Read Online Organized for Murder by Ritter Ames - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ritter Ames
Tags: Mystery
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Her psyche had chosen the Book Nook for a reason. Still, telling Saree everything didn't seem the best plan either. Kate improvised. "I lost a client yesterday."
Saree waved her hand in a graceful gesture. "Their loss, chickie. I lose customers, I say I find more. You be good at your job."
"You don't understand." Kate took a sip of the fruity tea, and contemplated her next words. "My client and I didn't part ways; she died. No, she was murdered."
The lithe dark hands flew to the flawless cheeks. "Miss Amelia?"
Kate nodded. "Apparently right after I left for the day."
"Such nastiness in this world." Saree pursed her lips, her forehead creasing with thought. "Miss Amelia, she grew beautiful flowers."
Kate recalled the elegant greenhouse behind the mansion, where she'd discovered Danny and Bill Nethercutt arguing. She considered what Mrs. Baxter alluded to regarding Danny's growing habits.
"Chose many books on flowers, she did." Saree smiled again, and her accented lilt rose with the memory. "Her grandson, he come with her often. She come alone sometimes, too, lookin' for new books and such."
"You know Danny?" Kate's muffaletta arrived, along with her requested takeout container.
"I know him, yes. Know most the family." Saree gestured toward the white box. "Takin' my good food home to your little beauties, eh?"
Kate nodded as she divided the sandwich and picked up a wedge. "I can always get the twins to eat veggies if I say they came from you."
"Sweet things." Saree made a tsking sound. "Too bad Miss Amelia didn't have such sweet chicks."
The muffaletta suddenly tasted like cardboard. Kate put it back on the plate and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "What are your impressions of Miss Amelia's family?"
Saree shook her tight curls, and sadness washed over her face. She leaned close and whispered, "They not really care about her, no. I hear them, grandson and son, talkin' when they come to get her order. Orchids, them books were. I walk away a moment. Come back and hear them call her names, the nasty b-word. Complain about tight purse, how she greedy, stingy. Cannot wait for her to die." Her hand flew up and covered her mouth. A second later she said, "I misspeak. I not mean to say—"
Kate squeezed Saree's arm. "We're just talking here. Two friends. What can you tell me about lily of the valley?"
"You're plantin' them?"
Kate smoothed her napkin as she bit her lower lip. The police hadn't said she couldn't say anything. "That's how someone poisoned Amelia. In a cup of tea."
Saree rose, shaken, and lifted her nearly full cup from the table. "I have much work to do."
"Saree, I—"
As if to validate her escape, a young mother and tow-headed son moved to the register cradling armloads of brightly-colored board books. "I must go."
At a loss, Kate watched the retreating figure, then loaded the white box with muffaletta and pulled out her casebook. Everything Saree said confirmed what she had already heard from Mrs. Baxter and surmised for herself. She was no longer hungry, but taking time to jot down notes would allow the crowd to clear and give her an opportunity to speak to Saree again before leaving. Plus, whatever she got onto paper spent less time rolling around as obsessive thoughts later.
Turning to a fresh page, she headed it "General Info & Witness Statements."
General Info & Witness Statements (and New Questions)
William "Bill" Nethercutt:
Is Amelia's stepson—Sophia's brother—Danny's father.
Seems to be in huge disagreement with son over MG. Why?
As a tax attorney, how much did Bill know about Amelia's estate? How would Mr. Daniel's portion of the estate get divided? Kate needed to learn if everything sat in trust for Ameila's lifetime, or if it all went directly to his loving wife. And what about the missing hall display case? Bill hadn't liked Danny telling Kate that Sophia swiped it.
Danny:
Is Amelia's step-grandson.
Huge fight with father this a.m. Is that this father/son usual
Saree waved her hand in a graceful gesture. "Their loss, chickie. I lose customers, I say I find more. You be good at your job."
"You don't understand." Kate took a sip of the fruity tea, and contemplated her next words. "My client and I didn't part ways; she died. No, she was murdered."
The lithe dark hands flew to the flawless cheeks. "Miss Amelia?"
Kate nodded. "Apparently right after I left for the day."
"Such nastiness in this world." Saree pursed her lips, her forehead creasing with thought. "Miss Amelia, she grew beautiful flowers."
Kate recalled the elegant greenhouse behind the mansion, where she'd discovered Danny and Bill Nethercutt arguing. She considered what Mrs. Baxter alluded to regarding Danny's growing habits.
"Chose many books on flowers, she did." Saree smiled again, and her accented lilt rose with the memory. "Her grandson, he come with her often. She come alone sometimes, too, lookin' for new books and such."
"You know Danny?" Kate's muffaletta arrived, along with her requested takeout container.
"I know him, yes. Know most the family." Saree gestured toward the white box. "Takin' my good food home to your little beauties, eh?"
Kate nodded as she divided the sandwich and picked up a wedge. "I can always get the twins to eat veggies if I say they came from you."
"Sweet things." Saree made a tsking sound. "Too bad Miss Amelia didn't have such sweet chicks."
The muffaletta suddenly tasted like cardboard. Kate put it back on the plate and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "What are your impressions of Miss Amelia's family?"
Saree shook her tight curls, and sadness washed over her face. She leaned close and whispered, "They not really care about her, no. I hear them, grandson and son, talkin' when they come to get her order. Orchids, them books were. I walk away a moment. Come back and hear them call her names, the nasty b-word. Complain about tight purse, how she greedy, stingy. Cannot wait for her to die." Her hand flew up and covered her mouth. A second later she said, "I misspeak. I not mean to say—"
Kate squeezed Saree's arm. "We're just talking here. Two friends. What can you tell me about lily of the valley?"
"You're plantin' them?"
Kate smoothed her napkin as she bit her lower lip. The police hadn't said she couldn't say anything. "That's how someone poisoned Amelia. In a cup of tea."
Saree rose, shaken, and lifted her nearly full cup from the table. "I have much work to do."
"Saree, I—"
As if to validate her escape, a young mother and tow-headed son moved to the register cradling armloads of brightly-colored board books. "I must go."
At a loss, Kate watched the retreating figure, then loaded the white box with muffaletta and pulled out her casebook. Everything Saree said confirmed what she had already heard from Mrs. Baxter and surmised for herself. She was no longer hungry, but taking time to jot down notes would allow the crowd to clear and give her an opportunity to speak to Saree again before leaving. Plus, whatever she got onto paper spent less time rolling around as obsessive thoughts later.
Turning to a fresh page, she headed it "General Info & Witness Statements."
General Info & Witness Statements (and New Questions)
William "Bill" Nethercutt:
Is Amelia's stepson—Sophia's brother—Danny's father.
Seems to be in huge disagreement with son over MG. Why?
As a tax attorney, how much did Bill know about Amelia's estate? How would Mr. Daniel's portion of the estate get divided? Kate needed to learn if everything sat in trust for Ameila's lifetime, or if it all went directly to his loving wife. And what about the missing hall display case? Bill hadn't liked Danny telling Kate that Sophia swiped it.
Danny:
Is Amelia's step-grandson.
Huge fight with father this a.m. Is that this father/son usual
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