Read Online Health, Wealth, and Murder by Traci Tyne Hilton - Free Book Online
Authors: Traci Tyne Hilton
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coupons?”
“I’ll do what I need to do.” Jake had his eye on the window, watching Ted walk down the sidewalk of Maywood’s Main Street. “The more interesting question is, what are you going to do next about this murder?”
Jane took a deep breath. “Before we get back to the murder, do you think you’ll get in trouble for the coupons?”
“Buying votes? No, I won’t. And the voters won’t vote in blue laws. Maywood is an incorporated suburb, essentially. Two thousand people on the edge of Portland. What good would it do? We’d just drive the half a block across the border and get lunch at McDonald’s. The mayor knows that.”
“Could there be another motive for his push to make fast food illegal on Sundays?” Jane checked the time on her phone. She had another client to get to.
“He really likes smoothies.”
“Is that your serious answer?”
Jake shook his head. “He really wants me to put in a Yo-Heaven, but I don’t know why. If I could figure that out…”
“It would help, anyway.”
Jake sat down again. “It would answer some questions. So, how are you going to get the information you need about the rest of the Malachi task force?”
“I have to work my strengths.”
“You’ll win them over with your smile?”
“Close.” Jane grinned. “I don’t have any authority. I don’t have an air of importance. I’m not related. There’s no threat hanging over my head.”
“You make a strong case against them talking to you.”
“But I’m a coed, and this is a famous murder case. How hard can it be to convince them I’m a bubbleheaded gossip? If I smile a lot and bat my eyes, I can probably get all sorts of information they don’t realize they’re giving me. In my pink rubber gloves with a bandana around my head, I’m completely harmless.”
Jake sized her up. “I think you could pull that off.”
“It’s worth a try, anyway.”
Jake’s gaze had drifted back to the window.
“I’ll go and let you work. I’ve got another client anyway.” She kissed his cheek and left, wondering for the moment more about Jake’s troubles with the sleepy little suburb/town of Maywood than about the murder.
Chapter Nine
Christiana didn’t want daily cleaning, so it was a couple of days before Jane was finally back in the Malachi rental house, ready to clean, observe, and listen.
The house was fairly clean, no small kids or dogs, so Jane moved quickly through the main floor.
She had two goals this afternoon: find out everything she could about Christiana’s family—and whoever else might be living at the house—and get the other nine task force members’ names. Once she knew who the locals were, she could find them and get down to business.
The two guest rooms that she secretly called the Frat House were still clean from her last time through—a testimony either to the occupants taking the hint that they didn’t have to live like pigs, or that they hadn’t stayed there the last two days. But apart from the books in “Wilt’s” room being on the bedside table instead of the desk, there was nothing new to note.
She moved on to Christiana’s room and gave it a closer inspection than she had the first time through. The master bedroom was small, as the house was an old Portland style. It had been remodeled sometime recently, but the bones were the bones, and this room, like the other two she had been in already, was only big enough for a few pieces of furniture. Christiana seemed to keep it spotless, but Jane put her trusty Roomba on the floor and let it run around the rug while she dusted the dresser tops.
If she had her dates right, Christiana and Josiah had only been in the house for a week or so before he died. Not long enough to make yourself at home, and generic décor seemed to prove her right. There was, however, a family picture in a folding leather travel frame on the bedside table.
Jane recognized Josiah and Christiana. They stood with a petite,
“I’ll do what I need to do.” Jake had his eye on the window, watching Ted walk down the sidewalk of Maywood’s Main Street. “The more interesting question is, what are you going to do next about this murder?”
Jane took a deep breath. “Before we get back to the murder, do you think you’ll get in trouble for the coupons?”
“Buying votes? No, I won’t. And the voters won’t vote in blue laws. Maywood is an incorporated suburb, essentially. Two thousand people on the edge of Portland. What good would it do? We’d just drive the half a block across the border and get lunch at McDonald’s. The mayor knows that.”
“Could there be another motive for his push to make fast food illegal on Sundays?” Jane checked the time on her phone. She had another client to get to.
“He really likes smoothies.”
“Is that your serious answer?”
Jake shook his head. “He really wants me to put in a Yo-Heaven, but I don’t know why. If I could figure that out…”
“It would help, anyway.”
Jake sat down again. “It would answer some questions. So, how are you going to get the information you need about the rest of the Malachi task force?”
“I have to work my strengths.”
“You’ll win them over with your smile?”
“Close.” Jane grinned. “I don’t have any authority. I don’t have an air of importance. I’m not related. There’s no threat hanging over my head.”
“You make a strong case against them talking to you.”
“But I’m a coed, and this is a famous murder case. How hard can it be to convince them I’m a bubbleheaded gossip? If I smile a lot and bat my eyes, I can probably get all sorts of information they don’t realize they’re giving me. In my pink rubber gloves with a bandana around my head, I’m completely harmless.”
Jake sized her up. “I think you could pull that off.”
“It’s worth a try, anyway.”
Jake’s gaze had drifted back to the window.
“I’ll go and let you work. I’ve got another client anyway.” She kissed his cheek and left, wondering for the moment more about Jake’s troubles with the sleepy little suburb/town of Maywood than about the murder.
Chapter Nine
Christiana didn’t want daily cleaning, so it was a couple of days before Jane was finally back in the Malachi rental house, ready to clean, observe, and listen.
The house was fairly clean, no small kids or dogs, so Jane moved quickly through the main floor.
She had two goals this afternoon: find out everything she could about Christiana’s family—and whoever else might be living at the house—and get the other nine task force members’ names. Once she knew who the locals were, she could find them and get down to business.
The two guest rooms that she secretly called the Frat House were still clean from her last time through—a testimony either to the occupants taking the hint that they didn’t have to live like pigs, or that they hadn’t stayed there the last two days. But apart from the books in “Wilt’s” room being on the bedside table instead of the desk, there was nothing new to note.
She moved on to Christiana’s room and gave it a closer inspection than she had the first time through. The master bedroom was small, as the house was an old Portland style. It had been remodeled sometime recently, but the bones were the bones, and this room, like the other two she had been in already, was only big enough for a few pieces of furniture. Christiana seemed to keep it spotless, but Jane put her trusty Roomba on the floor and let it run around the rug while she dusted the dresser tops.
If she had her dates right, Christiana and Josiah had only been in the house for a week or so before he died. Not long enough to make yourself at home, and generic décor seemed to prove her right. There was, however, a family picture in a folding leather travel frame on the bedside table.
Jane recognized Josiah and Christiana. They stood with a petite,
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