Lifeless In The Library (A Moorecliff Manor Cat Cozy Mystery Book 4) by Leighann Dobbs

Author:Leighann Dobbs [Dobbs, Leighann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-03-23T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Araminta wasted no time getting to the point with Donald. “Mr. Copperfield, how are you holding up? You must be devastated by Ms. Bellaforte’s death. It must be difficult to restrain your grief with your wife so close at hand.”

Donald’s brow rose and then quickly folded into a scowl. “Nina—Ms. Bellaforte—was a regular on the cat show circuit. She will be missed.”

Jacob, bless him, nodded and then said, “I suspect more so by you than the rest, if Mrs. Chase is to be believed.”

Araminta wanted to kick him and hug him at the same time. Kick him for his blunt segue to the affair Donald was having with Nina before she was ready and hug him for the same because he’d saved her time. “Muriel suggested there was more to your and Nina’s acquaintance than the circuit, Mr. Copperfield.”

He seemed about to protest, but then he shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded. “Yes. Nina and I were having an affair, but I didn’t kill her.”

“You didn’t?”

He shook his head. “The facts will bear out my truth. Consider the logistics if you will. Simply going from the ballroom to the library and then to Ms. Daphne’s station—it would take more time than I’ve accounted for in my statement to the police. You see, I was at a board meeting all morning and arrived back at the manor just as they were carting poor Daphne away. I can prove it down to the exact minute. When I arrived, I came straight here to the ballroom and Millicent’s station.”

Jacob caught Araminta’s glance, surreptitiously letting her know he would check into Donald’s whereabouts himself.

“Besides,” Donald continued, as if he hadn’t noticed the silent communication between the two. “Why would any decent sort of murderer walk through the entire ballroom while it is filled with people and while holding the murder weapon?”

There was sarcasm in his tone when he said, “Yes, that is precisely what I would have had to have done if I had killed Nin—Ms. Bellaforte. You see, Millicent’s station is there.”

He pointed out the obvious, but Araminta’s shrewd gaze followed the motion, calculating.

“But I would have needed to pass her and two other contestants’ stations in order to hide the leash among Ms. Daphne’s things and in plain view of everyone who cared to look. Far too risky, yes? Therefore, it makes no sense.”

Araminta had to admit it did seem he was right. No murderer who hoped to escape unscathed would dare traipse through a room full of witnesses carrying the very weapon he’d used to commit such a heinous crime even if they could somehow hide it in their pocket or a bag.

“Despite what you may have heard, I am rather intelligent, Ms. Moorecliff,” Donald said, his gaze darting toward his wife. “But if you’re interested to know who might actually have wanted to get both Nina and Daphne out of the way, perhaps you should look no further than there.”

He tilted his head in the opposite direction, and Araminta followed his gaze.

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