"Corey didn't like him either. I'l keep an eye on him. By the way, I think Corey has found her cal ing. She wants to be a vet technician."

"I think that would be perfect for her."

Kitty's phone rang. "You go ahead to Corey's apartment. Frank is cal ing."

"Frank? . . . I can come over . . . Is everything al right? . . . Be right there." Chapter 12 Kitty was surprised to see Sheila's car at Frank's house. What is she doing here?

"Frank?"

"Come on in Kitty. Sheila just told me something interesting."

Kitty sat in a chair. Heart racing. What was this all about?

"Where's Maddie?"

"She's at the library. Story hour." Frank calmly explained.

Sheila fidgeted. Looking around the room. Avoiding Kitty's blazing eyes. "I'm embarra.s.sed to tel you this. I had Blake gather information on you and Frank. I loved Blake but I was jealous of you, Kitty. I know it sounds crazy but I didn't want Frank to be happy without me." She looked up final y.

Looking for forgiveness from Kitty and Frank.

"And what about you and Nicole scheming to make Frank look bad so you could get custody of Maddie?" Kitty angrily questioned.

"What are you talking about?" Sheila looked from Kitty to Frank.

"The day Nicole took Maddie. She told us the two of you were in on it together."

"That's not true. I was beside myself with worry." Her face drained of color. "You have to believe me. Nicole is a devious person. I never should have let her back into my life after her grandmother died."

"Sheila. Did you steal the tire iron from my car?" Frank was not going to beat around the bush any longer.

"Yes. I did. But I didn't kil Blake. Nicole or Harry could have taken it from my car. They both knew I had it."

"What about my slashed tire the day I got my stuff from the house? You knew I was going there." Sheila hung her head. "That was me too. I drove Nicole's car so you wouldn't recognize it. I just wanted to make your life difficult. I was so upset about Blake's murder and you two look so happy together. It was a stupid thing to do."

"Why are you tel ing us this now Sheila? Why should we believe any of this?" Kitty was furious.

"For Maddie's sake. You have to believe me. I want her life to be happy. To be as normal as possible. This charade has gone on long enough.

And I'm hoping this information wil help you figure out who kil ed Blake."

"Do you know who kil ed him?" Kitty's tone softened.

"No. But I have Blake's cel phone. She took out Blake's black cel phone. Look at these text messages from the day he was murdered."

"How did you get it?"

"He slipped it into my pocket just before he went to have a cigarette. I knew he might be in danger. I got suspicious." Sheila paused. "Blake doesn't smoke. When you showed up, Kitty, I knew I could trust Maddie with you and I wanted to find Blake before something terrible happened." Kitty flipped open the phone to the messages.

"Meet me behind the chicken barn. This message was sent twice. Once to Nicole and once to Harry." Kitty looked at Sheila. "Do you know why he wanted to meet them?"

"I've been wracking my brain trying to figure it out. I keep coming back to one thing. Blake had just told me that he discovered Harry had been stealing from the company. I think he was going to confront Harry."

"Why would he want Nicole there too?"

"Harry was having an affair with Nicole. Maybe Blake was going to use that as leverage to get Harry to come clean about the money. Blake was going to threaten to tel Harry's wife." Sheila let out a sigh. "I've been holding this in for so long. I should have told you sooner but my pride wouldn't let me." She dropped her head into her hands.

Kitty stood up. Walked around the room. "Okay. This is what we'l do. I have some papers we found in your house that Harry wants to look at. He told me that Blake was stealing from the business and he wants to see if there's any information that wil lead him to the money." Kitty paused to watch Sheila's reaction.

"Don't trust him. I put those papers in the recipe box. Blake told me to put them someplace safe. It's just background information about al of us." Kitty nodded slightly. Finally this is adding up.

"I told Harry I would think about letting him see the papers. I've decided, after hearing what you've told us, that this might be a good time to give him a cal . I'm going to invite Nicole too. I'm guessing there wil be fireworks when they read what's in those papers." Kitty sat back. Final y relaxing.

"But there's nothing in those papers Kitty."

"How can you be sure? Harry seems to think there's something there."

Sheila stood up. "I put those papers in Frank's box. I know what information is there." Kitty watched Sheila. "When did you do that?"

"It was a while ago."

"Maybe Blake added something."

Sheila's face twitched. "I didn't think of that."

Kitty smiled to herself. There will be something in those papers that someone isn't going to like. I'll make sure of that.

Back at her house, Kitty had three cal s to make.

"Harry? . . . I've thought about those papers. Come to my house at five and you can take a look at them." Harry replied. "I'l be there."

"Sheila? . . . Can you bring Nicole here around five fifteen? . . . Great. See you both then." Kitty had some work to do before the show started and she would need Tina and Frank's help too.

First, to doctor up the papers. "Tina? . . . I'm stopping by your office."

"Here are the papers from the recipe box. Can you add some information and print them out for me? They can't have todays date on them though."

"Give me what you want and I'l figure it out."

"This page with Harry's information needs more. Add in, Harry is having an affair with Nicole which I will expose if he continues to investigate the missing money from our partners.h.i.+p. The ledger with these papers shows who took the money and where the money is. I plan to dissolve our partners.h.i.+p and retain the majority of the customers. Harry will agree not to start another business in the same state. In addition, Harry will admit to forging doc.u.ments that were given to Kitty Wilson (maiden name Watson) to scam her out of a percentage of her farm. If something happens to me, Blake Weaver, whoever finds these papers can use this information as needed."

"That should do it. Harry wants to know what Blake knew and now he'l find out."

