Page 36 of Amazing Grace

“Then again, Grace, she said Jeremy’s head was bashed in, and it wasn’t,” Molly said. “I know we said she might’ve been trying to throw us off the trail but…”

“If she shot him, then it would’ve been a good red herring to throw you,” Maverick said. “Between that and her telepathic cats, it worked. It sent you talking to every person in town who lost money to Prada instead of looking closer at her. Britney, get Judge Reinhold on the horn. Let me see if we can get a warrant for that back room at Second Time Around Vintage Clothing.”

***

Ginny Windom looked up from the sales counter in surprise when the door opened, and the bell dinged. “Sheriff Maverick and Detective Huertas. What a surprise! And Grace and Molly, too. My goodness, what can I show you? I didn’t know you all knew each other. I just got in a new delivery of sweatshirts the other day—”

“We’re not here to buy sweatshirts, Ginny. I need to see in the back room.” Sheriff Maverick’s expression might have been carved out of stone. It was immobile, without even a twitch of a smile.

Grace stood silently behind the officers, holding Molly’s hand. She was only there by the goodwill of the Sheriff, and she knew it. She owed Sheriff Maverick one.

Ginny’s smile devolved into a scowl. “I’ve told you before, Sheriff, that back room is private. Customers are not allowed back there.”

Maverick handed Ginny a piece of paper. “This warrant says otherwise. It covers the back room here, and your apartment upstairs. We’re looking for a Smith and Wesson .38 Masterpiece. If you have one, it would be best if you just told us now.”

“I-I…my late husband was a collector, you see. I don’t know what types of guns he had. There are a couple in the display case there…”

“We’re not looking for junk that can’t be fired,” Detective Huertas said. “We’re looking for one in good working order.”

Ginny’s expression turned to stone. “Maybe I should have a lawyer look at this warrant.”

“That’s not how this works. I’m sorry. We need to look now.” Maverick sighed and walked around the counter. She was followed by Detective Huertas. Grace and Molly were told to stay outside. If the back room was small, Maverick and Huertas didn’t need them getting in the way.

“Ms. Windom, you need to come with us,” Sheriff Maverick said.

“This isyourfault, isn’t it?” Ginny hissed at Molly and Grace. She walked around the counter and stabbed a bony finger in Grace’s direction. “You couldn’t mind your own damn business!”

She turned to Molly. “And you. This is all your fault, and I mean all of it. That Jeremy Prada came to Springfield looking for you. That’s right, missy.You.”

“He never approached me. I didn’t know he was in town until after he was dead!” Molly cried.

“Because he got caught up in stealing people’s money and didn’t have time for a tramp like you. But in the beginning, if it weren’t for you, he would’ve picked some other town to do his stealing in. I would still have my savings. That’s why I told him you wanted to meet him in the maze. It was your fault!”

Gone was the sweet, oddball storekeeper who thought her cats were telepathic, and perpetually lived in the eighties. Rage speckled Ginny’s face with bright red. Her lips were curled back in a snarl that showed her teeth. The skin on her face pulled so tight, the veins beneath it were visible. She looked positively feral and extremely dangerous.

“And you.” She spun back to Grace. “You had to keep going, talking to people, making a mess of things. Nobody cared that Jeremy Prada was dead. It was a service to the community!You had to stir the pot, though, and push the police to find answers.”

She stalked back to the counter and took something out from behind it. It was the WWII trench knife. Grace realized it was old and dull but still dangerous as Ginny began to walk toward them.

“You need to stay away from us. The Sheriff is right in the back room,” Grace said. She wondered if she should just yell for help, and when Ginny took another step toward them, looking for all the world like Jack Nicholson in The Shining, she did. “Sheriff! Sheriff, we need help out here!”

It happened in a matter of seconds.

“Oh, just shut up!” Ginny cried. She rushed forward with the knife, aiming for Grace’s chest. It was so close Grace could almost feel the knife sliding into her gut. She twisted to avoid the knife and pushed Ginny away.

Ginny howled and teetered, then regained her footing and went after Molly this time.

Molly screamed and pushed backward through a rack of eighties sweatshirts and leggings.

Grace grasped behind her for anything she could use as a weapon. Her hand felt something rectangular and heavy. She grabbed for it, dragging it in front of her. It was a boombox. She threw it at Ginny.

The boombox hit Ginny and knocked her off balance again, but again, it wasn’t enough to stop her. Ginny seemed to be in a wild, mindless rage. She went after Molly again.

Suddenly, Detective Huertas was there. She jumped forward and grabbed Ginny’s shoulders, pulled her back and threw her to the side.

Ginny fell this time, hitting her forehead on the corner of the counter. The knife fell from her hand. She slid to the floorand sat against the counter looking dazed. Blood trickled down her face in a steady stream.

Sheriff Maverick stood in the back of the room, her gun drawn. “What in the blue hell is going on out here?”

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