Heather nodded. “It might seem a little long to be washing your hands, but I don’t think someone would question it without reason.”
“And no one had a reason to question it until we realized it was murder.”
“One of the family members would probably have an easier time contaminating the meat, but he would be able to too.”
“He must really hate Mr. Templeton though if he went through all this trouble.”
“Let’s find out what it is,” Heather said. “Let’s go talk to our new suspect.”
Chapter 15
“Nancy Templeton and I were not having an affair,” Brad Troyce said defiantly.
“Yeah, we didn’t ask that,” Amy said.
“We wanted to know why you stopped by their house the day before the explosion.”
“Well, I, uh,” Brad sputtered.
Heather wasn’t sure what she was expecting when they went to meet him. The only visual image she had of him was Amy’s never-having-met-the-man impression. She also knew very little about him, except that he was in the house the day before the murder and had an opportunity to commit the crime himself.
He was a tall man with short hair and big arms. He wore a collared shirt and designer glasses. At the moment he looked like a kid whose hand had been caught in the cookie jar.
He was still rambling incoherent phrases when Heather spoke. “Did we mention that we are investigating this case in conjunction with the Hillside Police?”
“I remember you introducing us as private investigators,” Amy said. “And yes, I believe you did mention that we are working with the police.”
“So I think Mr. Troyce now has the choice of talking to us or having the police bring him to the station to answer their questions.”
Heather was sure that Ryan would be interested in talking to this man if he wouldn’t talk to them. She wasn’t sure that he would want to pull him into the interrogation room, but it was better to talk in an intimidating manner in order to snap Brad Troyce out of his babbling.
“Fine,” Brad said. “But let’s talk inside.”
He showed them into his living room, and they all sat down. He took a deep breath.
“Now what do you want to know?” He asked.
“Well, now we’d like to know more about this affair,” Amy said.
“It wasn’t an affair,” Brad said. “It was one kiss. Once. And I immediately regretted it. I know she’s married.”
“She was until her husband was murdered,” Heather corrected.
“I didn’t have anything to do with that,” Brad said. “I don’t know anything about his grill. I wouldn’t know how to sabotage it without hurting myself in the process.”
Heather decided to hold off letting him know that they knew about the burgers until the right moment. Instead, she asked, “Did Mr. Templeton know about the kiss?”
“I think so. I figured that’s why I wasn’t invited to the barbecue.”
“You weren’t invited? Nancy Templeton said that came by the house to apologize for having to miss it.”
“I guess she was covering. I came to the house to apologize to Ed and to tell him that nothing else had happened. But he wasn’t home, so I only apologized to Nancy for acting inappropriately and then I left.”
“After washing your hands?” Heather asked.
“What? Why would I wash my hands there? I came over to apologize. Not to use their sink.”
This was interesting. Either Brad Troyce or Nancy Templeton was lying about what happened. Was he pretending that he had never been left alone to hide the time that he could have spent spiking the burgers? Or was Nancy Templeton lying? And why? Did she want to turn Brad Troyce into a suspect?
“Nancy and I had been friends for a while. We used to talk about gardening and our houses. Then one day I had feelings for her that were beyond friendship. I kissed her when I shouldn’t have.”
This was becoming more and more complicated. Which version of the two stories was the true one? Heather thought it over. It was possible that Nancy Templeton had avoided telling them about the kiss because she was embarrassed. She also might have been covering up a potential motive if there had been a love triangle. It was also possible that Brad Troyce was making up this story in order to distract them.
“You’re saying you weren’t invited. But if you were planning to blow up the grill, I could see why you would have avoided the party,” Heather said.
“Right. You knew this was an event where you didn’t want to eat the food,” said Amy.
“I didn’t have anything to do with the explosion. I already told you I didn’t know how the grill worked.”
“It wasn’t the grill that caused the explosion,” Heather said. “It was placing the burgers laced with chemicals on it that caused it. And if you were in the house the day before, you had the opportunity to sabotage the burgers.”
“I don’t know anything about chemicals,” Brad said. “Really. I couldn’t have come up with a plan like that. And I really didn’t want to kill Ed Templeton.”
“Do you know anyone that might have wanted to kill him?” Heather asked.
“No,” Brad said. “I don’t.”
“No one in the family? Not even Nancy?”
“No. Nancy loved Ed. That’s why I felt so bad about what happened. I wanted to make it right.”
“Thank you for your time, Mr. Troyce. If we have any more questions, we’ll let you know.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be more help,” he said. “I don’t know anyone who would want to kill him. That’s why it’s hard to believe this was murder and not an accident.”
