Peppermint Fudge Killer: A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 13 by Kathleen Suzette (reading list txt) 📕

said anything about finding her killer?” she asked, laying her hands on the top of the counter.

“Not a lot. Brittany, did Suzanne ever mention having trouble with any of her coworkers? Specifically, her coworkers at the plaza?”

She shook her head slowly. “No, just what I told you about Katrina at the haunted house. Why?”

“I don’t know, I was talking to Sam Connor last night, and he mentioned that she had an argument with Lawrence Deal. He plays Santa at the plaza. But he didn’t overhear anything specific when they argued, and I just wondered about it.”

She nodded, her forehead furrowed. “I don’t know anything about Lawrence Deal, but I do know something about Sam Connor. I know that Suzanne had a crush on him, and he didn’t appreciate it. Apparently he’s dating Lori Stanley and Suzanne may have come on a little too strong.”

I looked at her. “Oh? What do you mean she may have come on too strong?” I wondered if what Lawrence had said was true.

“She sent flowers to him at his house and Lori was there and signed for them. When she realized they were from Suzanne, she became irate about it and she told Sam he had better get rid of her. Suzanne could be pushy about things like that, you know. Honestly, once she decided she had a thing for somebody, she became obnoxious. She was just so focused on him.”

“I didn’t know that,” I said thoughtfully. “So you think she really had a thing for him? And maybe she became a little—obsessed?”

She nodded. “She sure did. She told me that she was going to go out with him if it was the last thing she did. And honestly, I can just see her getting carried away with things, trying to break him and Lori up.”

“But what about Steven Brown? Wasn’t Suzanne dating him?”

“She was, but I think he was just somebody to fill up her time. She had had a crush on Sam for a couple of years.”

“Then why would she suddenly decide to go after him now if she had been interested for so long?” I asked.

“She ran into Sam and Lori at the movie theater and Lori was dressed up, wearing a fancy dress and a diamond necklace. Suzanne overheard her telling Sam how much she loved the necklace and thanking him for it, and Suzanne became jealous of their relationship. She told me she was going to break them up because that diamond necklace should have been hers."

I was speechless for a moment. “She thought the necklace should have been hers?”

She nodded. “My cousin could act a bit entitled sometimes.”

I took this in. Was it possible that Suzanne had pushed things with Sam and he had killed her in frustration? I wasn’t sure if that sounded plausible or not.

Brittany picked out some candy, and I rang it up for her. I needed to speak to Ethan and fill him in on everything I knew.

Chapter Eleven

I glanced at Ethan as he drove. He had gotten some time off from work and we were headed to the theater to watch a Christmas movie. His jaw was set, and he gripped the steering wheel.

“You look very intense,” I finally said after we’d ridden in silence several minutes.

His face broke into a smile and he glanced at me. “Intense? I guess that fits.”

“What’s going on? Is it Suzanne’s murder case?”

He nodded. “I guess it is. I just keep thinking about when we were back in high school and she was just one of the friendliest girls around.”

I turned to him. “Did you date her?”

He chuckled, and if I wasn’t mistaken, I might have seen a hint of pink in his cheeks. “No, I didn’t date her.”

“Are you sure?”

He chuckled again. “No, I didn’t date her. She wouldn’t go out with me.” He glanced at me.

I gasped and put a hand on my chest. “Somebody turned down Ethan Banks? How is that possible?” I was only halfway kidding. Ethan had been the cute boy next door that everyone wanted to date. Or nearly everyone, anyway. He and I hadn’t seen eye to eye on a few things when we were in school so there was no way I would have dated him back then. Fortunately for me, he had matured and grown up. Or maybe we both had.

He shook his head slowly. “Nope. I asked her out to homecoming in the tenth grade and she said no. I’m still in shock over it, and maybe just little hurt.”

I laughed. “Sure, because you never dated again after that, right? She hurt your pride so badly that you didn’t dare ask anyone else.”

He chuckled. “No, I asked Elaine Sanders out two days later. But if I’m being truthful, she was just a rebound date request.”

“That’s what every girl wants to be known as. A rebound date request.” I rolled my eyes.

“Cut me some slack. I was more immature back then.”

“More immature? Does that mean you’re less immature now?”

He turned and looked at me. “I guess if that’s the way you want to look at it.”

“So what about Steven Brown? He’s a rough character and he and Suzanne were dating. Do you think he killed her?”

He shook his head. “No. I talked to him yesterday. He was in Seattle on business and his boss vouched for him.”

“Darn.”

We pulled into a parking space at the movie theater and headed inside. It was early, and the movie theater was packed. The smell of buttered popcorn hung in the air.

“I love this time of year, there are so many holiday movies out now,” I said, taking his hand.

“Too bad they don’t play A Charlie Brown Christmas at the theater. I think that would be fun to come and see.”

“Right?