Free Board Stiff (Mattie Winston Mysteries) by Annelise Ryan

Al says, pointing to the second woman, a thirtyish, brown-haired woman wearing thick eyeglasses, a midi skirt, and a simple white blouse, “is Jeanette Throckmorton, Bernard’s administrative assistant.”
    Jeanette looks at us from beneath lowered lids and when she sees me watching her, she quickly turns away. She shifts her weight from one foot to the other and her hands keep opening, closing, opening, and closing. The woman is obviously nervous and I want to know why. Something tells me it’s more than just the fact that her boss might have been murdered. I add her to my mental list of people to talk to soon.
    “Is it true?” Al asks Hurley. “Is Bernard dead? Did someone kill him?”
    “It is true that he’s dead,” Hurley says. “As to how he died, we aren’t sure at this point. But until we can rule out foul play, this section of your facility is to be considered a crime scene and therefore off limits.”
    “That’s unacceptable,” Al says. “We need to initiate our emergency protocols right away. And we need to contact our lawyers.”
    “You can do whatever your protocols dictate as long as it doesn’t involve access to this administrative wing, or otherwise interfere with my investigation.” Hurley’s tone makes it clear who’s in charge, though Al squares his shoulders and puffs himself up like he wants to challenge him. Hurley ignores Al’s posturing and continues with his instructions. “I’m glad you’re here. You can help us with our investigation and the sooner we figure out exactly what happened, the sooner you can have your offices back. There are certain things I’ll need access to and questions I’ll need answered. I assume you will cooperate?”
    “Of course. We want to help,” Al says. “But before we provide you with anything, we need to consult with our lawyers.”
    “I suggest you do so quickly,” Hurley says, pinning the CFO with those steel blue eyes. “Have any of you notified Mrs. Chase yet?”
    Dorothy, who has been standing by quietly throughout this exchange, finally speaks up. “I tried to call her, but she isn’t home. She had a show in Madison last night so she might have spent the night there.”
    “A show?” I say. “What is she, some sort of actress?”
    “No,” Dorothy says. “She’s an artist and a fairly successful one from what I hear. She’s been selling her stuff at this gallery in Madison for years. It’s some kind of environmentally themed stuff that’s very avant-garde and trendy with the rich set. Vonda is all about the environment. That’s why I wasn’t able to reach her. She doesn’t have a cell phone. She thinks they’re a bane on society, polluting the air waves and the landfills. And she’s convinced they cause brain tumors. She’s a bit dotty if you ask me, but then most of the artists I know fit that description.”
    “Has anyone gone by her house to see if she’s home?” Hurley asks.
    Al, Dorothy, and Jeanette all look at one another, and then back at Hurley. They shake their heads in unison.
    “Can you give us some idea of how long this is going to take, Detective?” Dorothy asks.
    Izzy steps up and says, “I’m Dr. Rybarceski, the medical examiner. I plan on doing an autopsy on Mr. Chase this afternoon so we can determine all the causes of death. Once we know the results of that, we’ll have a better idea of where we stand.”
    “All the causes of death?” Al says. “What does that mean?”
    “It means there is an obvious cause of death that may be an incidental finding,” Izzy explains. “Based on what our witness described, I’m not convinced that there wasn’t something else going on as well.”
    “There was a witness?” Dorothy says. “Are you saying someone saw Bernard die?”
    “In a way,” Izzy says. “But I’m not at liberty to say anything more right now.”
    “That reminds me,” Hurley says, scanning the walls and ceiling. “Do you have any security cameras in this place?”
    “No,”