Murder in the Marigolds by Dale Mayer (good books to read for 12 year olds txt) 📗

“Was she rich?”

“Not in the same league as your husband by any means, but she definitely had money in her bank account, plus stocks, bonds, and an apartment in Vancouver. That will net you quite a bit.”

She continued to stare. “Seriously?”

He nodded solemnly. “So I’m not sure how this works,” he said, “but it looks like maybe you have landed in the roses.”

“No,” she said. “Marigolds.”

“Marigolds?”

She looked over at him and said, “Hang on a minute. Wasn’t she found in a marigold bed too? That’s why you dubbed it Murder in the Marigolds. Remember?”

He nodded slowly.

“But still, to find the key in the marigolds in my front yard,” she shook her head. “What if this was planted?”

“But why would somebody do that?”

“What if Robin did it?” she asked. “What if she tossed it when she was having that little fit of hers? What if she did it on purpose?”

“If that’s the case,” he said, “she wanted to be found out, and she wanted to be forgiven. She just didn’t know how to do it.”

“Or she wanted to point her fingers at both Mathew and me, get us both charged with her murder.”

Chapter 20

In a sudden movement, Mack stood, disengaged the USB key, and said, “I’m off,” as he pocketed the key.

She looked at him in surprise. “Where are you going?”

“I’m taking this to the office,” he said, “before anything happens to it. I will book it in as evidence. Remember? She’s on a slab in the morgue.”

Doreen winced. “Great way to remind me.” She looked at the key. “Any chance I can get a copy of what’s on that?”

“I’ll see,” he said.

“Hey,” she protested, “if I found it first and hadn’t shown you what was there, I would have just kept a copy.”

“I know,” he said, “and I did take a picture of it.”

“Sure, but you didn’t take a picture of everything on it, did you?” she said, “and that’s important too.”

He frowned, thought about it, and said, “Fine.”

He sat back down and popped the key into her laptop and quickly copied it over for her. And then he said, “Now remember. This is forensic evidence. The only reason I’m doing this is because it’s a will, and you’re the inheritor. But we don’t know for sure that it’s her last will and testament and that it’s perfectly legal.”

“But, if it was her last will,” she said, with a bright grin, “maybe she did turn over a new leaf. Although I don’t know what would have caused that.”

“Well, according to the letter, she had an awful lot in there that caused it. And you can read the letter again on your own,” he said, “but I want to get this to the office.”

He stood, hesitated, and she asked, “What’s the matter?”

He shrugged. “I shouldn’t have given you a copy of that.”

“I promise,” she said calmly. “I won’t do anything with it, until you tell me to.”

He looked at her directly. “It could cost me my job, you know?”

“I would never do that,” she said gently. “I’m perfectly happy here at Nan’s house. It’s not like the potential money would change me.”

His gaze searched hers, and then he nodded slowly. “It’ll go to probate, and you wouldn’t get it for a long time anyway.”

“What’s a long time?”

“Nine months for probate, once it actually gets started,” he said, “and the executor of her estate would do that. So potentially you’re looking at a year.”

She sat back down on the kitchen chair, raised both hands, and said, “See? It’s not like I could buy groceries with it this week anyway.”

He burst out laughing. “Let’s take it one step at a time.” He walked rapidly to the front door, turned back to look at her, and said, “Remember now. Don’t tell anyone about it either.”

“I won’t,” she said.

“And make sure you don’t pass it around.”

She looked at him in surprise and shrugged. “There just doesn’t seem to be enough there that would explain why Mathew would want it,” she said. “Accusations but no facts. I just don’t get the feeling that this is what he was after.”

Mack looked at the key in his hand and nodded. “I guess a couple reasons come to mind,” he said, “and none of them are good.”

She looked at him in surprise. “Like what?”

“He might have known about the will. He might have known about her confession letter. He might think it holds other secrets that aren’t there. It might not be what he is looking for, but it still could be something he would utilize.”

“Maybe,” she said doubtfully, following Mack to the front door, “but I don’t know why he would care.”

Mack, at that, stopped, looked at her, and said, “You’re still so innocent.”

She stiffened and glared at him.

He smiled. “It’s very endearing.”

“Oh, please,” she said, rolling her eyes. “So why are you thinking I’m missing the point?”

“Because it’s a really big one and something that I really don’t want to contemplate.”

“Now what?” she asked.

“What if you’re not there,” he said, “what if you aren’t there to inherit?”

She shrugged. “Then I’m sure it’ll go to somebody in her family.”

He nodded. “Okay, I get that,” he said, “and what if you are there. What if you inherit, and then you die?”

For a moment there was just silence, as she stared at him. “You’re thinking Mathew might kill me in order to get his hands on … what though? This money is peanuts to him.”

“I don’t think it’s so much the peanuts,” he said slowly, “but maybe whatever else she has in her possession, like in her safe deposit box, hidden in her home, or wherever it is that she’s got the stuff stashed that he is looking for. He’s been pretty patient. Look at the game he is playing here already.”

At that, she winced. “Okay, I can see that,” she said. “Is there any way he can move the probate faster, so I would inherit earlier?”

“No, not