An image of Enolia’s bookshelf popped into Alden’s head. “There was another photo of her with two kids.”
“Me and my brother,” Mae said. “He lives in Arizona now. Not sure what this has to do with what happened Saturday, though.”
“Just trying to make sure I understand the background. There was also a picture of her with Wayne Vandershell.”
Mae smirked. “That was from a signing in Orlando. She told me she put it there to make her pickleball friends jealous. As if having that house and just being her wasn’t enough.”
“Was there something to be jealous of? A romantic relationship?”
“Oh, I don’t think so, but Aunt Nola doesn’t tell me things like that. She always has opinions on my love life, though.” Mae rolled her eyes.
So maybe they weren’t best buddies, Alden thought. He shifted in his chair, feeling all the coffee from lunch rushing through him. “So you knew Wayne, then?”
“I’d met him a few times. I knew he and my aunt were friendly. They had a business arrangement. He was a fan of hers, but he was also a movie producer and planned to turn Shellbreak Island into a film, possibly for streaming. If it was successful, he wanted to adapt more of her books.”
“So he was going to adapt several of her books? That sounds like a pretty big deal.” And more than Enolia had told them.
“Crap, I’m talking out of turn again. You can’t publish any of that without confirming it with my aunt.”
Alden refrained from groaning. He had to get something on the record out of this interview. “Let’s just focus on what happened Saturday. It was a great event. At least before … ”
Mae looked down at her desk, reached out to touch the crystal ball. “Yeah, it was. Thanks.”
“How would you describe Wayne Vandershell?”
A shadow crossed Mae’s face, and then she looked up, assuming a guarded, pleasant expression.
“He was very friendly, very outgoing,” she said. “He had a smile for everyone. Never met a stranger, that kind of guy.”
“He had very white teeth.”
Mae laughed. “He was handsome, that’s for sure.” Did she turn a little pink?
“Did you see him go back to the alley? The street behind the store.”
Mae hesitated. “No. I don’t think so. Honestly, everyone was coming and going to the bathrooms, and I was focused on my little speech and keeping my aunt happy, which wasn’t easy.”
“Why not?”
“She seemed nervous. And she’s not usually that way, not before an appearance. She’s more introspective out of the spotlight, but she has a gift for turning on her personality when she steps on stage. Or whatever you want to call a book signing. She’d forgotten the book she’d marked up for the reading, and I had to give her another one. That kind of thing.”
“Did she say anything about Wayne before or after the—the incident?”
Mae frowned. “No, nothing. She was totally focused on the event. She was fussing about some tiny stain on her dress. I gave her my brooch to wear over it. Oh my gosh. Don’t print anything about that or about her being nervous, please. Why are you asking all these questions? Was he—was he really murdered? Deputy Byrd told me it was probably an accident.”
Did she, now? Usually Naya Byrd wouldn’t give him the time of day. “The police don’t seem to be sure what happened yet.” And he was getting nowhere, especially if Mae kept telling him not to publish what she told him. He could respect her wishes to a point, given he was mostly here to get color, but he had to get something and get going. “How would you describe the general mood after it happened?”
“Well, people were concerned, of course. It was all very shocking. But I have to say, my aunt is a pro. And absolutely quote me on that. She was very empathetic and talked to the audience for a few minutes before she signed books. She didn’t do her reading. She didn’t do her usual funny stuff. But she was so kind to everyone, they relaxed. She really took the stress out of the room.”
And they bought more books. Well, he did, anyway, but Roz had asked him to.
“She was very professional,” he agreed.
“I’m hoping she’ll come back and do another event.”
Alden perked up. “Really? Soon?”
“We haven’t settled on the details.” She sensed his impatience. “I’ll let you know as soon as I know, all right? We’d love to have a story in the paper.”
