A VENEER OF MURDER (Mrs. Fix It Mysteries Book 3) by Belle Knudson Page B
Authors: Belle Knudson
Ads: Link
Celia?”
“Jealous?”
“No.”
“It was a lunch that a local business provided for the police department. We invited some of the staff of the other departments because there was so much food.”
“Makes sense, and yes I talked to Celia about Kendall. She isn’t making any friends, but she’d offered me a lot of work on her house.”
“You taking the jobs?”
“I have to, Scott. It’s money coming in the door.”
Chapter Five
Kate arrived at Jessica’s house after the dedication. She knew that Jessica was fully moved out and probably on her way out of town for a few days with Dean. How sweet they had looked at the ceremony.
Kate dug into her purse for the key to the front door. She knew she’d put it in there for safekeeping. She hadn’t taken it out. Now she couldn’t find it.
“Darn.”
Carly’s van was parked across the street. The fire chief’s truck was farther down the road. Kids laughed at the house next door. It was a pleasant valley Sunday like The Monkees had sung about, except this was Rock Ridge and it wasn’t Sunday.
Jessica had given her the code to the garage just in case. Kate used it. The garage door opened. Jessica had left the alarm system off, thankfully. Kate didn’t need to explain to the cops why she was here. She had Jessica’s permission. The real estate agent knew it also.
Kate entered the house and heard what she thought was the front door closing. She raced around to see if someone was there. She probably shouldn’t have. What if the person had a weapon? Scott would have been pissed at her.
No one was at the front door. When Kate opened it she didn’t see anyone around. Then she was spooked. She’d heard a door slam. No windows were open, so it wasn’t the breeze.
Kate hurried out the front door. Standing by her truck, she called 911. A patrol car arrived minutes later. Scott was only a few minutes behind it.
“You didn’t have to come. You have officers to do this routine stuff,” she said.
He looked her over, concern etched into his face. “It isn’t routine when it’s you.”
The officer returned a few minutes later. “I don’t see any sign of forced entry.”
“They must have been in the house when I arrived,” Kate said.
“Let’s go in and look. Maybe you can tell if something’s been disturbed,” Scott said.
Scott led her back into Jessica’s house. Right now she wanted to be anywhere but here. Hearing that door slam had spooked her, but she had a job to do. She could keep the front door open.
They walked around with her. When she entered what had been Dudley’s office, things had clearly been disturbed. “Someone’s been in here.”
“You sure?” Scott said.
“Yes. I had things in order, but the knickknacks are knocked over and the drawers to the empty filing cabinet are opened a little.”
“How do you notice that?” Scott said.
“It’s those little touches that make the house sell, but they are subtle. It’s part of my job to notice these things.”
Scott shrugged. He turned to the cop. “Ask the neighbors if they noticed anything.” The cop left. “I’m not optimistic, but I’ll file a report.”
“Thanks, Scott.”
“You going to be okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” she lied.
At least she didn’t have that much to do. Other than clean the office.
After Scott left, she noticed a piece of paper on the floor. It was a receipt for Bean There coffee shop. The time stamp was for this morning.
“Jessica didn’t go out for coffee.”
Kate doubted that Jessica had been here at all today. She’d been busy with the ribbon cutting then leaving for her trip. This was a clue, but did it have anything to do with Meghan’s murder?
Should Kate just let this go? No. She couldn’t. There had been someone in here and she knew it.
She tucked the receipt into her pocket. She’d talk to the owner of the coffee place this afternoon. The woman might remember who was in the place
“Jealous?”
“No.”
“It was a lunch that a local business provided for the police department. We invited some of the staff of the other departments because there was so much food.”
“Makes sense, and yes I talked to Celia about Kendall. She isn’t making any friends, but she’d offered me a lot of work on her house.”
“You taking the jobs?”
“I have to, Scott. It’s money coming in the door.”
Chapter Five
Kate arrived at Jessica’s house after the dedication. She knew that Jessica was fully moved out and probably on her way out of town for a few days with Dean. How sweet they had looked at the ceremony.
Kate dug into her purse for the key to the front door. She knew she’d put it in there for safekeeping. She hadn’t taken it out. Now she couldn’t find it.
“Darn.”
Carly’s van was parked across the street. The fire chief’s truck was farther down the road. Kids laughed at the house next door. It was a pleasant valley Sunday like The Monkees had sung about, except this was Rock Ridge and it wasn’t Sunday.
Jessica had given her the code to the garage just in case. Kate used it. The garage door opened. Jessica had left the alarm system off, thankfully. Kate didn’t need to explain to the cops why she was here. She had Jessica’s permission. The real estate agent knew it also.
Kate entered the house and heard what she thought was the front door closing. She raced around to see if someone was there. She probably shouldn’t have. What if the person had a weapon? Scott would have been pissed at her.
No one was at the front door. When Kate opened it she didn’t see anyone around. Then she was spooked. She’d heard a door slam. No windows were open, so it wasn’t the breeze.
Kate hurried out the front door. Standing by her truck, she called 911. A patrol car arrived minutes later. Scott was only a few minutes behind it.
“You didn’t have to come. You have officers to do this routine stuff,” she said.
He looked her over, concern etched into his face. “It isn’t routine when it’s you.”
The officer returned a few minutes later. “I don’t see any sign of forced entry.”
“They must have been in the house when I arrived,” Kate said.
“Let’s go in and look. Maybe you can tell if something’s been disturbed,” Scott said.
Scott led her back into Jessica’s house. Right now she wanted to be anywhere but here. Hearing that door slam had spooked her, but she had a job to do. She could keep the front door open.
They walked around with her. When she entered what had been Dudley’s office, things had clearly been disturbed. “Someone’s been in here.”
“You sure?” Scott said.
“Yes. I had things in order, but the knickknacks are knocked over and the drawers to the empty filing cabinet are opened a little.”
“How do you notice that?” Scott said.
“It’s those little touches that make the house sell, but they are subtle. It’s part of my job to notice these things.”
Scott shrugged. He turned to the cop. “Ask the neighbors if they noticed anything.” The cop left. “I’m not optimistic, but I’ll file a report.”
“Thanks, Scott.”
“You going to be okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” she lied.
At least she didn’t have that much to do. Other than clean the office.
After Scott left, she noticed a piece of paper on the floor. It was a receipt for Bean There coffee shop. The time stamp was for this morning.
“Jessica didn’t go out for coffee.”
Kate doubted that Jessica had been here at all today. She’d been busy with the ribbon cutting then leaving for her trip. This was a clue, but did it have anything to do with Meghan’s murder?
Should Kate just let this go? No. She couldn’t. There had been someone in here and she knew it.
She tucked the receipt into her pocket. She’d talk to the owner of the coffee place this afternoon. The woman might remember who was in the place
Similar Books
