Free Death By Derby 8 (Josiah Reynolds Mysteries) by Abigail Keam

together we bought some land and developed it. That’s where we made our big money.
    “Along the way, Brannon refurbished Lady Elsmere’s house and through her, we knew everyone in town. We were invited to all the best parties, and I was on all the important boards in town. We were happy, or so I thought.
    “I think things started slipping when Asa left home right after high school. She didn’t say goodbye to Kelly and I think that bit of selfishness created a crack that got bigger and bigger as time went on until it was a chasm that we all fell into.”
    “You blame Asa?”
    “No, I don’t blame her, but I think one action creates a reaction, which creates another reaction until it snowballs.” I shook my head, brandishing a potato chip. “Or maybe each person is allotted only a specific time for happiness and when it’s up, it’s up.”
    “So what happened?” asked Franklin before biting into his sandwich.
    “We didn’t hear from Asa all summer. I was worried sick. Then we got a call from her that she was in college and to send tuition money, which we did. After that, contact was sporadic. She never came home for the summers, although she would send her transcripts. Asa’s marks were very high, so she wasn’t fooling around at school, but then other cracks started to appear.”
    Franklin leaned forward. “Yes?”
    “You are so ghoulish, delighting in my ruin. Really, Franklin, have you no compassion?”
    “Compassion is overrated. Get on with the story.”
    “I was next in line for the job of Dean over the Art Department when he retired. One afternoon he called me into his office, and said that due to extenuating circumstances, the job was going to be offered to another colleague.
    “You can imagine I was stunned. After all, I had all the credentials and seniority in the department to be in line for his job.”
    “What did you do?”
    “Nothing. I had no idea why and the Dean wouldn’t enlighten me. I went back to my office, had a good cry, and then went about my duties. I wasn’t the first person to be passed over for a job, and I wouldn’t be the last, but it really bothered me.” I sat in silence, looking out the window, remembering.
    “And?”
    “I started hearing whispering and giggling in the hallways for weeks, and more than once I distinctly heard Brannon’s name. I began to put the pieces together. Since Asa’s abrupt departure, Brannon seemed discontented and was often absent from home for long periods of time.”
    “Did you ask him about it?”
    “At first. But he would get very angry, and we would end up in a huge fight.”
    “No defense like a good offense.”
    “Precisely, but I got sidelined. By that time, Asa had graduated and was working for the Secret Service. I got a call from her one night that she was going to blow the whistle to the Washington Post about some serious irregularities within her department.”
    “This is where I have some common knowledge.”
    “So does everyone. But it wasn’t supposed to be like that. Her identity was supposed to be kept a secret, but someone leaked Asa’s name as the informer.”
    “That’s how I knew who Asa was. Her face was splashed everywhere and she even made the cover of People .”
    I continued, “Asa uncovered corruption within the Secret Service. She discovered that agents were having prostitutes in their hotel rooms and doing blow when they were on duty protecting important political figures. People’s safety was seriously compromised.”
    “Why didn’t Asa go to the Director?”
    “She did and was told to keep her mouth shut. That’s when she decided to go to the press.”
    “And then the word got out who had spilled the beans.”
    I nodded. “After that, Asa was subpoenaed to testify before several televised Congressional Committee hearings. Based on her testimony, her boss and several agents were fired. The entire agency was turned upside down.”
    Frank picked up the story. “Asa becomes an overnight