“Anger?”
“No.More like she was grieving,” said Olivia.“I’ve been around enough grief to recognize it.”She sighed.“After Dom, I saw that look in the mirror for months.Sympathy for myself, I guess.”She gave a short laugh.
Sam felt a pang of sympathy.“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not like you haven’t been through much the same thing,” said Olivia.
“Did you mention Sofia to Chief Hawkins?”
Olivia shook her head.“I was too busy trying not to fall apart.Or trying to prove I was innocent, I guess.Besides, what would I even say?Sofia looked sad?That’s not exactly evidence of anything.Chief Hawkins would probably laugh in my face.That state police lieutenant would be even worse.”
“Did Sofia and Margaret ever interact directly that night?”
“Not that I saw.Sofia mostly stayed quiet during discussions.But she watched Margaret constantly.And when Margaret left the room to visit the restroom at the meeting, Sofia’s whole body relaxed.Like she’d been holding her breath.”
“What about after book club?Did you see Sofia leave?”asked Sam.
“She left before we did, actually.She said something about an early class the next morning.Which makes sense if she’s really a grad student.But I did notice something else.When Margaret was particularly harsh at book club, criticizing the book club selections or something, Sofia whispered something under her breath.”
“What did she say?”
“I barely caught it.But it sounded like ‘just like her.’Almost like Sofia knew her from somewhere else.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the afternoon light slanting through the kitchen window.Outside, a car drove past, its radio briefly audible before fading into the distance.
“I’m probably reading too much into it.Honestly, I’m probably reading too much intoeverything.Maybe I’m desperate to find someone else who’s a better suspect than I am.I’m just really tired, Sam.”She attempted a smile.“Sorry.You came here to check on me, and I’m dumping all of this on you.”
“That’s what friends are for,” Sam said gently.“And it’s going to all turn out fine.You didn’t have any motive whatsoever to murder Margaret.There’s no evidence because you didn’t do it.The police are going to look at everyone else who was at the meeting.I promise you.”
Olivia’s eyes filled with tears.“Thanks,” she whispered.“I needed to hear that.
They finished their tea talking about lighter things like Olivia’s volunteer schedule and Sam’s plans for Arlo’s next agility training.
“I have news,” Olivia announced with a smile.She pulled out her phone and showed Sam a picture.“Meet Marmalade.He’s twelve, orange, and apparently just wants to sit in sunbeams and purr.The shelter approved my application this morning.”
“Oh, he’s gorgeous.”Sam looked at the photo of the marmalade tabby sprawled across a cat bed.“When do you bring him home?”
“In a few days.I’ve already bought him three beds, even though I have the feeling he’ll probably be camping out on my lap a lot.”Olivia’s smile dimmed slightly.“It’s nice to have something happy to focus on.”
By the time Sam left, Olivia looked tired but calmer; the worst of the storm had passed.
Sam pulled away from Olivia’s house feeling lighter than she had in days, although her mind was still busy trying to digest everything she’d learned so far.
She wanted to dig deeper, but she also wanted some direction.Maybe someone with investigative experience who knew how to read between the lines of public records.
Sam took out her phone at a red light and texted Aiden.Free this afternoon?Need your detective brain.
His response came quickly.For you?Always.Your place or mine?
Mine.I’ll make coffee.
Thirty minutes later, Aiden sat at her dining room table with his laptop open.Arlo contentedly sprawled across his feet.Sam had her own computer out, along with a legal pad already filling with notes.
“So Sofia Smith,” Aiden said, pulling up the Western Carolina University website.“Grad student in what program?”
“She never said specifically.Just ‘grad student.”Sam frowned at her notes.“Which is sort of vague, now that I think about it.Wouldn’t you usually say what program you were in?Maybe she’s just really private, though.”
Aide nodded.“I wonder if she might be a teaching assistant for a professor.”
