Love Can Be Murder

By Nickolas Drake

Mimi Griffin has stepped back from the limelight of her glamorous erratic life to evaluate what is missing. Her sister Alexandra is supportive, but she has all but become a recluse and longs for more meaning and yes love, in her life. While visiting the monument to her late husband Red, in the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens, she unexpectedly meets a man who shares her current state of mind. While Mimi and Jeff find a common ground between them, and the first hint of romance appears, love will have to wait when sightings of Jeff's late wife's ghost pushes dreamy thoughts from their minds. Can Mimi and Alexandra sort out this supernatural confrontation and allow Mimi to move on with Jeff, or will his persistent late wife have her way with them?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nickolas Drake
• Release date: Jul 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310247699

Nickolas Drake

Nickolas Drake is a Technical Writer by profession, and lives in Arizona. When he is not writing, he enjoys playing with his dogs, gardening (not in the summer), and cooking.

Book preview

Love Can Be Murder

A Mimi Griffin Murder Mystery

By

Nickolas Drake

SMASHWORDS EDITION

*****

PUBLISHED BY:

Nickolas Drake at Smashwords

Copyright © 2015 Nickolas Drake

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

*****

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Chapter One

Deep in the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens, Johanna 'Mimi' Griffin sat alone on a small sandstone bench shaded by ancient Oak trees. She sighed softy to herself and reached out to touch the heavily carved, tall glossy black granite pillar engraved simply with the name, Red Griffin.

With tears in her eyes, she marveled at how quickly the last ten years had passed since the death of her husband, and even though she was very seldom lonely, she was still very much alone.

In the years since his death, Mimi had found herself in various dangerous situations where murder insinuated itself and unexpected adventure ruled.

She had several trusted friends; invaluable assets to a woman of her vast wealth, and of course her wonderful sister and confidant Alexandra.

During the past year, she'd stepped back from closely holding the reins of the huge pharmaceuticals company that she and Red had founded so long ago, and spent more time doing the things she truly enjoyed, even if that included doing nothing at all.

She'd traveled the world more times than she could count during her lifetime, always keeping busy tending to business, but finally her real life had caught up with her and brought her back home to Montecito and now, this afternoon to the memorial she'd created for her late husband, Red Griffin, years before.

Sighing, she reached out to touch the cold black shiny stone.

I've been running for far too long Red, and I'm sure you'd be surprised that I'm finally admitting I'm getting tired of it all, she said aloud to herself, smiling wistfully as she ran her fingers over the stone.

Who ever thought that Mimi Griffin would willingly step out of the media spotlight and crave some time alone? I know how amused you'd be to see me now, Red. I'm a somewhat plain looking woman, many of my fabulous jewels are locked away for now, and searching for something I can't quite touch, that has eluded me for so long. So many things have happened since you left, and many of them so unforeseen. I still have Alexandra, Max, and my wonderful friends but I know when I'm truly honest with myself they aren't enough for me, she said softly, tears beginning to threaten her quiet voice.

Alex has been so supportive of me and understands what is going on with me, but I realize now this change has to come from me; I'm the only one that can alter things and make me live again and be truly happy. You of all people would be shocked to know I've taken up painting and spend a lot of time these days at home, watching silly television shows, and ignoring the flood of calls and emails. I feel like I'm hardly flourishing any more Red, and my life after you died was really a sham, just one thing after another so I wouldn't have to slow down to face myself and the thought of losing you. At times I just feel my life has gone so astray, she said, putting her face in her hands and then started sobbing quietly.

A few moments later, Mimi sensed rather than heard or felt someone sit down beside her, and looked up in surprise, raising a tissue to her reddened eyes.

I'm sorry to bother you Ma'am, but I saw you sitting here and wanted to make sure you are okay, the handsome older man said to her, looking at her with obvious concern in his light blue eyes.

Mimi was instantly embarrassed by her show of emotions and looked away.

Oh yes, I'm so sorry, I was just feeling a bit down right now and things kind of got out of hand. I'm truly fine you know, she told him, her voice wavering and then she started to sob once more.

Sometimes it's better to just let things out and deal with it directly; I've found that out from my own personal experience in life. Is there something I can do for you, or call someone to come and be with you, he asked, reaching over to gently touch her arm.

Mimi smiled at him and shook her head, suddenly feeling very awkward pouring her heart out to some complete stranger.

