Drowning the Daffodils (A Heavenly Highland Inn Cozy Mystery) by Cindy Bell Read Free Book Online

questioning,” Sheriff McDonald interrupted gruffly. “I'll take it from here. Can you tell me where you were around four yesterday afternoon?” he asked as Vicky stepped aside.
    “ Of course I can,” Jane replied. “I was with Lawrence,” she admitted and lowered her eyes.
    “ Lawrence?” Sheriff McDonald asked with surprise. “Were you alone with him?”
    “ Yes,” Jane sighed. “I wanted to talk to him about Simon, and convince him that we were really in love, that I wasn't after anyone's money,” she frowned.
    “ And about how long were you with him?” Sheriff McDonald asked.
    “ About a half hour, I think,” Jane said thoughtfully. “Yes, it was about four fifteen when we were together, until about five o'clock.”
    Sheriff McDonald was surprised by the exactness of the time. “How do you know for sure that was the time?” he asked suspiciously.
    “ I know because I looked at my watch,” Jane snapped in return. “I looked at it when I first met with Lawrence because I wanted to make sure I wasn't away from Simon for too long.”
    “ And you looked at it again when you left Lawrence?” Sheriff McDonald pressed as he jotted down the information.
    “ Actually no,” Jane said thoughtfully. “I saw the time on the alarm clock. We were in Lawrence's suite.”
    “ Oh, I see,” Sheriff McDonald said as he glanced over at the group that was talking with Mitchell. “Was Lawrence’s wife, Alina, with you?” he asked.
    “ No, I think she was in the garden,” Jane replied with a shake of her head. “I don't know, but since everything happened I can barely keep track of what time of day it is,” she glanced down at her watch. She stared at it for a long moment. “That's strange,” she mumbled.
    “ What is?” Vicky asked as she looked at Jane's watch, too.
    “ That's all I need for now,” Sheriff McDonald said as he moved onto Charlene, Mike's wife.
    “ What time is it?” Jane asked Vicky as she moved closer to her, confusion creeping into her voice.
    “ It's about twelve,” Vicky replied as she peered closer at Jane's watch.
    “ Huh,” Jane frowned and tapped the face of her watch. “It must have stopped. It looks like the bit on the side has broken off,” she sighed.
    “ I'm done here,” Sheriff McDonald muttered to Mitchell as he tucked his notebook back into his pocket. “You finish up here, and meet me back at the office,” he glanced at his watch and then sternly into Mitchell's eyes. “In no more than a half hour, no catching up with your girlfriend.”
    Mitchell narrowed his eyes but nodded respectfully. Vicky watched as Sheriff McDon ald walked out the door of the inn. She could never quite figure him out. When Mitchell finished up with the last of the Carters and their spouses he met Vicky at the front desk.
    “Looks to me like everyone has an alibi,” Mitchell said casually though he did not meet her eyes directly. “Everyone, except for Mike. Lawrence claims to have been with Jane, Alina and her nieces were in the garden along with Max and his wife. Mike on the other hand said he went for a walk in the woods.”
    Vicky remembered th e man in the cap walking towards the parking lot and the woods on the camera. Could that have been Mike?
    “ Well, I have a guest here who witnessed an argument between Simon and a man at the pool. I already had a look at the camera feeds before they were requested for evidence but wasn't able to tell from them who the man was,” she shook her head. “But there's something else,” she lowered her voice and he leaned closer to her to listen. “Aunt Ida and I overheard a conversation between Jane and Mike. I think they are having an affair.”
    “ Oh,” Mitchell narrowed his eyes and glanced over at Mike who was talking animatedly with Jane. “Well, that does change things, doesn't it?”
    “ I think so,” Vicky agreed.
    “ Who's the witness?” Mitchell asked.
    “ It's Wilbur,” Vicky admitted and Mitchell cringed