Free Daisy McDare and the Deadly Legal Affair by K. M. Morgan Page A

about you, but when I found out my boyfriend was cheating on me, I couldn’t wait to hit the bar for a drink.  How about you?” 
    “I’m too old for that,” Brooke insisted. 
    “What did you do the other night then?”
    Brooke put on a devilish smile.  “I went on a shopping spree with Max’s credit cards.”
    Daisy did the math in her head.  If Brooke was out shopping, she could have easily made a quick stop at the office that night to poison her husband’s drink, then gone right back to shopping.  There was a flimsy alibi if ever Daisy had heard one. 
    “Good call,” Daisy said. 
    Brooke nodded.  “I probably spent two thousand dollars in one pop.”
    “Wow.  Sounds like you had one heck of a night.”
    “I’ll say.  I’ll never forget it.”  Brooke then got really quiet as the realization that she was being grilled sunk in.
    Daisy was looking to rule out some subjects, but if anything, this conversation made Brooke look guiltier than before. 
    Brooke changed the subject.  “By the way, shouldn’t you be getting back to work?”
    “Actually, I was coming over here to ask you about that.  With your husband gone, I wasn’t sure that I should continue with the job,” Daisy explained. 
    Brooke seemed surprised at the idea of Daisy not finishing.  “Of course you should.”
    “Really?”
    Brooke nodded. 
    “I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with the law firm is all.”
    “I’ll tell you what’s going to happen, it’s going to go on just as strong as ever.  Your redecorating job is just what we need for our fresh start,” Brooke declared. 
    “In that case, I’ll get back to it then,” Daisy said. 
    “Before you do, I have an announcement to make,” Brooke said. 
     
     
     
     
    ***
     
     
     
     
    Brooke assembled the entire staff.
    “As you all know, it has been a terrible few days.  Now that the murderer has been caught though, it is time to get back to business.  With my husband gone, you may be wondering what the future of this law office is.  I’m here to tell you.  The firm is going to be in great hands…with Peter Simpson at the helm,” Brooke said.  
    Peter, Max’s young protégé, then stepped forward and nodded to Brooke. 
    “I have decided to make Peter a partner in this firm.  He will be taking over my husband’s case load while I become a silent partner in the background,” she continued.  
    Peter then said a few words.  “First, I’d like to give a big thanks to Brooke Cash for trusting in my abilities.  I’m going to do everything I can to live up to the reputation of this firm.” 
    As Daisy watched the announcement, she couldn’t help but be struck by the look in Peter’s eyes.  Much like Brooke, Peter Simpson’s life seemed to have gotten better with Max’s death as well. 
    The day Max was murdered, Peter was rather vocal with his complaints over not being made a partner.  Max told him to be patient.  Peter threatened to leave for another law firm.  Max then threatened to ruin Peter if he dared leave this law office.  Now with Max dead, Peter got the partnership he’d been craving.
    Daisy would clearly have to pay Peter a visit later, but first she wanted to chase down another hunch. 
     
     
     
     
    ***
     
     
     
     
    It was rather fitting that Daisy ran into the office’s legal assistant Chloe Donaldson at the coffee maker shortly after the announcement.  Even though Max’s office was the scene of the crime, the coffee maker was where trouble started brewing. 
    Daisy had a bunch of questions for Chloe.  As Max’s faithful and doting assistant that always made sure his coffee cup was full, she had means to pour rat poison in his cup without him realizing it.
    And as a woman having an affair with a married man that didn’t want to get a divorce, she had plenty of motive too.  In Daisy’s eyes, that made her a prime suspect.   
    On top of that, the last time Daisy saw Chloe, she was running out of