Read Online Cornered by Cupcakes by S.Y. Robins - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: S.Y. Robins
Ads: Link
just wanted…I just wanted to teach her a lesson!" The sobs came thick and fast as her shoulders began to heave up and down.
My god. Beverly really had done it. Thank god. Now not was I off the hook, Ryan was as well. With a little bit of luck the Cow & Moon would be back to trading that afternoon, and maybe Ryan and I could even grab a movie that night or something. Now that neither of us were murderers.
Not sure what to do, I waited a moment until Beverly brought her face back up. "But it was just a little laxative. I thought it would just make a bit sick, so that she'd miss the Tuesday book club, and everyone would realise she was unreliable! I didn't think it would kill her!' She brought her hands back up to her face and the sobs started up again.
Hold up. "A laxative?"
Beverly nodded as she continued to cry.
"But that...well that can't kill anybody!"
Beverly stopped crying and brought her face up. She wiped her eyes. "No?"
"No. At least, it would be very unlikely. It would take more than one bleeding laxative to knock a grown woman dead."
"I just thought maybe she was allergic to it. I mean, I had intended to hurt her, and I thought maybe I was being punished."
"Well, I'm not sure that's exactly how it works." The disappointment was heavy as I brought my arms up to my chest and crossed them. "You didn't exactly do a great thing Beverly. But I'm pretty sure you didn't kill Monica."
Beverly brought out a hanky and blew her nose.
"Well, who did then?"
I shot a look over at Ryan, who was watching the entire scene with a strange look in his eyes.
I took a deep breath. "Unfortunately, I think I might know."
***
Back at the Cow & Moon I was buried in my own thoughts when June walked through the door. "What are you doing here today?" I asked, sitting up.
"I've come in to work my shift, of course."
I pointed at the empty shop. "Sorry June, I thought you'd realise that I wouldn't have any work for you while we have no customers."
Her face fell. "I need the money, Amber. This is the only job I have. I'm trying to support myself through school, and I have my rent to pay, and…" she seemed on the verge of tears so I cut her off.
"Alright, alright, you can stay." After all, it wasn't her fault we had no customers. I had promised her a job when I hired her. I promised her twenty hours worth of shifts a week, and I hadn't added anything about those hours getting cut just because someone died on the premises.
Still, if things didn't pick up.
June tied her apron around her waist. "So what would you like me to do?"
I always hated playing boss, especially when there was no real work to do. Still, I couldn't pay her to stand around doing absolutely nothing. "I guess the toilets out the back need scrubbing."
I could have sworn I heard her mutter something under her breathe as she turned her back to me and reached into the pantry where we kept the rubber gloves.
"Did you say something?" I sat up and leaned towards her, to check if I'd missed something.
She spun around with a shiny smile on her face. "No, nothing at all Ambs." She walked towards where I was sitting, as she started to pull on her gloves. "So, anyway, how's the investigation coming along?"
I leaned my head back on the back of my chair. "I'd rather not talk about it."
"Why, what happened?" She took a seat opposite me. "Has there been a development?"
I sighed. "Beverly is innocent. Well, not innocent, exactly. But she didn't kill Monica."
"Oh." June looked as disappointed as I was. "So who's your next suspect?"
I shrugged, not wanting to admit who my number one suspect was. "I guess you were right June. It's Ryan. It’s got to be. He had the motive, and the opportunity."
"So are you going to confront him about it? Will you go to the police?"
I thought for a moment. "I've got to be careful about it, don't I? I can't let him know I'm onto him. He's obviously capable of some pretty bad stuff."
"Well you could…" June started to say.
"Oh, shit!" I
My god. Beverly really had done it. Thank god. Now not was I off the hook, Ryan was as well. With a little bit of luck the Cow & Moon would be back to trading that afternoon, and maybe Ryan and I could even grab a movie that night or something. Now that neither of us were murderers.
Not sure what to do, I waited a moment until Beverly brought her face back up. "But it was just a little laxative. I thought it would just make a bit sick, so that she'd miss the Tuesday book club, and everyone would realise she was unreliable! I didn't think it would kill her!' She brought her hands back up to her face and the sobs started up again.
Hold up. "A laxative?"
Beverly nodded as she continued to cry.
"But that...well that can't kill anybody!"
Beverly stopped crying and brought her face up. She wiped her eyes. "No?"
"No. At least, it would be very unlikely. It would take more than one bleeding laxative to knock a grown woman dead."
"I just thought maybe she was allergic to it. I mean, I had intended to hurt her, and I thought maybe I was being punished."
"Well, I'm not sure that's exactly how it works." The disappointment was heavy as I brought my arms up to my chest and crossed them. "You didn't exactly do a great thing Beverly. But I'm pretty sure you didn't kill Monica."
Beverly brought out a hanky and blew her nose.
"Well, who did then?"
I shot a look over at Ryan, who was watching the entire scene with a strange look in his eyes.
I took a deep breath. "Unfortunately, I think I might know."
***
Back at the Cow & Moon I was buried in my own thoughts when June walked through the door. "What are you doing here today?" I asked, sitting up.
"I've come in to work my shift, of course."
I pointed at the empty shop. "Sorry June, I thought you'd realise that I wouldn't have any work for you while we have no customers."
Her face fell. "I need the money, Amber. This is the only job I have. I'm trying to support myself through school, and I have my rent to pay, and…" she seemed on the verge of tears so I cut her off.
"Alright, alright, you can stay." After all, it wasn't her fault we had no customers. I had promised her a job when I hired her. I promised her twenty hours worth of shifts a week, and I hadn't added anything about those hours getting cut just because someone died on the premises.
Still, if things didn't pick up.
June tied her apron around her waist. "So what would you like me to do?"
I always hated playing boss, especially when there was no real work to do. Still, I couldn't pay her to stand around doing absolutely nothing. "I guess the toilets out the back need scrubbing."
I could have sworn I heard her mutter something under her breathe as she turned her back to me and reached into the pantry where we kept the rubber gloves.
"Did you say something?" I sat up and leaned towards her, to check if I'd missed something.
She spun around with a shiny smile on her face. "No, nothing at all Ambs." She walked towards where I was sitting, as she started to pull on her gloves. "So, anyway, how's the investigation coming along?"
I leaned my head back on the back of my chair. "I'd rather not talk about it."
"Why, what happened?" She took a seat opposite me. "Has there been a development?"
I sighed. "Beverly is innocent. Well, not innocent, exactly. But she didn't kill Monica."
"Oh." June looked as disappointed as I was. "So who's your next suspect?"
I shrugged, not wanting to admit who my number one suspect was. "I guess you were right June. It's Ryan. It’s got to be. He had the motive, and the opportunity."
"So are you going to confront him about it? Will you go to the police?"
I thought for a moment. "I've got to be careful about it, don't I? I can't let him know I'm onto him. He's obviously capable of some pretty bad stuff."
"Well you could…" June started to say.
"Oh, shit!" I
Similar Books
