Cadbury Creme Murder Read Free

really
investigate.  The police did that.”
    “You
helped,” Eva said.  “You can be modest all you like, but it’s true.  Plus, you
have an ‘in’ with the police through your boyfriend.  You can help.”
     
    “I
really don’t know,” she demurred.  “It’s better to leave investigating to the
police.”
     
    “Not
always,” Eva said.  “Sometimes, they need a little help.”
     
    “What
would you want me to do, exactly?” she hedged.
     
    “Just
look into things.  Talk to people.  Do whatever it is you do to get to the
bottom of things.”
     
    Heather
stared at a pen that lay on her desk.  She picked it up and clicked the
ballpoint on and off.  “Eva…” she began.
     
    When
Eva didn’t answer, Heather glanced at her.  Eva sat straight up in her chair, a
sad smile turning up the corners of her lips.  “It’s okay,” she said.  “I can
understand why you might feel reluctant about getting involved in another
murder investigation.  I understand.”  She stood up.  “Thank you for
considering it.  I believe I’ll go have my donuts now.”
     
    Heather
sighed.  “Eva, please stay,” she said.  “Why don’t you tell me more about
Verna.  If I’m going to have anything to do with this, I need to know more about
her.  What was going on in her life recently?  Was she upset about anything?”
     
    “Well,
there was something,” Eva said.  “But I don’t know what it was.  She told me it
was keeping her up at night.  She said she had a decision to make.  But she
wouldn’t even tell me.  At least, not then.  She said I’d find out someday.”
     
    “And
you don’t have any idea what she was referring to?”
     
    “No
idea at all.”
     
    “Other
than that, she seemed happy?”
     
    “As
far as I could tell.  And I think I would have known if something were going
on.  I would have sensed it.”
     
    “How
long had you known Verna?”
     
    “45
years.”
     
    “That’s
a long time.”
     
    “Yes,
it is.  And now, she’s gone.  I can’t imagine my life without her.”  Tears spilled
from Eva’s eyes, and she bowed her head.
     
    Heather
handed her a Kleenex from the box on her desk.  But when Eva’s shoulders
continued to shake with silent sobs, Heather knelt in front of her and embraced
her.
     
    ***
     
    How
in the world did I get myself into this? Heather wondered later as she sat in
her office, staring at the sheet of paper on which she’d made notes. 
     
    She
knew the answer to her question.  If Eva believed Verna’s death should be
looked into, then somehow, she believed it too.  Eva might be a petite, elderly
lady, but her mind was as sharp as anyone’s.  She’d never revealed much about
herself in all the times she’d come to Donut Delights, other than that she’d
been married to her husband, with whom she was very much in love, for 52 years,
but Heather could tell that she possessed a wisdom and depth born of life
experiences.
     
    So
if Eva wanted her to look into it, she’d do it.  Not to mention the dream she’d
had last night about Verna begging her to help.  She didn’t generally put much
stock in dreams; she saw them as the brain’s way of combining events and
imagination.  But maybe this dream was a little different.  Maybe she was
supposed to get involved.
     
    Would
Ryan mind?  Well, maybe.  Depends on how involved she got.  But at least he’d
mind less if she told him in advance that she was going to be asking around.
     
    You
busy? she texted him.
     
    Working
on a case.  What’s up? came his response.
     
    Never
mind.  I’ll tell you next time we talk.
     
    She
laid her phone on the desktop and picked up the sheet of scratch paper.  On one
side were some inventory reports she’d printed from her computer; on the
reverse were the things she’d jotted down about Verna.
     
    The
first two jottings read Hospital and Hospice.   Those were Verna’s
volunteer activities.  Apparently, Verna had worked in