Daisy McDare And The Deadly Secret Affair (Daisy McDare Cozy Creek Mystery Book 7) (7 page)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Daisy knew exactly which suspect she wanted to confront first.  Hank’s widow, Amelia Hammond, was at the top of Daisy’s list.  Daisy hated interrogating people at their houses.  Usually it ended up with a door slammed in her face.  After a while, she figured she’d get used to that.  It did come with the territory, but it never got easier. 

Door slammings aside, the bigger problem was that Daisy couldn’t use her usual battering ram approach.  It was too easy for the suspect to retreat into their house and shut Daisy out.  That meant she had to approach things with kid gloves, at least at first. 

That’s what Daisy did when Amelia Hammond opened her front door that afternoon. 

Amelia looked at Daisy, then furrowed her brow, having no clue who Daisy was. 

“Can I help you?” Amelia asked. 

“I wanted to tell you I’m sorry for your loss,” Daisy said. 

Daisy expected Amelia to respond with remorse, like a normal human being would.  Instead, she got a much different response.  Amelia started the conversation looking as cold and emotionally hollow as could be.  She went from that to scorn.

Amelia narrowed her eyes.  “How did you know my husband?”

It then occurred to Daisy what must be running through Amelia’s head.  She was worried Daisy was another one of Hank’s mistresses.  Daisy wanted to douse that fire before it got out of hand. 

“Your husband was publishing my friend’s book.  It was actually at her launch party last night that all the trouble went down,” Daisy explained.   

Amelia remained short with Daisy.  “Right.  Thanks for your condolences.  I have things I need to get back to now though, so goodbye.”

Daisy wasn’t about to let her get out of the conversation that easily.  “I realize you have a lot going on.  I mean, you do have your own publishing company now.”

Amelia was confused.  “Why would you bring that up?”

“The company just published a murder mystery only to have the owner be killed the night of the launch party.  Something like that is sure to garner plenty of publicity.”

Amelia looked uncomfortable in her own skin all of a sudden.  “Really?”

Daisy nodded.  “Mrs. Hammond, this is like a plot out of one of those novels your husband published.  Of course people are going to be interested.”

“People should learn to mind their own business, you included.”

“With all due respect, if I were you, I’d get out there and try to clear your name.  People are talking.”

Amelia stared Daisy down.  “I don’t believe you.  People know better than to try and drag my name through the mud.”

“Or what, you’ll retaliate?” Daisy asked. 

Daisy set a nice little trap, hoping Amelia would fall into it. 

Amelia didn’t bite.  “I know what you’re trying to do.”

Daisy countered.  “I know what you already did.  I was there when you stormed into the launch party last night and nearly bit your husband’s head off.  I wasn’t the only one there either.  We all saw that look on your face, of a woman out for revenge.”

“That doesn’t mean I did it.”

“No, but it hardly makes you look innocent either.  You had the most to gain from Hank being out of the picture.”

“I don’t have to answer your questions,” Amelia insisted. 

“True.  Although you should answer them.”

Amelia folded her arms.  “Why?”

“Because I just want to find out who really killed your husband.  If you didn’t do it, you have no reason not to help me.”

Amelia scoffed.  “Help you?  I don’t even know you.”

“All you need to know about me is that I’m committed to finding out the truth.”

“Good for you.  I’m not helping you.”

“Innocent people have nothing to fear.”

“Do I look afraid to you?” Amelia asked.

Daisy looked into her eyes.  “You look terrified.”

Amelia shook her head.  “No.  I look highly annoyed.  Now go away and don’t come back.”

“Just one question first.  If you didn’t do it, then who do you think did?” Daisy wondered.

Amelia glared, then slammed the door. 

Daisy sighed as she walked away.  Same door slamming, different day.  Once again, she’d had great success in annoying a suspect.  Unfortunately, she had no luck in being able to eliminate Amelia as a suspect.  If anything, Hank’s widow looked even guiltier now.  Maybe Daisy would have better luck with the next suspect.  It certainly couldn’t go any worse.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Hank’s former editor Jonah Ball was next on the list.  Chloe dug up through social media that Jonah was scoping out the shelves of Bob Cohen’s Book Nook.  What a relief.  Daisy much preferred confronting suspects in public places.  There was less chance of them causing a scene.  Then again, Daisy had already witnessed Jonah having a public blow up outside the launch party last night, so there was no telling what could happen now. 

As Daisy made her way over to the bookstore, one thought kept bouncing through her head.  It really was amazing what people posted online.  If Daisy was a murder suspect, she’d stay far away from social media.  At the same time, she was pretty much a social media hermit by modern standards anyway.  She never quite fit in with the ‘post first, regret it later’ creed that so many people lived by.

When it came to a murder investigation however, social media had become invaluable.  It also put the suspects who posted online frequently in a serious pickle.  If a suspect was known for posting on the internet with reckless abandon, then surprisingly stopped posting all of a sudden, it looked like they had something to hide. 

There was also a danger if a suspect kept up their usual posting habits.  In the process of pretending things were back to business as usual, the details posted online could turn up a lead for whoever was investigating the case. 

When Daisy arrived at the bookstore, she ended up finding Jonah in the humor section.  That seemed like an interesting choice.  Then again, humor got people through some tough times.  Maybe that was what Jonah was looking for now.  Either way, Daisy intended to find out. 

Daisy did not approach Jonah with kid gloves, but rather her usual feistiness. 

“I have to be honest.  Humor is the last section I expected to find you in,” Daisy said. 

Jonah turned around and looked confused.  He clearly had no idea who she was, so how did she know who he was?  It must be a case of mistaken identity, he reasoned. 

