“Details don’t matter, Nat. Don’t you understand? It’s this that matters.” Alice fumbled with her cell phone, tapping the screen and grumbling, which kind of diluted the big reveal when she thrust her phone toward Natalie and Harper with the screen facing them.
Harper gasped. Natalie squinted to see what was gasp-worthy. She really needed to get her eyes checked. Finally she took the phone from Alice so she could see better, only to wish she hadn’t.
Someone had posted a screen shot of her shop’s Facebook page with the word MURDERER written across it.
Harper let out a sigh as the door flew open again and Jules rushed in.
“Natalie, the Facebook page!” Seconds later Jules skidded to a stop in front of them. “I just deleted a dozen comments saying you’re a murderer.”
“Jules. It’s not true,” Natalie told her.
Jules shook her head. “Nat, truth has nothing to do with it. If the public decides to cancel you, you’re done.”
“See. Told you,” Alice said with a nod.
“We have to issue a public statement,” Jules said.
“I don’t know,” Harper countered. “Sometimes it’s better to completely ignore the scandal. Let it die down. Commenting on it just fuels the fire. I’ve seen it happen in the author world.”
Alice shook her head. “Nope. I say you come to the Village meeting tonight and make a public statement in person proclaiming your innocence. That’ll shut everyone up.”
Harper raised a brow. “Will it? Have you been to a Village meeting?” Harper asked, the question dripping in sarcasm.
Lionel stepped into the middle of the discussion. “Why are you discussing Facebook of all things when the future of my book hangs in the balance? I want assurances from you that you will not submit that book to the editor without my final approval. Deadline or no?—”
“Hey, I have news.” Liam entered from behind her, through the apartment, unwittingly interrupting Lionel’s lecture.
Natalie turned to face him, not sure she could handle anymore news. So far today, all of the news had been bad.
Maybe she was due for some good news. Hopefully…
“The coroner will be here later today to pick up the—” Liam paused when he realized the size of his audience. “Uh…the cadaver for the autopsy.”
With Liam’s announcement the room exploded in chatter.
“Today!” Lionel exclaimed. “That is not nearly enough time for me to give you instructions on how to proceed while I’m away.”
“I guess this means we’re finishing this book alone,” Harper said, which sent Lionel spinning out into another diatribe, demanding Natalie tell that romance author she was not to lay one hand on his book.
Meanwhile Alice scowled. “It’s a conspiracy, I tell you. This autopsy will reveal evidence that the Feds will use as an excuse to arrest Natalie. Mark my words. I’ve seen it before.”
“You have?” Jules asked Alice.
“Yup. On TV.” She nodded.
“Can we all remain calm, please? There’s no need for concern,” Natalie said loud enough to hopefully be heard over them.
It had been so noisy in the shop Natalie had somehow missed the bell announcing Carson’s entry, but there he stood, hat in hand again, looking at her.
“There might actually be a bit of a need for concern,” Carson said.
“Talk, Bekker,” Liam said, his tone low and intimidating.
Looking unperturbed by Liam’s thinly veiled machismo, Carson faced Natalie. “New Haven PD has new evidence.”
“What new evidence?” Natalie managed to ask past the lump in her throat.
“Screen shots of you in a public dispute with Lionel Graves on Facebook.”
