Murder at the Dude Ranch: a 1950s cozy historical mystery (A Rosa Reed Mystery Book 7) by Lee Strauss & Norm Strauss

Author:Lee Strauss & Norm Strauss [Strauss, Lee & Strauss, Norm]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781774091456
Publisher: La Plume Press
Published: 2021-04-28T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Carrying Diego and a file folder Detective Sanchez had given her, Rosa walked into the Forrester mansion living room that evening. On the long slate-blue, low-back couch were Gloria, Grandma Sally, and Aunt Louisa. Clarence sat in a matching chair. Magazines were piled neatly on a glass coffee table that sat in the middle of a canary-yellow area rug. The room was decorated in the latest Scandinavian style.

Rosa put Diego on the rug and smiled at Clarence. “Good to have you back.” She claimed an empty chair, the mate to the chair Clarence occupied. He gave a half-smile and nodded.

“Can you please tell us what on earth is going on, Rosa?” Grandma Sally said. “They arrested Clarence!”

“Our lawyer, Mr. Froelich, says they don’t have a case.” Aunt Louisa’s arms were folded tightly against her chest. Her lips worked, pursing as if that would keep in the anger bubbling over. “Can you imagine if this hits the papers?”

“Not if, Mom,” Gloria said with a note of expertise. “When.”

Grandma Sally moaned. “Oh, good heavens.”

Aunt Louisa commiserated. “They’ll have a field day.” As if to highlight an imaginary headline, she floated her hand horizontally in front of her. “Mr. Clarence Forrester, the wealthy divorced son of prominent socialite and philanthropist Mrs. Louisa Forrester, has been arrested for murder.”

Clarence reddened. “Mother, please. Are the dramatics really necessary?”

Aunt Louisa glared at her son. “This is not the time to be glib, Clarence. You know people in this town envy and despise us. We’re a family with a name. At least, we were until now.”

Rosa clapped her hands. “Everyone, please remain calm. Now, if you’d give me the floor … I have things to say.”

A reluctant silence fell, though the tension in the room remained high.

“I’ve offered my services as a former police constable and current private investigator to Clarence, and he’s accepted.”

Grandma Sally played with the large bauble ring on her aged, crooked fingers. “We are grateful, despite it being your duty as a member of our family.”

“I’m not looking for gratitude, Grandma Sally,” Rosa said. “I’m asking for trust. I will do my best to find the real killer and mitigate the damage this case will undoubtedly do to the Forrester family name.”

Aunt Louisa held her palm to her mouth and emitted a soft moan. “All the work I’ve done.”

“Mom, really?” Gloria said. “Clarence is in real trouble. He could go to prison or worse!”

Aunt Louisa scowled at her. “I realize that. And obviously, I don’t believe it will come to that, now with Mr. Froelich and Rosa on our side.” She held Gloria’s gaze. “You’re still young and don’t know how long people’s memories can be. They stick to their opinions regardless of a judge’s final ruling.”

“What are you going to do, Rosa?” Grandma Sally asked. “How are you going to prove Clarence is innocent?”

“I have to ask questions, try to determine who’s lying and why,” Rosa said. “Someone did this awful thing, and they’re willing to let Clarence take the fall.”

Clarence leaned in.

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