Free The Devil You Know (Sarah Woods Mystery Book 15) by Jennifer L. Jennings Page A

any longer. Ha!. My brother is not the kind of man to throw his guest out on the street.”
    “What do you think?”
    Margaret seemed amused at my blunt question. “As a matter of fact, I think you have good reason to feel the way you do.”
    I couldn’t believe my ears. “Really?”
    “Those kids of his are spoiled rotten and, if you want my opinion, they don’t deserve a single penny of his inheritance.”
    “But do you think one of them killed my mother?”
    “Can’t help you with that but I will tell you one thing; unless you have some proof, don’t expect a confession.”
    For once, I appreciated her candor. “I'm going to find out. Will you help me?”
    Margaret snapped her fingers and Jeremy got to his feet. “Would you mind going upstairs to get my glasses. Thank you.”
    When he disappeared, she turned back to me. “I know that you and your mother weren’t close, but I respect the fact that you flew all the way back home to pay your respects.”
    I wasn't sure what she was getting at. “But...”
    “But I didn't like your mother. As a matter of fact, I threatened her the night she died.”
    “You threatened my mother? Why?”
    “I told her she was using my brother to get at the family fortune. I may have said some nasty things, I don’t really remember what I said, exactly. I was very upset after they announced their engagement. I also realized that my brother will do exactly what he wants to do. I wasn’t going to change his mind.”
    “And you’re telling me this because …” 
    “Because, the whole family heard those nasty things I said. It’s going to come up eventually and I wanted you to hear it from me.”
    “So what you’re saying is, you didn’t push my mother down the stairs.”
    Margaret snorted. “What do you think?”
    “No offense, I really don’t trust anyone in this house.”
    “Nor should you.”
    When Jeremy came back into the room, he handed Margaret her glasses. She put them on and began thumbing through her magazine, letting me know she was done talking.
     
     

Chapter 18
     
     
    At 6:45, the family came downstairs for dinner.
    George seemed his perfectly gracious self as he invited me to sit next to him at the table. He whispered to me, “Get ready. I'm about to drop another bomb.”
    I had no idea what he meant by that but I mentally prepared myself. George's desperation had me walking on egg shells.
    George cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. “Now, I usually prefer not to discuss serious matters at the dinner table; however I think it’s important to get some things out in the open.” He turned to me with a reassuring smile. “Tina, it has been brought to my attention that you have some questions about your mother.”
    I felt everyone’s eyes on me and suddenly the temperature in the room increased by ten degrees. This was my moment and I had to be convincing. “Yes,” I said. “I have questions.  I want to know who pushed my mother down the stairs.”
    George’s eyebrows rose up in mock surprise. “Is that what you really think?”
    “Yes.”
    Olivia couldn’t contain herself any longer. “It’s preposterous, Dad. I mean, how can she believe that any of us would do something like that? We’re not savages.”
    George gave his daughter a stern look. “Duly noted.” He turned to face me again. “Tina, what would you like me to do?”
    “I don't know,” I said. “Maybe talk to the police and open an investigation?”
    Olivia stood up, pushed her chair back preparing to leave the table when her father said, “Please sit down. We are going to discuss this like adults.”
    She sat back down and folded her hands together atop the table. “I can't listen to this any longer.”
    “Now,” George continued, setting his gaze back on me. “I'm sorry to tell you that there's not much the authorities can do at this point. The coroner ruled her death an accident. Except ...” He covered his mouth like he'd just had an epiphany. “I