“Still doesn’t matter,” I said more quietly. Because it didn’t. As long as there was any kind of motive for Ian to kill Pug, he needed to stay on the suspect list.

During the rest of my walk, I thought about the list’s names. Alphabetically, because I was a librarian, but by first name, because I was Minnie.

Charlie Seller, the nephew.

Ian Breece, the farmer with the Conti.

John Pinnock, the cranky neighbor.

I re-sorted the names in order of least to most likely. First on the list, the least likely, was Charlie, with John Pinnock at the most likely end.

The next task was obvious: I needed to learn more about Charlie and Ian. “In that order,” I said to myself as I walked into the library. Because alphabetical by first name was as good a way as any to create a task list.

“Order is good,” Kelsey said, nodding hello from behind the front counter. “But too much order puts you into a straitjacket. Doesn’t allow anything except prescribed ideas. No creativity. No thrill, no excitement, no life!” She saluted me with her coffee mug.

All of this could only mean one thing. “You made the coffee, didn’t you?” I asked.

“Got here early to finish processing that box of new books that came in yesterday. Almost done with my second cup.”

That was obvious. Luckily, Kelsey’s caffeinated cheer was more infectious than annoying, so we chatted amiably about the new books as we wandered back to my office, where I left my coat and backpack and picked up my own coffee mug.

In the kitchen, I used the microwave to heat half a mug of the dilution water, filled the rest with Kelsey coffee and added a hefty dollop of creamer. “Say,” I asked. “Do you happen to know a Charlie Seller? Charles, he goes by now. He’s Pug Mattock’s nephew.”

Unfortunately, she did not, and she’d never heard of John Pinnock.

“You’re no help,” I said.

“Not today.” She smiled. “Try again tomorrow. You never know what I’ll learn between now and then.”

That was a good point, and I told her so. Didn’t help me at all, but it did make me think about Melinda Hedges, cousin to Charlie and neighbor to a short-term rental. The first thing I did when returned to my office was to send Melinda an e-mail, asking her to call when she had a minute.

Ten minutes later, my phone rang.

“It’s Melinda. Got your e-mail and figured I should talk to you right now.”

I laughed. “You sound a little breathless. Don’t tell me you ran to your phone to call me.”