by C T Mitchell
When they walked back up the stairs, she touched Taylor’s arm to stop her.
“The argument we had that you heard. The one where I slapped him,” she said.
Taylor nodded. They were standing downstairs in the empty lobby.
“He said Mr. Rumble deserved to die because he insulted my cooking. I slapped him for disrespecting the dead. I never imagined at that time he was the reason the man was dead. I just feel terrible.”
“I know you do. It’s not your fault,” Taylor said, “tomorrow I’ll go to the hardware store and get the things we need to fix your stairs.”
She smiled at her, “Thank you, that is very kind of you. You know how to do that?”
“Being a woman who can’t often depend on a man,” Taylor said, “I’ve got it licked”.
When Taylor let herself into the room and called for Miss Coco she didn’t come. She thought that was strange as she always came and begged to be fed. She walked into the room slowly looking for her when she heard a small meow come from the bathroom.
Taylor pushed the door open to find a very proud kitty in a pile of torn up toilet paper.
A present for you since you left me here when I was the one who found the clue.
Miss Coco turned in a circle and stuck her tail straight up in the air. Some bits of the toilet paper stuck to her tail as she swished it back and forth. As some of the pieces flew off, the cat chased them and pounced on them.
“What am I going to do with you,” Taylor said as she moved into the room to clean it up.
Over the next few days, Taylor and Miss Coco tried to help Mrs. McWilliams feel better. They fixed the stairs and provided some comfort for her. She was understandably devastated about the whole situation.
There was an offer of a sponsored admission into a psychiatric facility for Scott, and Taylor encouraged Mrs. McWilliams to take it, to help her son get the help he clearly needed.
An anonymous person in the local community, who had always supported and appreciated the Lodge, has arranged the admission. Scott would stay there while awaiting sentencing and it would help determine if he was criminally insane or just good at pretending to be. It was Taylor’s suspicion that a little of both was the truth. Scott was crazy, just not crazy enough to be criminally insane. That meant at least there would be a fair trial for all those involved.
In a bit of happy news, the Rumple family withdrew their claim against Mrs. McWilliams when they learned what had really happened. They were still due to collect some damages from the estate, but they were able to settle out of court and make an arrangement that everyone was happy with, and that was much more reasonable for the poor widow to handle.
Miss Coco, for her part, was absolutely thrilled with her daily walk through the woods with Taylor. Chasing after butterflies and their annoying fluttering wings was her favorite thing to do. Even more so because it annoyed her owner!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
C T Mitchell is an Amazon bestselling author of mystery short reads and novels with a thriller edge. He is multiple 5 star recipient in the 2017 Readers Choice Awards for his novel Murder Secret (formerly published as Breaking Point).
Street educated, Australian-born C T Mitchell has traveled the world in his business dealings as a real estate negotiator encountering many interesting characters; some outright crooks. He brings these experiences as well as a love for mystery thrillers to his writing.
His fast-paced Detective Jack Creek Mysteries weave together traditional police procedural practice, global locations, and a hint of thrillers. Described by readers as “Rebus in a Valentino suit" Jack Creed is the ‘hard copper’ you want on your case.
Dead Shot #1
Dead Ringer #2
Dead Wrong #3
Dead Boss #4
Dead Stakes #5
Dead Lucky #6
Dead Silence #7
Murder Secret
C T Mitchell also writes cozy mysteries.
Lady Margaret Turnbull, the 50 something, widow, is the bane of Detective Tom Sullivan’s life, but usually solves his cases. He’s secretly appreciative.
Murder at the Fete #1
Murder in the Village #2
Murder in the Cemetery #3
Murder in the Valley #4
Murder at the Manor #5
Murder Shot #6
Three more cozy mystery series featuring Kate Mackenzie’s Sugar N Spice Cupcake Company, Father Douglas and Selena Sharma Mysteries are also on Amazon.
C T Mitchell splits his time in both Brisbane and Cabarita Beach - a sleepy seaside village in northern NSW, Australia - the home of his award winning books. To grab two free mystery bestsellers, please visit www.CTMitchellBooks.com , or follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
BOOK REVIEWS
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I love writing. I aim to entertain you. While I’ll never win the Nobel Prize for Literature, I am a student of personal development on a continual journey to improve my writing and partner with the best book cover designers, proofreaders, editors, publishers and book promoters.
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Not everybody will love my work. Even though this book has been professionally edited twice, proofread and spell checked, mistakes still can occur. We all make them. If you’ve found something incorrect or wanted to offer some suggestions to improve this and my future books, please email me at:
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Thank you again for reading my book. It means the world to me. I hope you’ll leave a positive review.
C T Mitchell
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