Happy Birthday Murder (A Reporter Roland Bean Cozy Mystery) by Rachel Woods

Author:Rachel Woods [Woods, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: BonzaiMoon Books
Published: 2021-12-24T00:00:00+00:00

21

Beanie took a third sip of his second cup of coffee.

He stared at his computer, skimming the story he’d been fact-checking for the past few hours. Normally, it didn’t take long to make sure there was nothing libelous in his articles, but it was a slow news day. His passive scrutiny gave him the chance to reflect on a story that had sputtered out—the murder of Dr. Henry Montague.

After his follow-up article, which offered one or two additional details, there hadn’t been much more to report. The police investigation appeared to have stalled. Weeks had passed and there were still no new developments. At least, there had been nothing new the cops were willing to share with him. Janvier had warned him against doing any amateur sleuthing, so Beanie didn’t expect the bumbling detective to provide any updates.

Detective Green had proved to be a better source. He was willing to share information and not above checking out the tips Beanie had given him. One of which had panned out. When Beanie had forwarded the emails between Dr. Mimi Taylor and Henry to Detective Green, Beanie wasn’t sure the messages would be given any credence. But Green had given the emails serious consideration. Unlike Janvier, Green had viewed the exchanges between the doctors with the appropriate suspicion. As a result, Mimi had been exposed.

Taking another sip of coffee, Beanie reflected on Mimi’s contentious confrontation with Robyn.

The woman had some nerve to blame Robyn for her termination. Despite Mimi’s insistence that the revocation of her license had been unjustified, she’d had no right to falsify records to continue her medical career. Beanie figured she’d decided to practice medicine on a Caribbean island where she, no doubt, believed she would get away with her crimes. She probably thought the island’s governance of its health department to be inferior and unsophisticated.

Beanie suspected Mimi’s story about a diabetic episode was sketchy and he’d been right. Research into the former doctor’s background proved the hospital had good cause to fire her and revoke her license. The surgical team had testified to the hospital administrators that Mimi’s breath reeked of alcohol. Subsequent blood tests showed Mimi didn’t have diabetes. What she’d had was a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit.

Mimi’s decision to practice medicine without a license was disturbing. The woman was guilty. But Beanie was more interested in her viability as a suspect in Henry’s murder. Was she guilty of shooting Henry? As soon as he’d arrived at the newspaper’s offices, Beanie had left a message with Detective Green concerning whether, or not, the cops liked Mimi as Henry’s killer, but the detective hadn’t returned his call.

Beanie stroked his jaw.

Mimi claimed no involvement in Henry’s murder. Beanie wasn’t sure if he believed her. An evaluation of the unlicensed doctor as a suspect showed a clear motive. Henry had been blackmailing her. He knew her secret and used it to extort money from her. Mimi’s secret had been huge. Bombshell information that could blow up her life.

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