Vanilla Baked Murder: Cozy Mystery Book 3 (Kim’s Cozy Mystery series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

judge. I am not putting the Guttman family through that.”
     
    Amy dropped to the ground and begged, “Please, if there is the slight possibility of foul play, shouldn’t we explore it?”
    “I would, but there is no evidence at all by the police or anyone that Guttman's death is not from natural causes.”
    “Please, at least promise me you will think about it.”
     
    To give Amy peace of mind, Sam agreed.
    “I will.”
    …
    After Amy left, Sam took a moment to decide if her statements made any sense.
     
    I saw him fall to the floor. He clearly had a heart attack, but a new fiancée does seem very random , he thought.
     
    What was also puzzling was that Guttman was getting a divorce. Sam started to feel discomfort in the pit of his stomach. He decided to visit Catherine, just to pay respect to the family.
     

Chapter Ten
     
    It took Sam just twenty minutes to go from City Hall to the lavish mansion just on the outskirts of Huntington.
     
    For almost five generations, the Guttman family had lived in their two-story Georgian style house. The white painted mansion had a small balcony that overlooked the street. Sam walked towards the big brown door and rang the doorbell.
     
    “Hello, Mrs. Guttman!”  He called out.
    The heiress, a lady in her mid-sixties,  proceeded to open the door herself. She looked fashionable in the latest Louis Vuitton pink pants suit.
     
    “My dear boy, now mayor, how fast time flies. I remember when you were at the country club with your mother and brother; it seemed so long ago. You must tell your mother “Hi.” Sam smiled.
     
    “I am so sorry for your loss!”
     
    “Thanks, Sam!” She welcomed a hug from the young mayor.
     
    “You’re always so handsome. I am going to introduce you to one of my nieces; I think you will like her.”
    The flattery made Sam smile. “I already have someone.”
     
    As Catherine offered him hot coffee, he stated firmly, “There's something more pressing I wanted to talk to you about.”
     
    What is the matter?” she asked.
    “I hate to get into gossip, but I saw a lady called Amy. She claimed to be Mr. Guttman’s fiancée. Is there any truth in that?”
     
    Slightly insulted, Catherine’s welcoming demeanor changed.
     
    “That man! God rest his soul. He didn't always do the right things.  He liked to play and manipulate. He did it over the past 20 years.” Catherine frowned, but tried to remain positive for her guest.
     
    Sam felt that this time, Mr. Guttman had gone even further.
    “I don’t think it was just a game; she went with him to the doctor and made plans to go to the Bahamas.”
     
    Catherine fell to the couch after absorbing  the big news. She gasped for air.  “That man never really cared about anybody; all he cared about was his ambition. He manipulated people to his very end.” Catherine broke down, and Sam moved a bit closer and held her hand while she briefly wept.  After she composed herself, he continued his probe to find out how much she actually knew about Amy.
     
    “So you thought it was just a fling?” Sam asked.
     
    “When you are married for such a long time, you overlook many things, but I never thought he would try to replace me. After 20 years!”
     
    “Do you think anyone would harm him?”
     
    “After all the crazy things he did,  I think whatever happened was karma. I think everyone had a bone to pick with him - even you.”
     
    “Why would you say that?” A baffled Sam queried.
    “When Guttman first pitched you for mayor, he said he needed someone to take under his wing and control. That was it.”
     
    Sam was appalled that the man he had worked with for months had not cared about him.
     
    “It hurts, doesn’t it, finding out the truth about a person.” Catherine stated, trying  to bond with Sam about the emotional web of deceit Guttman had created.  
    “Yes it does,” Sam confessed.
     
    “I didn’t plan on doing this. I am going to ask for your consent to do a