Read Murder by Chance (Betty Chance Mystery) for Free Online

line was visible from across a room.
    Betty entered the marble bathroom and twisted the faucet in the walk-in shower to hot. When the temperature was just right she stepped in. Water from the five adjustable heads pulsated against her body. She fiddled with the knobs, and found the setting that stung her body with needlepoint precision. It was like liquid acupuncture. Every inch of her body tingled in pleasurable pain.
    Her body was tired but her mind wouldn’t rest. As the water rippled down her back, she started going over all the possibilities of what might have happened on the bus. Tillie had left the bus unlocked, allowing passengers to come and go as they pleased. But by leaving it unguarded, she had unwittingly created an opportunity for a stranger to walk on board. If there were a silver lining in that act, it was that the murderer could have been somebody other than a Take A Chance client, or employee.
    Perhaps Farsi’s death was a simple case of robbery gone wrong. That would explain why Farsi’s ID was missing. A lot of people used disposable cell phones and the fact that Farsi’s owned one was hardly sinister. Even his fraudulent job history didn’t bother Betty. It wasn’t that unusual for a man to tell a white lie every once in a while. Heck, even thrice in a while.
    Betty turned off the water just as the phone rang in the other room. She grabbed the largest towel, and wrapped it partially around her, and then decided ‘What the hell’ and let the useless fig leaf—unless you’re a size zero—cover up drop to the floor. She shuffled naked into the next room and grabbed her cell phone.
    “Hello,” she said, water dripping down her body and into the carpet.
    “It’s me. Are you okay?” It was her niece Lori. She was also Take A Chance Tours’ accountant.
    “I’m fine,” Betty answered, knowing immediately why her niece was calling at such an hour. Lori must have heard what happened. Her niece seemed to worry about every little thing lately. Her aunt’s well-being was no exception. “Did you hear about our passenger being murdered?”
    “Of course I did,” Lori answered sternly. “Please don’t lie to me when you answer the next question. Were you or Tillie in any danger at any point? Could it have been you that was murdered?”
    Betty wanted to state truthfully maybe , but she knew better. She said, “As far as I know, we were in absolutely no danger. I don’t think the killing was a random event. The murderer was after Farsi and no one else.”
    She could hear Lori breathe a sigh of relief.
    “By the way, how did you hear about what happened?” Betty asked and did a head toss of her wet hair. Droplets sprayed across her bare shoulders. She rolled her eyes upward in a failed attempt to see the wet trickle pestering her forehead. She walked over to the oak wardrobe and opened it. Betty grabbed the complimentary white terry cloth robe from inside and slipped it on, passing the cell phone from one hand to the other as she did. She was pleased the robe almost came together in the center when she pulled it tight. Last time she was at Moose Bay, it didn’t.
    “Are you kidding?” Lori responded. “The murder is being featured on every single cable news network, including CNN!”
    “Oh great,” Betty groaned.
    “Seems like an I-reporter on YouTube heard about it on his scanner and alerted the stations.”
    “Cripes.” Betty groaned again.
    Lori continued, “But I heard it first from Hannah.”
    “Hannah?” Betty asked in surprise and plopped down into an armchair.
    “Yeah, “ said Lori. “She’s already asked for a refund.”
    “Hannah called you at home?” Betty was slightly irritated that Hannah hadn’t said something to her first. “How did she get your number?”
    “I’m listed, remember?” Lori could tell Betty was going into her mother-protector mode so she made a pre-emptive strike: “Aunt Betty, you and I talked about that and decided it wasn’t a big deal.