Murder at the Osborne Outlet (Ruth Morgan Cozy Mysteries Book 5) by Peter Jay Black

Author:Peter Jay Black [Black, Peter Jay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oakbridge
Published: 2025-05-06T00:00:00+00:00

13

As they stepped over the threshold of the bookshop, Ruth sighed, grateful for the reprieve from the storm. She and Greg followed May through the warmth and the comforting aroma of old books, into an office that was even more chaotic than the shop itself.

The room was only ten feet square and cluttered with more books piled high on shelves, overflowing onto the floor, creating a labyrinth of paper and ink.

A single desk, covered in a jumble of papers, sat in the middle of the room, a lamp casting a warm glow on its surface.

Greg peered at a quirky collection of vintage toys and curios lining several of the uppermost shelves, which added to the room’s eccentric charm.

Ruth couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of . . . well, everything. It was hard to tell if it was organised chaos, or plain old-fashioned, regular mayhem.

A collection of antique dolls seated on a shelf above the desk drew her gaze. Their porcelain faces, frozen in expressions of wide-eyed innocence, seemed to stare back at Ruth, their painted smiles unsettling.

May indicated two comfortable armchairs in front of an electric fire, its bars glowing an inviting orange. “Please.” She pulled up an office chair on casters for herself.

Ruth unzipped her coat and settled into one of the armchairs, the fire a welcome relief from the chill that had seeped into her bones.

Greg sat in the other, his gaze darting around the room, taking in the eclectic collection of objects.

May looked between them, her expression curious. “What can I do for you?”

“I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted to ask you a few more questions.” Ruth took a deep breath, steeling herself for the potentially awkward conversation. “I’m trying to understand Kathy’s financial situation,” she said, keeping her voice carefully neutral. “Particularly a deposit into her account not so long ago.”

A flicker of surprise crossed May’s face. “You’ve seen Kathy’s accounts?”

Ruth swallowed. “A large amount. Twenty thousand.”

“Twenty thousand pounds?” May blew out a puff of air, her expression thoughtful. “Wow. I know nothing about that.”

“You have no idea who might have given her such a large sum?” Ruth pressed.

May pursed her lips, and then her eyes widened. “Now I come to think of it, Kathy did say something a couple of weeks ago about a ‘lucky break’ she’d had. She wouldn’t elaborate, but she seemed quite pleased about it.”

Calling it a ‘lucky break’ was an odd turn of phrase, Ruth mused, considering the money might have come from the Vanderlins. The inconsistency raised a fresh wave of doubt in her mind.

May hesitated, a troubled look, her gaze fixed on a point beyond Ruth’s shoulder. “There’s something else. Something I haven’t told anyone, not even the police.”

Ruth’s heart skipped a beat. “The police?”

May looked between her and Greg, then sat back in her chair, her body language—raised shoulders, fingers twisting together—radiating tension. “Well . . .” She bit her lip, and her eyes filled with uncertainty. “You know what? It doesn’t matter.

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