Page 57 of Death at the Deep Dive

Nora’s eyes twinkled. “You present a convincing argument.”

“Wives and husbands are always the prime suspects.”

“True. And June Shandy had to put up with a great deal from Tackle.”

“Do they have children?”

“Thankfully, no.”

Late morning, the wind from the west picked up strength, and Sue Lewis blew in.

The owner and editor of theScuttlebutt Weeklywas around Ellery’s age, a pretty and petite blonde with brown eyes and olive complexion. She was always coiffed, always perfectly made up, and always on the hunt for a news story.

“Hello, Nora. Hello, Ellery.” If Sue felt any discomfort strolling into enemy territory, she sure didn’t show it. She walked right up to the sales desk, offered her best smile, and said to Ellery, “Can I buy you a cup of coffee?”

“I really caa—oww!” Ellery jumped as Nora, under cover of the tall sales desk, pinched his side. He glared at her.

Nora beamed at him, unmoved. “You go ahead, dearie. I’ve got this.” She nodded to the otherwise empty store.

Sue kept her smile firmly in place. “Look, I’m trying to bury the hatchet.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Ellery shot Nora a warning glance, and she subsided.

“You could at least meet me halfway.”

Ellery hesitated. The truth was, he didn’t like confrontation, and the ongoing feud with Sue did bother him. At the same time, he had good reason not to trust her. “I don’t want to be interviewed—”

She sighed. “I’m not going to interview you.”

“—under the pretense of calling a truce.”

“Ellery, I reallyamtrying to call a truce.” In a funny way, Sue’s mounting irritation was more convincing than any show of syrupy sincerity would have been.

Watson sniffed Sue’s immaculately pedicured toes peeping from her sandals, then delicately licked them. Sue squeaked and then laughed.

It was a giggly sort of laugh, and combined with the half-sheepish, half-defensive look she threw him, it disarmed Ellery.

“Oh, allright,” he muttered.

“Gracious in defeat.” Nora patted his back. “You two have a nice chat.”

They ended up at a little stand on the pier.

Sue insisted on buying their coffee, and they settled at one of the many empty tables on the half-sheltered patio. It was a cloudy day, and the breeze was sharp. Sue huddled into her leather jacket, folded her arms, and regarded Ellery as though he presented a problem she simply couldn’t figure out.

Ellery held up his cup. “Cheers.” He took a mouthful of blessedly hot coffee.

Sue drew in a long breath and let it out very slowly as recommended by iBreathe. “I know we’ve had some…awkward moments in the past.”

Ellery raised his brows. “Are you referring to the libel or the slander?”

“Just for a minute, look at things from the point of view of a journalist. From the minute you arrived on this island, people started dropping like flies.”

Ellery gaped at her. “I arrived on the island in February. Nobody died until May.”

Sue’s smile was twisted. “It’s adorable you think that’s in your favor.”

“Also, I want to point out, nearly every investigation I’ve been dragged into is connected to an older crime that went unnoticed.”

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