Murder On The Menu: The 1st Nikki Hunter Mystery (Nikki Hunter Mysteries) Read Online Free Page B

sign of sarcasm, and saw none.
    “I don’t know. I’ll talk to the family and any friends I can locate, and then see how I feel about going further.”
    “Well, be careful.”
    I asked Anderson for his direct-dial number at the station and he gave me his card after writing his cell number on the back.
    “I don’t normally give this out,” he said. “I keep my cell on twenty-four hours a day. I hope you’ll let me know if you discover anything useful.”
    There it was . He thought I might find something he had missed. I could appreciate that. I took back the business card I’d given him earlier, and wrote my home and cell numbers on the back while he pulled a ten from his wallet and left it on the table. I thanked him for the coffee. It was bad, but he had paid.
    Anderson drove me back to the station and before leaving I shook his hand again, just for fun. Then I walked to the marina, got in my own car – a vintage 1972 British racing green BMW model 2002 – and headed for Atherton.

 
    Chapter 4

    T uscaloosa Avenue is in one of Atherton’s average neighborhoods where the more humble houses start at three million dollars. I couldn’t help wondering how many of the residents were from old money, never having to do anything but manage their stock portfolios, and how many had worked sixteen-hour days building businesses that eventually allowed them to live in these homes.
    Everything in life is a trade-off. I gave up the security of working for someone else and took on the stress of managing my own business, covering my own medical insurance, and paying for my own office space. Now I can’t leave the job behind when I go home, but I get to make all my own decisions. I keep asking myself if it’s worth it. So far the answer is yes.
    I like the independence of working alone, although sometimes it makes me feel isolated. Living in a community of boat dwellers helps quell the loneliness. People who live aboard are, for the most part, gregarious. And of course my best friend, Elizabeth, is also my neighbor. She lives aboard a forty-six foot trawler berthed at the base of the companionway that leads from the shore down to the docks.
    I pulled into the Howard’s circular driveway and parked in front of the enormous white colonial. I felt slightly out of place, but discomfort brings out the bulldog in me, so that was okay.
    When Kate answered my knock I was surprised. I’d been expecting a butler in a tux.
    “Good afternoon,” she said.
    “Hi, Kate. Is this a good time for me to look at Laura’s room?”
    “Of course. Please come in.”
    She was composed and gracious. Probably a great hostess.
    I stepped into the foyer and shivered as the frigid air enveloped me. Maybe having the air conditioning on high was one of Kate’s strategies for keeping her skin youthful. I know … meow .
    As she led me up a broad staircase I admired the architecture, but I would never want to be responsible for anything so spacious. If I ever get tired of living aboard my sailboat I’ll probably look for a one-story, two bedroom cottage with a small fenced yard. Something easy to maintain, where I can have a dog or two.
    Laura’s suite of rooms was at the top of the stairs. Kate opened the door and said, “I’ll leave you alone.”
    “Thank you,” I said, and I meant it. It’s really hard to snoop with someone looking over your shoulder.
    The first thing I noticed was the faint scent of roses. A quick look around told me there were no long-stemmed beauties present. Maybe Laura had used an air freshener or a rose-scented perfume.
    The room was pristine. I needed to know if Laura had kept it that way or if the maid had cleaned up after her death.
    I stopped Kate on her way down the stairs. “When was the last time this room was cleaned?”
    She turned toward me and raised an eyebrow. “I have no idea,” she said. “Our staff was instructed never to go into Laura’s room. She liked her privacy.”
    “Have the police been in