20
The Best Lie Is the Truth
A little research I’d done some time ago revealed that Cornelius’s alma matter had been around in the mid-nineteenth century. He claimed he had a much more recent degree, as well. Full of surprises, that guy.
Cornelius arrived as the cops were exiting their cars. There’d been a slight delay as the original two cruisers had waited on a third.
“Why is the store closed?” Cornelius asked as he headed for the closed sign. He flipped it and unlocked the door as I dropped the latest bomb.
“It looks like Mandy might be AWOL?”
He frowned at me.
“It’s not my fault.” Why was everything always my fault? “The front door was unlocked when we arrived a few minutes ago. And, um, her car isn’t in the lot.” Even if there’d been an emergency, Mandy would have locked up and
