Eclectic writer: Murder and Bitter Tea #MFRWHooks #BWLAuthor #Cozy mystery #Hudson Valley #Maine Coon Cat

Join the authors at #MFRWHooks here http://mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com for some intriguing excerpts. Mine is from Murder and Bitter Tea and following Katherine as she decides to go undercover as a nurse at an exclusive nursing home

BLURB:

Katherine’s newest tenant is estranged from her family and is the granddaughter of one of Katherine’s friends. When her friend falls and fractures her hip, the elderly woman is taken to Hudson House nursing home, an exclusive house.

Katherine’s friend becomes concerned about several recent and unexpected deaths. When she dies Katherine’s curiosity and suspicions send her undercover as a nurse. Soon she’s deeply involved.

Can she learn who is behind the scheme to end the lives of wealthy patients without becoming a victim?

Excerpt:

After unlocking the brakes, I pushed her along the hall to one of the elevators. We exited on the ground floor and moved through what had been the ballroom and now was a dining/activity center. The wide French doors opened onto a terrace where a ramp allowed easy access to the gardens. I found a sunny spot beside a white bench.

“Why all the secrecy?” I asked.

She heaved a sigh. “The intercom.”

Her answer puzzled me. Yes, health care facilities had intercom systems, but listening in on conversations was difficult. Sometimes, the static and crackle made the patients who called for help hard to hear. “What don’t you want heard?”

“In a minute.’ She clutched her purse to her chest. “Yesterday afternoon, I heard the man across the hall arguing with one of his sons. The man refused to sign some kind of paper. The son shouted. ‘If you don’t, you’re signing your death warrant. I need the power of attorney. Steve is just the one to see you dead.’ A nurse sent the son away.”

“Sounds like a family quarrel. People often say things they don’t mean when they’re upset.”

“That man died last night. I heard the nurses call the code and saw them pushing that red cart into the room.”

“Are you sure the one who died was the same man you heard earlier?”

“His room was directly across the hall from mine.”

“Do you know why he was here?”

She shook her head. “Another odd thing happened at dinner. One of the other residents asked why my neighbor hadn’t come to the dining room. He said they had planned a card game. The aide said the patient was too tired to leave his bed.”

“He could have had a relapse.”

“I suppose. When I asked the nurse what had happened, she said he’d had a heart attack. She also said deaths were expected when people are old and in poor health. I just thought his death coming so soon after the threat was odd.”

“Are you worried about yourself?”

She shook her head. “No, but I am pushing eighty.” She frowned. “Last night, Marcus and I had words about Jenna. I don’t understand his anger toward her. She wasn’t the driver. He insists a witness saw her behind the wheel, but he refused to say who saw the accident. I told him I planned to make some changes in my will.”

“How did he react?”

“Told me to think long and hard. I didn’t tell him the changes had been made months ago. I mailed two letters to the attorney just before the accident. They’ll explain why I acted the way I have.”

“Why not tell him?”

“I wanted them to be surprised.”

Though a million questions swirled in my thoughts, I kept silent. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired. A bit short of breath.”

“Have you noticed any swelling in your feet or ankles?”

“Hard to tell when you’re not moving about.”

“Why don’t you ask Dr. Brookes to stop by?”

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