The Dead of Winter: A Miss Riddell Amateur Female Sleuth Historical Cozy Mystery (Miss Riddell Cozy Mysteries Book 8) by P.C. James

Author:P.C. James [James, P.C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-04-08T16:00:00+00:00

20

ANOTHER CRIME SCENE INSPECTION

Pauline and Mike had barely begun their planning when there was a thump on the door that made Pauline jump. It was followed by continued pounding and Jo’s voice shouting for Mike.

Mike rose and walked to the door. He opened it and said, “What?”

“She’s killed another one,” Jo cried, pointing at Pauline through the gap in the door.

“What are you talking about?” Pauline asked, puzzled at this new accusation.

“Bryan is dead,” Jo cried. “Killed by the tea in the teapot you poisoned.”

“Dead?” Mike asked, looking around at Pauline.

“He was fine when we left the room,” Pauline replied. “And I certainly didn’t poison any tea.”

“We saw you,” Jo said. “You were at the teapot, then decided on coffee. You knew Bryan drank tea, though you pretended you didn’t.”

“How would I know that?” Pauline asked angrily. She knew she was letting Jo’s constant accusations get to her but couldn’t stop it.

“You must have seen him yesterday,” Jo said. “He drank tea then.”

“I saw nothing of the sort,” Pauline said. “Anyway, why would I kill Bryan? I’ve never met him until this weekend.”

“So, you say,” Jo began, but Mike interjected.

“Stop it, both of you.” He turned to Pauline. “We’ll return to the breakfast room and see what this is about.”

Bryan was sitting in a chair at the table with his back to them as they entered the room. To Pauline, he looked alive. He wasn’t moving but he wasn’t slumped over the table or slouching sideways, ready to fall.

She walked to his side. He was dead. There was no question. His eyes were open but drying and lifeless. She reached to touch him, and the others shouted at her to stop.

“Then tell me, is his body limp or stiff?” Pauline said.

“Stiff,” Gilles said. “It’s like he’s frozen in place.”

Pauline frowned. She knew she recognized the signs but just for the moment, the name of the poison wouldn’t come to her.

“Why has he a napkin between his fingers?”

“He got jabbed by the breadbasket,” Tom said, who seemed to be wavering between horror and laughter.

Pauline walked to the counter and studied the basket without touching it. As Tom had suggested, a fine sliver of metalwork had come loose and stuck out dangerously.

She turned back to the group. “Have you checked for a pulse?” she asked.

“Of course, we have,” Saul said. “Do you think we’re all stupid or incapable?”

“No,” Pauline said, “but people often don’t want to touch others without permission.”

“You know he’s dead,” Saul said. “You killed him.”

“I didn’t know Bryan until we met on Friday night,” Pauline replied. “How would I know to bring poison to kill him?”

“Your plan is to kill all of us,” Jo said. “Bryan was just next because he drank tea.”

“This is ludicrous,” Pauline said.

Then Mike intervened. “No more arguments,” he said. “We need to decide what to do with Bryan’s body. He can’t stay here like this.”

“As we did with Arnie,” Pauline said. “You photograph the scene from every direction. In this case, we have to move him to his room because, you’re right, he can’t stay here.

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