Free The Black Widow by C.J. Johnson Page A

after she spoke with Mr Turner that she learnt he hadn't seen her email. Turner had hastily checked his email account and found the email in the deleted folder.
    There was only his wife, Miss Carlson told Mike, that could have done that.
    She said that Dave had been distracted and anxious all day, disturbed that his wife hadn't said anything to him about the incident and distraught at the thought of her leaving him.
    Mike managed to keep quiet regarding Dave's so-called concern that his young wife may leave him when he happened to know that the man had been having an affair with his ex-wife and had promised her a divorce from Cheryl in order to reconcile their relationship.
    It sounded to Mike as if the bloke hadn't a clue as to what, or who, he wanted.
    He asked Sheila what happened next and she said it'd been bizarre. The day after Dave learnt his wife had opened the email, he'd come into work happy and claiming he and his beautiful young wife were starting a family. Sheila had managed to speak privately with Dave and he'd said after years of asking, Cheryl had suddenly told him she wanted to start a family.
    She had not mentioned the email.
    Asking Sheila how she'd felt about that, keeping in mind that her answer could mark her as a person of interest if he were able to prove Turner's death as murder, he was relieved at her cold answer.
    She hadn't cared. The affair had been purely about the sex for her and there were, she told Mike bluntly, many perks to screwing your boss. That the woman could be so cold and self-absorbed, that she couldn't care less about the death of a man that she'd been sleeping with a week ago stunned Mike.
    Dave Turner may have had a thing for the ladies, but he sure didn't have any luck with them.
    Mike asked Sheila about Mr Turner's drinking habits, and to his dismay she confirmed that not only had he been a rather heavy drinker, but he also had the habit of drinking vodka from a bottle that he kept by his bed to help him sleep, followed by a cigarette.
    Dave Turner's ex-wife had also confirmed this habit.
    Ending the conversation as politely as he could, Mike sat looking through his notes for a couple of minutes and realised he'd found the motive he'd been looking for. He pondered life insurance and inheritance, but at this point he felt this was merely a perk.
    He ran his questions through his mind as he watched Cheryl Turner, the warning to take it easy from Carl echoing in his mind.
    "Mrs Turner, do you know a Miss Sheila Carlson?"
    She kept her head in her hands and didn't respond to his question.
    "Did Mr Turner ever mention this woman to you? Does the name sound at all familiar?"
    She shook her head and sobbed loudly.
    Mike was aware of Mr Harrison's gaze upon him and Mike purposely avoided his eyes. Aware that he was being intentionally ignored, Mr Harrison spoke up. "Who is this woman and what does she have to do with Dave's accident?"
    Mike leaned forward, his eyes on Mrs Turner. "Think, Mrs Turner. Did your husband ever mention her or speak with her over the phone in your company? Did you ever meet her?"
    Mrs Turner shook her head roughly, her face still covered by her hands. Mr Harrison, his face now flushed an angry red spoke again. "I'll ask again since you chose to ignore me the first time: Who is this woman and what does she have to do with Dave's accident?"
    "The question is for Mrs Turner," Mike answered, still watching Mrs Turner closely. She was crying loudly now, her cries muffled and pressed her hands over her face.
    "This poor young woman lost her husband last night in a horrific accident. You insinuate not one hour later Cheryl is involved, then turn up today throwing women's names at her. Dave died in a fire, what on earth would this woman, whoever she is, or Cheryl, have to do with that?
    "It's one name, Mr Harrison," Mike said calmly, "and it's a name I'm surprised Cheryl doesn't know."
    "Just what are you trying to achieve here, detective? Pushing to see how much this