"Is this true?" Tina asked.

"We'l find out who blinks first. Someone is lying. They are al pointing fingers at each other."

"I'm coming over after work."

"See you then. Bring Aaron. I'm expecting we'l be celebrating."

Kitty cal ed Frank as she walked out of Tina's office with the doctored paperwork.

"Frank? . . . meet me at the police station . . . I'l explain everything to you there." Kitty had to get Herb up to speed with al that was happening. If everything went as she expected, al this should be over final y and she wanted Herb to be there to arrest someone.

Frank pul ed up right behind Kitty at the police station.

"What's your plan this time?"

"Flus.h.i.+ng out the murderer. Want to put your money on one of them?"

"No. They al have motives and I don't know who to believe." Frank said as they climbed the stairs into the station.

Herb watched Kitty and Frank enter the police station. "I'm not sure I like that look on your face Kitty. You've got something up your sleeve. I hope you're here to get my help. I don't like it when you try to solve these mysteries yourself. You put yourself in danger doing it alone." Kitty looked around at the other people in the main room of the police station. "Don't worry. Is there someplace we can talk?"

"Fol ow me to my office." Herb closed the door and turned to Kitty. "Okay. Fil me in."

"I've invited some people to my house around five o'clock. I'm sure you've talked to al of them over the course of your investigation but I think I uncovered some information that they probably forgot to mention to you." Kitty chuckled.

"So what's your plan? I have to hide in the background?" Herb frowned.

"Of course. You don't want to scare them off do you?"

"Who wil be there?"

"Harry Parsons, Nicole Flemming and Sheila Weaver."

"I'l be there in the background. Be sure you have your phone to give me a cal when it's time to swoop in."

Harry drove up at five on the dot just as Kitty expected. He was anxious to find out what Blake knew or at least what Blake put in the folder.

"Glad you changed your mind Kitty." Harry walked in without waiting for an invitation. "Where are the papers?"

"Over here in the kitchen. This is everything I found."

Harry picked up the few papers, shuffling until he found what he was looking for. The paper about him.

"I knew it. He did steal money from the business."

"Harry. Did Blake send you a text the day he was murdered to meet him behind the chicken barn?"

"How do you know that?"

Kitty held up a phone. "It's right here, on his cel phone."

"Listen. I did get that text and Nicole got the same text. I thought Blake was going to final y tel me where he hid the money. When I went behind the barn, he was already dead. He didn't have his phone. I looked for it, knowing that text would look bad. Nicole was there with me too. Did Frank kil Blake? I know they didn't get along at al ."

Harry turned at the sound of the door opening.

Nicole's eyes darted from Harry to Sheila. "What are you doing here Harry? Sheila, you told me Kitty had some information she needed to talk to me about".

Kitty glared at each one standing in her kitchen. "Come on in. It's about time you al stop lying and we get to the bottom of this mess."

"What do you mean Kitty? I told you the truth?" Sheila stammered as she pul ed Maddie close to her side.

"What truth was that? Read this Sheila." Harry shoved the paper at her.

Skimming quickly, her jaw dropped. She went white as a sheet. "Where did you find this? This isn't the paper I hid in the recipe box."

"You cleaned up Blake's papers didn't you Sheila? You didn't want Blake to give the money back.

"He was too honest. He hated me for the scheme to get part of your farm and when he found I was manipulating the books, he lost it. He was going to leave me. And you Nicole. What a traitor. How could you turn on me for that weasel Harry? Come on Maddie. You're my insurance to get out of here."

Maddie screamed. "Mommy. I want to stay here with Kitty. I want to see Henry." Sheila started to pul the screaming girl toward the door. "Sorry honey. You'l never see Kitty or that stupid pony again." Max charged across the room leaping at Sheila and knocking her down just as Sam walked in. Maddie made a beeline for Kitty.

"Kitty. What the devil is going on here? Mia texted me that there was a problem."

"Cal Frank and Herb. Tel them to get here ASAP." They al heard sirens before Sam even had a chance to get his phone out.

"I'm a step ahead of you Sam." Mia was leaning on her crutches, grinning from ear to ear. "I cal ed them after I sent you that message. I couldn't let anything happen to Maddie. Or Kitty."

Herb cuffed Sheila and had his officer escort her to the back of the police car. Herb looked at Harry and Nicole stil standing in the kitchen "What about the two of you?"

"What about us?" Harry indignantly asked. "It looks like you have your murderer now."

"There is the smal matter of some forged doc.u.ments don't you think Kitty?" Nicole sputtered. "That was al Sheila's idea."

"Let's get a statement about that so Kitty can sleep peaceful y knowing no one is trying to steal her farm." Herb winked at Kitty and led them out to his car.

Tina and Aaron rushed in al out of breath. "Did we miss anything?"

Kitty laughed. "Everything but the celebration. I'l fil you in. But first, who wants to celebrate with me?" Al hands went up. Kitty got out gla.s.ses and poured wine. She gave Maddie cranberry juice in her gla.s.s.

"Here's to another mystery solved."

Frank asked Kitty, "How did you know?"

"I didn't. I knew it was one of them. With the extra paper Tina created for me, I was hoping to flush out the guilty person. And it worked. When Harry read it, he immediately suspected Sheila. He didn't act nervous that the evidence pointed to him. When Sheila read it, she got defensive and a.s.sumed she was the target. I was just letting human nature take care of the details. Guilt solved the mystery."

"Bril iant. Again." Gla.s.ses clinked as everyone settled down to relax.