11 Southern Fried and Grief Stricken (An Ivy Creek Cozy Mystery Book 11) by Ruth Baker

Author:Ruth Baker [Baker, Ruth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CleanTales Publishing
Published: 2023-03-26T04:00:00+00:00

16

L ucy sat on a second-hand red velvet ottoman, feeling sick and dizzy, while police officers swarmed the shop. Someone pressed a bottle of water into her hand, and she accepted it gratefully, the cool liquid soothing her tight throat.

Her eyes were glued to Taylor and the chief medical examiner as they crouched behind the counter, examining Wendy Gilmore’s body. The water Lucy had gulped down now seemed leaden in her belly, adding to her nausea. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her frazzled nerves.

Although she’d seen dead bodies more times than she’d once imagined possible, this one was different. It seemed personal. It was true; she and Wendy had not run in the same circles in high school - in fact, they’d hardly known each other at all–but these past two weeks she’d gotten to know her old classmate. She’d respected the other woman’s courage and determination, and had come to think of her as a friend.

Lucy drew a shaky breath as Taylor crossed the room to stand before her. Her eyes lifted to his face, hoping to see some warmth.

When he’d first arrived, his expression was remote, clinical. Of course, that was to be expected–he was on the job. But now she yearned for him to pull her into his arms and soothe her trembling, tell her everything was going to be OK.

But it wasn’t OK. Wendy Gilmore was dead. She knew from the grim look on Taylor’s face that this was no accident. Wendy had been murdered.

“Tell me again, from the beginning, everything you noticed when you arrived here this morning.” Taylor stood at the ready with a pen and notepad.

Lucy relayed how she’d noticed the lights were out, and that the door had swung open when she knocked. At this point, he interrupted her.

“Did you touch the doorknob, Lucy?” Even the use of her name was dispassionate, and her lower lip trembled.

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I didn’t need to. It just opened on my first knock like it wasn’t closed properly.”

His eyes bore into hers. “Don’t think so? Or you’re sure you didn’t touch it?”

Lucy closed her eyes, thinking hard. She shook her head again. “I didn’t touch the knob.”

He nodded curtly and said. “Continue.”

Stumbling a bit over her words, Lucy went on to say she’d lain the punch bowl down and called Wendy’s names several times before deciding to ring her on her cell.

Taylor scribbled down notes as she spoke, ending with finding Wendy on the floor behind the counter.

“Did you touch the body?” he asked. “Try to revive her?”

The body. Lucy shivered at the clinical term. Wendy Gilmore had been reduced to “the body.”

She drew a deep breath before answering the question. “I checked for a pulse. That was all. H-her… her skin was… c-cold.” Lucy closed her eyes again, reliving that awful moment.

Taylor’s hand suddenly touched her shoulder with a gentle squeeze of comfort. “I’m sorry, Lucy. I know this is difficult.”

She opened her eyes, relieved that he’d at last abandoned his air of detachment.

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