Cozy Mystery Box Set: Murder Mysteries in the Mountains by Liz Turner

Author:Liz Turner [Turner, Liz]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2016-07-05T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Victoria knew that she’d have to go offer her condolences to Declan sooner or later. What she didn’t expect was to have him show up at her café that very afternoon.

The entire café seemed to become alerted as the door jangled and he walked in, looking very somber in a dark suit with a light blue shirt and a black tie.

“Coffee, please.” Declan murmured, keeping his head down.

“It’s on the house,” Victoria said, handing him a cup. She brought out a slice of her key-lime pie and placed it next to the coffee. “That too.” She said.

Declan bit his lip and drank his coffee silently.

Someone came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. It was Adam Driver, with Steve Boonbury next to him.

“Declan,” Adam said. “We just want to say we’re very sorry for your loss.”

Declan made no motion of acknowledging Adam’s statement. He drank his coffee and looked blankly ahead of him, lost in thoughts.

“Declan?” Adam squeezed his shoulder. “You alright, man? We’re here for you if you need anything.”

“How about peace and quiet?” Declan growled.

“Sorry.” Adam raised his hands and backed away. “I understand you’re grieving...”

“No!” Declan said. “No, you don’t understand. All of you smug, insipid folk simply don’t understand.” He turned around in his seat and faced them. “You think I don’t know what you whisper about me? You think I don’t know what you think? I know it all. You’re hypocrites, the lot of you. Vultures. You believe I murdered her for the money. I know you do. Idiots! I loved that woman. Yes, part of me loved her for her money and her ability to give me a good life, but I loved LeeLee more than any of you two-bit townspeople love your two-bit wives!”

“Alright, Declan, you might want to calm down.” Victoria said, “I’ve got a room upstairs if you want to collect yourself.”

“I don’t want to collect myself,” Declan said, jumping up. “I want to...I want to kill someone! I want to put my hands around someone’s throat and squeeze. I was happy, finally, for the first time in my life, I was happy, and some rotten, vile, maniac took my happiness away from me. I lost everything when I lost LeeLee.”

“You didn’t lose your friends,” Victoria said. “I know that we like to gossip in this town, but when you look into our hearts, you’ll find that every offer for help that is extended to you comes from love and sincerity. You’re part of our community even if you only did live here six months. We’re all sorry for your loss, truly. We’ve all lost people close to us, so we know that right now you must feel raw and battered.”

“I feel… tattered.” Declan said. “Like an old book, that’s starting to come apart. Those reporters are outside my house day and night. They’ve even followed me here. Last night someone asked me to comment on whether LeeLee had any surviving sons or daughters! I told them

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