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

Max’s office trying to hold back tears.  What had gone on in that office?  Daisy thought the answer to that question could blow this case wide open. 
    The problem was, how to bring it up in a roundabout way without arousing Chloe’s suspicions?
    “Rumor has it, you’re the woman to come to for a dynamite cup of coffee,” Daisy said. 
    “I don’t know about that,” Chloe replied.
    “Max sure seemed to like your coffee.”
    “Max liked any cup of coffee he didn’t have to make himself,” Chloe muttered. 
    “He was a busy guy.  The man sure seemed to work late pretty often,” Daisy replied.  
    “Oh yeah.  The job of a defense lawyer is rarely nine to five.”
    “How about you?  Did he force you to work overtime often?”
    “Actually, not usually.”
    “Really?”
    “Max didn’t like to pay for overtime,” Chloe revealed. 
    “Ah.  If you were gone at night, who was around to make him coffee?” Daisy joked. 
    “I always made him a fresh pot just before I left and kept it on the burner for him.”
    Daisy then saw a shift in Chloe’s attitude.  Chloe tensed up and wanted to change the subject. 
    “What’s with all this talk about coffee anyway?” Chloe asked. 
    “Sorry, I just have caffeine on the brain.  I’m not quite myself until I have a cup of Joe in the morning,” Daisy answered. 
    “I hear you.  Anyway, I should probably get back to work,” Chloe said. 
    She certainly seemed eager to exit this conversation.  Daisy wasn’t about to let Chloe off the hook that easy. 
    “By the way, how are you holding up?” Daisy asked. 
    Chloe furrowed her brow.  “What do you mean?”
    “Your boss was just murdered.  I was just wondering how you’re handling things.”
    “Oh.  Well, it’s a shock for sure.  I’ve never had a boss like Max before.”
    Considering they were having an affair, that was the understatement of the century.  Clearly Chloe didn’t realize Daisy knew about the affair.  Daisy decided to press on for more information. 
    “I’ll say,” Daisy replied. 
    Chloe jumped on the defensive.  “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    Daisy stared her down.  “I know about you and Max.”
    Chloe narrowed her eyes.  “Why would you bring that up?”
    “Because, the day Max was murdered, I saw you run out of his office crying.  What happened in that office Chloe?”
    Chloe remained guarded.  It was clear she was purposefully trying to keep Daisy at arm’s length. 
    “That’s none of your business,” Chloe hissed. 
    “Really?  I’ll bet the police would be interested to hear about what happened in that office,” Daisy pressed. 
    Chloe went into full panic mode.  “Why are you doing this?  They already found Max’s killer.   The night maid did it.”
    “Then you have no reason not to tell me what happened in that office.”
    Chloe was defiant.  “I don’t have to tell you anything.” 
    “I’ll tell you what I think happened.  When you found out Max was fighting his wife over getting a divorce, you decided to go into his office and confront him about it.  You told him if he really loved you, he should embrace this divorce and devote himself to you.  But Max loved money too much to hand over half of his life savings in divorce court.  Then you and Max got into a big blowout argument.  Am I right?” Daisy asked. 
    Chloe tensed up.  She hadn’t even opened her mouth yet.  She didn’t have to.  Her eyes were doing plenty of talking. 
    Daisy knew she was right, whether Chloe was willing to admit it or not.  Once again, Daisy’s hunch didn’t steer her wrong. 
    “You have a lot of nerve,” Chloe said. 
    “Does that mean I’m right?”
    “Mind your own business,” Chloe shot back. 
    “You didn’t answer my question.”
    “Because I don’t have to.  I didn’t kill him.”
    That was one of the least convincing denials Daisy had ever seen.  If murder was a crime of passion, Chloe sure had it in spades.  Daisy