A Murder...Plus

In Jim Scott Book #44, A MURDER…PLUS, a very wealthy woman is found dead in her home.  Frank Sansone, a Detective Lieutenant of the Utah Department of Public Safety winds up handling the case, after the Park City Utah Chief of Police asks for the states help.  In talking to an employee of the dead lady, who found the body, it is soon determined that there are at least three prime suspects, none of whom turned out to be the killer. 

One of those suspects once had a rather long relationship with Frank, but they hadn't seen each for over 14 years.  When he tracked her down, sparks flew, and they both soon stated they regretted the end of the relationship…problem solved in no time.

In one of those strange twists of fate, they go to breakfast together the following day, and on seeing there were no empty tables, were about to leave.  But Jim Scott, sitting a table for four with his wife Holly, saw their dilemma, and stood up, and by hand signals invited them to join him and his wife.  Before their meals were eaten, Holly took the lady under her wing to help her plan a wedding, and Jim joined Frank in the hunt for the murderer.

During the hunt, when Jim and Frank were joined in the hunt by Jim's longtime friend, Bob Becker, while Bob's wife Michelle lends a hand to Holly's project, the body of one of the two thiefs is found, and soon connected to the robbery.  It is determined that that man was the one who had done an unthinkable thing to the body of the victim of the murder, after her death.  The hunters use that to their advantage as they publicly blame the other thief for the deed of the dead man…the intent being to get inside the still living thief's head, and cause him to make mistakes.

While all this is going on, Holly is having breakfast with her wedding planning partner Michelle and the lady to be married, when she overhears four Chinese men talking at a table nearby.  They are speaking in Chinese, and during their conversation switch to a different dialect.  This presents no problem for Holly, as she understands all of the Chinese dialects.  Thus she is able to determine what the men are planning.  After relaying that information to Jim, he dispatches Bob and Michelle to deal with the situation.

Along the way of the hunt for the living thief, two other terrorists decide they want to end their association with the terrorist movement, and Jim winds up helping them on a new life path.  Also, during that time, at a loss for how to find the man they seek, Jim decides to set up Frank and an FBI friend of his as targets for the thief and murderer, so the hunted becomes a hunter.

During the hunt, another romance unfolds, and Holly and Michelle have another wedding to plan, though that one takes longer to happen.  Holly by then is recovered from a serious fall she took while trying to learn how to ski.  Also during the investigation two men at least in part responsible for the murder are dealt with in different, but similar fashion.