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recently departed for the next plane. And then I allowed myself to hope that my presence this time was plain old coincidence.
    I mean, a girl can hope, right?
    â€œThe police and ambulance are on their way,” Ben said from behind me. I glanced back to see Phoebe and Croft Barrow crowded in the doorway. Phoebe stared at her sister without blinking, tears slowly welling in her eyes.
    Declan held out his hand in a silent gesture to Angie Kissel. She frowned but picked her way around the exterior of the room to where we stood. Declan was right behind her.
    â€œYou okay?” he asked me in a low voice.
    â€œUh-huh,” I said. “But I don’t think Margie is.” My neighbor’s face had gone waxy beneath her tan, and her pupils were huge. Her breathing was fast and shallow.
    Suddenly, she lifted her hand and pointed at Angie Kissel. “She killed Dr. Dana! Arrest her! She killed her!”
    Declan put his arm around Margie’s shoulders. “Let’s get you out of here.”
    The fight seemed to drain out of my friend. She let out a long sigh, then obediently allowed him to lead heraway. Declan looked back over his shoulder and mouthed, “Shock.”
    I turned to see the Kissel woman watching Margie, her eyes wide and one hand on her throat.
    â€œNow, I think we should all step back for right now,” I heard my uncle say. “Let’s all wait out here in the bookstore for the police to get here. Croft, how about we put some of those folding chairs back out for folks to sit in.”
    Croft’s voice rumbled something like agreement.
    Phoebe stared at the overturned chair as if dreaming. Suddenly, she shook her head and passed her hand over her face as she left to join the others. I had a feeling Declan would be treating her for shock next.
    Ben came up behind me. “I’ll stay here and keep an eye on things.”
    Angie Kissel turned her head as if considering a quick bolt through the open door to the alley, then took a deep breath and set her jaw as if making a decision.
    Mungo whined. She looked down at him, and a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. With my familiar in the lead, we went out to join the others.
    â€œI’m Angie,” the woman said to me in a low voice.
    â€œI heard,” I said in a wry tone. “I’m Katie Lightfoot.”
    â€œKatie, I didn’t kill
anyone
. I mean, I’d never . . .” She trailed off.
    â€œOkay,” I said. “So did you see anyone else?” Dr. Dana was still warm, and yet I couldn’t keep myself from asking questions. I wasn’t proud of that.
    Angie shook her head. “I came in from the alley right before that woman started screaming. Dana was bright red, and I thought maybe she’d choked. But her mouth . . .” She blanched. Licked her lips and tried again. “I didn’t want to admit it, but that fireman might be right. I thinkshe was poisoned. And Lord knows there were plenty of people who wanted her dead.”
    Including you?
    It was a quiet group who waited for the police to arrive: Lucy, Ben, Declan, Margie, Nate, and Phoebe. And Croft, of course. And me and Angie.
    Declan had seated Margie in the corner and was talking to her in a low voice. He’d slung Ben’s jacket around her shoulders, and a half-full glass of water sat within easy reach. She still looked dazed and pale, but she seemed to be responding to his questions.
    Dr. Dana’s husband and sister stood by the front window. Nate put his hand on Phoebe’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. She shrugged it off without looking at him.
    My aunt was perched on the edge of a chair and sprang to her feet when she saw me. “Is it . . . ?”
    â€œShe’s gone,” I said, holding out my arms for a hug.
    â€œI know that,” Lucy said, sounding almost annoyed as we embraced.
    I blinked in surprise. She was usually a bit of a delicate flower.