Free The Stone of Sadness (An Olivia Miller Mystery Book 3) by J A Whiting

cup on the table. “To be honest, I can’t tell you much about Kenny. I didn’t care to know the young man. I tried to avoid him whenever he dropped by. I admit he had a difficult life, but that wasn’t something we wanted seeping into our lives. That’s really all I can help you with, Olivia. I’m sorry I can’t provide more information.”
    “You’ve been very helpful. Thank you for seeing me,” Olivia said. “I appreciate it.”
    “Angela will see you out,” Mrs. Bradford said looking off into the yard.
    At the front door, Angela said, “Mother can come off as a very stern person. She is kind, but she sees things in black and white. There are no shades of gray with her. She’s a product of a strict upbringing from a wealthy family. She expected certain standards of behavior from us and she could be cold and harsh if we didn’t toe the line.”
    “Emily sounds to have had a tough time with it,” Olivia said. “Two clashing personalities. Are you and your sister close?”
    “We keep in touch, but we aren’t close. There was the ten year age difference separating us…we were always at different stages in life. Emily thought I was the favored one, but I just knew how to keep my mouth closed and go along with things. She and I are opposites in just about every way. She was at the top of her class, a great athlete. She thinks I wasted my life taking care of my husband and children and not having a career. Our father did very well with investments that he made over the course of his working life. When he died, he left my mother, Emily, and me very wealthy women. Emily didn’t have to work a day in her life but career has been her focus. She’s very driven. Her business is everything to her. She owns some strip malls and office buildings. We don’t have much in common. She works out every day. Runs marathons, goes rock climbing, does triathlons. I enjoy cooking and gardening and quilting. Emily turns her nose up at those things. She thinks I’ve squandered my life. And let’s me know it. ”
    “Different choices,” Olivia said. “Emily never wanted to marry?”
    “I suppose she did early on, but things happened that turned her away from relationships.”
    “Kenny?” Olivia asked.
    “Well, Kenny, yes. That must have been frightening to be dating someone who is suspected of murder.” Angela paused. “There was something else though. Emily was in a serious relationship with a young man from town. It started shortly after Overman left Howland. The young man had been in her high school class. He came from a good family. The Martins attended our church. Mother was pleased. James was in youth group with Emily. He had a crush on her. After Overman took off, Emily started dating James. They went out for about a year.”
    “They broke up?” Olivia asked.
    Angela sighed. “James died.” She cleared her throat. “He drowned in his family’s backyard pool.”
    “How awful,” Olivia said. “The poor family. Poor Emily.”
    Angela nodded. “Emily was there when it happened.”
    Olivia’s eyes widened.
    “James’ parents were out. Emily and James had spent the evening barbecuing and swimming. They were drinking. It got late. Emily went inside to use the restroom and when she came back out, James was at the bottom of the pool. Emily was frantic. She tried to pull him out of the water. She called the police but he was dead by the time they arrived.”
    “That’s terrible.”
    “I think Emily really loved him,” Angela said. “She never seemed the same towards relationships after that. She became very driven and focused on becoming successful.”
    Olivia had a faraway look in her eyes. “So sad,” she whispered.
    “A couple of years later, Emily was engaged briefly to a man from town but she broke it off. He was in Emily’s classes all through school. They knew each other from the time they were little.”
    “Do you know why she broke off the engagement?”
    “She just said he wasn’t for