A Fatal Visit (A Harbor Cove Cozy Mystery Book 1) Read Online Free
Author: Emily Page
other people. The wind rustled in the leaves of the trees gently. A few more people appeared as they reached the main street.
Unfortunately, so did Clue’s interest in a passing cat. Seeing the dog, the skittish feline had bolted off down the street, with Clue bounding after. Attached to the leash as she was, Skyler also ended up being dragged along for the ride. She tried her hardest to plant her feet on the pavement but found no purchase. After being dragged past several storefronts, Clue and Skyler crashed into a young man selling coffee from a cart.
Skyler found herself quickly standing up. “I am so, so, so sorry.” Her face had turned scarlet. “Come on, Clue. I think it’s time to get home.”
~~~
Lily’s Cosy Tea : a renowned spot for the elderly and the hipster socialite. And the source of the best scones in Harbor Cove. They were having tea on the patio, which sported tables and chairs of cast-iron latticework. Trailing vines hung from the porch above them, the scent of lavender and lilies wafting on the breeze. Skyler was staring at the phone she’d discovered in the restaurant. Momma Avery, bedecked in a fringe orange blouse and matching ankle-length skirt, poured tea into their cups, and Nichole nibbled on a gooey cinnamon roll. The sun was warm, and it beamed down on their heads where the white trellis above wasn’t crisscrossing them with shade.
“Anything useful? Anything that puts Bryson in the clear?” Nichole asked between bites.
“I’m not sure, to be honest.” She flicked through more of the photos. “There are a lot of pictures of him with this woman, and this little girl. They share a resemblance. Myers and the girl. Oh.” She paused. “There’s a video.”
“Go on, then,” Nichole encouraged.
“You can’t bruise the ego of a dead man, dear,” Momma Avery added.
The video started with a pair of feet walking through grass and then panned up to a dog, which was being walked by Chase. A little girl walked beside him, holding his hand. Chase released the dog from its leash, and the little girl went bounding after it. In the video, it was a bright sunny day. Flowers sprung from the grass, and birdsong could be heard in the background. Chase ran after the little girl, laughing and grinning all the while. After grabbing the girl, Chase tickled her and she giggled happily, shouting out, “I love Daddy!” Chase turned to the camera and smiled, a twinkle in his bright blue eyes. “Come on, Aubrey!”
Skyler’s head snapped up. “Aubrey. That’s it!” She stopped the video. “The woman from the restaurant…the assistant manager. She ran out of the bathroom crying after she saw Chase’s body.” She lowered her voice, her eyes casted down to the table. “The poor woman was devastated.”
“So, she’s the murderer!” Momma Avery announced.
Nichole and Skyler looked at her in confusion. “No…” Skyler said. “Not necessarily. But she has links to Chase.”
Momma Avery pouted. “It would be much simpler for it to be her.”
Nichole stepped in, seeing a retort form on Skyler’s lips. “May I see the phone, please? If need be, these pictures and videos may be crucial to presenting Bryson’s defense.” She looked at the phone while the other women sat silently. “There’s another video.” She was giving them her best I’m-a-Sarah-Lawrence-educated-lawyer look.
Skyler sometimes forgot just how well Nichole had done in school, and how she was actually probably far more qualified than either she or her mother to investigate this kind of mystery.
They crowded round the phone as Nichole pressed play. This one showed Aubrey being filmed while playing with the little girl, swinging her round while the girl laughed. Ringing interrupted the playing, and Aubrey answered her phone. Her face dropped as whoever was on the other end spoke. Her voice cracked, and she hung up. The view on the screen swung
Unfortunately, so did Clue’s interest in a passing cat. Seeing the dog, the skittish feline had bolted off down the street, with Clue bounding after. Attached to the leash as she was, Skyler also ended up being dragged along for the ride. She tried her hardest to plant her feet on the pavement but found no purchase. After being dragged past several storefronts, Clue and Skyler crashed into a young man selling coffee from a cart.
Skyler found herself quickly standing up. “I am so, so, so sorry.” Her face had turned scarlet. “Come on, Clue. I think it’s time to get home.”
~~~
Lily’s Cosy Tea : a renowned spot for the elderly and the hipster socialite. And the source of the best scones in Harbor Cove. They were having tea on the patio, which sported tables and chairs of cast-iron latticework. Trailing vines hung from the porch above them, the scent of lavender and lilies wafting on the breeze. Skyler was staring at the phone she’d discovered in the restaurant. Momma Avery, bedecked in a fringe orange blouse and matching ankle-length skirt, poured tea into their cups, and Nichole nibbled on a gooey cinnamon roll. The sun was warm, and it beamed down on their heads where the white trellis above wasn’t crisscrossing them with shade.
“Anything useful? Anything that puts Bryson in the clear?” Nichole asked between bites.
“I’m not sure, to be honest.” She flicked through more of the photos. “There are a lot of pictures of him with this woman, and this little girl. They share a resemblance. Myers and the girl. Oh.” She paused. “There’s a video.”
“Go on, then,” Nichole encouraged.
“You can’t bruise the ego of a dead man, dear,” Momma Avery added.
The video started with a pair of feet walking through grass and then panned up to a dog, which was being walked by Chase. A little girl walked beside him, holding his hand. Chase released the dog from its leash, and the little girl went bounding after it. In the video, it was a bright sunny day. Flowers sprung from the grass, and birdsong could be heard in the background. Chase ran after the little girl, laughing and grinning all the while. After grabbing the girl, Chase tickled her and she giggled happily, shouting out, “I love Daddy!” Chase turned to the camera and smiled, a twinkle in his bright blue eyes. “Come on, Aubrey!”
Skyler’s head snapped up. “Aubrey. That’s it!” She stopped the video. “The woman from the restaurant…the assistant manager. She ran out of the bathroom crying after she saw Chase’s body.” She lowered her voice, her eyes casted down to the table. “The poor woman was devastated.”
“So, she’s the murderer!” Momma Avery announced.
Nichole and Skyler looked at her in confusion. “No…” Skyler said. “Not necessarily. But she has links to Chase.”
Momma Avery pouted. “It would be much simpler for it to be her.”
Nichole stepped in, seeing a retort form on Skyler’s lips. “May I see the phone, please? If need be, these pictures and videos may be crucial to presenting Bryson’s defense.” She looked at the phone while the other women sat silently. “There’s another video.” She was giving them her best I’m-a-Sarah-Lawrence-educated-lawyer look.
Skyler sometimes forgot just how well Nichole had done in school, and how she was actually probably far more qualified than either she or her mother to investigate this kind of mystery.
They crowded round the phone as Nichole pressed play. This one showed Aubrey being filmed while playing with the little girl, swinging her round while the girl laughed. Ringing interrupted the playing, and Aubrey answered her phone. Her face dropped as whoever was on the other end spoke. Her voice cracked, and she hung up. The view on the screen swung
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