by K. M. Morgan
Daisy quickly grabbed her camera phone and snapped a photo of the lip-locking. Was this a break in the case she’d been looking for?
It was clear Brooke and Tom weren’t just new acquaintances. They didn’t have any of the awkward markings of two people who had just met. If anything, they looked like they’d been intimately familiar with each other for a while.
Daisy couldn’t believe it. Brooke was walking around like she didn’t have a care in the world. Or at the least like someone whose husband hadn’t just been killed.
She had a big smile on her face, as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her back. Perhaps because she was convinced that she’d gotten away with murder?
Daisy’s head started spinning. She wondered how long Brooke and Tom had been seeing each other. Even more, she pondered whether Max was aware of their relationship before he was murdered.
If Max knew Brooke was having an affair as well, it took her leverage away. Suddenly whatever advantage Brooke had in divorce court was moot. With Max gone however, Brooke would inherit all of Max’s money and be able to come out in the open with her relationship without fear of repercussions.
It was all coming together. Her motive was just as strong as ever. With everything going on in the office, Brooke was able to slip under Daisy’s radar only to come out of the woodwork later. But then again, everyone had a motive and maybe that was throwing Daisy off.
Daisy suddenly had a lot of questions to ask Brooke, and she wasn’t going to give up until she got the answers. She knew she needed coffee and chocolate to re-boot her mind however, so she went in search of it first. Being a sleuth kick started her appetite every time.
***
The next morning, Daisy was in such a hurry to confront Brooke that she skipped over going to the dog park. The more Daisy thought about it, the more Brooke seemed like the real killer. She had the means and one serious motive. There was only one way to find out.
Daisy couldn’t rely on Brooke showing up at the office, so she decided to confront her at her home. She strode up to the front door with purpose, determined to get some answers. She didn’t know what to expect as she rang the doorbell.
Would Brooke even answer? If she didn’t, Daisy was prepared to wait at the front door all day. Surprisingly, Brooke came to the door with a tranquil look on her face. She either had the best poker face in the world, or she severely underestimated Daisy’s mettle.
Brooke was surprised. “Daisy? Shouldn’t you be headed to the office?”
“I will be soon, but there’s something I need to take care of first,” Daisy insisted.
Brooke furrowed her brow. “I’m not sure what this has to do with me.”
Daisy stared her down. “I know about you and Tom Timmons.”
Brooke didn’t skip a beat. “So?”
“Don’t you think it’s suspicious that less than a week after your husband was murdered, you’re out on the town walking arm in arm and kissing one of his known legal rivals?”
“I’m a widow. I can spend my time with whomever I choose.”
“The question is, how long have you been spending time with Tom Timmons?” Daisy pressed.
Brooke kept a cold and detached look on her face. “What are you accusing me of?”
“You recently found out your husband was having an affair with his assistant. But what if he wasn’t the only one sleeping around? What if he found out that you and Tom Timmons had been having an affair as well? That would sure throw a wrench in getting the divorce settlement you were looking for,” Daisy said.
Brooke narrowed her eyes. “I’d be careful where you go with this conversation.”
“Are you really going to pretend like you just started seeing Tom Timmons in the last few days?”
“Yes.”
Daisy stared into Brooke’s eyes and got a different answer.
“You’re lying.”
Brooke averted her eyes.
“I’ll bet the detective would like to hear the truth. I’m sure he’d have some follow up questions for you about your husband’s murder too,” Daisy continued.
Brooke cracked. “Alright, I didn’t just start seeing Tom recently.”
“How long have you been seeing him?”
“I didn’t kill my husband,” Brooke insisted.
“That wasn’t the question.”
Brooke glared at Daisy.
“I only recently just started seeing him again.”
“Why do you insist on lying?” Daisy asked.
“That’s the truth. But there’s another truth too.”
“What do you mean?”
“The fact is, this isn’t the first time Tom and I have been together romantically,” Brooke revealed.
“What are you talking about?” Daisy wondered.
“Tom and I used to be college sweethearts. Then when Tom went off to law school in Vancouver, we tried to keep things going long distance. Eventually, the distance became too much. We ended up breaking up. Shortly after that I met Max. We started dating, fell in love and got married. I thought that was the end of the story. Then flash forward twenty years to when Max got murdered. The day after Max was killed, I got a call from Tom sending his condolences. We got to talking. Before we knew it, we were getting along just like in the old days. We picked up just where we left off so many years before,” Brooke explained.
“Do you really expect me to believe that? That’s still really fast just after your husband is found dead.”
Brooke nodded. “It’s the truth.”
Daisy pressed on. “It would be a lot easier to believe you if you didn’t look so suspicious. You had the means and the motive to commit the crime. Not to mention, less than a week after he was murdered you were shopping, laughing, and having a ball with another man looking like you didn’t have a care in the world.”
“I know the timing is bad, but if anyone deserves to smile and have a little fun, it’s me. Do you know what it was like to be married to Max?”
“Tell me.”
