Free A Cup of Murder by Cam Larson Page A

between
the coffee house owners had gone, the more I knew Jacob had done a
good job of convicting himself. The immature actions on the parts of
two grown men definitely had gone too far.
    "My suggestion is for you to find all
exchanges with Michael tonight and get rid of them in your home.
Early tomorrow do the same thing at Roasted Love. For now, let’s
get back to my corkboard. You can help me see things I haven’t
figured out yet."
    I glanced in his direction and saw him look at his
name in bold print down the left side of the board. He may as well
know I was picking at him just like anyone else that could be the
murderer. He commented on how many times I had his name and actions
up there.
    "I had to put everything I’ve observed so
far and you have to admit, Jacob, that your behavior has been a
little erratic since Michael Simms first opened Sunrise."
    He nodded his head. "It’s good, I guess, to
see it written down and I know that once the cops interview people
about me a little more, they won’t have to see it in writing. Just
listening to them will give the same picture as what you have pinned
up here."
    "What about Michael’s wife?" asked
Jacob. "I heard they didn’t get along so well."
    "I’ve thought about her but haven’t
gotten anything up there yet. Jen told me she and Michael were having
an affair. He broke it off, telling her he wanted to mend his
relationship with his wife. It is all hearsay but she could be a
suspect."
    I wrote ‘Michael’s wife’ on an index card,
noted possible resentment at his affairs from her standpoint and
pinned it on the top right side. I provided each suspect with their
own column. I commented to Jacob that she would be someone who would
meet with Michael at the coffee house. I didn’t even know her name
at this point. I'm sure it was mentioned in the article I had read
about Michael, but her name seemed to be a footnote in comparison to
his and his family's accomplishments.
    "Why would they not meet in their own home in
that case?" asked Jacob.
    "Good point," I said. "Let’s move
on."
    "What about the Real Estate guy that had
problems with Michael when he first wanted to buy the place? What was
his name?" asked Jacob.
    "Robert Mitchell. I heard he moved his real
estate office to Upstate New York about a week after he closed the
deal with Michael. Once the deal was done I doubt he ever talked to
Michael again."
    We talked about Jen Perry. She was upset about
Michael breaking up with her. There was no way to know how much truth
was in what she had told me so far. She could be just building her
own case and throwing it out to me as a test to see how plausible it
was. I mentioned to Jacob her comment about Michael’s argument with
his brother, the Senator on the phone.
    We decided to call it a night. We both had a lot
to think about.
    I stretched out in bed and decided to seek Jen
Perry before she approached me again on her own. I wanted to ask her
more questions about her relationship with Michael Simms.

Chapter Eleven

    When I left my house the next morning with Thor by
my side the sun was out bright. Sun streaming through leaves on the
trees was the only light I saw to begin my day. Once again I sensed
someone watching me and the feeling within me was the same as the
night I arrived home after Michael’s murder. I looked around and
saw nothing except the usual morning activity along the street.
    Thor walked alongside me and I was glad I had the
dog with me. I knew all too well how ferocious he could be when
called upon for protection. Rounding the corner just before Roasted
Love the unsettling feeling rushed through me again and I picked up
the pace while I considered asking Jacob to give me a ride home later
that day.
    Ahead of me at the curb was a patrol car. Two
uniformed policemen were bringing Jacob Weaver out of Roasted Love,
handcuffed. I stood still. He didn’t see me and I did not bring
attention to myself. His face ashen, he stumbled a little when they
put