“It was murder,” Heather said. “And we’re going to catch the one responsible.”
On that note, she and Amy left him and started toward their car.
“What do you think?” Heather asked.
“He seemed a little too repentant to me. I think he’s still a suspect.”
“He also gave a new motive for Nancy. If Ed thought she was having an affair, that would be a reason to write her out of the will.”
“But if she wasn’t having one and did love her husband, then she could have waited it out. If she wanted to be with Ed, she wouldn’t have killed him. But if Brad Troyce wanted her to be with him instead, maybe he blew up the competition.”
“Their opposing stories are confusing,” Heather said. “I need to think on this and try to make sense of it all.”
“I have a suggestion,” Amy said. “Sometimes taking a break from thinking about something is what you need to in order to find the right answer. I think we should have a movie night tonight to give the necessary distraction.”
Heather smiled. “I know a little girl and two ladies who are young at heart that would love to join us.”
“Good. The more, the merrier!” Amy said.
Chapter 16
Despite Amy’s plan that they ignore the case for a few hours when Heather found her husband was home, she couldn’t resist talking shop for a little bit before they started the film.
Eva and Leila were out shopping but were due to join them for movie time. The others decided to enjoy the nice weather and spend some time outside. Lilly was riding her bike on the street, and her parents and Amy were keeping an eye on her while simultaneously discussing potential murderers.
“It’s all very confusing,” Heather said. “But I think that’s what the killer wanted.”
“He or she wanted us to think it was an accident,” Ryan said.
“It almost worked,” Amy said. “If Hoskins had his way it would have.”
“Using the burgers was a smart but strange touch,” Heather said. “Did he do it so he could control the approximate time that it happened? Or so that it would look like the grill malfunctioned at a time that no one had the opportunity to sabotage it?”
“Maybe it was just easier to add chemicals to meat instead of the grill?” Amy said. “I wouldn’t know how to work that crazy grill in a safe way.”
/> “That’s what all the suspects seem to say,” Heather sighed.
“It’s all right,” Ryan said. “We’re actually very close. We know how the murder was committed and we know who had access to the meat. Now which one of our suspects seems like the most likely?”
“Janine gave us a good amount of attitude and was away from the blast, but she doesn’t have a strong motive,” Heather said.
“Right,” Amy seconded. “We couldn’t find a reason why she would be written out of the will.”
“She was living at home too. While she and her parents might annoy each other sometimes, her life is probably easier with them both alive.”
“Nancy Templeton bought the burgers,” Amy said. “She had the most opportunity out of everybody.”
“The motive is murky. She might be having an affair with Brad Troyce, so that might have caused her to be written out of the will. But we’re not sure if there really is an affair.”
“And what about Brad Troyce?” Ryan said. “He had the opportunity.”
“According to Nancy Templeton’s account of his visit and Amy’s sneaking test, he did. According to his version, he didn’t leave Nancy’s company while there.”
“So one of them is lying,” Ryan said. “And what about Eddie?”
“Eddie was having some financial problems. Most people think it wouldn’t have caused him to be written out of the will, but inheriting his share of the money right away could help him out now.”
They were all deep in thought, trying to make sense of the jumble of information they had been told.
Then Amy said, “I’ve got it!”
Heather and Ryan looked to her excitedly and started asking questions, but she replied with her thoughts for the perfect movie for the night. They groaned and laughed at the same time. She had gotten them both with that joke.
“I think there’s something important about those burgers,” Heather said. “I just can’t put my finger on it.”
“Well, they cause things to explode. That’s something,” Amy said.
Heather kept mulling the idea over in her head until she was pulled back to reality. Lilly screamed, and Heather instantly turned into protective-mommy mode. She ran at a speed she didn’t know she was capable of reaching, with Ryan and Amy at her heels.
“Are you okay?” Heather asked, kneeling next to Lilly who had fallen off of her bike.
“Just a scratch I think,” Lilly said.
Heather checked her over and agreed with the assessment. She assured the other two adults of this as well. Ryan gave her a hug.
“I’m sorry I screamed and scared you,” Lilly said. “But I scared myself as I was falling.”
“It’s fine,” Heather said. “We’re just glad you’re okay. How about we head back to the house and get you cleaned up? And then we’ll have some donuts and watch the movie.”
“That sounds great,” Lilly said smiling.
“Actually,” Ryan said. “If you really are feeling all right, I think we should ride the bike back to the house.”
