Guidebook to Murder Read Online Free PDF Page B

discuss her property, but they aren’t at this level, not yet. You know they take forever to make any decisions.” She fingered through the other letters from the file.
    â€œThis is the only one from this attorney. All the other ones are from the council. I know, because I typed them.”
    â€œSo why would an out-of-town lawyer be sending Miss Emily a letter threatening to condemn her property?” I sat back in my chair. “This just doesn’t make any sense.”
    â€œI’ll check the council’s list of approved attorneys handling their legal matters tomorrow. Maybe they didn’t send this through me because of my relationship with you. But I swear, the last meeting they were just grumbling about the weeds and the fence. Nothing like this.” Amy pulled out a receipt from a gas station and wrote down the lawyer’s name and address.
    â€œI have paper.”
    â€œThis is fine. That way I recycle the receipt. I hate to have it only be used once.”
    Amy collected cans and paper for the county recycling program. She picked up trash on her morning runs. She only used her 1970 Datsun pickup for trips to the beach and walked to work and around town. I think the truck only had fifty thousand miles on it. If one person could save the world through recycling, she’d be the one to do it.
    Amy tucked the receipt and her pen back into her purse. “How are you doing?”
    â€œI told you, I’m fine.”
    â€œYeah, I can tell.” She reached up and rubbed a spot under my eye. “I have mascara if you want to try again.”
    I’d forgotten about the raccoon eyes. “I think I’ll just wash this off and leave it.” I headed to the bathroom.
    I heard Amy fiddling through the rest of the files. “Find anything?” I asked when I walked back into the room.
    â€œDid you know Miss Emily had the property surveyed last year? There’s a receipt here for the cost but no report. That’s strange.”
    â€œMaybe she put the report somewhere else. Did you find an address book or anything listing relatives?” I still hoped for a long-lost cousin or anything, even though Miss Emily’s note made it pretty clear it was down to me.
    My cell rang.
    â€œHello?” I couldn’t think of who it could be since Amy was the only person who called me and she sat next to me digging through Miss Emily’s desk.
    â€œThis is Detective King. I need you to come to the funeral home.”
    â€œI’m supposed to meet Doc Ames at two o’clock.”
    â€œI need you here now. We found something during the autopsy.” He paused. “You might be right. Miss Emily could have been murdered.”

Chapter 3
    P eople crowded Doc Ames’s office when Amy and I arrived twenty minutes later. The ride over had been quiet. I had known Miss Emily hadn’t gone peacefully in her sleep, but I couldn’t wrap my head around who would have actually wanted to kill her. Even with the list of suspects I had drawn up that morning, I felt clueless.
    â€œI’m glad you made it early. I have a few questions for you before Jimmy reads the will.” Detective King looked like he hadn’t slept much in the last twenty-four hours. I almost felt sorry for him.
    â€œFrom your call, it seemed like kind of a command performance.” I scanned the room for a familiar face but came up empty except for Pastor Bill, Doc Ames, and Detective King. “Jimmy Marcum’s here?”
    â€œHow do you know Jimmy?”
    â€œI don’t.”
    â€œThen how did you know his last name was Marcum?” Detective King challenged.
    â€œI found this with Miss Emily’s funeral clothes.” I thrust the note into his hands and walked toward the front of the chapel. “I need to give these to Doc Ames.”
    Doc Ames met me and gently took the bag. “Thanks for bringing these. I know going back into the house must have been