Read Constable Molly Smith 01 - In the Shadow of the Glacier for Free Online Page A

understand what I told you, ma’am?” Winters said. “Mr. Montgomery was found dead a short while ago.”
    “I understand, Mr. Winters. Poor Reggie. His heart, I suppose. No matter how I nagged, he simply wouldn’t give up fried foods.”
    “Is there someone we could call to be with you?”
    Smith’s cell phone rang. She fumbled at the buttons to send it directly to voice mail. Winters glared at her.
    “We haven’t lived here long,” Mrs. Montgomery said. “I don’t have close friends or family in town. Except for Henry, of course.”
    “Of course.” Winters had broken the tragic news to many people in his long career. He’d never seen anyone react so stoically. She hadn’t even asked him if he was sure, or told him he must be mistaken.
    “I’ll call my son, Gerald. He lives in California, so it might be a while before he gets here.”
    “I can arrange for someone from victim services to wait with you until your son arrives.”
    “No, thank you. I don’t care for strangers in my home.” She put the glass on the coffee table, scooped up the dog, and stood. “Thank you for coming, Mr. Winters, Miss Smith. It was most kind of you to deliver the news in person. Do you need me to identify the body, or something?”
    “That can wait until tomorrow.”
    “Good. It is late. You can call me any time after ten to arrange a viewing.”
    Viewing? “Mrs. Montgomery, we should call someone to be with you. Constable Smith can wait until a neighbor arrives.”
    “I assure you, Mr. Winters, that I will be quite fine until my son gets here in a day or two.”
    A day or two? “Before we go, can I ask what your husband was doing this evening?”
    “Other than getting himself killed?” She laughed.
    He heard a strangled sound from Smith, and didn’t dare look at her.
    “Reginald and Frank were having dinner with potential investors. Japanese fellows, looking for someplace to spend their money. These Asians are buying up the entire province. Someone should put a stop to it before they expect us to eat with chopsticks, don’t you agree, Mr. Winters?”
    “Who’s Frank, and what’s his last name?”
    “Frank Clemmins, my husband’s business partner.”
    Winters glanced at Smith. She gave an almost imperceptible nod, indicating that she knew who they were talking about.
    “Did your husband say where they were dining? Or when he expected the dinner to be over?”
    Mrs. Montgomery shook her head. “No. But Reginald never stayed out late. He was almost always home by ten, and never later to bed than eleven. He didn’t care for dinners with Asian businessmen. He said they were too interested in having a good time, as long as he was paying. If he didn’t get at least seven hours’ sleep, Reginald had a tendency to fall asleep in the afternoon, sometimes in meetings, and he disliked that. Made him look old, he said. Poor Reginald. I’ll miss him. And so will Henry, won’t you, Henry?” The dog barked in agreement. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Mr. Winters, it is late.”
    “Did your husband perhaps forget to take his wallet?”
    “I can’t imagine him doing so. I haven’t seen it around.”
    “Did he carry a cell phone?”
    “Reginald is…was…a busy man. He made phone calls all the day long. He told me many times that he can’t imagine how he ever coped in the days before cell phones. I assume you’re asking me these questions because his possessions are missing.”
    “Did he wear a watch?”
    “Of course. I told you he was punctual. He lived by his watch. Is that missing as well? It was a good one.”
    “Can you describe it?”
    “It’s a Rolex Oyster. His mother gave it to him for his fortieth birthday. Reginald treasured it.”
    “Do you happen to have a picture of it, Mrs. Montgomery? For insurance purposes, perhaps.”
    “How clever of you to think of that, Mr. Winters. I believe we do. I’ll just be a minute.” She put Henry down, and left the room.
    Winters walked to the French doors.