An Almost Perfect Murder by Gary C. King Read Free Book Online Page B

they couldn’t communicate with each other. After spending several weeks in the hospital, it seemed to many people that he was getting better. Suddenly, and with little warning, Charles died on August 19, 2003, after several of his vital organs began shutting down. His doctors said that his death was the result of complications from the stroke. Kathy, along with other family members, had been at his bedside when he died. Officially, his death was attributed to the stroke, just like the doctors had said. However, suspicions of foul play would later arise.
    At one point during Charles’s hospitalization, Kathy had met critical care nurse Chaz Higgs, eight years her junior, and had coffee with him on a few occasions. Higgs had provided care for Charles during a couple of his shifts, which had provided the opportunity for him and Kathy to meet.
    Following Charles Augustine’s death, Kathy decided that she wanted to give out thank-you cards to all of the nurses that had assisted or provided nursing care for her husband. After handing out all of the cards, she realized that she had forgotten one of the nurses—Chaz Higgs. When she discovered the oversight, she called Higgs and invited him out to coffee with her so that she could express her gratitude in person for Higgs’s efforts on behalf of her husband.
    Higgs, a former bodybuilder, quickly saw the opportunity he had with Kathy, and the two began dating in what turned out to be a whirlwind relationship. Attracted by his rugged good looks, Kathy couldn’t seem to see enough of Higgs. Three weeks after Charles had died, Kathy and Chaz ran off to Hawaii, and got married in what was termed an unplanned event. There were no family members or friends present at their wedding—just the two of them and the reverend.
    No one, not even family members, had known about the marriage until afterward, when Higgs showed up at a social gathering with Kathy in which she was being bestowed the honor of having been selected Italian-American of the Year by the Augustus Society. The award was presented at the Augustus Society’s Annual Columbus Day Ball on Saturday, October 11, 2003, at the Venetian Hotel Casino, in Las Vegas. Each year, the organization selects an individual or family to receive the award, and Kathy was selected for her dedication to public service, her history of community involvement, and her contributions to the advancement of Italian-Americans, particularly because she “embodies the spirit of the award and the society by promoting a positive image of Italian-Americans.”
    “Being selected for this award is a true honor,” Kathy told those in attendance. “I have always had strong ties to my heritage and the Italian-American community. Receiving this award provides me with the opportunity to recognize the rich Italian-American culture in this state.”
    Relatives and friends had simply thought that Higgs had been her date for the evening. However, to the shock and surprise of many people who were present, it was at that time that she had announced their marriage to her family and friends. Both husband and wife were criticized by their friends and relatives for their hastiness, but they didn’t care. All that mattered to them was their love for each other—as far as they were concerned, the rest of the world, with regard to their marriage, could go to hell.
     
     
    The following year, in January 2004, officials at the White House informed Kathy that she had become a finalist for treasurer of the United States. By then, some said, her marriage to Chaz Higgs was already on the rocks.

Chapter 4
    When Chaz Higgs married Kathy Augustine, he purportedly was not aware of her stature as a politician. He hadn’t realized that her job virtually consumed her life and defined who she was, nor had he cared. Kathy made him happy—in fact, he let it be known that during this period in his life, at least at first, was the happiest he had ever been. His happy-go-lucky demeanor