Murder in Half Moon Bay, Book 1 by Nancy Jill Thames

Author:Nancy Jill Thames
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: nook book, garden clubs, animal adventures, yorkie, ritzcarlton hotel, terrorist plot, fbi, afternoon tea, murder she wrote, cozy mystery series

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Getting ready for the ball just happened. It was like a miracle. I don’t remember. Going through the motions of showering, doing my hair and putting on my make-up felt like a strange someone-else dream. My emerald green velvet gown with small rhinestone buttons and a satin sash slipped easily over my head.

The hotel had arranged for Teddy to have a sitter for the evening, a request I had made far in advance of my arrival. I greeted her, and after giving instructions, I left.

“Jillian,” Ann called from the Club Room, poised with a forkful of quiche. “I wanted to catch you.”

“Ann?”

She swallowed quickly, “Oh, Jillian, have I got news for you!”

Her smile curled, cat-like.

“Come with me, quickly.”

I took her arm and headed toward the nearest table, eager for the news. Luckily, it was in a far corner near the door farthest away from the food and consequently, the people.

“I found out from Celeste that Evelyn is the power behind the throne, not only at home but in their nursery business as well.” Ann sat back very satisfied with herself at the information she had received.

“And….”

She widened her eyes, giving me a meaningful look, but finally resolved to use words after I didn’t immediately get her meaning. “Well, don’t you see?”

“I’m trying.”

“It means that Evelyn Westover ran the business, fired Walter’s father with no feeling whatsoever, and I think she would probably be bold enough to kill Regina if she thought Regina was after Thomas. Or if she was just plain sick of Regina being around. Things like that have happened before.”

Then she seemed to realize what she’d just said. “Wow, I can’t believe I just said that...I….”

I cut her off. “Evelyn might have a motive if Regina was after Thomas, or even if Thomas was interested in Regina, but do you really think Evelyn would leave her room at two o’clock in the morning, go to Regina’s room, and strangle her?

“Don’t you think Thomas would notice Evelyn leaving? Wouldn’t he wonder where she was going at that time of the morning?”

“It doesn’t make sense, but Evelyn did hate Regina…according to Celeste anyway, and there’s something about Evelyn that just doesn’t fit.” She leaned forward, drumming her fingers on the table in thought.

“What doesn’t fit?”

“Well, Celeste said she had never seen Evelyn and Thomas drink as much as they did on Saturday night. She said Evelyn was too happy and was treating Thomas too nicely, and then she said, ‘I wonder who they’ve decided to get rid of, now?’ That was a very strange thing to say, don’t you think, Jillian?”

“Ann, you’ve done well. There’s something there we need to look into — who the Westovers got rid of. It could have been a client, an enemy or someone they didn’t like, as you said. Have you seen Nicole or Dominique?”

“Nicole stayed in her room with her computer all afternoon. I haven’t seen Dominique. Oh, look, here they come.”

I took the opportunity to select some hors d’oeuvres from the buffet and a glass of Cabernet.

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