Olivia raised her eyebrows.“What?”
Sam looked around again to make sure they were alone.“Dylan doesn’t actually have a master’s degree.”
“You’re kidding.”Olivia’s eyes opened wide.“But he’s teaching classes and workshops with MFA in his credentials.”Then she paused.“Are you thinking Margaret found out?”
“Does that seem likely to you?”
Olivia sighed.“It sure does.I always got the feeling that Margaret had too much time on her hands.Some people step easily into retirement.But it didn’t seem like a good fit for Margaret.I can see her getting involved in other people’s business out of total boredom.”
“Do you think it’s possible Dylan could have murdered Margaret to keep her quiet?”
Olivia said, “I struggle over thinkinganybodyin book club could have done it.But somebody obviously did.How did you find out?”
Sam filled her in.Olivia gave a low whistle.“That’s a lot.How did Dylan react to being confronted about it?”
“Honestly, he seemed more frightened than guilty to me,” said Sam slowly.“But then, I don’t really know him.It means he could lose his teaching job at the community center.And he wouldn’t want the public embarrassment again once everyone finds out he lied about his credentials.”
“No.Not after what happened when Margaret made that comment in the newspaper about his open mic night.”She quietly sorted cans for a few moments before saying, “Dylan is very passionate about what he does.He loves writing.He loves poetry.I think he probably spends more time at Charlotte’s bookstore than any of the rest of us do.But it sounds like however Margaret died, it was calculated, right?It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing?”
Sam said, “Right.It must have been planned in advance.”
“I just don’t see it.Not Dylan.He’s an impulsive guy, so I could imagine him striking out in the heat of the moment.But I can’t picture him cold-bloodedly murdering someone.”
Sam said, “I found out something else, too.Sofia is Margaret’s daughter.”
Olivia’s jaw dropped almost comically.“You’re kidding me.”
“Nope.She and Margaret were obviously estranged.”
Olivia said, “So why was Sofia there at book club?Was she trying to harass Margaret somehow?”
“It sounded like she wanted to connect with her again.She hadn’t spent time with her since she’d left for college.”
Olivia said, “And she reallyisin a grad program?As opposed to Dylan?”
“She seems to be, yes.Aiden found her mentioned online as Sofia Brennan.”
“Ah.”Olivia was quiet again for a few moments, processing everything.“But if she was trying to make up with her mom, killing her sounds like a weird way to go about it.”
“Agreed.”
Olivia said, “Oh, that reminds me.There’s going to be a memorial service for Margaret tomorrow.I got an email from Charlotte.”
“Thanks for letting me know.Since I left Charlotte earlier, I haven’t had the chance to check my emails.Is Charlotte the one putting it on?I’d gotten the impression she wanted to do something to mark Margaret’s death.”
“It’s actually a niece of Margaret’s, apparently.She’s come into town to settle her aunt’s affairs and wanted to hold a small service.Charlotte sounded a little worried in the email that no one would show up.It’s at ten tomorrow morning at the Sunrise Chapel.Are you able to make it?”asked Olivia.
“Absolutely.I don’t have anything set on my calendar for tomorrow.I didn’t really know Margaret, but I want to support Charlotte.And Margaret’s niece, too.It would be awful to hold a service and not have anyone show up.Surely Margaret’s former co-workers at the college will be there, though.”
Olivia said, “I’m not sure about that.I saw the niece had posted something on Margaret’s social media about the service.But who knows if her colleagues will come.Can you imagine working with Margaret?She was tough enough to handle in a club setting.She must have been a nightmare at department meetings at the university.”
“True.But maybe some of them will show.I’d be interested in talking to them.”
Olivia smiled at her, the old twinkle in her eye.“You mean pumping information out of them?”
“That too,” admitted Sam.
“So you’ve got information on Sofia and Dylan.Gerald is dead.Who’s left?Pamela and Claire?”