“Ride it back?” Lilly asked.
“If you fall off, it’s important to get back on soon. That way you don’t make yourself afraid of something you like to do. Do you feel like you can ride it home?”
“I think I feel okay too. And I’m definitely brave enough.”
“I’ll run next to you,” Ryan said. “Actually we’ll have a race.”
Father and daughter sped off towards the house. Heather and Amy walked behind them at a slower pace. Heather needed to catch her breath after that ordeal.
“My heart stopped when I heard her scream,” Heather admitted.
“You’re a mom now,” Amy said.
She nodded, and they walked towards the house, joining her faster family members. Then suddenly the pieces clicked into place.
“I know who did it,” Heather said. “I know who killed Ed Templeton.”
“That’s great!” Amy said. “I knew we just needed a little time off the case to figure it out. Sorry that it had to include Lilly falling.”
“The problem is going to be proving it,” Heather said frowning. “So much of this case was burned to a crisp. We need to talk to Ryan to figure this out. It might come down to our interviewing skills to get a confession.”
Chapter 17
Bingo was back at the Templeton house more alert than Heather had ever seen him. His tail was wagging, and he was excited for company visiting. Heather had to resist smiling and playing with the dog. She was here on serious business. They were going to confront the killer.
Heather and Amy were shown into the living room where they first talked with the family. They were all there again but seemed happier because the dog was himself again.
“What are you doing back here?” Eddie asked. “Did you figure out what happened to our dad?”
“We did,” Heather said. “We’ve determined who the murderer is. The police will be here any minute to make their arrest. We just had to stop by and ask why. Why did they have to stoop to murder?”
“This is crazy,” Eddie said. “How can you think that one of us in this room did it?”
“And how can you think you could get the killer to talk about why they did it,” Janine said. “The smart thing to do is to keep your mouth shut and wait for your lawyer.”
“She seems to have been thinking about this for a while,” Amy said.
“Finish what you’ve come here to say and then you can go,” Nancy said. “We’ve been through enough. We don’t need these baseless accusations.”
“They’re not baseless,” Amy said.
“That’s right,” said Heather. “We finally found a piece of evidence that proved who did it.”
“What piece of evidence?” Eddie asked. “I thought everything blew up.”
“But someone here still had to poison the burgers. They did it by taking chemicals from Mr. Templeton’s office and adding them to the meat. All of you had equal access to them. And there were no fingerprints on the chemicals.”
“Then how do you know who did it?” Nancy asked.
“Because we found a glove,” Heather said. “A glove with traces of the chemicals on them. It’s what must have been used to gather the dangerous chemicals and add them to the burgers.”
It was a very tense moment. Amy contained herself from creating a drum roll.
“The glove belonged to Janine.”
“No way,” Janine said. “I didn’t kill anybody.”
“Then why was your glove found with the chemicals on them?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I touched the chemicals at a different time with my dad. I don’t remember doing it.”
“I don’t think a jury is going to buy that,” Amy said.
“Combine that with the stories we’ve heard about her and her stepfather driving each other crazy seems like a good case to me,” Heather agreed.
“Who said that?” Janine said. “Was it Eddie? Why are you such a jerk?”
“Why did you kill Dad?”
“I didn’t.”
“Plus she was the one who took the dog to the vet. She was the only one who knew why he was sick. She knew he needed medical attention.”
“I just thought he was sick,” Janine said. “You have to believe me. I didn’t kill him.”
“It sounds like an open and shut case to me,” Heather said. “This is enough evidence for a conviction.”
“But don’t worry, with good behavior, you could be out in forty years.”
“Forty years?” Janine said, looking scared. “Mom, I didn’t kill him.”
“I know,” Nancy said. The color was fading from her skin.
They heard movement at the door and were soon joined by Detectives Hoskins and Shepherd. Ryan took out his handcuffs.
“You can’t take me,” Janine said. “I didn’t do it.”
The detectives kept moving towards her.
“No, wait,” Nancy said. “She didn’t do it. I did. Take me. I don’t
know what gloves you’re talking about, but they’re not what I used to set things up. I used regular kitchen gloves. I threw them out, but you might be able to find them. I killed him. It was me. Don’t take my daughter.”
“Mom, why?” Janine asked.
“Because I was falling in love with someone else. And it finally seemed that Brad was in love with me too. But Ed was so angry. He was going to write you and me both out of the will. I was sure of it.”
Blueberry Spangled Murder: A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery - Book 48 Page 6