Cookin' the Books by Amy Patricia Meade

Author:Amy Patricia Meade [Amy Patricia Meade]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2018-10-03T04:00:00+00:00

SIXTEEN

‘Binnie Broderick’s husband raped Augusta Wilson?’ Mary Jo repeated, her expression a mix of both horror and astonishment.

‘Yes, but that’s to stay just between us and Augusta,’ Tish replied, still seated in the chair she had occupied when Augusta visited an hour earlier.

‘And then Binnie used that knowledge to blackmail Augusta into resigning?’ Jules, who had, since morning, slipped into a pink T-shirt and beige linen trousers, was incredulous.

‘Yes,’ Tish answered again, this time her voice reflecting the weariness she felt.

‘So Augusta Wilson was a double victim. The first time of rape and the second of blackmail,’ Mary Jo inferred as she pulled up the hem of her blue floral-printed maxi-dress and sat across from Tish.

‘Thus giving her one hell of a motive for wanting Binnie Broderick dead,’ Jules concluded while he rummaged through the refrigerator.

‘Or Edwin,’ Tish offered.

‘But Edwin didn’t know about either the rape or the blackmail,’ Mary Jo corrected.

‘That’s what Augusta tells us,’ Tish asserted. ‘But how do we know that’s true? Perhaps Binnie had spilled the beans to dear old Edwin without Augusta knowing about it. But then, if that’s the case, what about Doctor Livermore?’

‘What about Doctor Livermore?’ Jules repeated as he shut the refrigerator door with a frown.

‘Augusta told me that she was never Doctor Livermore’s patient. Therefore, he had no knowledge of Augusta’s rape and subsequent pregnancy. If that’s true, then neither Augusta nor Edwin had reason to shoot him.’

‘Easy,’ Mary Jo pronounced. ‘Augusta was lying and the good doctor had, in fact, treated her. Augusta has no other children, but it would be clear from a physical exam that she had, at some point in the past, given birth.’

Tish refused to believe this was the case. ‘I don’t think so, MJ. Augusta isn’t stupid. She knows the police could easily prove if she and Edwin were patients of Doctor Livermore. There’s also the fact that everyone I’ve spoken to made a point of describing Doctor Livermore as being expensive and rather elitist. Augusta and Edwin may be reasonably well-off financially, but they’re not part of Binnie Broderick’s country club crowd. Oh, I also checked Doctor Livermore’s website. He’s affiliated with Virginia Commonwealth Hospital.’

‘Meaning?’ Jules challenged as he poured himself a glass of water from the tap.

‘Meaning Augusta went to Bon Secours St Mary’s Hospital the night before the benefit. If she had called the emergency line of her doctor’s office first, she would have been referred to VCU.’

‘Clever,’ Jules purred. ‘Pretty soon we’ll see you as the detective in one of those made-for-cable murder mysteries.’

‘I don’t think so,’ Tish opined. ‘I probably drink too much wine. And say the word “hell” far too often.’

‘Wait,’ Jules pulled a face, ‘I thought that was me.’

‘Where’d you think I picked up those habits?’ Tish winked, much to Jules’s amusement.

‘Oh, you guys,’ Mary Jo sighed, as if trying to corral her teenage children. ‘What I want to know is how did Binnie find out about the rape? It’s not like her husband would have told her.’

‘While cleaning up her late husband’s things, Binnie found his journal.

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