Murder on Wheels by Lynn Cahoon Read Free Book Online

know.
    â€œAll Greg said was that someone was dead on the beach.” I resumed my foaming. “Are you sure it was Kacey?”
    â€œDustin Austin drove to Bakerstown to meet up with Doc Ames late last night to identify the body. He told Mabel at the funeral home that she’d gone for an evening walk and didn’t come home.”
    Strange, since she and Austin had taken a beach walk earlier that day, but maybe that was how she stayed skinny. I knew she was obsessed with losing weight, so it could be true. I finished making Darla’s mocha and warmed up my own cup of coffee. Since it was just the two of us, I came around and sat next to Darla. “That’s so sad. I mean, I didn’t like what Austin did to Sadie, but Kacey was really nice. At least the times I met her.”
    â€œSo you don’t know if she died of natural causes or not?” Darla pressed. “I tried calling Doc Ames this morning, but he’s going all ‘open investigation’ on me.”
    I glanced at the clock. “It’s only seven. Maybe he doesn’t know yet?”
    â€œMaybe, but I’m driving in to talk to Mabel.” She nodded to the dessert case. “Box up a couple more of these cheesecake slices. Maybe that will get her to talk more freely.”
    I put the cheesecake into boxes and rang up Darla’s purchase. She used the Examiner ’s credit card. I guess she was on assignment with this one. Darla stood and swung her bag over her shoulder. “It’s just a shame. She reunites with her husband, and a few months later, he’s a widower. I guess true love doesn’t come with a guarantee. I wonder if Sadie knows yet?”
    â€œDo not go see her.” Sadie was going to be seriously upset. The woman didn’t dislike anyone, so she’d had conflicting feelings about Kacey in the first place. The last thing she needed was Darla poking around into the reasons Austin had dumped Sadie to return to his wife. “I’ll stop over as soon as my shift’s done.”
    â€œYou may be too late by then. You know how gossip spreads in South Cove.” Darla didn’t meet my gaze, instead looking down at the box of cheesecakes. “You know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt Sadie, right?”
    â€œSorry, I didn’t think before I said that.” It was turning into a crap morning.
    Darla nodded and left the shop. I’d hurt her feelings. One more thing on my list to fix. But first, I needed to make sure Sadie was okay.
    The rest of my shift seemed to run in slow motion. By the time Toby arrived, I was itching to leave. He watched me pull off my apron and gather my purse as he started his day. “You on a mission?”
    â€œIt shows, huh?” I set my purse on the counter and put on my jacket. “I’m heading over to Sadie’s to make sure she’s all right. I just hope she hasn’t already heard the news.”
    â€œI would think it would make her happy that her rival was out of the picture.” Toby slipped an apron over his head and tied it in the back.
    â€œDon’t say that. You know Sadie, she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.” Why was everyone convinced Sadie would be happy at the news?
    He shrugged. “I don’t know. Love makes people crazy sometimes. If I were her, I’d be happy Austin’s new relationship didn’t work out. Just for the satisfaction.”
    â€œWell, you’re not her.” I stormed out of the shop, letting the door shut a little too hard behind me. I felt furious that Toby thought Sadie would be enjoying someone’s death, but then as I walked to Sadie’s house, I began to think about the situation. If Toby, who I knew had a good heart, thought this, what were others saying?
    Sadie Michaels’s house sat on Beal Street, a block away from the Methodist church. It was an old Victorian with that gingerbread trim all over. For being a single mom for so