Read Online Sage Advice to Cover Up a Murder! (Outer Banks Baker Mystery Series Book 2) by Phoebe T. Eggli - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Phoebe T. Eggli
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further explained that the rumor at work was that Hawkins had not exactly retired early, but had been forced out of the company. Some speculated it was because he knew too much about Johnson’s misdeeds and had threatened to go public with it. No one knew for sure what Hawkins held over Johnson’s head, but it had to be something bad. For years, Hawkins had been the one to clean up Johnson’s messes and cover up illicit deals. It would have to be something pretty explosive for the old man to be pushed out the door.
“Okay, but what does that have to do with Hawkins being found dead, and possibly poisoned?” Logan asked. Ronnie further explained that after Mr. Hawkins’ sudden retirement, Mrs. Hawkins had come into the office fuming. Her shrieks were heard throughout several floors of the tall office complex. Apparently, she was not too happy about her husband’s retirement. However, she left with a huge smile on her face. Everyone thought Hawkins had his job back. That wasn’t the case though. No mention was ever made that he would return to the company. A few days later, he’s dead.
Well, that was all interesting. However, Melissa and Logan didn’t see how Hawkins’ early retirement played into his death. Cheryl prodded Ronnie to continue. He seemed reluctant to add more, but the story needed to be told. “Due to my lovely wife’s ‘encouragement’, I decided to check around to see what Hawkins worked on prior to these events,” he stated with some emphasis on ‘encouragement’. What he discovered was indeed interesting and pertinent. Mr. Hawkins had been working to obscure the company’s involvement with a small holding company out of the Caribbean. This company dealt with a weed killer that used a poison that was deemed illegal in most countries throughout the world. There was even a recent case of a father and his children who visited their vacation home in the islands, but shortly thereafter were found unconscious. Bloodwork showed a particular poison in their systems. An investigation discovered the landscapers for their residence used the weed killer manufactured by the holding company in question. Thankfully, the family recovered. However, they faced a long road to complete rehabilitation as the poison damaged their cardiovascular systems extensively.
Ronnie did not have definitive proof that Hawkins was run out of Johnson Shipping International because of his knowledge of, or objection to, the holding company. Basically, it was pure speculation at this point. However, if the poison in the bread was determined to be this same poison, then it was likely Mr. Johnson decided retirement wasn’t enough to silence Hawkins.
Melissa’s head reeled at the possibility that Edward Johnson, Sr. could be behind the death of Mr. Hawkins. Just last summer, his son was found guilty of manslaughter in the investigation of Linda Stevenson’s death. The death that had occurred in her bakery and she had been arrested as the primary suspect. Little Eddie Johnson, Jr. was currently serving time in the state penitentiary in Raleigh for the crime. Now Daddy Johnson may be involved in another suspicious death. If so, was he seeking revenge for his son’s arrest by framing her for Mr. Hawkins’ murder?
Chapter 13
Melissa woke up the next morning with a splitting headache. The events of yesterday had taken their toll. She had lain awake most of the night as her mind raced through all the possibilities that may have led to Mr. Hawkins’ death. Most importantly, she rehashed all the ways she had been roped into this fiasco. Unable to take the intensity of the migraine that set in, she gulped back two migraine pills with a glass of water and returned to bed.
Logan decided to clean up the house a little before his father arrived that afternoon. He admitted he was nervous about Dad becoming involved in all this chaos. However, he also admitted to himself that he was happy
“Okay, but what does that have to do with Hawkins being found dead, and possibly poisoned?” Logan asked. Ronnie further explained that after Mr. Hawkins’ sudden retirement, Mrs. Hawkins had come into the office fuming. Her shrieks were heard throughout several floors of the tall office complex. Apparently, she was not too happy about her husband’s retirement. However, she left with a huge smile on her face. Everyone thought Hawkins had his job back. That wasn’t the case though. No mention was ever made that he would return to the company. A few days later, he’s dead.
Well, that was all interesting. However, Melissa and Logan didn’t see how Hawkins’ early retirement played into his death. Cheryl prodded Ronnie to continue. He seemed reluctant to add more, but the story needed to be told. “Due to my lovely wife’s ‘encouragement’, I decided to check around to see what Hawkins worked on prior to these events,” he stated with some emphasis on ‘encouragement’. What he discovered was indeed interesting and pertinent. Mr. Hawkins had been working to obscure the company’s involvement with a small holding company out of the Caribbean. This company dealt with a weed killer that used a poison that was deemed illegal in most countries throughout the world. There was even a recent case of a father and his children who visited their vacation home in the islands, but shortly thereafter were found unconscious. Bloodwork showed a particular poison in their systems. An investigation discovered the landscapers for their residence used the weed killer manufactured by the holding company in question. Thankfully, the family recovered. However, they faced a long road to complete rehabilitation as the poison damaged their cardiovascular systems extensively.
Ronnie did not have definitive proof that Hawkins was run out of Johnson Shipping International because of his knowledge of, or objection to, the holding company. Basically, it was pure speculation at this point. However, if the poison in the bread was determined to be this same poison, then it was likely Mr. Johnson decided retirement wasn’t enough to silence Hawkins.
Melissa’s head reeled at the possibility that Edward Johnson, Sr. could be behind the death of Mr. Hawkins. Just last summer, his son was found guilty of manslaughter in the investigation of Linda Stevenson’s death. The death that had occurred in her bakery and she had been arrested as the primary suspect. Little Eddie Johnson, Jr. was currently serving time in the state penitentiary in Raleigh for the crime. Now Daddy Johnson may be involved in another suspicious death. If so, was he seeking revenge for his son’s arrest by framing her for Mr. Hawkins’ murder?
Chapter 13
Melissa woke up the next morning with a splitting headache. The events of yesterday had taken their toll. She had lain awake most of the night as her mind raced through all the possibilities that may have led to Mr. Hawkins’ death. Most importantly, she rehashed all the ways she had been roped into this fiasco. Unable to take the intensity of the migraine that set in, she gulped back two migraine pills with a glass of water and returned to bed.
Logan decided to clean up the house a little before his father arrived that afternoon. He admitted he was nervous about Dad becoming involved in all this chaos. However, he also admitted to himself that he was happy
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