Down Home and Deadly

allergic to sunshine and beaches,” I teased. He was leaving for a conference in Miami , and we were enjoying a last evening together before his departure the next morning.
    Just as he leaned in for a kiss , the doorbell rang.
    I grinned. “It’s probably Zac. He said he’d try and come by and help me download some songs to my new phone.”
    “He can wait,” Alex said softly and dropped a gentle kiss on my lips. Then he pushed to his feet. “I’ll get the door, and you can refill the popcorn bowl.”
    “As you wish.” I grinned over my shoulder at him as I headed to the kitchen. I stuck a bag in the microwave and turned it on. Over the popping I could hear a female voice interspersed with Alex’s deeper male one. Not Zac , then.
    Alex came into the kitchen, followed by Gail. Her eyes were swollen , and her face was red and splotchy.
    “ Oh no. What’s wrong?” I took the bag from the oven. “Was someone else murdered?”
    She shook her head.
    “I’ll take Mr Persi out for a walk while you and Gail visit,” Alex offered. Another thing I loved about Alex. He wasn’t nosy like me.
    “As you wish.” I smiled at him. From the corner of my eye , I noticed Gail’s puzzled expression. But it vanished immediately as tears came into her eyes.
    “Oh, Jenna, I’m sorry to just drop by like this, but I didn’t know what else to do.” She pulled a paper towel from the holder on the counter and rubbed her face. “Lisa told the police that she was at work on Friday night during the time of the murder.” She started crying. “But she wasn’t. And she told me I’d get fired if I told the truth.”
    “Here, Gail.” I motioned to a chair at the table. “Sit right here and let me get you some tea.” I poured her tea and set the glass in front of her. “Where was she?” I shook the bag of popcorn into the bowl and offered it to her.
    “I don’t know. She left early without saying where she was going. She does it all the time. Well, you know how she is, Jenna.” Gail absently took a piece of the popcorn. “She never stay s as long as she ’s supposed to.”
    “Right. Nor does she do the work she should do while she ’s there.” I sat down beside Gail. “So she threatened to fire you if you said she wasn’t there?”
    She nodded. “I just don’t know what to do. I need that job , and besides, without you there, the place would really fall apart if I left , too.” Tears rolled down her face.
    “We have to tell Bob.” I reached for my cell phone. “Maybe he can get Lisa to tell the truth. And I know he won’t fire you.” I hit the arrow button down to the B’s. I raised my eyebrows , and Gail nodded.
    When Bob answered, I explained what Lisa had done.
    “I just can’t believe she did that. Are you sure?” Poor Bob. He just didn’t want to face the truth about his princess.
    “I’m sure.”
    “This is going to look really bad for Lisa, isn’t it?” He was the master of understatement. “What should we do?”
    “Look, the only thing you can do is convince Lisa to go see John. Have her tell him she was scared and so she lied.” I glanced over at Gail to see if she agreed. She nodded. “If Gail has to tell them, it will be even worse for Lisa. Also, she needs to tell them where she was.”
    Bob agreed , and we hung up. Gail stood and pushed her chair back to the table. “I feel so much better now. Thanks, Jenna.”
    I walked her to the door. “Don’t worry, Gail. Bob and Lisa will go tomorrow to talk to John.”
    I heard the back door shut and knew Alex was back inside with Mr. Persi. Even though he didn’t ask, I told him what Gail had said and Bob’s response.
    When I finished, I frowned. “I wonder where she really was , though.”
    “Of course you do, honey. I’m sure the police will find out.” Alex guided me back toward the living room. “Let’s finish the movie.”
    After Alex left , I called and told Carly about Lisa’s false alibi. “Where do you think Lisa was?” she wondered aloud.
    “I think we need to find out. Don’t you?”
    “I’d like to tell you that you need to mind your own business, but I don’t think that’ll happen. And, after all, the murder did happen on my property. Let’s just try and stay safe this time, ok ay ?”
    “Of course.” It’s not like I wanted to be face - to - face with a murderer. Again.

Chapter Ten

    If it ain’t your tail, don’t wag it .

    Just like every day since the murder, I parked in the back of the