Murder in the Rose Garden: A Scent with Love Cozy Mystery (Scent with Love Cozy Mysteries) Read Online Free PDF

do know, once Sheriff Hunter decides on something like
that, there is no going back and he has never been wrong before. He will not be
re-opening the case. My mother shouldn’t have troubled you.”
    Beth sipped
from her own cup of coffee and replied, “I can’t just leave things as they
stand. Mom left me with a pile of debt, a struggling flower shop and an
employee who can’t afford to lose her job. I need to prove her death was not a
suicide or I won’t be able to pay off her debts and sell the flower shop for a
good price. I would also like to offer Hannah a decent severance package. This
may seem like nothing to you, but it’s a big deal to that poor woman and her
children. It also means the world to me. I can’t bear the thought of everyone
thinking Mom was a coward who took her own life.”
    Chase’s eyes
softened. “I see where you are coming from but I still wouldn’t advise you to
take this on yourself. I don’t know how much Mom told you but the two of them were
involved in things they should not have been involved in. I could look into your
mother’s case for you if you like?”
    “Your mother
told me everything, Mr. Crawford. Mom was not perfect but her heart was in the
right place. She did not deserve to die like that. Thank you for your offer but
I couldn’t possibly afford your services.”
    Chase placed
his cup down on the table. “You seem determined, Beth. I must warn you that you
are walking into a dangerous situation. The sheriff is busy working on a big
case and you need to be careful not to step into the middle of something that could
end up putting you in danger. I understand that you are under some financial
strain, but please remember that I am always here to talk to. You can call me
if you need any advice or assistance.”
    Beth thanked
him, got up and left his office with his business card tucked in her purse.
    That was
very strange. What does the sheriff’s big case have to do with Mom’s death? Why
was the Sheriff so determined to close Mom’s case without a full investigation?
Why was Chase so quick to offer to help me? Beth decided that she needed
to be careful: if the sheriff was involved then Chase may have been in on it
too.
    Beth walked
down the main road in the direction of the flower shop. Bartholomew Bay had a
small-town atmosphere with an array of interesting shops and quirky townsfolk
going about their daily routines. Baskets of fresh fruit and vegetables were on
display on the sidewalk in front of the produce shop which stood next to a
novelty seaside curio store. A woman sat at a wrought-iron table on the sidewalk
in front of Connie’s Bakery, enjoying a freshly baked scone. A woman on a
bicycle stopped outside, parked her bike against the window and ran inside for
a loaf of fresh bread. It looked wonderful and Beth could see why her mother
had decided to move to the Bay where life seemed to be lived a little slower
than back in the big city.
    Beth stopped
at Allison’s Diner for a cup of coffee. It was lunchtime and the diner was
full. Allison stood behind the counter chatting to her customers; two young women
in jeans and matching pink tee-shirts hurried about with plates of yummy-looking
food. The food smelled great and Beth suddenly felt hungry—she had been living
on sandwiches at the lodge and a good hearty meal would go down well. Beth sat
down on a tall stool at the dark wood main counter, which ran the length of the
shop. Allison Landon smiled at her from behind an antique cash register.
    “Hello,
Beth. I was wondering when you would come by.”
    Allison was a
hefty woman with scraggly red hair piled in a messy bun on top of her head and
kept in place by a brown velvet scrunchy.  She was well endowed and the top
button of her shirt looked like it was about to pop off under the weight of her
breasts. Beth could see right through to the kitchen, where a man with short
curly hair and black sunken eyes was shouting orders and inspecting plates
before they