War and Peas

again yesterday afternoon when he came to the museum to pick up something.“
    “He was at the Snellen yesterday? When Derek was killed?“
    “Good God, Shelley! Keep your eyes on the road! We don’t know when Derek was killed, but if it was yesterday, your favorite suspect is still a suspect.“
    “And he was there today when Babs was locked in the closet,“ Shelley said.
    “So, it appears, was everyone else,“ Jane reminded her. “What were Georgia and Caspar doing there?“
    “I’m not sure. I got the impression someone had called and told Georgia about Derek and she had brought Caspar along with her to find out what was going on.“
    “Was she genuinely upset, do you think?”
    Shelley nodded. “I think she was. But still careful not to cry off her mascara and eyeliner. Probably five on a scale of ten.“
    “So it all could have been for show?“ Jane asked. “What about Lisa? I thought she’d gone home for the day.“
    “Sharlene called her at my urging,“ Shelley said. “The director and acting director were dead, Babs was missing, and Jumper hadn’t arrived yet. I figured Lisa was the logical person to represent the museum. And it didn’t seem the kind of thing she should learn about on the evening news.“
    “And were they all there in time to have locked Babs up?“
    “Probably. I just thought Babs was in the bathroom or using the phone or something, so I didn’t have any reason to pay attention to when people arrived,“ Shelley said. “There was a police officer outside the front door letting people in, but once they were inside, I don’t imagine there was anyone watching just where they went. Mind if I stop at the grocery store?“
    “Nope. I need to make a hit-and-run stop, too.”
    Jane had a longing for chili and crackers, but that was merely a reflection of her longing for it to be fall. She dashed through the store and grabbed hamburger patties, baked beans, a head of lettuce, some chips, and—after some mental agonizing—hamburger buns. She probably had the remains of three packages of buns in various stages from fresh to mildewed beyond recognition, but if she didn’t buy some, there wouldn’t be any at home. She left Shelley having a conversation with a clerk about coupons that looked like it might become acrimonious.
    “She finally saw it my way,“ Shelley said when she was back in the car.
    After Jane arrived at home, she discovered that she did indeed have an unopened bag of hamburger buns, so she put the new ones in the freezer, knowing full well they’d be freezer-burned by the next time she noticed them. She glanced at her watch. It would be a good hour before she had to start dinner. Notes on the refrigerator door indicated that Mike and Katie would both be back by five-thirty, and the sound of her big yellow dog, Willard, tearing up and down the stairs chasing a ball told her that Todd was home.
    “Todd, stop letting that dog tear up the carpet!“ she bellowed. “I’m going next door.“
    “Uh-oh, Willard-billiard, you’re in big trouble!“ Todd’s voice drifted down.
    Shelley was on the phone and gestured silently at Jane to come in. Jane sat at Shelley’s kitchen table and waited patiently while an elaborate car-pool schedule was negotiated. When Shelley got off the phone, she said, “Someday we’ll look back on car pools and laugh. Not any day soon, but someday I’ll bash you with my walker and cackle, ‘Jane, weren’t those car pools fun?’ “
    “And I’ll poke you in the ribs with my cane and say, ‘If only we could go do some more work for the PTA.’ And then the nice young nurses will come give us our meds.“
    “Yes, and say what dear old things we are.”
    “I’m feeling sort of old-dearish right now,“ Jane said. “Overwhelmed and confused.“
    “Let’s sit on the patio, where I can pretend not to hear the phone,“ Shelley suggested. “Want something to drink?“
    “Anything but coffee. I’m caffeined out.“ Jane wandered outdoors and sat down under the shade of Shelley’s picnic-table umbrella. She slipped off her shoes and put her feet up on an empty chair.
    When Shelley emerged, she had two clear, iced drinks with her. Jane took a gulp of hers and exclaimed, “What in the world is this!“
    “Black-cherry-flavored spring water,“ Shelley said, taking a cautious sip. “Hmm. I think it’s better in theory than for real. It came in such pretty cans, too. Pity.“
    “Shelley, tell me what we know about this