Another tease -- uh, excerpt, I mean

(On any of these excerpts, if you see any mistakes, please let me know in comments, and I'll correct them both here and in the book itself.)

Excerpt from Murder by the Acre. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

      Not talking about Danny didn’t leave much for Lisa and Janice to talk about. After a few exchanges about their former schoolmates and who married whom and who divorced whom, the conversation faltered. Lisa looked around Pete’s Café, her gaze drawn to the hundreds of coffee labels that Pete used to wallpaper the walls. She wondered if Bernard would come by. He often got a coffee to go from Pete's in the afternoon if he could get away from the library.
      After a few moment of silence, Janice placed her coffee cup on the table and sighed. “I guess I’ve made a mess of things.”
      Since it didn’t seem polite or comforting to agree, Lisa took a different angle. “Well, no one can accuse you of having a dull life, that’s for sure.”
      Janice smiled briefly. “No, say what you will, it hasn’t been dull.” Her smile faded. “I don’t know how it turned out like this. My mother is being wonderful about all this, but I know this is hard on her. To have her daughter talked about all over town. I probably deserve it, but I wish she didn’t have to go through it.”
      “You’re the latest news,” Lisa said. “Give it another month or so, and someone else will be the target. That’s how gossip works.”
      “Oh, they may not talk about me as much,” Janice said. “They’ll remember, though. I’ve already had several appointments either cancel or simply not show up.”
      “I’m sorry,” Lisa said. “But it’ll be better after this all blows over.” Unless you’re in jail, of course, Lisa thought, and then your real estate business won’t matter anyway.
      Janice shook her head. “Ryton’s a tough town. People don’t forget. You have to be born here and stay here or they won’t let you be a success. You have to know your place. I didn’t know my place. I left town for the big city. If I had come back all broken up, then everyone would have pitied me, but I came back bold as a brass butt. They won’t forget it.”
      There didn’t seem much to add to that, so Lisa searched around for a subject change. “This coffee is good.”
      Janice didn’t reply.
      Okay, not a good subject change, but Lisa couldn’t think of much else to talk about. Except maybe one thing. She put her cup down. “Janice, is there any way that Oakleaf could be some sort of scam or fraud?”
      Janice’s eyebrows traveled up. “What are you talking about?”
      “It just seems everything revolves around Aventura,” Lisa said. “Danny was a member of the Aventura investor group. Mrs. DeMatt sold houses at Oakleaf, which is owned by Aventura. Gladys Nelson was also a member. Michael Hyatt, another investor, is saying Aventura is guilty of a sort of reverse discrimination.”
      “Oh, that,” Janice said. “Michael only cares about it because he hates the Nelsons.”
      “Why?”
      “Didn’t you know?” Janice asked. “Danny Nelson had an affair with Dolores, Michael’s wife.”
      “Good Lord,” Lisa said. "I had no idea."
      "I only found out last night," Janice said. "Dolores called to tell me that she knew how I felt and that she was thinking of me." Her face twisted. "I know she was trying to be kind, but all she did was make me feel worse."
      "Is there anyone Danny didn’t sleep with?” Lisa asked.
      “Interesting question, Ms. Trent,” Gill Armstrong said from behind Lisa.
      She turned in her chair. He stepped over to join them.
      “I hope Danny’s indiscretions won’t make the paper,” he said. “I think Melissa and Graham have suffered enough. Of course, you might feel differently. I’ve noticed that the media has an overwhelming appetite for dirt.” He looked at Janice. “I hope you’re being careful. I don’t think you need any more bad press, either.”
      "Eavesdrop much?" Lisa asked.
      "It's a public place, Ms. Trent," he said. "I was picking up a couple of coffees. I have a right to be here. At least when I overhear something, there's no chance that it will end up on the front page."
      “What is your problem, Mr. Armstrong?” Lisa snapped. “Do you hate all reporters or is it only me?”
      “I hate to see anyone exploited,” Gill said.
      “It didn’t seem to bother you when Danny was using me,” Janice said.
      “Janice, you’re not a child,” Gill said. “You knew what you were doing.”
      “I loved him!” Janice said.
