A Murder on the Côte d’Azur: A 1920s Historical Mystery (Penelope Banks Murder Mysteries Book 12) by Colette Clark

Author:Colette Clark [Clark, Colette]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-30T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Penelope and Richard left the Martell household, now secured by several policemen. They walked in silence for a while, making their way through Antibes and down to the beach where the rest of their party was.

“What do you suppose it was that killed Finlay?” Penelope asked Richard.

“Some kind of sedative. My guess would be an opiate of some sort.”

“So, it was an altogether different poison. It was certainly a more peaceful way to go than Vera’s death.” Was it George being considerate of the wife he simply wanted gone? Or was it Finlay making her own exit out of life as painless as possible?

“Three poisons in less than twenty-four hours. This certainly is an interesting case.”

“You assume they are connected then?”

“Don’t you?”

“I do, but the question remains, how? And before you attack me with your usual caution of allowing the police to investigate, Inspector Cloutier all but insisted I do a little digging on my own.”

“As he did for me.”

“What?” Penelope stopped, forcing Richard to do the same as she turned to him. “He asked you to do your own bit of sleuthing as well?”

“I am a detective after all.” He gave her a subtle smile. “Are you upset you weren’t the only one? Frankly, I should be the offended party, I think. I’m a professional.”

“And I’m not?”

“I don’t know how to answer that in a way that won’t have me finding a hotel to reside at for the remainder of our stay in Antibes.”

“Don’t be silly, I’m not a shrew,” Penelope said, urging them on again. “I suppose we do work well as a team. And in this case, you can’t wag your finger at me.”

“Oh, I suspect there will still be plenty of finger-wagging to be had. You are quite meddlesome, my dear.”

Penelope stopped yet again. Richard couldn’t hold back his laughter at his little jab. After a moment, neither could she.

“Oh, I suppose it’s all for the greater good,” Pen said, her laughter dying once she remembered the morbid circumstances. “Still, for the sake of our combined sanity, we shouldn’t extend the liberty to everyone else. I trust Lulu to be sensible, but Benny and Cousin Cordelia would make a sport of it.”

“Agreed.”

“Who do you suppose might be inclined to know more?”

Richard cast a glance her way. Penelope sighed and nodded. “Yes, Estelle. She does seem to be up to date on all the scuttlebutt. And I am curious about that Sawyer fellow of hers. What is his story? Why was Vera even interested in him and his Wisconsin connection?”

“Perhaps our professional gossip mongers have been plying their skills in our absence.”

In their hurry to know more, they quickly caught a taxi to take them the short distance to the beach. They saw the three others in their party, lying listlessly in the afternoon sun.

“I had no idea lounging on the beach could seem like such strenuous work,” Pen said with a smile as she approached.

Benny was the first to greet them with a frown. “We were one moment away from sending the calvary.

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