Murdering the Roses (A Heavenly Highland Inn Cozy Mystery) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Cindy Bell
heavily on her Aunt's shoulder. "I just found him like this. I came looking for him to fire him, and then I found him like this," her shoulders trembled as another sob ran through her. She had never found someone in that condition before, and it was very disturbing to think that she had a conversation with him just the day before.
"Get inside," Sarah said sternly as she waited for the police to come on the line. "We need to lock the doors and make sure all the guests are secure. Whoever did this might still be on the property!"
Vicky gasped as she had never thought of that. She and Aunt Ida hurried into the inn with Sarah following right behind them. She gave the information to the police over the phone while the three of them went door to door in the inn making sure all of the exterior doors were locked. Within just a few minutes they heard sirens charging up the long, winding driveway that led to the inn. The police station was situated between the inn and downtown, so they did not have far to go. When they saw the flashing lights the sisters felt it was safe enough to step outside.
Sarah and Vicky stood on the front porch of the inn and watched as the officers piled out of their cars and began scouring the property. Some even had their guns drawn. It was a very strange sight to see in such a beautiful setting. The garden where Bob's body was found was quickly roped off with bright yellow police tape. The guests at the inn began asking lots of questions about what was happening as they gathered in the lobby, drawn by the flashing lights of the police cruisers.
Luckily there weren't too many guests at the inn as it was the middle of the week, but they would be packed full by the time the weekend arrived. Timothy, the man who Sarah had checked in the day before, walked right through the lobby area and out onto the porch. He paused beside the two women and narrowed his eyes as he looked over at the police. Vicky braced herself for the questions that he might ask, but he only offered a mild shrug. Then without a word he continued down the steps and to his car.
Deputy Sheriff Mitchell Slate came jogging up to the porch, his eyes wide with concern as he looked from Vicky to Sarah and then back again.
"I'm so sorry for your trouble," he said politely as he removed his hat in a courteous if not archaic display of manners. "Are you two ladies a ll right?"
"Yes, just shaken up," Sarah replied nervously, her voice more shrill than normal. She still had an arm wrapped around Vicky's shoulders, though Vicky had begun to regain her composure.
"There are a few questions I need to ask you,” he explained apologetically. “Who found the body?" Mitchell asked, trying to keep his voice professional yet still compassionate. He was a very handsome man who had been transferred from the deep south. He still called women ma'am and had a way of gazing at people with such deep respect that it was just a shade boyish. Vicky found it to be very endearing, especially when paired with the fierce blue of his eyes. He had strong features with a square jawline and a prominent, sloped nose. His sandy brown hair was mussed by his hat, and splayed across his forehead in many different directions.
"I did," Vicky said hesitantly, she hated to think of it.
"Oh," Mitchell pulled out his notebook and flipped it open. He began to scribble notes down in it. "And how did you happen to find it?" he asked without looking up at her.
"I was looking for Bob, he's our gardener," Vicky explained haltingly, her heart pounding. Mitchell glanced up at her furtively and then back at the notepad he was holding.
"Were the two of you supposed to meet?" he asked, his voice even and solely professional now.
"No," Vicky shook her head slightly. "I had something I needed to tell him,” she said hesitantly. She really didn't want to admit that she was about to fire the poor man.
"Were you lovers?" Mitchell asked abruptly, causing Vicky to gasp slightly in disgust.
"No
"Get inside," Sarah said sternly as she waited for the police to come on the line. "We need to lock the doors and make sure all the guests are secure. Whoever did this might still be on the property!"
Vicky gasped as she had never thought of that. She and Aunt Ida hurried into the inn with Sarah following right behind them. She gave the information to the police over the phone while the three of them went door to door in the inn making sure all of the exterior doors were locked. Within just a few minutes they heard sirens charging up the long, winding driveway that led to the inn. The police station was situated between the inn and downtown, so they did not have far to go. When they saw the flashing lights the sisters felt it was safe enough to step outside.
Sarah and Vicky stood on the front porch of the inn and watched as the officers piled out of their cars and began scouring the property. Some even had their guns drawn. It was a very strange sight to see in such a beautiful setting. The garden where Bob's body was found was quickly roped off with bright yellow police tape. The guests at the inn began asking lots of questions about what was happening as they gathered in the lobby, drawn by the flashing lights of the police cruisers.
Luckily there weren't too many guests at the inn as it was the middle of the week, but they would be packed full by the time the weekend arrived. Timothy, the man who Sarah had checked in the day before, walked right through the lobby area and out onto the porch. He paused beside the two women and narrowed his eyes as he looked over at the police. Vicky braced herself for the questions that he might ask, but he only offered a mild shrug. Then without a word he continued down the steps and to his car.
Deputy Sheriff Mitchell Slate came jogging up to the porch, his eyes wide with concern as he looked from Vicky to Sarah and then back again.
"I'm so sorry for your trouble," he said politely as he removed his hat in a courteous if not archaic display of manners. "Are you two ladies a ll right?"
"Yes, just shaken up," Sarah replied nervously, her voice more shrill than normal. She still had an arm wrapped around Vicky's shoulders, though Vicky had begun to regain her composure.
"There are a few questions I need to ask you,” he explained apologetically. “Who found the body?" Mitchell asked, trying to keep his voice professional yet still compassionate. He was a very handsome man who had been transferred from the deep south. He still called women ma'am and had a way of gazing at people with such deep respect that it was just a shade boyish. Vicky found it to be very endearing, especially when paired with the fierce blue of his eyes. He had strong features with a square jawline and a prominent, sloped nose. His sandy brown hair was mussed by his hat, and splayed across his forehead in many different directions.
"I did," Vicky said hesitantly, she hated to think of it.
"Oh," Mitchell pulled out his notebook and flipped it open. He began to scribble notes down in it. "And how did you happen to find it?" he asked without looking up at her.
"I was looking for Bob, he's our gardener," Vicky explained haltingly, her heart pounding. Mitchell glanced up at her furtively and then back at the notepad he was holding.
"Were the two of you supposed to meet?" he asked, his voice even and solely professional now.
"No," Vicky shook her head slightly. "I had something I needed to tell him,” she said hesitantly. She really didn't want to admit that she was about to fire the poor man.
"Were you lovers?" Mitchell asked abruptly, causing Vicky to gasp slightly in disgust.
"No
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