Carolyn Arnold - McKinley 03 - Money is Murder by Carolyn Arnold Read Free Book Online

profits, but I can’t take the stress anymore. And Rob, well, I was a failure in my marriage. Love you forever, Daddy.”
    They let the note ’s words sit in the air for a few seconds.
    “It sounds like a strange suicide note.” Sara took a sip of her coffee.
    “It speaks of apology, which is common, but the rest of it seems scripted.”
    Sara bobbed her head side to side. “It does, but again she was a businesswoman.”
    “It just strikes me as too organized for a woman about to take her life. Usually the notes are handwritten, and a mess. A lot of times they are much longer than this, but I guess they can be short too.”
    “But what would drive Cindy to the edge, that she couldn’t see any hope at all?”
    “Very good question. She mentions stress.”
    Sara leaned her elbow on the table. “When I was speaking with Paul Moses,” she paused waiting for recollection to dawn on Sean’s face, “he mentioned that Cindy had brought a lot of business to the company. He said that taking over companies didn’t bother her at all.”
    “Yes, I remember you saying that.”
    “If we’re going to look at Cindy’s death as a murder, we have to think about potential suspects. Let’s make a list.” She pulled out a notepad and handed it to Sean.
    “What? Me? You have better handwriting.”
    “So it begins. All right, give it back to me.” She smiled at him and drew a line down the page, dividing it in half. She labeled the left column as name and the right as motive . Then she wrote down the first name that came to mind.
    “Robert West?”
    “Yes, why not? Benson mentioned that he was included in Mr. Quinn’s Will. With Cindy out of the way, he likely assumed the full fortune would then default to him on Quinn’s death.”
    “But it didn’t.”
    Sara pressed her lips. “Maybe that’s why he was so rude to you.”
    “It would be a valid reason. What about Edward Cranston?”
    “I’ll write him down, but I’m not sure of what his motive would be.”
    “Possibly the same as Robert’s—the inheritance. He could have figured if he got rid of both of them, it would pass on to him.”
    “He did withhold the fact Cindy had been married.”
    “I agree that was odd. What about the detective? You can write his name down, but I can’t see his motive yet.”
    “Simple. Again, a payoff. He’s paid to close it a suicide and then Rob, or whoever, walks off with all of Quinn’s money. And we’re sure Mr. Quinn died of natural causes?”
    “Yes, dear. The killer just knew time was running out for him. He was in his eighties.”
    “Still sounds like quite the gamble, unless the person was very close to Cindy and knew about Quinn’s failing health. So, Mr. Quinn dies ‘peacefully in his sleep’ and so does his daughter?” Sara cocked one eyebrow.
    Sean laughed. “Now everything is suspicious to you.”
    “How can you not find it interesting?”
    “I can see if Jimmy would pull the autopsy on Quinn.”
    “Let’s leave it for now. We have one murder to solve as it is. It might turn out to be sheer coincidence. Like you said, the man was in his eighties.”
    Both of them went back to the reports. Sara picked up the autopsy on Cindy and read it closely. Her breathing paused and she looked up at Sean, keeping her gaze until he sensed her eyes on him and returned it.
    “Cindy Quinn was an asthmatic.”
    “And that means?”
    “They can’t take sleeping pills.”
    “So, she was trying to kill herself.”
    Sara ’s eyes filled with tears from adrenaline. She shook her head. “Detective Benson said that Robert told them she took them on a regular basis to help her sleep.”
    “Why lie unless he’s trying to cover something up?”
    “Exactly.”

 
     
     
     
    Cool Reception
     
    “GOOD MORNING.” BEVERLY SMILED WHEN they approached. “Edward Cranston never said to expect you today.”
    “He didn’t know we were coming. I hope that’s not a problem.” Sean watched her eyes drift between them,