“What?” Pam exclaimed when she realized Dwight was pointing at her.
Jim pulled her closer while glaring at Dwight. “If this is payback for all those pranks, Dwight…”
Dwight shook his head. “No, not her. Her,” he said, pointing to Phyllis, who was standing just behind Pam. “I overheard Phyllis arguing with Toby a couple of days ago after work. Something about Toby needing to return something to her. Right, Phyllis?”
When the attention shifted to her, Phyllis' looked around the room nervously. “I don’t know what you’re referring to, Dwight.”
Dwight just scoffed and kept talking, “I have the memory of ten elephants combined, therefore, I can’t forget something that took place just a couple of days ago. You kept insisting that Toby return something to you, but Toby refused, something about not unless he got what he wanted first.” Dwight paused briefly, then, as if mumbling to himself said, “Darn it, if only I didn’t have a paintball game that night, I would’ve found out what they were talking about.”
“I remember now!” This was from Erin. “It was on Tuesday after work. Everyone had left already but I had to stay to finish faxing some stuff for Michael. Phyllis stormed right out the door after she went back to the annex area. I thought she went there to talk to Kelly or something.”
At the mention of her name, Kelly spoke up, “It couldn’t have been me. I left early for a date.”
Oscar and Kevin looked over at Ryan. Noticing their looks, Ryan declared, “Not with me!”
“Please, you are so last season.” Kelly said with a roll of her eyes.
“All right, you guys, shut up! We’re trying to solve a murder here.” Andy said loudly.
Michael walked over to Phyllis and put a hand on her shoulder, “Phyllis, whatever it was, I’m sure you had a good reason to kill Toby.”
That elicited a chorus of, “Michael!” all in a censuring tone.
Phyllis shrugged Michael’s hand off of her. “I didn’t kill Toby! I swear! We argued, but I was prepared to pay him the money he asked for!”
By then everyone was wondering about this new development as Phyllis sat down on her chair, still muttering, “I had the check for him. I just wanted it back.”
Pam walked over to Phyllis and, putting an arm around her shoulder, asked gently, “Phyllis, was Toby blackmailing you?”
Phyllis looked up slowly, “Yes…he was. He had something I needed back very badly.”