“The man loved money more than anything else. Next came glory. Then a close third was chasing skirts. I was at the bottom of the list, right below his custom-tailored suits,” Brooke admitted.
“To me, that sounds like even more of a motive,” Daisy replied.
“I know what it looks like, but I didn’t kill him.”
Something completely unexpected then happened as Daisy looked into Brooke’s eyes. Daisy thought she’d see through Brooke’s lies. She was waiting for her gut instinct to confirm that Brooke was the killer. That didn’t happen.
Instead, Daisy saw that Brooke was telling the truth. She couldn’t believe her eyes. It didn’t make sense. Yet Daisy couldn’t deny what her gut was telling her—that Brooke was innocent.
The question then became, if Brooke didn’t do it, who did? It seemed like it was back to the drawing board for Daisy.
Then Brooke said something that sent Daisy’s mind turning in a new direction.
“I realize it was foolish to just stroll around town arm in arm with Tom, but I got wrapped up in my emotions. The fact is, I’ve been suffering silently for a long time. Max had already broken his vows. He stopped loving me long ago. So why shouldn’t I move on? What’s the point of wallowing, especially over a two-timing creep like Max? The way I see it, there are two types of people in the world--those who can rebound from heartbreak, and those who are crippled by it.”
Daisy’s eyes opened wide as Brooke said that last line. Something clicked. It was like a light went on in Daisy’s head. She started putting two and two together.
Suddenly, everything made sense. A smile came to her face as the realization came to her. In that moment, Daisy finally knew who the real killer was.
Chapter Nineteen
Daisy knew she had to rush over to the law firm. The killer would just be arriving to work. On the drive over to the office, she got a phone call.
“Daisy,” she said, putting her phone on speaker.
“Oh—Gavin.”
“You weren’t at the dog park this morning. Is everything alright?”
“I’m sorry about that. I’ll be at the park tomorrow though. Anyway, I’m in the middle of something. Can I call you back?” Daisy asked.
“Actually, I’m pretty sure you’re going to want to hear this,” Gavin said.
“What is it?” Daisy wondered.
“I started doing some digging on those names you gave me.”
“Did you find something?”
“I sure did. It turns out one of the employees of the law office comes from a family of pest exterminators,” Gavin revealed.
Daisy smiled to herself. “If my hunch is right, I think I know exactly who you’re talking about.”
***
When Daisy arrived at the office, she made her way to Jackson Madsen’s desk. He had his nose in his work as he tried to balance the books.
“Hard at work again, huh?” Daisy asked.
Jackson gave her a quick glance, then looked back down at his work. “As a matter of fact, yes. And I’d better get back to it. I have a lot on my plate.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” Daisy replied.
Jackson was short with her. “Can I help you with something?”
“How about some coffee? I hear it helps get you through those long work days.”
“No thanks.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not poisoned,” Daisy said.
Jackson’s head shot up with that statement. She had his attention now.
“That’s not funny,” Jackson snapped.
“It’s not supposed to be. You know, at first I really felt bad for you. Here you are, doing the jobs of two people, working yourself to the bone—and for what? It’s not like you have a pay raise coming anytime soon,” Daisy started explaining.
“What’s your point?” Jackson interrupted.
“On top of that, your relationship with Chloe completely fell apart. At first, everything seemed great between you. What could be better than sitting one desk away from the love of your life? Then it all turned sour. Not only did she break your heart, but she left you for a man you absolutely despised, and who never gave you any appreciation—your boss. Suddenly you had to come into work every day and watch the love of your life swooning over Max. It must have eaten you up inside. Then everything came to a head when Max’s wife found out about his affair with Chloe and demanded a divorce. You thought you actually had a shot at winning Chloe back then. But it all blew up in your face, didn’t it?” Daisy asked.
Jackson got up from his desk in a huff. “I don’t have to answer your question. Mind your own business.”
Jackson then made a move towards the break room.
That’s when Detective Crumple and two of his deputies walked in.
“You can run away from Ms. McDare, but you can’t run away from me,” Detective Crumple insisted.
Jackson’s face went as white as a sheet. “What are you doing here?”
“I suggest you sit back down Mr. Madsen,” Crumple continued.
Jackson was defiant. “You have nothing on me.”
“Why don’t we hear Ms. McDare out?” Crumple suggested.
“That day at the office you snapped. You thought Brooke Cash finding out about Max’s affair would send Chloe back into your arms. But you underestimated how much Chloe loved Max. That’s when you realized your only chance at getting Chloe back was for your boss to be out of the picture entirely. You knew Max was always the last to leave the office and that Chloe made him a fresh pot of coffee before she headed home each night. It gave you a perfect opportunity. You slipped rat poison in his coffee while everyone was on their way out the door, then planted the bottle of poison on Angela Franklin’s maid cart while she was cleaning the restrooms. Unfortunately for you, your plan only worked out half as well as you expected. You managed to kill Max and frame Angela for the crime, but it was too late to win Chloe back. Even in death she loved Max more than you,” Daisy explained.
