Marked for Murder

“No, but he’s leaning toward skipping this semester and enrolling for the spring term.”

He nodded. “You were good with him in there.”

“Thanks, I tried.” She drew a breath and changed the subject. “Now, what did you want to tell me?”

“Just that Burgess and Tate Amusements is back in the area. They’re only forty-five miles away at—”

“—the Laurel Banks carnival grounds,” Margo finished. “I know. I just got off the phone with the Laurel Banks P.D.”

Cole’s brow lined. “Trouble?”

“Not so far, but they generally check out licenses and pay a few courtesy calls when carnivals and other amusements come to town. Guess what? The men we questioned two years ago are still working for them.” Margo slipped on her sunglasses. “And of course, they’re both still pillars of the community. One just served time for aggravated assault and the other’s behind in his child support payments. How did you find out they were nearby?”

“By accident,” he said wryly. “You know, the way all good investigative work is done. When I was driving back from Pittsburgh, I stopped for coffee at a convenience store and saw a carnival poster. It wasn’t the Burgess and Tate company, but it made me think that a higher power wanted me to see that sign. I looked up B and T’s home-base phone number on the Internet and got their summer route and hours.”

She had to grin. “The man’s a detective.”

He grinned back. “Duly licensed and everything.” Their gazes held for a few seconds, fond memories seeming to float between them. Then Cole glanced away and went on. “Anyway, even though we didn’t like them for the first two murders, it’s a pretty big coincidence when the ride jockeys show up again just as another young woman is killed.”