The Square Root of Murder (Professor Sophie Knowles)

guilty—not only had I not befriended Lucy-the-new-girl, but I’d missed a chance to be pals with Gil and therefore have a chance to prevent Keith’s murder.
    It was a lot to bear for a simple math teacher.
    While keeping up my end of this life-and-death conversation, I’d been keeping up my search for a potential weapon. I knew there were knives in the drawer under the microwave oven. And there was always the flame from the small gas stove. And spray paint on a shelf in the sales area. Nothing I could reasonably reach or use. I’d already stopped fiddling with the phone in my pocket afraid that, instead of contacting help, I’d set off a ringtone and anger Gil beyond her current red-faced state.
    My best chance was if my call had gotten through to Bruce and he’d heard what was happening. Unfortunately no police sirens accosted my ear.
    I tried another bluff: Assume Gil was through with me. She could go back out the window and I could be on my way. I took a breath and started toward the table with the binder and handwriting material.
    “Well, I need to pick up something—” I said.
    Gil grabbed me by the arm.
    It was worth a try.
    She put her other hand in her pocket. This time she came out with a needle.
    “If only you’d minded your own business, Sophie,” Gil said, seeming honestly broken up about the fact that she had to kill me.
    With great effort, my adrenaline winning temporarily over Gil’s muscle and skill, I twisted my arm and pulled away. The unnatural movement sent my shoulder into a spasm. Small price to pay for freedom.
    I backed up as far as I could in the crowded space, aiming for the beaded curtain. In the brief tussle, Gil had moved between me and the curtain and I found myself practically sitting on the worktable I’d sat at such a short time ago, blithely stringing beads into a little key chain.
    Gil held the needle as if it were a dagger, waving her arm, ready to thrust.
    “What would killing me accomplish?” I asked, holding my arms tight across my chest. “Bruce knows all about the handwriting and Hal’s false confession. And it’s going to be so obvious if you use that needle.”
    What was I saying? Was I asking Gil to shoot me or stab me instead?
    Gil didn’t bother to answer my question. It was clear that she’d lost it and wasn’t thinking past the moment. She lunged at me. I swung away and the needle ended up stabbing a large bag of cotton balls meant for the crafts section. I hoped it could be that easy; that the poison threat was over. There were still two pockets in her vest with unknown weapons, however, and even a weaponless Gil could knock me out in a heartbeat.
    She lowered her arm. Had I managed to talk a killer out of a second murder? I didn’t trust her.
    I revisited the idea of making a run for it, through the curtain, through the shop, and out the front door.
    The curtain.
    At last, I had a way to slow Gil down.
    I knew I’d suffer Ariana’s wrath if my plan worked, but it was my only chance of survival.
    I took a breath and made a sudden dash for the beaded curtain. I arrived there with my arms up. Ignoring the pain in my shoulder, I crossed the threshold into the sales area. I turned quickly to face the curtain and pulled down with all my might, grabbing the strings of beads and wrenching the heavy curtain from its mooring at the top of the doorframe.
    As I hoped, the curtain came crashing down, the strings broke, and thousands—a million?—of tiny purple and green beads rained behind me.
    By the time Gil could react to my flight, she was fighting off an avalanche of beads. I heard her slip and fall and crash into a counter, knocking more beads to the floor. The sound as the beads splattered behind me was sweeter than that of a cool summer rain.
    I was almost at the front door. I heard Gil scramble behind me to regain her footing. I opened the door to the sounds of police sirens and the screeching brakes of two Henley PD squad cars outside.
    Bruce had figured it out. Who said cell phones were an unnecessary luxury?
    A moment later a female officer caught me as I fell into her arms and the other three ran into the store.
    When the officer patted my back to assure me I was safe, tiny purple and green beads fell out of my shirt, onto the ground.

CHAPTER 26
     
    The romantic dinner for two turned into a midnight potluck with Bruce and me joined by Ariana and Virgil. We stretched the pasta and mushroom sauce with a large salad provided by Ariana and