No, no, I'll be fine, I think all this has been building up for a very long time and it has all just come to a head as they say. Thank you for your concern, she added quickly starting to feel uncomfortable by her display of emotion.

Jeff smiled warmly at her and gave her arm a gentle squeeze.

Well if you're sure then, I'll just leave you with your thoughts; I don't want to intrude on your privacy, he added starting to stand up.

Without thinking about it, Mimi reached out and touched his arm, and looked up into his powder blue eyes.

Please if you don’t mind, I'd like you to stay here and talk to me for a little while if you don't mind. I promise I won't continue to make such a fool of myself, she said, not wanting to be alone any longer with her dark thoughts.

If you're sure, then I'll stay; like I said I don't want to intrude on you, and there certainly is no fool here, he said, sitting back down, a bit closer this time.

Thank you; I'm Mimi Griffin by the way. This memorial is to my late husband Red, and I started to feel a bit melancholy the longer I sat here and thought about things of the past, she explained, looking at him and admiring his thick silver hair and lean figure.

I'm Jeff, Jeff Winson, and I too come here to think and remember happy things in my life. I lost my wife going on three years ago; I still miss her as if it was yesterday. If you feel like it maybe we should take a walk around the garden; all the beautiful bright spring flowers have a very real soothing effect on dark unsettling old memories, he said standing up and offering her his arm.

That would be lovely Jeff, probably just the thing I could use about now, she said, placing her small hand in his arm as they started to walk.

I often come here to think about my late wife Nina and all the good times we had together. She was a wonderful cheerful person when I met her and of course, she had her faults and all, but she took the time to care about people and they deeply loved her for it. We never had any children of our own but she just turned that sorrow into caring for others and her charity work. Most people couldn't imagine where she got her energy from but it seemed like she was always on the move, right up until her death, he told her, his voice trailing off with his last words.

She sounds truly wonderful, I'm so sorry for your loss. So please, let's change the subject here and tell me about you. Are you retired, and if so what did you do for a living, all those kinds of things that tend to define one's self at least superficially, she asked, surprised by how completely natural it seemed to her, to be walking along with him and still holding his arm tightly.

They strolled for a few moments more in silence as Jeff contemplated his thoughts and then after a heavy sigh, began speaking.

For lack of a better term I guess you could call me a business manager. My late wife was an artist of some repute and while she was actually the real breadwinner in the family, I ran her business affairs and such. Nina was never one for the limelight and her gallery shows were always such a tremendous strain on her that we held them infrequently. I would say that the term reclusive would be a good description, her good deeds were done through me and our staff and from afar.

Mimi nodded her head in understanding, and then smiled thinking back to some of her own public antics.

Open venues aren't for everyone, in the past couple of years I've slowed things down myself and have enjoyed a much quieter life, more lonely of course but I found the respite I sorely needed, Mimi confided.

Jeff stopped for a moment as he put together his next words.

Her reclusiveness was more than that Mimi, one night after an exhibition that I wasn't able to attend as I was out of town on a business trip, she was accosted on her way to her car and was robbed and severely beaten. She never recovered from the fear of that terrible night, and avoided going out after dark, fiercely guarding her privacy and being almost a fanatic about security.

I can see where one might have that reaction, something like that would be beyond terrifying. I'm sorry to hear she went through such an ordeal, Mimi told him, thinking back with a silent shudder to some of her narrow escapes from personal injury and the possibility of death.

Those were terrible times for sure and I still blame myself for not being with her to protect her, but who would have thought an event so horrible would happen? At the end of her life she was terrified that someone would go after her body when she died, and made me promise to cremate her and scatter her ashes so no one could ever touch her again, he told her, causing Mimi to look over at him in surprise.

That is pretty morbid, but then again each person must find their way to peace. Well, she is at peace now so we can move on from this. And I have to tell you that you were right, being out here with all this beauty has lightened my spirit, thank you Jeff, she added, watching him smile at her.

My pleasure and I'm sorry for the morbid story, I didn't mean to bring you down or dampen your mood. So tell me about you Mimi Griffin; I obviously know you were married, and to cut to the chase, I recognize you from some of your pictures that I've seen in the press and online, he added, giving her a wry smile.

Mimi sighed almost feeling trapped by her notoriety, and stopped walking to turn to look at him.

"It seems I can never escape who I am or my reputation good or bad. I don't think there will ever be a quiet life for me as the moment I appear at an event, the press