So word had somehow apparently gotten out.
“She might have passed from natural causes.”
But Nora was already shaking her head.“It seems unlikely, doesn’t it?”
“How on earth did you find out about this, Nora?”
Nora looked pleased with herself.“After the hurricane, I decided I needed more ways to find out what’s going on in town.I bought a police scanner.It’s been endlessly entertaining.At any rate, it was terribly tragic.Awful.”She waited a few moments before saying, “Though I can’t say I’m entirely surprised.”
“Oh?”
“That’s right.Margaret Brennan was not a well-liked woman.She never seemed towantto be a well-liked woman.She couldn’t seem to keep herself from injecting her opinion into everything.I saw her at the grocery store one time, telling some poor woman why she’d just chosen the wrong pasta sauce.”
Sam gave a small smile.“A woman who knew her own mind.”
Nora waved her hand in the air.“And what good does that do you when nobody wants to spend time with you?”
“Do you think Margaret was lonely?”
Nora shrugged.“She’d driven everyone away.She didn’t have any friends.Shehadto have been lonely.But she couldn’t stop herself.She offered her opinion whether anyone wanted to hear it or not.”She gave Sam a summing-up look.“This book club you went to.Was it last night, then?Was Margaret there?”
Sam tried to deflect the question.“What makes you think she was?”
Nora rolled her eyes.“It’s obvious, isn’t it?The police were over at Twice-Told Tales right after the shop opened for the day.Margaret was found dead in there.It seems she must have been in the store overnight.”
Sam said slowly, “Yes, the club meeting was last night.I don’t really know anything about what happened.Actually, you probably know more than I do, considering you’re listening to your scanner.”
“Hmph.If you say so.”Nora paused.“I went to that book club a few times, myself.”
“You’re not still a member?”
“Nope,” said Nora.“The books really weren’t for me.Not the kind of stuff I like to read.I remember some of the members there, though.Gerald was one of them.I don’t really remember his last name.”
“Parker.”
Nora’s eyes narrowed.“You and your excellent memory.”
“Me and my excellent notes.That’s how I learn.”
“Whatever.Anyway, I saw him at the bank the other day.I told him he looked absolutely miserable.”
Sam hid a smile.“Wow.He must have really appreciated that.”
“He should have.Maybe that was a reminder to him that he needed to smile at his customers more.”
Sam asked, “What does Gerald do at the bank?”
“He’s a teller.But the man really does seem to have something on his mind.Was he that bad at book club last night?”
“Not really,” said Sam.“Of course, I don’t know him well.He was focused on getting the dues paid.If he’s a bank teller, it makes sense he’s the club treasurer.”
“I’m not sure why you even need dues for a book club.”
Sam said, “From what I gather, they sometimes have special meetings where supper is served.And I think there’s a party or two during the year.”
Arlo gave a little tug at his leash, and Sam reached down to rub him.She was ready to keep walking, too.She changed the subject to something Nora rarely liked talking about.Dating.That might wrap up the conversation more quickly than a mysterious death at a bookshop.“Say, how’s everything going with you?Any news on the dating front?”
Nora scowled.“It’s terrible out there, Sam.I advise you jumpstart your relationship with Aiden.You wouldn’t want to try to find someone else.”She peered at Sam.“You’re still in the friend zone, aren’t you?”
