Secrets of a Small Town by Adele M Cooper

Author:Adele M Cooper [Cooper, Adele M]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lirios Publishing
Published: 2018-09-30T06:00:00+00:00

“So… are you going to tell me why you volunteered to help me weed my garden today?”

At her mother’s words, Paige straightened and ran a gloved hand over her forehead, leaving behind a streak of dirt. Jennifer patted down some soil around a new plant, not looking at her daughter.

“It’s nothing,” Paige said dismissively. “I just thought I’d come help today.”

“Not that I’m not appreciative, but you took the day off,” Jennifer said, glancing at her.

Paige understood why her mother was confused and worried. She hadn’t voluntarily taken a day off in some time (investigation days didn’t count since she was still, technically, working). She wasn’t even sure this one counted since she was still doing some sort of work.

“It helps me clear my head,” Paige stated.

Her mother made a skeptical sound in the back of her throat and had just opened her mouth to push further when the sound of a car driving up the road made both of them turn around.

Paige pursed her lips, instantly recognizing the now familiar patrol car. She neither knew nor cared why Jack was here; she just wanted him gone.

“Is that Jack?” Jennifer asked, shielding her eyes against the sun.

“Looks like it,” Paige grumbled.

Jennifer glanced at her daughter, surprised at her ire, as the car came to a stop and Jack slid from behind the wheel. Her gaze turned contemplative as she looked between them.

“Sorry for dropping in unannounced,” Jack apologized to Jennifer. “I was looking for Paige.”

“Not to worry! She’s here, as you can see,” Paige’s mother said with a smile. “Did you need to talk alone?”

“If that’s all right,” Jack said respectfully. “I need to talk with her about the case.”

“I’ll be inside, then,” Jennifer said with a nod. She looked as though she knew something was going on, but she left quickly, no doubt to wait for Paige to come inside and tell her what happened.

That left Jack and Paige standing awkwardly together. Jack’s words from yesterday afternoon hung between them, and Paige pointedly refused to look at him.

“I, uh, went to your office and your apartment, first,” Jack offered uncomfortably.

“I took the day off,” Paige said shortly.

“Yes, I can see,” Jack responded. He cleared his throat. “I thought you might want to hear what the autopsy said.”

Paige had decided yesterday that she wasn’t going to work with Jack anymore. But free information would only help in the long run and Jack had offered. Reluctantly, she relaxed her shoulders and gestured to the porch, where two old chairs with comfortable pillows stood. She pursed her lips upon noticing that Jack hesitated before following her.

“So, what did they find?” she asked as they settled in. She wondered if she ought to offer him something to drink, but she refused to waste niceties on him.

“We’ve determined the probable cause of death,” Jack announced. He looked down at his hat, which he turned over in his hands. “The toxicology report was the most interesting; it said that there were traces of antidepressants and narcotics in Cynthia’s blood, though her regular doctor hadn’t prescribed either.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.