"Go to his house, and ask him if you can look around. You're a persuasive guy. You can do it."

"Why should I?" he asked.

"Listen, I understand that you're upset with Moose and me, but you can't let that get in the way of catching a killer."

"He doesn't have to let me in. You know that, don't you?"

"Can it hurt to ask?" I questioned him.

"I suppose not. I'm nearly there anyway. Sit tight. I'll get back to you."

After we hung up, I went inside and waited for his call. Moose was regaling the entire diner with his close brush with death, clearly enjoying every moment of it. Only Martha was frowning in his direction. I joined her at the register.

"He'll turn anything into a story, won't he?" I asked.

"I had hoped that he'd outgrow it someday, but it appears that those wishes were all in vain."

"You've got to love him," I said. "He drives me crazy sometimes. I can't imagine how you've managed it all of these years."

"Patience, prayer, and perseverance," she said. Martha patted my hand as she looked into my eyes. "Did he give you an awful fright?"

"There's no denying it, but he also might have saved my life. Take it easy on him, okay?"

"I'm not making any promises," she said with a grin, and I knew that they were going to be all right.

My phone rang, and I stepped back outside to take the call. It had been fifteen minutes, barely enough time for the sheriff to search Mitch.e.l.l's house, and I felt my spirits sag. "h.e.l.lo?"

"It's Croft. Nothing."

"Sorry he wouldn't let you search his place. Can't you get a warrant or something?"

"You misunderstood. He let me look around all I wanted. The upstairs closet was clean."

"That's not possible," I said angrily. "I'm telling you, it was covered with pictures of Ellen."

"Well, they're gone now. He must have realized what you two were after, so he got rid of the evidence."

"Hang on," I said. "I took some pictures. Let me send them to you, and then call me back, okay?"

"Fine. I'll be waiting for them."

After we hung up, I opened my phone, checked the camera, and pulled up the two shots I'd taken. It had been minimal light in there, and one of the shots hadn't turned out at all, but at least one of them showed a highlighted portion of the collage. I sent it to the sheriff, and then I waited for his return call.

I didn't have long to wait.

"There's no way that I can tell where that photograph was taken," he said with no preamble at all.

"I took it in Mitch.e.l.l's upstairs closet. That has to count for something."

"We'll look at him harder than we have been," Sheriff Croft said, "but as evidence, it's less than worthless."

"Even with my testimony about where I found it?" I asked.

"It's too soon to be talking about you testifying," he said. "We have to get a lot more on the man than that."

"You're going to at least try, though, aren't you?"

"We'll do what we can, but I can't promise you miracles, and you should know better than to ask for them. You know how this business works, Victoria."

I was disappointed with the results, but he was right. There was nothing I could about it at the moment. "Thanks for trying," I said.

"You're welcome. Listen, maybe I'll go back and lean on him a little harder this time."

"That would be great," I said.

"Oh, while I have you on the phone, it turns out that Crazy Betty watched Ellen and Wayne the entire time that they were picnicking. She said that they made such a cute couple that she couldn't stop watching them. Tell Ellen that as far as I'm concerned, she's in the clear, and if you see Wayne before I do, you can tell him, too."

"Thank you. They'll both be relieved," I said. "What happens now?"

"What do you think? We keep digging," the sheriff said, and then he hung up.

He wasn't the only one with a shovel, though.

Moose and I were going to continue to dig as well.

Maybe somebody would find a way to figure out how to prove that Mitch.e.l.l had been the one to eliminate the compet.i.tion for Ellen's affection, both past and present.

That's when it hit me. If Mitch.e.l.l had indeed gotten rid of Gordon for his past sins, wouldn't Wayne be the next logical victim?

I called his shop, but he wasn't there.

I didn't have time to tell anyone where I was going. I had to warn our friend before Mitch.e.l.l decided to take everyone else who mattered out of Ellen's life.

Moose was still embellishing his story, clearly enjoying every moment of it, so I left him in the diner while I ran out to find Wayne and warn him.

As I was driving to the shop, my phone rang.

It was the sheriff. "I just wanted you to know that Mitch.e.l.l was gone when I came back over here to talk to him again."

"That's not all that odd, is it?" I asked. "He's probably around somewhere."

"That's the thing. The door was unlocked and standing ajar, just like you said it was, so I checked it out. All of his personal stuff is gone. It couldn't have filled more than a suitcase in the first place, but there's nothing of his left at the house."

