A Cup of Murder (Roasted Love Cozy 1)

"O.k. you got me," I said. "I’m sorry I duped you and your wife."

There wasn’t much else I could say at that point. I hoped to get him into a conversation that at least bordered on friendly. If he accepted my apology, all the better.

"You aren’t the first impostor in my life. I want to know why you were so interested in Michael and his personality traits unless it has something to do with your boss being held for his murder."

"It may all be connected," I said. "It’s just that I’ve heard so many things that don’t add up about Michael. He seemed to have more than one personality. I think there are more possibilities of a murderer than Jacob."

James held his eyes on mine. "They found evidence against him."

"It could have been planted against him you know."

"Really. How do you figure that?"

I took a deep breath. "Jacob had no way to get poison. He didn’t even know what belladonna was. And, for sure, he would never have gone into Sunrise for any reason, even to kill someone." I leaned back with satisfaction.

"You have some good points, but evidence is evidence."

James laid some bills for a tip on the table and stood to go.

"Wait," I said. "Come back to the kitchen with me. I have something to ask you about."

James followed me. He waited while I got the picture from my locker I found by the trash bin. We went into Jacob’s office and I closed the door.

"I found this picture by our trash bin this morning. I have no idea why stuff belonging to Michael was over here to begin with."

The photo had a light coffee stain at the bottom right corner. Other than that it was intact. The look in James’ eyes clouded when he heard how I found it but he didn’t comment.

"This is a duplicate of the picture I saw in your foyer. This one has someone named John in it but yours didn’t. I’m just wondering why you cut him out of yours."

"It was because it held bad memories. Michael felt guilty about not being with John when he died of the asthma attack that killed him. I didn’t want to be reminded of that every time I looked at that photo. I have no idea why you chose to dig through trash."

"I didn’t choose to. I saw trash on the ground next to the bin. I stooped down to put it inside. There it was. I took it so I could show it to you and ask you about it."

I thought a hint of anger showed itself in the Senator at my words. There was no way I was going to tell him about the envelopes with Michael’s name on them were there, too.

"I’d like to have that photo," said James.

"Why do you want it? You have one like it already," I say. I take a deep breath. "Why is the word ‘redemption’ written on the back?"

"I don’t know what that means. Michael felt guilty. Maybe he was going to donate money to an Asthma awareness group, or something else, to make up for whatever that guilt was about. I don’t know."

His words were familiar in manner to a politician: rambling. The photo was found in the trash on the property of Roasted Love. I found it. I planned to keep it. James got the idea. He left through the front.

Lily came back to the kitchen.

"What was that all about? Now he’s talking to Janie and he looks mad as hell."

I hurried to the front just as Senator James Simms ended his talk with the server. For the first time, I realized how attractive Janie was even though she was obviously very nervous. Her profile showed an upturned nose and emotion brought a color to her face that caused a beauty not noticed before. James stalked out the door. Janie glanced my way and quickly looked away again. I saw fear. I followed her and before she had time to take an order I pulled her away.

"I need to talk to you," I said. "Lily can get this."

She walked behind me to the kitchen.

"How well do you know Senator James Simms?" I asked her.

"I don’t know him at all. He stopped me to complain about his cappuccino is all."

"No, he didn’t. He had time to do that when I sat with him."