A Murder In Milburn Book 2 Death Of A Deputy REVAMPED June 2016 SCRIVENER Read Online Free PDF

head.”
    “Yes.” The doctor nodded gravely and adjusted his spectacles. “Sean. No concussion, luckily. The blow could have done some real damage. If it had been done with a little bit more force or a little to the right, we would have been dealing with two bodies, not one.”
    Tina leaned forwards. “You were there when they found him?”
      “I stayed until we found the body, yes,” Dr. Neil said. He dug into his pancakes with no hint of feeling, chomping them with glee. “These are amazing,” he said, pouring more syrup on.
    Nora pushed her own plate away, feeling a little sick. “Has the body been identified yet then?”  
    “We have a good idea who it is.” Dr. Neil said. “It’s a man, aged 27, healthy.” He shook his head. “But of course, it won’t be official until the lab checks and confirms with his dental records.”  
    “It’s Wallis, isn’t it?” Tina asked. “He’s the only one no one’s seen since yesterday.”
    Dr. Neil pursed his lips. “Well, it wouldn’t be very ethical to tell. But let’s just say that hypothetically, it’s possible that Wallis fits the profile.”
    “That’s terrible,” Tina said. “I mean, I didn’t know him all that well, but he was a good man.”
    “Clearly not so good. Else no one would have wanted him dead.” The doctor finished up the last bites of his pancakes, then looked at Nora. “My dear, you look positively unwell. You haven’t touched your meal.”
    “She doesn’t like too much talk about bodies,” Tina said. “But do tell Dr. Neil. How did he die?”
    “That’s yet to be ascertained,” Dr. Neil said. “He was in bad shape by the time we stamped out the fire, unfortunately. However my preliminary guess is that it was a blow to the head.” He lowered his voice. “This is between us, of course. Quite confidential.”
    Nora had to resist a smile. She’d seen ears perk up as Dr. Neil spoke, and was pretty sure that the entire town had heard him, or would.
    The bell over the door jangled, and Sean stepped in, a bandage tied over his head, cowboy hat almost covering it. He took off the hat, gave his order, then curtly dismissed questions from the curious townies as he made his way towards Nora.
    “Are you all right?” Nora whispered as he slid in beside her. “Does it still hurt?”
    “Perfectly fine,” Sean said. “The only thing that hurts is the thought that we could have caught the murderer last night, if I’d only been more alert. We might even have stopped the murder.”
    “It wasn’t your fault, Sean. You had no way of knowing.”  
    “I take some comfort in that,” Sean said. “But still, it hurts. Wallis was a good man, and a good deputy. We didn’t see eye to eye about a lot of things, but I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”
    “So what happens now?” Tina asked. “He had no relatives after his parents died, unless you count his Aunt Maude, who’s up in state prison for life.”

    *****

Chapter 9
    “His aunt was in prison?” Nora asked, shocked.  
    “Is,” Tina said. “It was a tragic thing that happened.”
    “Every family has a black sheep,” the doctor said.
    “How… why…” Nora struggled to formulate the question.
    “What did she do, you mean? Oh, she was married to a man, and couldn’t stand her step daughter. She began slowly poisoning the girl. I believe it was Dr. Neil who solved that one, wasn’t it?”
    “Oh no.” Dr. Neil shrugged it off. “I was young then. Just in my thirties. I did a few tests and identified the problem. She never confessed, but the evidence was piled against her.”
    “She kept saying she was innocent, but of course, what else could she say?” Tina said, shaking her head.
    “No use raking that up now,” Dr. Neil said.
    “Doc’s right, Tina. Wallis wasn’t anything like that. His family was decent, and so was he.”
    “Was it, though?” Tina asked. “Decent, I mean. His father was a singer, just like him. I heard tales that--”
    Sean slammed