Beach Town Trouble (A Port Grace Cozy Mystery Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

she’d broken into.
    “I…it was a…”
    “An anonymous source,” said Ryan, appearing in the doorway. “We’ve been doing some digging around town since you don’t seem interested in following Georgia’s leads.”
    Crimbleton’s lips pursed in a stern look as she turned to Ryan.
    “And who might you be, coming in here and telling me how to run my investigation?”
    “I’m Ryan Yates, a New York private investigator and a friend of Georgia’s,” said Ryan, unfazed by Crimbleton’s look. “We are just trying to help. You’ve never worked a murder before. I’ve worked over thirty. You need me, whether you like it or not.”
    Crimbleton unfolded her hands and leaned back in her chair.
    “All right,” she said. “Who’s this source?”
    “The point of an anonymous source is that they only give information if they can remain anonymous,” said Ryan. “I’m afraid I can’t reveal the name. However, with your police resources, you can verify whether Mr. Skimmerhorn has a secret son out of wedlock rather easily. If our source is wrong, we’ll butt out of your investigation and let you put down the poor dog without a fight.”
    Georgia threw Ryan an alarmed look, but he gave her a nod of reassurance.
    “All right, deal,” said Crimbleton. “I’ll make some calls.”
----
    G eorgia sipped her champagne and kicked off her shoes as she and Ryan swung back and forth in the large, white wicker swing in the bed and breakfast’s garden.
    “Nice out here, isn’t it?” said Ryan.
    “Mm-hmm,” said Georgia absently.
    She was working through something, thinking back to Camila’s house.
    “You know how I told you that Camila knew Crimbleton and I were there about her brother?” she said, planting her feet so that the swing stopped.
    “Yeah.”
    “What if Crimbleton was half right, and Camila just assumed it was about Tim because of that nasty message he left her?” said Georgia. “We came knocking the day after he left it, so maybe she assumed Tim had sent the cops after her again.”
    “Maybe,” said Ryan, “but don’t discount her as a suspect just yet. It’s just as likely that she knew why you were there because she murdered him herself.”
    “I’m not discounting her; she has tons of motive,” said Georgia. “I’m just sort of thinking out loud, trying to look at every angle.”
    “And that’s good detective work,” said Ryan with a smile. “So let me do a little thinking with you. She saved the message, right? Even after you and Crimbleton told her that her brother was dead.”
    “Yeah.”
    “Now, it could just be that she forgot to delete it. She is a little senile. But, it could also be that that message is what gave her the courage to finally stick up for herself and go confront Tim. She may not have meant to kill him. Maybe she feels guilty. Maybe she’s keeping that message to remind herself why she did it, to convince herself it was the right thing to do.”
    “Wow. I never would have thought of that,” said Georgia.
    “Well, it is my chosen career, you know, to think up these things and prove them right,” said Ryan, tugging at the lapels of his trench coat.
    “And you’re a regular star,” said Georgia with a wink.
    Their eyes locked, and Georgia felt a little flutter in her stomach. Ryan’s face was vulnerable as he said, “Georgia, I—”
    Georgia’s phone rang, but she almost wished it hadn’t. She held it in her hand and looked at Ryan apologetically.
    “It’s Crimbleton,” she said.
    “Go ahead,” said Ryan.
    Georgia took the call.
    “I don’t know how, but you two were right,” said Crimbleton on the other end of the line.
    Georgia gave Ryan a thumbs up and said, “Maybe next time you won’t doubt us.”
    “Guess not,” said Crimbleton. “We dug up a birth certificate for a Tim Jr. Our Tim is listed as his father, but the kid took his mother’s last name: Shaw. He was born in Massachusetts. I checked around, and it seems Tim Sr. did a lot