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questions they’re asking her are making her feel like
a criminal, and I won’t have it.”
    It was just like my grandfather
to care more about my grandmother’s reputation in town than it was to have
people coming right out and accusing him of murder.   He loved her deeply, and I just hoped that
when Greg and I were their age, we’d still be going that strong, not that I had
any reason to doubt that we would be on just as solid ground.   He asked, “Have you had any more ideas since
we spoke last night?”
    “I’ve had something quite a bit
better than that, actually.   I’ve already
had one interesting visitor at the diner this morning.   As a matter of fact, he came in here originally
looking for you.”
    “You’ve got my attention,” Moose
said.   “Who came by?”
    “Garret Wilkes popped into the
diner not long after we opened.”
    “What did he want?” my
grandfather asked.
    “As a matter of fact, the
director wanted to talk to you about Benny.”
    Moose’s face clouded up.   “The man has some nerve.   I suppose that while he was here, he got you
to put that up,” my grandfather said
as he gestured to the sign I’d installed.
    “Actually, he wanted it in the window, but I told him
no.”
    “Good for you,” Moose said.   “I’m surprised that you even allowed him to
put it up there after what happened.”
    “I can always take it down, if
you’d like me to,” I said.   While it was
true that the diner was under my control these days, that didn’t mean that I
wasn’t respectful of Moose’s opinions.
    “No, leave it right where it
is.   There are a lot of actors in that
play who didn’t have anything to do with what happened to Benny last
night.   There’s no use punishing them for
what happened.   Are you going to the play
tonight?”
    “I thought I might, if I can get
in line soon enough,” I said.
    “You really do love plays, don’t
you?”
    “Moose, I’m not going for the
show,” I told him.   “I want to talk to
the actors about Benny, and what better way of catching them all together than
attending one of their performances?”
    “What makes you think they’ll
talk to you?” Moose asked.
    “What makes you think they
won’t?” I asked him in return.   “I’m
hoping to catch them off-guard.”
    “It sounds like a good plan.   I’m going with you, of course.”
    “Do you think that’s all that
wise?” I asked.
    “Why wouldn’t it be?   After all, you’re going.”
    “Yes, but nobody’s accusing me of
murder this time around, thank the powers that be.”
    Moose frowned before he said,
“Victoria, I need to be there with
you.”
    “What if I take Greg as my
backup?” I asked.   “Would that satisfy
you?”
    “You’re not trying to cut me out
of this investigation, are you?” he asked me.
    “No, but I don’t see any reason
to get people up in arms if we can help it, either.   How about if I promise to come by your house
tonight after the performance and bring you up to speed?   Would that help any?”
    “I don’t suppose that it could
hurt,” he said.   “I still don’t like it.”
    “You realize that I’m not doing
it to hurt you, don’t you,” I asked as I patted his cheek.
    “I know you aren’t.   Victoria, tell Greg that he has to be on his
toes tonight.   I don’t want anything to
happen to my favorite granddaughter.”
    “I’m also your only granddaughter, but I appreciate the
sentiment, anyway.   So, who are we going
to talk to in the meantime?”
    “You should handle the actors
tonight,” Moose said, “so that leaves Vern Jeffries, Benny’s former business
partner, and Marcus Jackson, the jealous boyfriend, for us.”
    “That sounds good to me,” I
said.   “Do you think we have time to talk
to both of them before my next shift starts at eleven?”
    “Three hours should give us
plenty of time, but if it doesn’t, we can always call Martha in to work your
lunch shift.”
    I shook my head.   “I’d