Read Online Organized for Murder by Ritter Ames - Free Book Online
Authors: Ritter Ames
Tags: Mystery
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drifted out the window, toward the mansion, and her voice grew softer. "Mr. Walker made all the necessary phone calls. It seemed mere seconds before the police arrived, though likely much longer. Time's tricky like that. Thank goodness Mr. Walker hadn't given up and left. Everyone fell to pieces once Miss Amelia was discovered."
Silence reigned for several seconds. The coffee had gone cold, and Kate gathered the cups and saucers, returning them to the tray. "It must have been devastating. I'm truly sorry."
"We were close as children you know." Mrs. Baxter stared vacantly out the front bow window. "Gave me all her hand-me-down clothes and toys. Always thought of me first whenever she got something new."
"She was a dear friend."
Mrs. Baxter's head pivoted sharply, and her gaze bore into Kate's. "Most people don't realize that."
Kate was at a loss, wondering where to lead the conversation. She thought of Danny. "I met Miss Amelia's grandson right before I left that day. He seemed to really like your cookies."
With a snort, Mrs. Baxter topped off the cups with hot coffee from the carafe. "He just had the munchies ."
"Well, he is a teenage boy. I don't have one myself, but I'm told they eat like herds of horses and grow nonstop."
"Oh, Danny's growing all right." Mrs. Baxter pursed her lips, like she would let go of a secret if the right question was asked.
"I don't understand."
"Danny's into plants and…things." Mrs. Baxter moved her lips, almost like a fish. "Things organic ."
"Yes, I noticed the greenhouse, and a lot of teens are into natural foods."
"Not that kind of organic." Mrs. Baxter took a sip of coffee, then raised the plate and offered another cookie. Kate held up a hand, smiling her thanks-but-no-thanks, and the older woman continued, "Oh, he claims he's just growing flowers in the greenhouse, and carts around those bottles of supplements. Always trying to get me to take some of them hocus pocus pills. But he can't fool me." She leaned closer again and whispered, "I've smelled marijuana smoke on his clothes."
Interesting. The daily headlines screamed about rising teen drug use. Look at all the Ecstasy stories , and the date rape drugs. Roofies. The thought made Kate want to run to find the twins and lock them in their room until they turned twenty-five. "Did you ask Danny about it?"
"No need." The well-nourished cat returned and performed a graceful leap into Mrs. Baxter's ample lap. "Miss Amelia smelled it, too. Recognized the nasty smell from the days she dealt with her ne'er-do-well son, Thomas. In fact, the bum dropped by that afternoon because he wanted to get more money off his mother."
"I thought Thomas came to check over the car for Danny," Kate prodded.
Mrs. Baxter sniffed. "The man doesn't mind getting his hands dirty, that's for sure. Could have told Miss Amelia he wasn't a good influence on Danny. Not my place, of course."
"What happened when she smelled the marijuana on Danny?"
"Miss Amelia took her grandson by the ear and marched him right into the study." Mrs. Baxter gave a decisive nod. "Even with the door closed their yelling came through. Then the boy slammed out of the house a half-hour later."
"Exactly what day was that?" Kate asked.
"Monday."
Two days before Amelia's murder.
"With them yelling, did you understand any of what they said?" Kate prompted, feeling creepily voyeuristic despite this being a mission of self-preservation.
As her hand stroked the purring cat, Mrs. Baxter's face took on the same self-satisfied expression the feline wore. "I could only pick up the stray word, but I definitely heard 'lawyer' and 'inheritance.' Both of which were in Miss Amelia's voice."
CHAPTER FIVE
STACKED IN YOUR FAVOR, LLC
KATE MCKENZIE, PRES.
Friday afternoon, April 9th
WORDS TO STAY ON-TRACK:
"The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication."
— Cecil B. De Mille —
GOAL(S) FOR THE
Silence reigned for several seconds. The coffee had gone cold, and Kate gathered the cups and saucers, returning them to the tray. "It must have been devastating. I'm truly sorry."
"We were close as children you know." Mrs. Baxter stared vacantly out the front bow window. "Gave me all her hand-me-down clothes and toys. Always thought of me first whenever she got something new."
"She was a dear friend."
Mrs. Baxter's head pivoted sharply, and her gaze bore into Kate's. "Most people don't realize that."
Kate was at a loss, wondering where to lead the conversation. She thought of Danny. "I met Miss Amelia's grandson right before I left that day. He seemed to really like your cookies."
With a snort, Mrs. Baxter topped off the cups with hot coffee from the carafe. "He just had the munchies ."
"Well, he is a teenage boy. I don't have one myself, but I'm told they eat like herds of horses and grow nonstop."
"Oh, Danny's growing all right." Mrs. Baxter pursed her lips, like she would let go of a secret if the right question was asked.
"I don't understand."
"Danny's into plants and…things." Mrs. Baxter moved her lips, almost like a fish. "Things organic ."
"Yes, I noticed the greenhouse, and a lot of teens are into natural foods."
"Not that kind of organic." Mrs. Baxter took a sip of coffee, then raised the plate and offered another cookie. Kate held up a hand, smiling her thanks-but-no-thanks, and the older woman continued, "Oh, he claims he's just growing flowers in the greenhouse, and carts around those bottles of supplements. Always trying to get me to take some of them hocus pocus pills. But he can't fool me." She leaned closer again and whispered, "I've smelled marijuana smoke on his clothes."
Interesting. The daily headlines screamed about rising teen drug use. Look at all the Ecstasy stories , and the date rape drugs. Roofies. The thought made Kate want to run to find the twins and lock them in their room until they turned twenty-five. "Did you ask Danny about it?"
"No need." The well-nourished cat returned and performed a graceful leap into Mrs. Baxter's ample lap. "Miss Amelia smelled it, too. Recognized the nasty smell from the days she dealt with her ne'er-do-well son, Thomas. In fact, the bum dropped by that afternoon because he wanted to get more money off his mother."
"I thought Thomas came to check over the car for Danny," Kate prodded.
Mrs. Baxter sniffed. "The man doesn't mind getting his hands dirty, that's for sure. Could have told Miss Amelia he wasn't a good influence on Danny. Not my place, of course."
"What happened when she smelled the marijuana on Danny?"
"Miss Amelia took her grandson by the ear and marched him right into the study." Mrs. Baxter gave a decisive nod. "Even with the door closed their yelling came through. Then the boy slammed out of the house a half-hour later."
"Exactly what day was that?" Kate asked.
"Monday."
Two days before Amelia's murder.
"With them yelling, did you understand any of what they said?" Kate prompted, feeling creepily voyeuristic despite this being a mission of self-preservation.
As her hand stroked the purring cat, Mrs. Baxter's face took on the same self-satisfied expression the feline wore. "I could only pick up the stray word, but I definitely heard 'lawyer' and 'inheritance.' Both of which were in Miss Amelia's voice."
CHAPTER FIVE
STACKED IN YOUR FAVOR, LLC
KATE MCKENZIE, PRES.
Friday afternoon, April 9th
WORDS TO STAY ON-TRACK:
"The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication."
— Cecil B. De Mille —
GOAL(S) FOR THE
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