Homicide on the Range (Rainbow Ranch Mysteries Book 1) by Elise M. Stone

Author:Elise M. Stone [Stone, Elise M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Civano Press
Published: 2022-03-21T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

Disturbed by what Donna had said about her, Lilliana thought Karen should be the next person she questioned. There was still an hour before dinner, and the shower and clean clothes had refreshed her. Besides, there weren’t that many days left in the week. In other circumstances, she might have waited for a better opportunity, but she didn’t have that luxury.

She rapped on the door of Karen’s cabin and heard her call, “Come in.” She opened the door, poked her head inside, and asked, “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

Karen was stretched out on the bed, a frosty glass of lemonade on the nightstand and a paperback novel in her hand. She looked up from her book to see who was asking, then sat up quickly, wobbling as she overbalanced. She caught herself by grabbing for the nightstand, almost knocking over her drink, which wobbled in an imitation of Karen’s movements just seconds before. Lilliana flew across the room and rescued the glass before it could tumble to the floor. She held it out to her guest.

“Thanks. Hate to waste a perfectly good gin fizz.”

“Gin fizz?” Lilliana asked, wondering where Karen had got the makings.

“Well, almost.” Karen grinned crookedly. “It’s missing the fizz part. I got a glass of lemonade from the cook, poured in some gin, and there you go.”

Now that she was here, she wasn’t sure what to say. Yes, Karen’s drinking was related to what she wanted to find out, but she also knew that alcoholics often got defensive, even belligerent, if you even hinted at the fact that they were drinking too much. Of course, there was one topic she was always happy to discuss. She’d start with that. “What are you reading?”

Karen picked up the paperback and waved it at her. “Nora Roberts.”

Going by the cover, Lilliana said, “That doesn’t look like a typical Nora Roberts romance.”

Karen grinned. “It’s fantasy romance. Romance with fairies and dragons.”

“Are you enjoying it?”

“It’s fantastic!”

“I’ll have to put it on my To-Be-Read list.” Now what? She steeled herself and charged into the real issue. “I’m surprised you drink so much gin. Most younger people I know are into kale smoothies, protein drinks, and sparkling water.”

Karen made a face. “Kale? I think I’d have to be desperate to eat, much less drink, something made with kale. Besides, I don’t think I’m that much younger than you are.”

“Perhaps not.” She didn’t think it would be polite to ask the woman’s age, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to reveal her own. “Do you mind if I sit down?”

“Help yourself.” She glanced at the chair as if Lilliana needed to be told where it was, then took another gulp of her ersatz gin fizz.

“So you’re going to be a vice president?”

Another crooked grin. “That’s the plan.” The grin disappeared as she appeared to chew the inside of her cheek. “If everything goes according to plan.”

“Is there a reason it wouldn’t?”

“No.” Her tone quickly changed to nonchalant as she tried to deflect Lilliana’s inquiry.

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