“I’m sorry.  You must have me confused with someone else.  I don’t know you,” Jonah replied. 

“No, but I know you.”

Jonah tensed up. 

Daisy continued.  “You’re Jonah Ball, the groundbreaking book editor.”

The concept of a book editor groupie was a ridiculous one, yet Jonah ate the compliment right up.  Daisy knew the male ego loved a good massaging.  That was especially true of Jonah, a man who had disappeared in the shadow of the oversized ego of Hank Hammond for decades. 

“I’m not sure that groundbreaking is the right word,” Jonah said. 

“I’m sure.”

Jonah smiled.  “Well, if you say so.”

“I was actually surprised not to find you in the mystery section.”

“Why is that?”

“I love that Rosie McNair cozy you just edited.  There’s nothing like a good murder mystery,” Daisy said. 

“How did you know about that book?  It just came out.”

“I like to keep track of the latest mystery authors that break out.”

“Let me guess, you’re a writer yourself.”

Without realizing it, Jonah had given Daisy a great cover story.  She decided to run with it. 

“I am.  And if I could, I’d like to run a book idea by you,” she said. 

Jonah was reluctant, but finally agreed.  “All right.  Make it quick.”

Daisy smiled.  “It’s a murder mystery about an overworked, underappreciated book editor that murders his boss when the man threatens to ruin his career.”

So much for subtlety.  Daisy went right after him with that statement.  The interesting thing now would be to see how Jonah reacted. 

Surprisingly, Jonah was able to keep his cool.  Daisy didn’t know if she could keep a straight face if an accusation like that was leveled against her.  Yet Jonah did. 

“That’s a really ‘out there’ plot,” he replied. 

“Oh come on.  I’m sure you get pitched stories about aliens invading Earth all the time.  Surely those plots are far more ‘out there’ than mine,” Daisy insisted. 

“True.”  Jonah then switched gears.  “Let me ask you this.  Where did you get the idea for your plot from?”

Once again, Jonah was playing into Daisy’s hand without realizing it. 

“It’s just something I saw at Chloe Wilson’s book launch last night.”

Jonah had a harder time keeping a straight face after that reveal.  “You were at the launch?”

Daisy nodded.  “Not only that.  I saw you having it out with Hank Hammond in the hallway.  There were some very interesting things being said.”

Jonah was back on his heels now.  “I don’t know what you think you saw, but it was just a little disagreement.”

Daisy shook her head.  “It was a lot more than that.  He threatened to ruin your entire career.  People have been known to do some crazy things when they have their livelihood threatened.”

“Except here’s the thing, you don’t know me.”

“Why don’t you tell me more about yourself?  For example, what you were doing between eleven and midnight?”

“I already told the police that.  I don’t have to tell you anything.”

“You’re right, you don’t.  But you should.”

“Why should I do that?” he asked. 

“I think the police would be pretty interested in hearing about the so-called ‘little disagreement’ you and Hank had last night,” Daisy said. 

Jonah’s temper grew shorter.  “Are you trying to blackmail me?”

Daisy shook her head.  “I’m just trying to find out who killed Hank Hammond.  Now tell me, where were you between eleven and midnight last evening?”

“Like I told the police.  I was heading home from the bar.”

“Did you stop off and kill Hank Hammond on the way?”

Jonah deflected.  “I don’t know why you’re wasting your time talking to me.”  He then took the opportunity to throw one of his co-workers under the bus.  “If you’re really interested in finding the killer, you should be talking to Trevor Webster.” 

Interesting.  Daisy already had her suspicions about Trevor.  That mysterious argument he had with Hank the night before left her with so many questions, not to mention a few sneaking suspicions. 

Daisy was curious to find out why Jonah had mentioned Trevor. 

“Do you know something about Trevor Webster that I don’t?” Daisy asked. 

“The guy hated Hank Hammond more than any man I’ve ever met.”

“Why?”

“Have you ever worked the slush pile?”

Daisy shook her head. 

“It’s a thankless job, and Hank wasn’t the kind of man that said thank you to begin with.  If that wasn’t enough, the hours were long, the pay was lousy, and the boss was a royal pain to deal with,” Jonah explained. 

“Is that all?”

“That’s plenty.  But there’s more.”

“Do tell.”

“Trevor has been pining for Lindsay Donohue since the moment he first laid eyes on her.  So imagine his surprise when he found out last night that Lindsay had been having a secret affair with Hank Hammond for months.”

That would sure explain Trevor’s sudden change in demeanor.  Maybe Trevor was just being nice to Chloe in a professional sense last night.  Perhaps he never had a romantic interest in Chloe at all.  Or, maybe Trevor was flirting with Chloe to try and get over the heartbreak of finding out his crush was sleeping with his boss. 

There were so many questions.  Not just for Trevor though.  Daisy had more things to ask Jonah as well.

“Everything you said sure makes Trevor sound guilty,” Daisy said. 

“It’s all the truth,” Jonah replied. 

“It also happens to throw the suspicion off you.”

“That’s because the suspicion shouldn’t be on me in the first place.”

“Says you.”

“I was driving home at the time of the murder, plain and simple,” Jonah said. 

“At least that’s your story, and you’re sticking to it,” Daisy replied. 

By that point, Jonah was fed up and eyeing the exit. 

Daisy opened her mouth to continue, but Jonah had heard enough. 

“This conversation is over,” Jonah said. 

Before Daisy had a chance to reply, Jonah headed towards the front door.  It was hardly the outcome Daisy was looking for.  Still, it was better than having another door slammed in her face.