Murder Under a New Moon by Abigail Keam

Author:Abigail Keam
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Worker Bee Press
Published: 2021-11-22T00:00:00+00:00

22

Aroused from a fitful sleep, Mona heard Chloe growl from the bedroom balcony. She jumped out of bed and found her poodle reared up on the balcony’s balustrade. “What is it, girl? What do you hear?” Mona followed Chloe’s gaze and saw lights flickering through the trees. Someone was in Robert’s house!

Mona threw a coat over her black negligee and slipped into some boots. Gathering a flashlight and her gun, she flew down the staircase and out the front door, not even bothering to close it. Hurrying down the well-worn path between Moon Manor and Robert’s house, Mona stopped at the edge of the tree line. There were three cars in the driveway—Robert’s, Dexter’s, and a Moon vehicle the Pinkertons used. Hmm.

She crept around the house, looking in the windows until she found the four men in the kitchen. Mona watched Dexter coaxing a disheveled Robert to drink coffee.

Chloe barked excitedly.

“Hush, girl,” Mona admonished.

It was too late. Dexter heard the dog barking and stepped out the kitchen door. “Who’s there?”

Mona moved into the light coming from the kitchen window. “What’s going on, Dexter?”

Dexter looked rumpled wearing no tie and his shirt buttons undone to mid-chest. His tousled hair emphasized his puffy eyes red from the lack of sleep. “Go home, Mona. I’ll take care of this.”

“The hell I will,” Mona said as she and Chloe brushed past Dexter. She found Robert slumped over the kitchen table, snoring, and reeking of booze. Shocked, Mona asked the Pinkertons, “Where did you find him?”

They looked at each other and then glanced at Dexter, who was standing behind Mona with his arms akimbo.

“Don’t look at Mr. Deatherage. He’s not your boss. I am. Where did you find His Grace?”

One of the Pinkertons reluctantly said, “We found him like this in his car parked at Belle Brezing’s house.”

Dexter explained, “Mona, sometimes men slip. That doesn’t mean they don’t love their women. It just means there was a momentary weakness. Don’t judge Robert too harshly.”

“I’m not judging Robert at all. If you took time to notice, Robert’s been rousted. There is a bruise forming on his cheek and there are cuts on his lips. His knuckles are damaged as though he scuffled with someone. He reeks of whiskey as if someone doused him with it.”

Mona leaned over and sniffed Robert’s head. “It’s even in his hair. Robert is a tidy drinker. No. No. Robert was attacked and they forced liquor on him. This was a classic setup to make Robert look like a drunk.”

“I’m afraid there is more bad news.”

“Let me guess. The papers got a photograph of Robert in his car at Belle’s house.”

“I’m afraid so.”

“What a coincidence. The papers just happen to show up when Robert was parked outside Belle’s.”

“How are we going to put a spin on this?”

“I’m tired of playing defensively. It’s time to get ugly. Call the papers and threaten, wheedle, or bribe them not to run a story on this. Then call Sheriff Monahan and report that Robert has been assaulted.

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