“Judging by Pandora’s claws, she fought hard. Your intruder couldn’t have escaped being marked. Find the person with claw marks on their arm, and you may have found your killer.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“You think the person who broke into your house was the same person who killed Lavinia?” Pepper’s brow creased as she tucked the soft, mint-colored chenille blanket around my legs.

“Well, the color looked the same and it is a strange coincidence.”

I’d called Augusta from the animal hospital and she’d come right away to pick up the navy blue piece of fabric. According to her, they hadn’t found any clues to go on at my house. Striker had insisted on righting my bookshelf and putting the books back, which somehow made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Or maybe the warm and fuzzy feeling came from the tea Pepper was pumping into me as I sat tucked into an overstuffed chair, safe and warm inside her country cottage.

“But what’s the connection?” She poured more tea into my cup.

“I have no idea, but now I’m starting to think the murder didn’t have anything to do with the bronzes, and I got the impression Augusta and Striker might think so, too.”

“Well, if it wasn’t about the bronzes, then what?”

I shook my head and took a sip of tea. I don’t know what Pepper had put in it, but it sure was relaxing me.

“Maybe if we look at the suspects, it will make more sense,” Pepper said.

“Oh, that reminds me, I do have a new suspect since I last talked to you.” I told her about my conversation with Emma.

“Derek Bates? But he always seems so nice.” Pepper screwed her face up. “I can’t picture him being a killer.”

“True, but I can’t picture Bing or Josiah being the killer either.”

“I hate to think it’s any of them. Can’t you come up with someone else?”

“I’ve tried and, other than Ophelia, who has an alibi, those three are the only ones who had means, motive or opportunity.”

“But, which one of them had all three?”

“That’s a good question.” I chewed on my bottom lip while I thought about it. “All three of them were in town that morning, so they all had opportunity.”

“And any one of them had the means to clobber Lavinia and push her … you don’t have to be too strong to do that.”

“So, that leaves motive.” I put my teacup down and snuggled into the chair. “And if the killer wasn’t after the bronzes, we’re not really sure what the motive is.”

“It could still be financial,” Pepper said. “You said they ransacked your bookcase. Maybe they were after a valuable book?”

“But, I don’t have a valuable book.”