Read Online Murder in Aix (The Maggie Newberry Mystery Series Book 5) by Susan Kiernan-Lewis - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Susan Kiernan-Lewis
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right out
with it, Maggie,” Bedard said, grinning. “I was wondering how long you could
last.”
“No reason to
play games is there, Roger? We haven’t seen each other in awhile. You’ve been
busy. Big new promotion with the police force. I’ve been busy.” She put both
her hands out to give an unobstructed view of her very pregnant belly. “So why
don’t we get to it?”
Roger watched her
with warm, glittering brown eyes. She noticed they lingered on her
belly—and her breasts—and she couldn’t help but blush darkly. Damn him. He would tell her in his own
time, and unfortunately, in his own way.
“Well, Maggie, I
see you have gotten yourself mixed up with the wrong sort again.”
“Really, Roger?
Was Brigitte the wrong sort?” It
occurred to her too late that reminding him of the murdered woman who initially
brought them together was probably not the smartest thing to do if she wanted
to keep him malleable and open with her.
He flushed and
straightened in his chair, the relaxed air of insouciance gone.
“This time, your
friend is not a victim,” he said. A decidedly defensive edge had crept into his
tone. “I have laboratory results that prove that.” Roger was well aware that
Maggie knew he hadn’t always been so careful with forensic evidence in the
past.
“What kind of
laboratory results?”
“A toxicology
screening.”
“He died of something
he ate?” Maggie frowned. This wasn’t
good. This wasn’t good at all.
“You might say
that. Agaricus mushrooms were found
in his stomach. Deadly poisonous. But actually quite flavorful, I’m told.”
Maggie took a
long drink of water. Her stomach cramped painfully.
“Interesting
fact,” Roger said, oblivious to Maggie’s reaction. “Did you know women tend to use
poison as their weapon of choice when committing murder?”
“Wow. Thank you,
Hercules Poirot.”
“I’m afraid your sarcasm will not change
the facts for your friend, Maggie.”
“And in light of
this evidence, you decided to arrest Julia because…?” Maggie felt a tingle of
heat spread across her face and upper lip as she waited for Roger to answer
her.
He shrugged. “Because
she served him an omelet made with poisoned mushrooms the night he died. I’m
sorry, Maggie. I knew you were hoping for something else.”
“Did Julia admit to making him a mushroom omelet?”
“She did.”
Crap. “But that isn’t proof that the poisonous mushrooms came from her omelet.”
Roger smiled
sadly at Maggie as if disappointed in her. “She served him a mushroom omelet.
He died of poisoned mushrooms. I feel pretty sure that will be enough to
convict. The Chief Prosecutor shares my confidence.”
“Were there non poisonous mushrooms in his stomach?”
Roger frowned.
“That is irrelevant.”
“But of course it
isn’t, not at all. If Julia served him an omelet with non -tainted mushrooms and someone else—”
“Oh, how I have missed
your theories, Maggie,” Roger said with no trace of amusement or pleasure on
his face. “They are like watching a very interesting detective show. No basis
in fact but endlessly entertaining.”
“I guess this
conviction would be a pretty big feather in your cap.”
“No feathers
involved. Just doing my job.”
“Is Julia saying
she didn’t do it?”
“Of course.”
“Can you at least
arrange for me to see her?”
Their food
arrived and Roger waited until the waiter had left before answering.
“Is your husband
okay with your going to the prison to see her? It is not a nice place,
especially in your condition.”
“Yes, he’s fine
with it, thanks. When?”
Roger shrugged.
“Follow me back to the office. If she is not with her attorney you may see her
for a few minutes.”
Annette grabbed
the buzzing cellphone and slipped out of bed with it. She gave a quick glance
to the large, somnolent form entangled in the bed sheets behind her before she
stepped into the bath and pulled the door shut.
“ Maman? Are
with it, Maggie,” Bedard said, grinning. “I was wondering how long you could
last.”
“No reason to
play games is there, Roger? We haven’t seen each other in awhile. You’ve been
busy. Big new promotion with the police force. I’ve been busy.” She put both
her hands out to give an unobstructed view of her very pregnant belly. “So why
don’t we get to it?”
Roger watched her
with warm, glittering brown eyes. She noticed they lingered on her
belly—and her breasts—and she couldn’t help but blush darkly. Damn him. He would tell her in his own
time, and unfortunately, in his own way.
“Well, Maggie, I
see you have gotten yourself mixed up with the wrong sort again.”
“Really, Roger?
Was Brigitte the wrong sort?” It
occurred to her too late that reminding him of the murdered woman who initially
brought them together was probably not the smartest thing to do if she wanted
to keep him malleable and open with her.
He flushed and
straightened in his chair, the relaxed air of insouciance gone.
“This time, your
friend is not a victim,” he said. A decidedly defensive edge had crept into his
tone. “I have laboratory results that prove that.” Roger was well aware that
Maggie knew he hadn’t always been so careful with forensic evidence in the
past.
“What kind of
laboratory results?”
“A toxicology
screening.”
“He died of something
he ate?” Maggie frowned. This wasn’t
good. This wasn’t good at all.
“You might say
that. Agaricus mushrooms were found
in his stomach. Deadly poisonous. But actually quite flavorful, I’m told.”
Maggie took a
long drink of water. Her stomach cramped painfully.
“Interesting
fact,” Roger said, oblivious to Maggie’s reaction. “Did you know women tend to use
poison as their weapon of choice when committing murder?”
“Wow. Thank you,
Hercules Poirot.”
“I’m afraid your sarcasm will not change
the facts for your friend, Maggie.”
“And in light of
this evidence, you decided to arrest Julia because…?” Maggie felt a tingle of
heat spread across her face and upper lip as she waited for Roger to answer
her.
He shrugged. “Because
she served him an omelet made with poisoned mushrooms the night he died. I’m
sorry, Maggie. I knew you were hoping for something else.”
“Did Julia admit to making him a mushroom omelet?”
“She did.”
Crap. “But that isn’t proof that the poisonous mushrooms came from her omelet.”
Roger smiled
sadly at Maggie as if disappointed in her. “She served him a mushroom omelet.
He died of poisoned mushrooms. I feel pretty sure that will be enough to
convict. The Chief Prosecutor shares my confidence.”
“Were there non poisonous mushrooms in his stomach?”
Roger frowned.
“That is irrelevant.”
“But of course it
isn’t, not at all. If Julia served him an omelet with non -tainted mushrooms and someone else—”
“Oh, how I have missed
your theories, Maggie,” Roger said with no trace of amusement or pleasure on
his face. “They are like watching a very interesting detective show. No basis
in fact but endlessly entertaining.”
“I guess this
conviction would be a pretty big feather in your cap.”
“No feathers
involved. Just doing my job.”
“Is Julia saying
she didn’t do it?”
“Of course.”
“Can you at least
arrange for me to see her?”
Their food
arrived and Roger waited until the waiter had left before answering.
“Is your husband
okay with your going to the prison to see her? It is not a nice place,
especially in your condition.”
“Yes, he’s fine
with it, thanks. When?”
Roger shrugged.
“Follow me back to the office. If she is not with her attorney you may see her
for a few minutes.”
Annette grabbed
the buzzing cellphone and slipped out of bed with it. She gave a quick glance
to the large, somnolent form entangled in the bed sheets behind her before she
stepped into the bath and pulled the door shut.
“ Maman? Are
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