A Blush With Death (Bath and Body Mysteries) by India Ink

Author:India Ink
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 9781101645086
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2006-05-01T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

W hile I arranged cookies on a plate and poured our drinks, I could hear Winthrop and Auntie discussing the paperwork that would legalize my partnership in the business, but my mind was running in a different direction.

Our roses were tainted…. Sharon screwed over Killian…. Bebe was a well-known scam artist…. My journal had been stolen, and my work ripped off…. And now, Sharon, was lying in a hospital bed, comatose from a gunshot.

How did the pieces all fit together? I was fairly certain that Bebe was the culprit behind our roses and my journal; that was a no-brainer, even though we couldn’t prove it. But somebody had shot Sharon, and that was an entirely different ball of wax.

Who hated her enough to kill her? I knew that’s how Kyle was looking at it, just as I knew he had to put me on his list, considering the accusations I’d made against the woman. But the truth was, as angry as I was at Sharon, I’d never make an attempt on her life over the theft of my work. It just wasn’t in my nature. Revenge? Yes, but not of the bodily harm type. But somebody had shot her. She didn’t hold that gun herself.

What about Killian? As much as I didn’t want to think of him as a suspect, the fact remained that he had accused Sharon of being a thief, and his hatred for the woman was obvious. Could his feelings have led him to hurt her? Or was he in the same camp I was—guilty of anger but not of action?

Of course, there was also the chance that Sharon played a part in riling up the Animal Freedom Association. Could one of their fanatics have taken symbolic attack into actual violence? And there were a gaggle of competive Belles, no doubt some of whom might have had it in for her. A bevy of thoughts buzzing in my head, I loaded up a tray and headed back to the table.

Winthrop and Auntie looked up as I returned to the dining room. A packet of papers sat on my placemat and, after setting down the tray, I glanced over them. The partnership forms. They looked impressively legalistic, and I dreaded reading through every line.

“Give me a pen—” I started to say, but Auntie shook her head.

“You know better than that. Even with relatives, you read everything in there. Would you like a second legal opinion? I don’t mind, and Winthrop will understand.”

I stared at her. “It’s not like I’m buying into the shop—this is a gift, one I very gratefully accept. Whatever terms you want, I’m fine with, as long as my creations are free to go with me if I ever have to leave.”

Auntie glanced at Winthrop. “What do you think?”

He harrumphed. “As long as she signs a paper saying she’s voluntarily waived a second opinion, then yes, it’s fine.” He turned to me. “Though, young woman, I highly recommend you avoid ever using this tactic with anyone except your aunt.

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