Presented by SHANNON MUIR’S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS
SPONTANEOUS CHOICES SHORTS features short serialized fiction by author Shannon Muir, that may be later released as part of e-book or print collections. In 2019, these serials will appear every second and fourth Thursday (and fifth Thursdays as they occur) beginning January 17, 2019. The story line featured over the next sixteen days is “A Spontaneous Kind of Mystery,” featuring the return of Marnie and Zane. This is part 15 of 16.
Zane took Marnie back to her office so she could pick up her car, and then followed her home to make sure she got in all right. Once she did, Marnie immediately called Sophia.
“You’ll never believe what I found out!” Marnie told her hurriedly.
“Hey, that’s my line. You’ll never believe the update I got from Holly!”
“Is she all right?” Marnie asked.
“Fine! They found the person that committed the murder. It wasn’t Colby. Turns out there was someone angry that Suzette kept turning him down for years to be part of the poetry reading, and he decided to get his revenge on her employees.”
“Huh,” Marnie said, a bit stunned. It seemed a bit out of left field from their perspective, but then again she didn’t have all the facts.
“Guess you never fully know what’s going on,” Sophia continued on the other end of the line, in her characteristic bubbly manner. “Now, what’s your news?”
Marnie wondered if she should tell Sophia, or just keep it to herself. Then she thought about all the times Sophia helped her out and had been a true friend over the last several months, and even trusted her with personal secrets. Marnie needed to return that trust.
“The student we saw that works for the bookstore next door, Colby. He is who Tessa thought he might be. He’s from Aubryville, and going to community college for journalism.”
“Wait. He’s a Royale and going to community college?”
“He’s got his mother’s last name, Cralle. And Tessa’s ex saw to it that Colby didn’t see his part of the inheritance his was meant to, so everyone is claiming.”
“But Clif is in jail now,” Sophia pointed out. “We know he did other nasty things. Maybe you and Tessa can talk to the lawyers for her divorce and see if anything can be done. None of this is the kid’s fault. Maybe you can make something good out of something bad.”
“I’ll think about it. Glad your friend Holly is all right. Hope to meet her again under better circumstances.”
Marnie hung up the phone, and then called Tessa.
“Marnie, all you okay? It’s a bit late to be calling.”
“I’m calling because I found out more about Colby,” Marnie told Tessa. “And I’m wondering if we can help.”