      “Then that was your mistake,” Gill said. “I doubt Danny told you he loved you. And even if he did, how could you believe him? The only person he ever really loved was himself.”
      “Pretty harsh for someone who was supposedly his best friend,” Lisa said.
      Gill nodded. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have said anything. You know what they say about speaking ill of the dead.”
      “That it’s fun?” Janice said with a smirk.
      “No,” Armstrong said. “That it’s impolite at best and cowardly at worse. After all, Danny can’t defend himself.”
      Janice made a sound of disgust. “I’m going to the restroom.” She stalked away from the table. Gill Armstrong watched her go.
      “She’s a beautiful woman,” Gill said. “Too bad it’s only on the outside.”
      “I don’t think you know Janice well enough to say that,” Lisa said.
      Gill shrugged. “I know the type. In years past, they’d call her a gold-digger. What’s the current slang?”
      “I wouldn’t know,” Lisa said. “But don’t you think this is a case of the kettle calling the pot black?”
      “Oh, a cliché,” Gill said. “How novel. But I don’t understand how it applies.”
      “Aren’t you dating Melissa Nelson now?” Lisa asked.
      Gill’s face turned red. “How dare you!”
      “You know us media types,” Lisa said. “We’ll exploit any situation.”
      “That sounds dangerously like libel,” Gill said.
      “No, it’s slander right now,” Lisa said. “It’s libel if we print it.” Suddenly she felt tired. “Oh, grow up. No one cares if you date Melissa or if you don’t. The only thing that anyone cares about is who killed Danny and shot poor Mrs. Dematt.”
      Gill stood there silently for a moment. “How is Roberta?”
      “She’s still in a coma,” Lisa said. She looked at him. “I guess you know her from Aventura?”
      “No,” Gill said. “I used to do her taxes before I moved to the city.” He sighed. “She’s a good woman, and I always liked her husband. He was a good businessman.” He paused again. “I’m sorry if I’ve stepped out of line. I’m just trying to protect Melissa and Graham. I think Danny would want me to.”
       “I’m just trying to do my job,” Lisa said. “And help the chief as much as I can.”
      “Is he close to catching whoever it is?” Gill asked.
      “I don’t know,” Lisa said. “But he won’t stop until he does.”
      "Good," Gill said. "I don't think Melissa can move on until he does." He smiled suddenly, and Lisa realized Gill was actually quite attractive. "We gold-diggers don't need the past hanging over us."
      Lisa reluctantly smiled. Behind him, Lisa saw Otis Brunson rush into the café. He looked around, saw the two, and headed toward them, not quite running but close.
      "Gill, I need to speak to you," Brunson said. His face was flushed. "I just talked to Hyatt. How could you?"
      "I've not done anything, Otis," Gill said. "Michael made an offer, that's all." He glanced at Lisa. "This isn't the place to discuss it. Come on." He nodded at Lisa and led Brunson outside.
      What I wouldn't give to know what they talking about, Lisa thought.
      Janice rejoined her at the table. Her reddened eyes looked bleakly around.
      "I'm glad he's gone," Janice said. "He was always trying to get Danny to break up with me."
      "How did he even know about you two?" Lisa asked. "Wasn't it a secret?"
      "Danny liked to brag. Men are like that." Janice opened her purse and pulled out a compact. She looked at her face in its mirror and frowned. "But he's right about one thing. I'm not a child. I knew what I was doing."
      "I still don't understand why," Lisa said.
      Janice raised an eyebrow. Her mouth twisted in a half smile. "Because it was fun."
      Lisa looked at her and realized she didn't know this woman anymore. Janice had changed, and not for the better. Lisa wondered if Janice saw her the same way. Did she think Lisa had changed into a stranger?
      They finished their coffees and left Pete's. Both of them had parked in the public lot across the street.
      "Thank you for listening," Janice said as they reached Lisa's car. "I know it's --" Her eyes widened.
      Someone grabbed Lisa's shoulder hard and jerked her around.
      "What are you doing with her?" Ethan Hasting demanded.
      Lisa could smell the liquor on his breath. "Let go of me!"
      "Ethan, stop it!" Janice shouted, grabbing at his arm.
      Lisa pulled free and slapped Ethan. The young man staggered. Janice pulled on him. He pushed Janice away. She fell. He lunged at Lisa, his hands reaching for her throat.

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.