating fast enough. I do have a business to run, you know.”

“There’s no need to get snippy. I’m simply telling you this for your own good.”

“My own good? What does your murder have to do with my good?”

Lavinia looked confused. “I’m not sure, but ever since I died, I get these feelings and that’s what I feel. Besides if you want to get rid of me, you need to find the killer.”

I pressed my lips together and stared at her. I sure did want to get rid of her. Having ghosts pop up when you least expected them was annoying. It was enough just to have Frost and Pierce lurking in the store. They didn’t seem like they were ever going to leave, and I didn’t want to add any more perpetual ghosts to the mix.

“You have all these clues now and you were a top notch crime journalist,” Lavinia pointed out. “How hard can it be to figure out who it is?”

“Right. Should be child’s play,” I said, feeling a sinking sensation in my stomach. “All I have to do is find a gray-haired man wearing a big ring and a blue cape that has financial trouble and doesn’t have an alibi for the time you were killed.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

The day went by quickly and I pulled into my driveway that night, exhausted from my Appletini hangover.

As usual, Pandora raced me to the farmer’s porch, stopping short at a large box that blocked the path to the door.

“Mew!” She looked up at me as if it was the most important box in the world.

“What is that?” I bent down to read the note on top of the box.

Willa, here are the books I picked up for you - Enjoy! Maggie.