Read Online Framed For Murder (An Anna Nolan Mystery) by Cathy Spencer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cathy Spencer
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face.
“Hey, honey, don’t look so worried,” I said. “The insurance policy was a big shock to me, too, but it doesn’t prove anything. The police can’t ignore the evidence just because I happen to have a motive for killing your father. For one thing, the timing doesn’t work. I was at the book club for a good chunk of the three hours the coroner set as the time of death. And another thing – the police said your father’s body was moved. Well, the forensics cop practically had his nose to the upholstery of my car yesterday, and I know he didn’t find any evidence of a body.
Ben’s eyes bugged out. “The police looked at your car?”
“And the house, too. It was all voluntary, Ben. Don’t worry about it. Letting the police check out the house and the car helps to clear my name. They won’t find any evidence against me because there isn’t any.” Ben shook his head, not looking very convinced.
“And another thing – when they find the murder weapon, the police will be able to trace it back to the murderer, right? So everything will work out fine, you’ll see. It’s just scary right now because Sergeant Tremaine suspects everyone at this stage, but he has to. It’s his job. Give him some time. I’m sure that he’ll find the right person in the end.
Ben frowned. “I sure hope so, Mom. And I’m sorry about all of this. Dad’s still making trouble for you, even after he’s dead. He probably got killed by some woman he dumped or by somebody’s jealous husband. I bet he had it coming to him, whoever it was.”
I sighed. I hated to hear Ben talk that way about his father, even if he were right. But, knowing Jack, a rejected lover or a jealous husband was the most likely killer.
I got Ben calmed down and out of my office only to have Magdalena pop in. “Anna, may I see you in my office, please?” she asked. I got up from my desk and followed her in, my stomach tightening. This was not a good day for my stress levels.
“Please have a seat,” she said, indicating the chair before her desk. I sat down while she closed the door and took her place behind the desk. “Sergeant Tremaine told me about the murder investigation, Anna.”
“I see,” I said, swallowing nervously.
“Yes. I suppose that you were too overwhelmed to speak to me about it just yet?” I couldn’t miss the sarcasm in her voice.
“I had hoped that the investigation would be confined to Crane and wouldn’t interfere with work,” I replied. “I’m sure you understand how much I’d like to keep this investigation private, Magdalena. Jack’s murder had nothing to do with me, really.”
“Except that whoever killed him wanted you to find his body.” I stared at her, flabbergasted by her words. She studied me for a moment. “I assume by your expression that the thought hadn’t occurred to you?”
“N-no, it hadn’t. But that isn’t necessarily true, is it, Magdalena?”
“Think about it, Anna,” my boss said, leaning forward on her elbows. “Sergeant Tremaine said that you usually follow the same route when you walk your dog at night. He also said that your ex-husband’s body had been moved after he was killed. Therefore, whoever killed him moved the body to a place where you and your dog would be sure to find it.” She relaxed back into her chair. “I wonder why? It poses some interesting questions, doesn’t it?”
I shook my head, feeling like an idiot. She was probably right about the murderer leaving the body where I would find it, but I hadn’t made the connection before. I would have to think about that when I was alone. “I don’t know what to tell you, Magdalena, except that I’m sorry Tremaine sprung it all on you,” I said.
She shrugged. “Of course, if it affects you, I want to hear about it. By the way, Anna, the sergeant asked me some questions about you. Would you like to know what they were?”
“Yes, please.” I had really wanted to know what the two of them had said about me,
“Hey, honey, don’t look so worried,” I said. “The insurance policy was a big shock to me, too, but it doesn’t prove anything. The police can’t ignore the evidence just because I happen to have a motive for killing your father. For one thing, the timing doesn’t work. I was at the book club for a good chunk of the three hours the coroner set as the time of death. And another thing – the police said your father’s body was moved. Well, the forensics cop practically had his nose to the upholstery of my car yesterday, and I know he didn’t find any evidence of a body.
Ben’s eyes bugged out. “The police looked at your car?”
“And the house, too. It was all voluntary, Ben. Don’t worry about it. Letting the police check out the house and the car helps to clear my name. They won’t find any evidence against me because there isn’t any.” Ben shook his head, not looking very convinced.
“And another thing – when they find the murder weapon, the police will be able to trace it back to the murderer, right? So everything will work out fine, you’ll see. It’s just scary right now because Sergeant Tremaine suspects everyone at this stage, but he has to. It’s his job. Give him some time. I’m sure that he’ll find the right person in the end.
Ben frowned. “I sure hope so, Mom. And I’m sorry about all of this. Dad’s still making trouble for you, even after he’s dead. He probably got killed by some woman he dumped or by somebody’s jealous husband. I bet he had it coming to him, whoever it was.”
I sighed. I hated to hear Ben talk that way about his father, even if he were right. But, knowing Jack, a rejected lover or a jealous husband was the most likely killer.
I got Ben calmed down and out of my office only to have Magdalena pop in. “Anna, may I see you in my office, please?” she asked. I got up from my desk and followed her in, my stomach tightening. This was not a good day for my stress levels.
“Please have a seat,” she said, indicating the chair before her desk. I sat down while she closed the door and took her place behind the desk. “Sergeant Tremaine told me about the murder investigation, Anna.”
“I see,” I said, swallowing nervously.
“Yes. I suppose that you were too overwhelmed to speak to me about it just yet?” I couldn’t miss the sarcasm in her voice.
“I had hoped that the investigation would be confined to Crane and wouldn’t interfere with work,” I replied. “I’m sure you understand how much I’d like to keep this investigation private, Magdalena. Jack’s murder had nothing to do with me, really.”
“Except that whoever killed him wanted you to find his body.” I stared at her, flabbergasted by her words. She studied me for a moment. “I assume by your expression that the thought hadn’t occurred to you?”
“N-no, it hadn’t. But that isn’t necessarily true, is it, Magdalena?”
“Think about it, Anna,” my boss said, leaning forward on her elbows. “Sergeant Tremaine said that you usually follow the same route when you walk your dog at night. He also said that your ex-husband’s body had been moved after he was killed. Therefore, whoever killed him moved the body to a place where you and your dog would be sure to find it.” She relaxed back into her chair. “I wonder why? It poses some interesting questions, doesn’t it?”
I shook my head, feeling like an idiot. She was probably right about the murderer leaving the body where I would find it, but I hadn’t made the connection before. I would have to think about that when I was alone. “I don’t know what to tell you, Magdalena, except that I’m sorry Tremaine sprung it all on you,” I said.
She shrugged. “Of course, if it affects you, I want to hear about it. By the way, Anna, the sergeant asked me some questions about you. Would you like to know what they were?”
“Yes, please.” I had really wanted to know what the two of them had said about me,
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