Death Overdue (Librarian Mysteries) Read Online Free PDF Page A

I knew what he had planned to do to get her name off the deed for the house. “Did you really think Sally might have been dead?” When I saw his confused look, I added, “I mean, before tonight.”
    He dropped his head into his hands. “I had no idea. I hadn’t heard a word from her in a few years, and that was just a postcard. I guess I thought it was possible, plus, I figured the house was mine, since she had made it so clear she no longer wanted it. I never thought she would come back and claim it. The furthest thing from my mind was Sally.”
    We said no more as the police arrived. After going upstairs and looking at the scene, a short, round rock of a man came in and introduced himself as Chief Inspector Blunderstone.
    I had trouble not laughing at his name. He didn’t look like a man who would find anything funny. And we were notin a funny situation. But still the laugh bubbled inside of me like a faucet that wouldn’t turn off. I wondered if I was slightly hysterical and took some deep breaths.
    Both Penelope and Alfredo stirred when he came in the room. Blunderstone walked heavy on the floor. Penelope leaned forward and wiped her face with her hands; Alfredo shook his head as if he were trying to wake up and rid himself of a horrible nightmare.
    I had a sudden premonition things were going to get even worse when the first question Blunderstone asked was “Who found the body?”
    Caldwell confessed, “I did.”
    Blunderstone took a couple of steps closer to Caldwell but kept standing. “And what is your relationship with the deceased?” was the next question.
    “She was my former partner in the B and B, but she left over six years ago. I’ve hardly seen or heard from her since.”
    “When did she come back?” Blunderstone continued.
    Caldwell was silent for a few moments.
    “Just yesterday,” I answered for him, even though I knew I should keep my mouth shut. Sometimes it’s hard when you know the answer.
    Alfredo jumped in and said, “She want her house back. We are going to marry, and we will live here.”
    Blunderstone looked at Caldwell, who nodded.
    “Whose house is this?” the inspector asked.
    When Caldwell still didn’t say anything, I answered for him again. “It belongs to Caldwell. He’s been running the B and B solo since she left.”
    Blunderstone swung around to face me. I noticed that he couldn’t move his neck easily, so he had to turn his whole body. “And who, may I ask, are you?”
    This question kept coming up. Who exactly was I? I felt like the longer I was in England, the less sure I was of how I fit into this picture. “I’m a good friend of Caldwell’s.”
    “How good?” Blunderstone persisted.
    “Good enough,” I answered.
    “And who are you two?” Blunderstone swung his body around to face the couch, where Penelope and Alfredo were sitting next to each other.
    Penelope pulled back her hair and flung it over her shoulder. “I’m her sister and her closest of kin.”
    “I am her fiancé,” Alfredo said.
    “I assume you were sharing a room,” Blunderstone put to Alfredo.
    “But of course.”
    “And do you know why she was up in the middle of the night?” Blunderstone asked him.
    “I do not know. I was sleeping.”
    The inspector turned back to Caldwell. “Who else is staying with you?”
    “There’s Brenda and Bruce. Brenda is my help. She went back to her room. And Bruce, who’s over there, is a guest.”
    “I will need to speak with them.”
    “Certainly.” Caldwell got up as if to go get Brenda, but Blunderstone waved him back down.
    “What I would like to know . . .” the inspector humphed. “How does a bookcase fall down like that?” he asked the room.
    Caldwell spoke up. “That case shouldn’t have come down. Because the bookcases were so tall and the floor was so uneven, I had fastened each of them to the wall with a hook.”
    Blunderstone nodded, and again his whole body moved down as he moved his head. “I saw the hook, but