Chapter 136

"It's because I know what this looks like," she said with a long sigh. "You see, every year for Christmas, Mr. Seymour would give the library staff gifts. That's just the kind of man he is, and he is a good man, despite the rumors of his affair. Anyway, last Christmas, he gave the entire female staff these earrings that said Ha-Ha Made You Read."

"Including Louise, the assistant director?"

Isabella nodded. "She was the one who called me in near hysterics that Mr. Seymour had been murdered today."

"So it could have been her who had lunch today with Mr. Seymour and lost her earring." Which would put her at the scene of the crime. "But you didn't want Boxy to know all this because...?"

"Because I truly like Boxy, and I don't want him to think it was me who had lunch with Mr. Seymour."

"Then...why not just tell Boxy you didn't have lunch with Mr. Seymour?"