Murder At The Bed & Breakfast Read Online Free Page B

the word.” He paused for a moment nearly overcome by grief and then continued. “Maybe she was too much of a caregiver. She recently divorced her husband. He was a good-for-nothing. It was always Renee's opinion that Laura thought she could rehabilitate him. He was a drug addict. She begged him to go to a recovery center, but he refused. After she divorced him, he finally did seek treatment. I don't know if he's still in rehab or not.”
    The screen door opened and Liz walked out. “I'm sorry, Bob, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Roger. Roger's the expert here, but sure sounds to me like there are some suspects, like Laura's ex-husband and Renee's ex-fiancé for starters. I see the police chief's car coming. I don't want to tell you your business, but it might be a good idea not to tell him what you just told Roger. Tact and diplomacy are not his specialties. Actually, I've had to get involved in a couple of murders that have happened lately around this area, and if you don’t mind, I'd like to help you. Roger and I were planning on spending this week in Red Cedar anyway. Because of the wedding, we closed the lodge for a week, so I don't have to cook for guests. Can you find out the name of the recovery center where Laura's ex-husband was getting his rehab treatment? I think that's as good a place as any to start.”
    Renee walked out just as Liz finished talking, tears streaming down her cheeks. Bob walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, “Sweetheart, I am so sorry. Laura didn't deserve this.”
    She pulled out of his embrace. “Her ex-husband's name is Nick Hutchinson, and he’s been in the Serenity Center for treatment of his drug abuse. Whether he's still there or not, I don't know. I remember he called Laura the night before he decided to enter it to let her know he wanted to get clean and start over with her. She told me at the time that she had led him on and told him maybe they could get back together after he got clean. Actually, Laura had no intention of having anything more to do with him, but she was afraid if she told him that, he wouldn't go in for treatment.
    “She knew it would be the best thing for him, and quite frankly, I couldn't have agreed more with her. I've worked with addicts, and a lot of them feel if there’s something to be gained by seeking help, they will. Often the fact that a loved one will take them back or they’ll reconcile with people close to them is enough motivation for them to turn their lives around. If he's the one who killed her, it's my fault, because it was at my urging that Laura gave him hope that they might reconcile.”
    Once again, tears poured down Renee’s stricken face, trying to come to grips with the fact that if Laura’s ex-husband was the murderer, she may have inadvertently given him a reason to kill her.
     
     

CHAPTER 10
     
    The black and white police car came to a skidding stop in front of the steps leading to the porch of Cindy’s Bed & Breakfast. The car door flew open, and Seth Williams, the ruddy-faced chief of police, had to use his hands to manually move his huge belly from the center of the steering wheel to the left of it so he could get out of the car.
    Liz had noticed earlier at the wedding reception that Seth's customary breakfast spill of eggs from Gertie’s Diner was on his shirt, and it was obvious he hadn't changed his clothes since then.
    “Hey Liz, Roger, congrats. Bet your kids are happy you made it legal. Even though most young people these days live together and cohabitate like rabbits, they ain't usually too happy when their parents do the same thing. So where's the stiff?” Seth asked in his usual less than tactful way.
    Bob and Renee stared at him, having a hard time understanding how anyone could be so insensitive.
    “Laura’s in the bedroom at the far end of the hallway,” Cindy said, opening the front door of the bed and breakfast for Seth.
    “Cindy, good to see 'ya, altho ya'