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boots. If this murder taught me anything it’s that if you live in New England and it’s winter, you better keep a pair of boots handy. “We broke up a couple of weeks ago. Or rather, I broke up with him.”
    Sam walked around the desk and stood in front of me. “Why? What happened? Why didn’t you say anything?” Her voice became very soft.
    “There’s nothing to say. The relationship didn’t work. So I ended it.” I put my hands firmly on Sam’s shoulders. “I’m fine with it. I’m actually happy about it.
    “Well, okay,” Sam said, somewhat bewildered. “You just found a dead body, you’re a prime suspect for murder, and now you tell me you broke up with a man you’ve been dating for almost two years. I think you need to go home and rest. Maybe have a bowl of soup or…something.”
    “No,” I said firmly. “I’m going to the factory but first I’m going to the police station. I just thought of something that might convince Detective Van der Burg I couldn’t possibly have killed Mrs. Scott.” I grabbed my tote bag and coat. “Just stay by the phone in case I need bail money.”
    Millie made the sign of the cross again as I walked out the door.

CHAPTER NINE

    The drive to the police station would take about fifteen minutes. I rolled down the window a couple of inches and let the cold air smack me in the face. I glanced in the rearview mirror and grunted. I should have touched up my makeup, but what the hell, the police had already seen me, and if they threw me in jail, I’d be looking a lot worse.
    All of a sudden my gusto vanished. I had an impulse to turn around and go home just like Sam suggested, pull the covers up over my head, and not come out until spring. But I didn’t want to be alone with the images of last night. I didn’t want to fall asleep for fear the mannequin from hell would still be in my psyche. And there was no longer Peter to keep me company.
    I didn’t know what I wanted in a mate but I had come to the realization a few weeks before that it wasn’t predicable Peter. When I thought about it, it seemed all my previous paramours had one thing in common—predictability.
    I pondered this latest revelation for a few miles and then it came to me. They weren’t edgy enough. All had been reliable and steadfast, but I liked to do things every once in a while just to shake life up. Stumbling onto a dead body overdid the shake things up a bit, but that didn’t count.
    Several years ago I went skydiving, much to the horror of my boyfriend at the time. So shaken by my brazen act of adventure he broke up with me shortly thereafter explaining he didn’t think the mother of his future children should be so reckless. I think deep down I did it on purpose knowing how he would react. It probably would have been simpler to just break up with him, but more often than not, it seems I take the path of more resistance.
    “What would Winnie say?” I looked at my reflection in the rearview mirror. Nothing appropriate came to mind and I wondered if the great man had had time to think about such things what with his saving the world and all.
    The solid brick building that housed the police department of Indian Cove, Connecticut, came into view. I pulled into the lot and found a parking space.
    “I’d like to speak with Detective Van der Burg,” I said to a young woman behind the counter.
    “I’ll see if he’s in.” She picked up a phone and started to dial a number.
    “Never mind. I see him over there.”
    “Miss, you can’t just…”
    “Ms. Harris,” Detective Van der Burg said, looking surprised. “What are you doing here?” The sandwich in his hands stopped midway to his mouth.
    I sat in a straight chair and gave him an incredulous look. “You’re eating lunch?”
    The detective looked up at the clock on the wall. “Well, it is lunch time. Almost.” He put the sandwich down and wiped a bit of mustard from his chin. “What’s this all about?”
    “The shovel. I didn’t