Marriage and Murder (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Book 4) by Dianne Harman Page B

if any of his
creditors had ever threatened him? How did he deal with them when they called?
Do you know if he borrowed money from individual people, or was it more that he
owed companies that did business with him?”
    “I don’t know, Kelly. He didn’t
like to talk about it. I only found out when I overheard him talking to someone
on the phone a few weeks ago. I asked him about the call, and that was when he
told me he owed a lot of money. I asked him how much, and he told me it was
around $300,000. I asked him if he had been sued or if people had tried to take
his business from him. He said no, because as soon as he received any money, he
would give some of it first to one creditor, then to another. He said it was
getting harder and harder to juggle the money he received. That’s all I know.
Like I said, he didn’t want to talk about it, and he wouldn’t accept my money.”
Kelly heard her sigh and take a deep breath.
    She continued, “When I
left The Crush, he told me after the store closed that evening he would come to
my house, and we would have dinner. As I drove away from the rear parking lot
and turned the corner to drive home, I noticed someone going into his store.”
    “Did you recognize who it
was?”
    “No. I don’t even know if it
was a man or a woman. The only thing I remember is that they were bundled up in
a hat and a coat. That’s all I know.”
    “Thanks for calling,
Sophie. I’ll tell Mike. I’m sure he can find out who Jesse’s major creditors
were. How are you doing?”
    “Well, to be honest, not
so good. I really cared for him, and I’m so sad now that he’s gone. Several of
my friends here in Portland have been helping me get through this. They are trying
to keep me busy by taking me out to lunch and dinner. My life has not been an
easy one, and I’ve gotten through bad things before. I know I can do it again
this time.
    “One of my friends even
volunteered to drive to my home on the coast and oversee a moving company load
up everything in the house. I think I’ll probably put most of the things that
were in the house up for auction. It would be too painful for me to see things
like the art glass that Jesse and I bought together. I’ve called a real estate
agent, and the house will be put up for sale soon. I have to go, someone’s at
that door. Au revoir,” she saidas she hung up the phone.
    Yes, Kelly thought , I think
you will get through this. I imagine you’re already looking to the future and
letting go of the past, and who am I to judge? Au revoir. I don’t want to think
that you killed Jesse, but you certainly seem to be letting go of your grief
awfully fast and selling the house and all the contents within it just days
after Jesse’s death. Gives a new meaning to the old slang saying, “Getting out
of Dodge.” Oh well, who knows how any of us would react in that situation?
    *****
    “Okay, Lady, just a few more minutes,
and we’re out of here for the day,” Kelly said, making sure everything had been
turned off in the kitchen. She was just getting ready to turn off the lights
when she heard the front door to the coffee shop open and saw Celia Parsons
walking in.
    “Hi, Celia, I’m closing up
for the day, so I’m afraid I can’t offer you anything. Sorry,” she said,
noticing Celia’s eyes, shining like fiery coals, and her hair, unkempt and
lank, plastered to her scalp.
    Good grief. I’m not a
psychologist, but I’d swear this woman looks like she’s become unhinged. I
wonder what’s going on with her, Kelly thought.
    “I didn’t come here to
eat. I came here to get your support for the Historical Society. You don’t have
a sign in the window showing that you’re a member, and I checked and don’t see
where you’ve ever given any money to our organization.”
    “That’s true. I don’t have
any extra time to donate to the Society, but I certainly support it. I think
it’s wonderful you’re working hard to preserve the history of Cedar