A Little Homicide (Mike McShane Mystery Series Book 2) by Tripp Forester

Author:Tripp Forester [Forester, Tripp]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-04-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter eighteen

Lily and I stood up to greet Celia Hart, Paul Wheaton’s erstwhile lover. I shook her hand and greeted her as Lily pulled a chair out for her.

“Thanks for coming, Ms. Hart. I know this must be very difficult for you,” I said as we all sat down. “My name is Mike McShane and I was working for Mr. Wheaton. It was in an unofficial capacity but he paid me for my time.”

She nodded curtly, her lips firmly held together. Lily reached across the table to shake hands as well.

“I’m Lily. I own a hair salon here in town. I also want to thank you. I know Paul’s daughter, who is a good friend of mine, would be pleased that you are speaking with us.”

Celia looked daggers at Lily when she said this.

“Oh, she would, would she? I am doing this for Paul, not his daughter. She and her mother never had a kind word to say about me. I am sorry Paul’s wife is dead but please don’t expect me to shed any tears.”

Lily glanced at me and shook her head slightly.

“I understand Ms. Hart…”

She held up her hand in a halting gesture.

“No. Call me Celia. I don’t put on any airs and I don’t want anyone doing it for me. And I apologize to both of you, I know you didn’t have anything to do with this mess. Lily, I know you by reputation only and I am sorry to have been cross when you are only trying to help."

A single tear rolled down her cheek which she quickly brushed away. She cleared her throat and sat up straight.

“I have to be perfectly honest with you…Mike? I broke up with Paul the day before his murder. He came into the bar where I work, drunk. He was raising his voice and telling everyone what an ice princess I was and that I wouldn’t…perform oral sex on him. I slapped him hard and ran into the kitchen. He ran after me and I grabbed one of the chef’s knives and told him that if I ever saw him again, I would gut him like a fish. The guy who works in the kitchen ran over and grabbed Paul and dragged him out the back door. The manager came in and asked me if I was alright. I admit I was shaking with anger and he told me to go home, he would cover my shift. I left and when I got to my car I puked my guts out.”

She shuddered as she said it.

I said, “Don’t feel bad, I’ve done it myself. It’s a typical reaction to an adrenaline dump.”

Lily nodded and said, “Yup, happened to me when I got into a car accident in college.”

“That’s fine,” Celia said. “I knew about that. I remember reading about it when I was studying nursing a few years ago. But I was just so shocked at his behavior. Sure, there were things I had to overlook when we were seeing each other.

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