Let Sleeping Murder Lie: A cozy mystery by Carmen Radtke

Author:Carmen Radtke [Radtke, Carmen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Adamantine Books
Published: 2021-02-28T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Hayley knocked loud enough on the door to wake Eve from a heavy sleep. She hurried to throw her trench-coat over her pyjamas, in case anyone else watched. She could imagine the rumours flying if the newcomer showed herself at nine o’clock in the morning still in her night clothes. The trench-coat might just cover enough for her to escape detection.

“Breakfast.” Hayley put a bag with oven-warm bread rolls onto the table. “I’ll make coffee while you get dressed.”

Eve splashed cold water on her face and ran a comb through her hair.

Hayley’s coffee jolted her awake. She reached for her second caffeine-shot when a text arrived on her phone. She read it twice before it hit home. “Tonight. Ben says he’s free tonight.”

“Suits me.” Hayley reached for a bread-roll and sniffed it while feeling the texture. “Let me know what you think.”

Eve’s mind reeled. “Think of what?”

“The food. These are Heather’s own recipe.” She broke off a piece and chewed it slowly.

Eve took a bite. “It’s fine. But what do I do about tonight?”

“Cook. Or reheat ready-meals. Whatever you prefer. Ben comes for our company, and since you aren’t interested in him beyond a purely platonic friendship, what does it matter if you’re not a domestic goddess?”

“You’re right.” Eve took a deep breath. “I’m not used to entertaining, that’s all.”

“Relax. I thought you’d grill me over my sleuthing, but we can discuss menus instead.”

The questionnaire had momentarily fled Eve’s mind. She needed to focus.

“And? What did your source say?” she asked.

“First you need to promise to keep this secret. I’m not getting her in trouble,” Hayley said.

“Fine. I swear it on my mother’s grave.”

Hayley lowered her voice. “No signs of a break-in, and the top fingerprints on the door handle inside belonged to Ben. Donna apparently stayed at home, without a visitor. The killer must have had a key, unless the door stayed unlocked.”

“Did Ben leave it like that when he left?”

“He says no. Which was another point in his favour. He could easily have said yes, anybody could have entered the house.”

“Your friend’s opinion, or the official police train of thought?” Please, let it be absolutely clear that he was framed. Stop these doubts in my head, Eve thought.

“Mostly mine,” Hayley said. “I told her that I had a few worries, because my nan is so frail, and while I am convinced Ben is innocent, I needed to be sure before I could let him visit her.”

“That’s clever.” Eve reached for a second bread-roll.

“That’s either a back-handed compliment or an insult.”

“It was meant as a compliment.”

Hayley graciously accepted it with an incline of her head. “Next. John’s tea contained diazepam. The correct amount is unknown, but he usually had his tea at half past three to four-ish. It stood ready for him in the kitchen. He and Donna weren’t on the friendliest of terms back then, so they kept each other company as possible.”

“Had they been fighting long?” Eve asked.

“Ben said their relationship hit rock bottom when Donna

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