Read Online Never Say Dye (A Sibyl Potts Cozy Mystery, Book 3) by Morgana Best - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Morgana Best
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chin with one hand. “I honestly don’t know, but it’s certainly worth a try. It’s difficult given that her last place of employment was as a cook in a private hospital; we might’ve gotten more out of a private employer.”
I nodded. I had been thinking the same thing. “Still, as you say, it’s worth a try.”
“It’s our only lead,” Mr. Buttons said. “I’m glad Cressida is staying in your cottage today with instructions not to open the door to anyone. I’d be dreadfully worried if she was alone in the house with that, with that, that woman!” he spat.
The small, private hospital appeared nice enough once we managed to find it after navigating a maze of small streets. The whole hospital was pristine, as I suppose, would be expected. The office windows sparkled. The floors were immaculate, and the décor looked as if it were straight out of a box. Nothing was out of place. The woman at the reception desk directed us to the Human Resources office.
There, at an oversized desk, sat a woman reading a stack of papers. She looked at us from over her glasses. We exchanged handshakes and pleasantries.
“I suppose it's not a surprise that Dorothy took to a boarding house. She was a dedicated cook.” The woman wiped her glasses clean as she studied us with a well practiced, friendly smile. Something about the smile felt to me insincere.
I likewise plastered a friendly smile on my face. “Did Dorothy have a lot of contact with the patients?” I glanced down at the copy of the resume I had brought, tilting it so the woman could see it. Mr. Buttons had proclaimed that it would make our mission there appear more authentic, and I could see that he was right.
“No, she was a cook. She remained in the kitchens.”
I widened my smile and tapped the file. “Is it okay to ask why she resigned her position here two months ago?”
“I’m afraid she didn’t disclose that information.”
“That's a shame,” Mr. Buttons said in a pleasant tone with a smile that did not reach his eyes. “Now, as we said on the phone, we happened to be in the area today, so we thought we’d call here in person rather than speak on the phone. We have several applications for the position of cook, but have narrowed it down to Dorothy and one other candidate.”
The woman nodded.
I pressed on. “And the reason why we wanted to ask you face to face, is that written references are often glowing, but we need to know the facts. You see, although the position is for a cook, it is at a boarding house, and the cook will come into regular contact with guests. We need a cook who will be pleasant to the guests.”
The woman looked down at her desk, and then up at me. “Do you mean you want a people-person?”
I nodded. “Exactly. Is Dorothy a people-person?”
The woman hesitated for a moment before answering. “No. Not at all, actually. In fact, she had a terrible temper.” The woman faltered again.
“Do go on, please,” Mr. Buttons said. “I can assure you; this conversation will go no further.”
His words appeared to have the desired effect, as the woman then launched into a tirade against Dorothy. “She was the most obnoxious, ill-tempered woman. She screamed at all the staff. Why, one day, in a fit of temper, she threw glasses at another cook and smashed them against the wall. It’s a wonder she didn’t cause serious injury to the other cook. That’s why we had to let her go.”
Mr. Buttons and I exchanged glances. “Oh, so she didn’t leave employment here of her own accord, then?” he asked.
The woman shook her head. “No, not at all. But please keep that just between us.”
We assured her that we would, thanked her, and left.
On the way back to the car, Mr. Buttons said to me in lowered tones, “So she lied on her résumé, but that doesn’t mean she’s a murderer.”
I agreed. “We do know that she has a bad temper, though, and she might have murdered Sue in a fit of temper.”
“What about
I nodded. I had been thinking the same thing. “Still, as you say, it’s worth a try.”
“It’s our only lead,” Mr. Buttons said. “I’m glad Cressida is staying in your cottage today with instructions not to open the door to anyone. I’d be dreadfully worried if she was alone in the house with that, with that, that woman!” he spat.
The small, private hospital appeared nice enough once we managed to find it after navigating a maze of small streets. The whole hospital was pristine, as I suppose, would be expected. The office windows sparkled. The floors were immaculate, and the décor looked as if it were straight out of a box. Nothing was out of place. The woman at the reception desk directed us to the Human Resources office.
There, at an oversized desk, sat a woman reading a stack of papers. She looked at us from over her glasses. We exchanged handshakes and pleasantries.
“I suppose it's not a surprise that Dorothy took to a boarding house. She was a dedicated cook.” The woman wiped her glasses clean as she studied us with a well practiced, friendly smile. Something about the smile felt to me insincere.
I likewise plastered a friendly smile on my face. “Did Dorothy have a lot of contact with the patients?” I glanced down at the copy of the resume I had brought, tilting it so the woman could see it. Mr. Buttons had proclaimed that it would make our mission there appear more authentic, and I could see that he was right.
“No, she was a cook. She remained in the kitchens.”
I widened my smile and tapped the file. “Is it okay to ask why she resigned her position here two months ago?”
“I’m afraid she didn’t disclose that information.”
“That's a shame,” Mr. Buttons said in a pleasant tone with a smile that did not reach his eyes. “Now, as we said on the phone, we happened to be in the area today, so we thought we’d call here in person rather than speak on the phone. We have several applications for the position of cook, but have narrowed it down to Dorothy and one other candidate.”
The woman nodded.
I pressed on. “And the reason why we wanted to ask you face to face, is that written references are often glowing, but we need to know the facts. You see, although the position is for a cook, it is at a boarding house, and the cook will come into regular contact with guests. We need a cook who will be pleasant to the guests.”
The woman looked down at her desk, and then up at me. “Do you mean you want a people-person?”
I nodded. “Exactly. Is Dorothy a people-person?”
The woman hesitated for a moment before answering. “No. Not at all, actually. In fact, she had a terrible temper.” The woman faltered again.
“Do go on, please,” Mr. Buttons said. “I can assure you; this conversation will go no further.”
His words appeared to have the desired effect, as the woman then launched into a tirade against Dorothy. “She was the most obnoxious, ill-tempered woman. She screamed at all the staff. Why, one day, in a fit of temper, she threw glasses at another cook and smashed them against the wall. It’s a wonder she didn’t cause serious injury to the other cook. That’s why we had to let her go.”
Mr. Buttons and I exchanged glances. “Oh, so she didn’t leave employment here of her own accord, then?” he asked.
The woman shook her head. “No, not at all. But please keep that just between us.”
We assured her that we would, thanked her, and left.
On the way back to the car, Mr. Buttons said to me in lowered tones, “So she lied on her résumé, but that doesn’t mean she’s a murderer.”
I agreed. “We do know that she has a bad temper, though, and she might have murdered Sue in a fit of temper.”
“What about
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