I felt my gut twist thinking that the killer might have gotten away when we'd been so close to nabbing him. "What are you going to do?"

"Don't worry. We'll find him. This is something the police are built for."

"I just hope that you catch him before anyone else gets hurt."

"We'll do our best," he said.

So then, Mitch.e.l.l was on the run. Did that make him guilty, or just paranoid? Then again, why couldn't it be both? Either way, I hoped that the man turned up again soon.

"Is Wayne here?" I asked one of his mechanics as I hurried into the repair shop.

"No, he's out getting a part for me," the man said. "He'll be back in ten minutes, though, if you want to stick around."

"No, that's alright. Do you happen to know the name of the supply place where he went?"

"It's nothing as fancy as all that," he said. "He's just picking up a hose from the hardware store. Jack keeps a few things in stock that we need from time to time."

"I'll go there, then. Thanks."

As I drove to the hardware store, I had to park on the other side of the alley where Gordon was murdered. There were no spots in front of the hardware store, so I parked near A Close Knit World. There was a lovely display of yarn in the front window, and I considered the possibility of learning how to do it myself as I got out of my car. It might be something fun to do to unwind while Greg and I watched television at night.

I was in luck.

Wayne came out of the hardware store with a long thick hose in one hand.

"There you are. I've been looking for you," I said.

"What's going on? Did you catch the killer?"

"Maybe. I've got a hunch that we're getting close. That's what I need to discuss with you. Wayne, your life could be in danger."

"Why would anybody want to hurt me?" He looked startled by the very idea that he might be in danger.

"We think Mitch.e.l.l Cobb might be knocking off rivals for Ellen's affection. If we're right, that puts you right in his crosshairs next."

Wayne shook his head. "Mitch.e.l.l? You're not serious, are you?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

"I've known Mitch.e.l.l Cobb for years," Wayne said. "He doesn't seem the type."

"There's a lot that you don't know about him. Watch your back, and if he comes within a hundred yards of you, call the police."

"I'm not afraid of Mitch.e.l.l Cobb," Wayne said.

"Well, maybe it's time that you were. Take this very seriously, Wayne."

"Okay, I get it. I'll be careful. Do the police know that he's a threat?"

"They're looking for him right now," I said. "On a happier note, Crazy Betty confirmed your alibi. She saw you with Ellen having your picnic in the park. As a matter of fact, she thought you two looked as though you belonged together."

"Maybe she can persuade Ellen of that," Wayne said a little wistfully.

"You two didn't break up, did you?"

"No, but she's doing her best to put on the brakes. We're not kids anymore, neither one of us, and I thought we were finally making some real progress, but with Gordon's murder, she's not even sure that she wants to be in another relationship just now."

I patted his arm. "Be patient, Wayne. Our girl's worth it."

"You're not telling me anything that I don't already know," he said. "It's just tough."

"Remember, anything worth having is worth fighting for," I said.

"That sounds more like Moose than you," the mechanic said with a slight smile.

"He might have said it first, but that doesn't make it any less true."

Wayne nodded, and then he shook the hose in the air. "I'd better get this back to Rupe. He's got a rush job that needs it."

"Just be careful," I reminded him once more. I was afraid that Wayne wasn't taking the threat seriously enough, but I wasn't sure what else I could do about it.

"Like I said, I've got it, Victoria."

I watched him get into his truck and drive away, and I wondered what I should do next. When in doubt, my fallback position was to always go to The Charming Moose, so that's where I headed.

Chapter 19.

"Victoria, why did you take off like that without telling me where you were going?" Moose asked as I walked back inside the diner. "I looked away for a split second, and you were gone."

"Take it easy, Moose. I didn't do anything dangerous. I just needed to find Wayne to warn him about Mitch.e.l.l."

"That was smart," my grandfather said. "If Mitch.e.l.l is intent on knocking off rivals, then Wayne's in danger."

"That's exactly what I told him," I said.

"You still should have told me what you were up to," my grandfather said worriedly. It occurred to me that he was more concerned for my safety than the fact that I might have been investigating without him.

I kissed his cheek. "I'm okay."

"Fine. That's just fine." Moose paused, and then he asked, "So, where does that leave us?"

I looked around. "Is Ellen still here?"

"No, she went home with Opal and Robert. Why, do you need her?"

"I just wanted to share a little good news," I said. "With Crazy Betty confirming her alibi, she's off the hook with the sheriff. Wayne, too, as a matter of fact."

"Call her, then," Moose said.