A Haunting Refrain: A Helen Bradley Mystery (Helen Bradley Mysteries Book 4) by Rushford Patricia H

Author:Rushford, Patricia H. [Rushford, Patricia H.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Patricia H. Rushford
Published: 2013-07-07T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

I can't believe I missed it. I should have known."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Mrs. Bradley," Chad said. "Not everyone can detect the scent of cyanide on a victim."

"True. But on one level I did know. It just hadn't made its way into my consciousness. I knew he hadn't died of natural causes." She stared at the residual tea in her cup. "Still, I should have guessed cyanide at the onset."

"Why's that?"

"It's what she would have used."

"She?" Tiffany Stone lowered herself onto the edge of a chair.

"Mary Werner."

"You think this Mary Werner killed Paddy?"

"Don't tell me you actually believe the ghost did it," Chad sputtered.

"No, no. Not that Mary killed him. That would be quite impossible, since she is already dead. Don't you see? The rose on the mantel and the cyanide. It’s like something straight out of Arsenic and Old Lace. We're supposed to believe the ghost did it." She looked up at the two officers, who undoubtedly had branded her a nut case.

"That's crazy." Tiffany did a double take. "Wait a minute. What rose? There was no rose in Paddy's suite."

"When I first saw the body, I saw a rose on the mantel. It’s one of the roses out of the bouquet my husband sent me, I'm sure. When I went back to the room so Greg could view the body, it was gone."

"I'm afraid I don't see the connection between the roses and the ghost." Tiffany was growing impatient.

Helen quickly relayed the incident with the rose from the day before and the one she'd seen in Paddy's room.

"Let me get this straight." Tiffany grinned. "You're saying someone used cyanide because that's what a ghost would have used. Then this ghost left a rose on the mantel so you'd believe she did it?" She gave Helen an are-you-out-your-mind look and shook her head.

"I know it sounds bizarre, but how else do you explain it?"

"You tell me. Maybe you're trying to throw me off the track. Maybe you killed Paddy."

"That's ridiculous."

"Did anyone else see this rose? If it was placed there to frame this ghost, why remove it before we had a chance to conduct an investigation?"

Helen tipped her head back against the cushions. "I don't know."

"Maybe the ghost changed her mind and decided she didn't want the police to know." Officer Stone's mocking gaze caught hers. "Maybe she decided not to leave a calling card after all. Or maybe you're making the whole thing up."

Chad sat quietly now, listening, absorbing every detail. He stood then, towering above them.

"Where are you going?" Tiffany asked.

"If you don't mind my saying so, I think interrogating Mrs. Bradley is a waste of time. In case you weren't aware, she's a former homicide investigator with the Portland police and, I might add, has worked as an undercover agent for the U.S. government. She's also been of help recently in solving a number of crimes."

Stone bristled. "I'm well aware of Mrs. Bradley's accomplishments." Rising out of her chair, the small woman squared her shoulders.

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