Free Kee Patterbee - Hannah Starvling 01 - The Chef at the Water's Edge by Kee Patterbee Page B

over the argument and told me that she needed to talk to me the next day; that she had something to share with me. That was the last time I ever saw her.”
    Everyone watched as the memory overtook the young woman and light tears escaped her eyes. Watching, Hannah added to her mental profile of Vera.
Still raw with emotion
.
    As the conversation continued between Vera and Louie, much information came to light. According to police and coroner reports, Julia Karas had succumbed sometime around 11:30 p.m. The groundskeeper, one Peter Grimes, found her floating at the water’s edge near the gazebo the next morning. The coroner went on to list the death as an accident. Cause was blunt force trauma to the front of the head. A police investigation determined that she fell forward and struck her head on an overhead beam in the gazebo. This sent her reeling into the water. Cased closed. For everyone except the victim’s protégé, a loyal friend, and now, an amateur investigator and her companions.
    For Hannah, too many questions remained. It was out of character for Julia to be where the groundskeeper found her body. No one had questioned the fact that she was not seen leaving the house because the security cameras were not activated. Nor had anyone given thought to the lateness of the hour. Police had written it off as an insomniacs walk.
    Hannah re-opened the file that Louie had gathered and ruffled through the papers. “What was the timeline again?”
    Buster looked around and picked up a sheet off a stack of papers, which sat before him. “I think I got it here.” He peered at the paper and handed it to Louie. “You’ll have to read it. Your handwriting is awful.” Louie snatched the sheet of paper from the handsome young man’s hand. “Hmmph,” he let out. “Let’s see. Julia came home after her fight with Asa around 5:45 p.m. At some point, they made amends and ate together, according to the personal cook. She said they ate around 7:00 p.m. Asa reported leaving the house around 8:30 p.m. for a late meeting. It was never revealed with whom. But his security guard and valet confirmed his departure time.”
    Hannah questioned as she sipped on her tea, “When did he come back?”
    “Around 12:30 AM. He told the police he had a few drinks at the meeting and fell right asleep. He didn’t question her not being in bed because she was an insomniac and would wander the house at all hours.” Louie twisted his jaw and added, “I can attest to that. She always had trouble sleeping.”
    How could he know that?
Hannah asked herself. Louie’s experience of Julia’s sleeping habits bothered her. Such matters are intimate and by all accounts, Julia had been faithful. She scrutinized Louie a bit more. There was the possibility that he might have too much knowledge of ‘his love.’ She added it to her mental personnel files.
    “Well, they did find her in her nightgown. Adds some more credence to his story,” Cate proposed.
    “And she didn’t show any signs of sexual assault,” Buster confessed, lifting a paper he was reading for all to see.
    Cate winced. “That narrows the field a bit, doesn’t it, though?”
    Buster stiffened. “What do you mean?”
    Hannah motioned to Vera. “Who all was in the house that night?”
    Everyone turned to look at Vera for an answer. “All night? Just Asa and Julia in the main house. The night guard at the gate. Mr. and Mrs. Staples. They are the valet and cook. They stay on the property in the servant’s house to the rear. Everyone else leaves by 9:00 p.m. They return on various days at various times.”
    “No one else?”
    Vera thought for a moment and then her eyes opened. “Jazlyn. She was visiting.”
    “That must have been frosty,” Cate said, “Given the argument earlier.”
    Hannah took a last swig from her cup of tea. “It’s interesting, that’s for sure. What kind of relationship did Julia have with Jazlyn?” Cate asked.
    *****
    Vera frowned and rolled her eyes as