Jackson was seething with anger as he heard the accusation leveled against him. “It’s an interesting theory, but you have no evidence.”
“Oh really? Isn’t it true that you come from a family of exterminators Jackson?” Daisy asked.
Jackson tensed up.
Daisy powered on. “And even though you wanted to do more with your life than work in pest control, you had a long enough stint at the family business to learn a little about rat poisons—mostly which ones were odorless and tasteless.”
Jackson stared at Daisy, then the Detective. He knew the jig was up. There was nowhere to run or hide. He averted his eyes and spilled his guts out.
“Max deserved to die even before he stole Chloe from me. The man was a scumbag. He treated everyone in here like dirt. But when he started putting the moves on my girlfriend, it was the last straw. He didn’t deserve a woman like that, yet he got her anyway. It wasn’t fair. Life isn’t fair. I love Chloe. Always have, always will. We should be together. Instead Max ruined any chance I had to get her back. The way I see it, Max got what was coming to him,” Jackson seethed.
“Oh Jackson, murder wasn’t the answer” Daisy sighed.
Detective Crumple signaled to his deputies.
“Take him away,” Crumple said.
The deputies grabbed Jackson, handcuffed him, and dragged him away.
Crumple then turned to Daisy.
“That’s some pretty decent detective work Ms. McDare,” Detective Crumple said.
“I’ll bet you’re glad I didn’t give up on the case now,” Daisy replied.
“I’m pretty sure it is Angela Franklin who is happiest you didn’t give up on the case,” Crumple insisted.
“How is she doing?”
“I have a feeling you have a very big thank you coming your way.”
“From her, or you?” Daisy asked.
Daisy could tell Crumple’s pride was keeping him from giving her the appreciation she was looking for.
“I already told you it was some fine detective work. What more do you want, a donut?” Crumple joked.
“That’s a start,” Daisy laughed.
Detective Crumple opened his eyes wide. “Never come between a detective and his donut.”
Daisy laughed again. “My fault.”
Crumple cracked a smile. “I’m just kidding. I’ll even give you a glazed bear claw.”
“Wow, how generous of you.”
“Well, you are the best interior decorator detective I’ve ever seen,” Crumple said.
Daisy and Crumple laughed.
It was a great feeling to crack the case. It was even better knowing her sleuthing freed an innocent woman from jail and put the real killer behind bars. Even though Daisy had been a reluctant detective, she seemed to have a knack for it. Maybe this wouldn’t be the last case she’d solve. In the meantime, she was looking forward to getting back to decorating.
Chapter Twenty
With Jackson behind bars, Daisy was free to finish up her job at the law office. She put the finishing touches on her decorating, then gave Brooke Cash a tour of the newly redone office.
As proud as Daisy was of her sleuthing skills, she delighted in décor. Daisy managed to take the office from a drab and lifeless corporate environment to something sophisticated.
Brooke agreed. “You really are multi-talented, aren’t you?”
“I wish you’d say that to any single men in the area,” Daisy joked.
Brooke laughed. “I only have one complaint.”
Daisy tensed up. “What is it?”
“Would it have killed you to include some pink in your design?” Brooke joked.
Daisy looked at the head to toe pink outfit Brooke was wearing.
“I’ll tell you what, if you ever need your home redecorated, I’ll use nothing but pink.”
“That’s a deal.”
Daisy smiled.
> “Anyway, I just want to say thank you,” Brooke continued.
“No problem. I love redecorating. I’ve probably redone my apartment five times since I’ve moved in,” Daisy said.
“I meant, thank you for finding my husband’s real killer.”
“Of course. As a matter of fact, I owe you a thanks for that.”
Brooke was surprised. “Really?”
Daisy nodded. “Everything clicked when you said one line.”
“What line was that?”
“There are two types of people in the world--those who can rebound from heartbreak, and those who are crippled by it.”
“I was just telling the truth,” Brooke admitted.
“A bigger truth than you even realize. It led me to the killer. And personally, I should take that advice in my own life,” Daisy said.
“The good news is, if I can rebound successfully from heartbreak, it means anyone can,” Brooke insisted.
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Daisy replied.
“Just keep this in mind. When all else fails, there’s always a good shoe sale going on somewhere,” Brooke smiled.
Daisy laughed. “Words to live by.”
***
Daisy had some thanking of her own to do. Even though her gut instinct led her to Jackson, it was Gavin’s private investigating that uncovered the clue about Jackson’s pest exterminator family.
Daisy was eager to commiserate with Gavin at the dog park the following morning, not just about the case, but also their new friendship. But first she was distracted by Gavin’s adorable Corgi pup Rosie and it’s folded down ear.
“I have to say, that puppy is just Corgi-licious,” Daisy commented.
“I couldn’t say it better myself. I’m just happy little Rosie has a new friend,” Gavin replied.
Daisy knew full well that Gavin was messed up over his break up. She could intellectualize it all day. The minute she saw his handsome face and hunky body again though, her hormones took over. She couldn’t help but flirt with him.