A Hoe Lot of Trouble by Heather Webber Read Free Book Online Page B

useless."
    "I can't . . . I just can't believe it. You really think Joe drank the coffee?"
    "I think someone forced him to, yes. The cancer had taxed his strength. He'd become so weak . . . There's no way he would have been able to defend himself." Pushing a hand through her blonde hair, she said, "The sheep, the threats . . . If we hadn't found that thermos, I would have kept believing Joe died naturally."
    "Why wasn't the ME called right away? Didn't the paramedics notice something was off?"
    "Maybe they did." Revulsion laced her tone. Her features hardened. "Maybe they were told they'd be having a pickup that day. Maybe they were told to bring Joe to the mortuary, no questions asked."
    This conversation was getting creepier by the second. "A cover-up?"
    "Paramedics are employees of the county. And Congressman Chanson can pull a lot of weight, since he lives here. He is a powerful adversary."
    I couldn't seem to close my mouth. I stared. I gaped. It wasn't pretty, I was sure.
    "I know it seems unreal. And sure, I could be wrong about the paramedics. Joe's skin tone was poor. The cancer had spread from his lungs to his liver. He really needed to be on oxygen, but refused." She looked at me. "You remember how stubborn he was?"
    I nodded.
    She exhaled. "The liver damage had turned him a slight yellow color—jaundice—and his low oxygen levels caused his nails and lips to have a bluish tint. But that doesn't explain why his death is being swept under the rug."
    "What do you mean?"
    "You said in your card that you'd read about Joe's death in the paper? When was that?"
    I thought back, trying to remember. "Last week? Monday? No. Tuesday."
    "Right. And have you read anything since?"
    Come to think of it, there had been no further mention of Joe's death. Not in the newspaper or on the TV. "No."
    "It's being kept quiet."
    I thought of Kevin and his silence on the subject. Maybe it had had nothing to do with the end of our marriage. Maybe he was under orders to keep things to himself.
    "That does seem odd."
    "Then yesterday . . ." Her fists clenched. "Yesterday I got a call from Freedom PD. Seems the thermos has been lost en route to the lab. Apparently someone just up and stole it while the driver made a stop. Or so the police say." Sarcasm dripped from her words. "Please excuse me if I don't believe them."
    My stomach rolled. I could see where the paramedics might have made a mistake. And maybe the media just wasn't all that interested in the death of an old farmer, murder or not, but this . . . This was too big to discount. There was too much coincidence. And too much coincidence usually meant something hinky was going on.
    "What about an autopsy?"
    She shook her head. "Joe was cremated before we knew about the thermos. It's what he told Tim he wanted."
    Shock rippled through me. "I'll give you Kevin's number. You and Tim should talk to him about all this."
    "I wish I could, Nina. But we don't trust anyone who works for this town. I mean, I have faith that Kevin's an honorable person, after all, you wouldn't have married him otherwise—"
    I thought maybe I was going to be sick right then and there.
    "—but I don't think I can convince Tim to trust anyone right now. And honestly, I shouldn't even be talking to you about it, but I just can't keep it in anymore. Tim refuses to discuss it and his mom just doesn't want to think about it. I feel like I'm going crazy, not being able to talk about it. You're the only one I can trust with this, Nina. I know you can keep a secret." She leaned in. "You will keep this secret, right?"
    "Of course. But you really need the police involved, Bridget. Mrs. Sandowski, Tim even, could be in danger."
    "I'm well aware of that, but with the attitude of the cops we don't know what to do. We thought about hiring a private investigator, but Tim and his mom are wary, and frankly, we don't have enough money for a long, drawn-out investigation."
    My mind skipped to my bank account and realized I didn't