Murder in the Cemetery: A Lady Margaret Turnbull Cozy Mystery Book (International Cozy Mystery Series 3) by C T Mitchell Read Free Book Online

Chapter 1
    A muffled scream was all the emanated from Valerie’s
beautiful mouth as the knife pierced her heart.  Here, nestled in the heart of
the last resting place of so many, Valerie was finally given what she deserved.
    A few rats scattered about in the corners, hopefully not to
be seen, and the whole place smelled of mold.  The air was still, but cool, and
felt good on his arms as he moved her around.
    Valerie’s dress, purchased not long ago for fear she ever
wear the same thing twice, was immaculate as it should be, except for the large
stain down the front.  She looked like a doll, like a museum doll in a pleasant
little house of horrors, and he was happy to have helped her meet her end on a
day when she was wearing green.  It made the whole scene more exciting,
somehow, not that anyone else would ever see it.
    His tormentor for as long as he’d had memories, Valerie
would torment no longer and her assailant breathed a sigh of relief as he
adjusted her body to its last resting position.  On the outside, she looked
better than him in every way, but it wasn’t for lack of trying on his part. 
His miserable existence was because of her, with her out of the scene, perhaps
now he could find a new way in life.
    Her hand fell when he placed it across her lap, so he laced
her fingers together and she looked as though she were thinking about
something.  By the time he was finished with her hands, and had adjusted the
last bit of her skirt, her face had fallen a bit.  She no longer looked
frightened or surprised.
    Dear Lord, why was she surprised?  She had to have known
this day was coming.  It should have happened ages ago, but he was suppressing
his will to see it through.  Still, she shouldn’t have been surprised.  Now,
though, her face looked calm.  It looked pleasant, even.  And he reached up and
pressed on her cheeks with his fingers until there was a slight smile on her
beautiful face.
    Never again would she hear someone tell her how beautiful
she was.  And she was, to be sure, with porcelain skin and silky hair, but the
inside didn’t match the hypocrisy of it all drove him up the wall. 
    No one else seemed to be able to see how cruel she could
be.  It made him relatively sad that the truth of her character would never see
the light of day, but it didn’t matter.  Down here in the cool, damp dwelling
place of busy rats and those who’d had their chance at living, at least she
couldn’t hurt him anymore.
    The man stood, wiping the sweat from his thick forehead, and
trudged up the stairs into the light.  The smell of the crypt soon left his
nostrils, and he strolled through the cemetery, blood still dripping from the
knife he held loosely at his side.

Chapter 2
    Bangalow, New South Wales, Australia is probably one of the
most serene communities in the county – having nothing to do with its name.  A village
like many others throughout Australia, is boasted a hotel and pub, a church, a
small dance hall adjacent to the elementary school, and a small, well-appointed
cemetery.
    Lady Margaret Turnbull, one of the most popular town
citizens, was the owner of the bed and breakfast in town called Lawler’s Loft. 
Lady Turnbull moved to Banaglow after the passing of her husband, an internet
millionaire, and has lived there for the last ten years.
    When her husband passed in the UK, Lady Margaret turned her
talent to cooking classes and running the bed and breakfast because it gave her
the freedom to do what she loved, and also the freedom to be an amateur sleuth;
something else this busy body loved to indulge in.
    The latter was very much to the dismay of Inspector Tom
Sullivan of the Lismore Police Department.  Lady Maggie always loved a good
mystery, and unfortunately for the entire police department’s detective team,
she was very good at solving them.
    Maggie had decided to go for a walk that morning since there
were more people than normal bustling around in the gathering rooms of her