Free 3 Bodies and a Biscotti by Leighann Dobbs Page A

something we should look into,” Ruth said.
    “I researched the janitor, Sam Turner. He has some financial problems. That would be motivation for stealing drugs and selling them on the black market. Janitors don’t make very much money, you know,” Helen said.
    “That’s very interesting,” Nans nibbled on the end of her second biscotti. “I happened to talk to the person who was staying in the room with Bertram Glumm when he was murdered. I asked him who was in there and he didn’t remember seeing Nurse Rothschild, but he did say he remembered Sam being there.”
    Helen and Ruth gasped.  
    “Wait a minute,” Helen said.” Who was Bertram’s roomie?”
    “Willard Stevens,” Nans winced.
    “Oh, he’s practically senile!” Ruth said.
    “That explains why he didn’t notice a murder happening right in the next bed.” Lexy rolled her eyes.
    “Well, he is hard of hearing and maybe a little forgetful, but he did say he remembered that night. He said the curtain was drawn around the bed all night which he thought was odd. At least it’s something to think about.”  
    “Looks like all fingers point to the janitor, Sam,” Ruth said. “And that’s good because I found out that nurse Rothschild couldn’t have committed the last murder. She wasn’t working at the time.”
    Lexy’s eyebrows rose a few notches. “Interesting. So that rules her out? She could still be in on it with Sam … or maybe she snuck back in to do the murder.”  
    “True. But I think we can put her on the back burner and turn up the heat on Sam,” Nans said. “But I still don’t understand how the murders would tie in to stealing drugs. I’m not convinced they are related.”
    A couple of taps sounded on the door and they all turned toward it in time to see Ida bustle in, leading with her left hand, on which sat a new sparkling diamond ring.
    “Guess what, girls!”  
    They all stood and leaned over her hand.  
    “It’s gorgeous!”
    “Gigantic.”
    “He proposed in the nursing care ward?”
    Ida giggled like a schoolgirl. “Yes, I guess he was planning on doing it and didn’t want to wait just because he was laid up.”
    Lexy felt her heart squeeze. Was everyone except her getting engaged? She immediately regretted her jealous thoughts. She was happy for Cassie and Ida, heck, she didn’t even know if she wanted to get married. Her and Jack didn’t always see eye to eye, so maybe it would be a mistake. Still, it would be nice to be asked.
    They all got in line to hug and congratulate Ida. Lexy pulled Ida’s hand up to her face to admire the ring. It was very similar to Cassie’s.  
    Crap!  
    She’d forgotten that Cassie’s dress rehearsal was tonight. She glanced at her watch, her stomach clenching. She had forty-five minutes to get home, change and then over to the restaurant where Cassie planned to get married. She pushed away from the group.
    “I gotta run, I’m late for Cassie’s wedding rehearsal!” She said, grabbing her coat and bolting out the door.

Chapter Seventeen

    Lexy rushed into the entrance of the Brook Ridge Falls restaurant. Her hair sat piled on top of her head in an unruly mess, her dress needed adjustment and she sported sneakers on her feet instead of the Manolo Blahnik rhinestone-studded stilettos she planned to wear for the wedding. But at least she’d made it on time … almost.
    The restaurant, an old mill, boasted a gigantic picture window with a spectacular up-close view of the waterfall. Cassie, John, and Jack stood in a huddle in front of it.  
    Jack turned as she approached, his face blanched and he shoved something into his pocket. Her eyes narrowed as she saw him say something to the others and they whirled around to look at her. Why was everyone acting so strange?
    Her disturbing thoughts fled and her eyes widened as she got the full view of Cassie in her deep red gown, hair highlighted to match. She had accentuated the outfit with black rhinestone jewelry and a black