Page 105 of Death on Gallows Path

It reminded me of something . . .

A snippet of video I’d seen of a corrupt politician who failed to recognize he’d been caught. Or didn’t care he’d been caught.

Smug.

But how did that make sense?

Unless . . . Did she know Zoley was lying and she felt superior because Damon never hit her?

That was a heck of a low bar for smugness.

Especially considering Zoley betrayed their long-time friendship.

“If that’s all . . .” Zoley didn’t realize she’d lost control of when we left when she opened the door.

A stubborn part of my brain said if I extended this something might come up.

“Your husband’s family has been in the county for quite a while, hasn’t it?” I asked Pammy.

“I suppose.” She showed no interest in the topic.

“I understand the Swindell family was involved with some—” I avoided the word scandal, which I thought was quite tactful of me. “—history early in the previous century.”

Her lack of interest combusted into anger in a blink.

“You’re bringing up that old trash now — how dare you. It was lies, all lies by lowlifes who could never make anything of themselves. And don’t you start pulling out that old thing about the pronunciation and putting it on TV or I’ll sue you so fast it’ll make your head spin.”

Too late. My head was already spinning.

“I have no intention—”

Zoley talked over me, telling Pammy, “It’s the other one who’s on TV. She’s the one you have to watch out for.”

Clara didn’t miss a beat. “The only people who have to watch out for us are murderers.”

Zoley’s face edged toward purple. “Are you saying we—?”

Pammy broke across her words. “This is all beside the point. Simply the result of strained nerves.”

An unsubtle way of saying Zoley was hysterical.

“I’m sure you can understand, with all the stress, we need to end this now,” Pammy added.

A more subtle way of saying get out of here.

As tempting as it might have been to go for an aggressive approach, keeping lines of communication open with the two women won.

Pammy said, “Don’t forget your dish.”

Darn.

* * * *

“Let’s go back to Gallows Path.”

“Okay,” my friend said immediately, proving she was the best friend, ever. Then, proving she is also as curious as I am, she added, “Why?”

“Hoping for inspiration? Revisiting the scene of the crime? I have no idea? Take your pick.”