Murky Passions and Scandals by Anne R. Tan

Author:Anne R. Tan [Tan, Anne R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Anne R. Tan

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The next morning, armed with nothing more than Matthew’s business card, Raina drove to the Rankins’ farm. With the driver side window down and the scent of apples and smoke in the air, Raina found it difficult to reconcile the picturesque landscape with the heinous murder a few days ago.

Arthur Westchester was once a living, breathing man, but now he would never taste a crisp fall apple again. And even more shocking, no one seemed to care. Not his wife. Not his business partner. This was sad—to live a life with no one to grieve your death. She took a deep breath, hoping to dislodge her melancholy mood.

The Rankins owned over a hundred acres. Plenty of room for a farming co-op. At the intersection of the main road and private road to the Rankins’ driveway, a red “For Sale” sign beckoned passing vehicles. When did their property come on the market?

Raina pulled over and got out of the car. She grabbed a flyer from the stack in the plastic case nailed to the signpost. There was nothing unusual in the listing, though there was no mention of the access easement. Who would buy the property with an ongoing murder investigation in the next field? Nobody local for sure.

She got back into the car and drove to the farmhouse. The porch area was swept, and potted flowers were placed strategically next to the swing. A bright “Welcome Home” garden sign greeted buyers next to the front door. She pressed the doorbell and strains of a lilting melody with a waterfall background filled the air. The Rankins couldn’t have staged the home more perfectly.

The front door swung open, and Sandra Rankin beamed at Raina. She had sable brown hair and warm brown eyes with fair skin that wasn’t made for a farming life. There wasn’t a hint of gray in her mane, so she either had a good hairstylist or she plucked out the white hairs. Even though she was of average height, Raina still had to look up at her.

“Hi, the showing isn’t for another hour. Our realtor isn’t even here yet,” Sandra said.

Raina returned the smile. “Hi, my name is Raina Sun, and I work for a private investigation office. Your neighbor Peaches La Fargo asked us to find the person who sold her secret pie recipe. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

“I’m not sure how much I can tell you. And I don’t have a lot of time. I need to finish prepping the house before the showing.” Sandra held onto the doorknob to prevent Raina from peeking inside her house.

“It’ll only take a few minutes. Have you noticed any new people in your neighborhood?”

“No.”

“Have you noticed any kind of argument next door?”

“No.”

Raina wanted to sigh in frustration. The person in front of her wasn’t going to volunteer anything. Time to change tactics. She glanced down at her notebook, pretending to consult her notes. “When was the last time you saw Arthur Westchester?” She glanced up in time to see Sandra forcing her clenched jaw to relax.

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