A Suspicion of Strawberries (Scents of Murder Book 1) Read Free Page A

the distance. Tess ran for the door.
    Melinda sank to her knees beside her sister. “Charla. . .no, no, no. . .” She brushed silken blond strands back from Charla’s forehead, now distorted and mottled with red welts.
    Charla’s body gave one last great convulsion, her arms flailing like a rag doll’s. I closed my eyes. The siren’s wail intensified. The pulse under my fingertips grew still.
     
     
     
    Chapter Two
    The ambulance left without using its sirens. I watched it glide away down Main Street. Clusters of people gathered on the sidewalk. A few onlookers squinted from the parking lot of the Antiques Barn across the street, so I reentered my store. Not long now, and news would spread. Melinda sat in Charla’s chair, its red paper flowers crushed. Emily sat next to her, crying. Tess and Mitchalene were busy on their cell phones, presumably trying to secure rides home. I wanted to throw up. I’d skipped breakfast that morning, and the only food I brought with me was a Baggie of my sister Diana’s homemade beef jerky.
    As much as Charla had grated on my nerves, I would have never wished anything like this to happen to her, or to anyone. Jerry, for the second time that morning, came to the shop. A rookie officer questioned the bridesmaids, then left. Maggie dusted the register for fingerprints. Like that mattered now.
    A heavy stillness hung in the store. At last I realized I still had Cherries Jubilee scrub drying on my face, so I grabbed a washcloth to wipe it off.
    Jerry jotted something on his notepad and approached me. “What were y’all doing again?”
    “Facial scrub. . .” With my free hand, I picked up the bowl Charla had used. “She was fine until. . .” I closed my eyes.
    “Until she put that stuff on her face.” Melinda finished for me. Her glare would have made me flinch if I wasn’t so numb.
    “I don’t understand. I made this scrub before and Charla used it. Charla told me she was allergic to certain ingredients, and I made sure the scrub contained none of those.”
    Emily sniffled, then sat up straighter in her chair. “Charla liked to push it, though. Last week she snuck a bite of my strawberry pie over at Honey’s Place.” I nodded in understanding. Honey’s had the best food in town, and their homemade pies were to die for. Maybe not literally to die for, but. . .I frowned.
    Melinda shot Emily a look. “And that stunt you pulled on Valentine’s Day wasn’t even funny. You should be glad she had her EpiPen after eating a chocolate bon-bon filled with strawberry nougat.”
    A flush swept over Emily’s face. She glanced from me, to Jerry, then back at Melinda. “She wore my new sweater to that party without asking me. I know, I was being stupid and immature, now that I think about it.” Fresh tears came from Emily’s eyes. “But that’s just it, I didn’t think. . . . Oh, Charla. . .if I could take it back.”
    “You’ve got nothing to worry about. This is just an unfortunate incident.” Jerry turned from them and gestured to me. “I have to submit a sample of that soap to the lab for testing.” He almost sounded apologetic, and I couldn’t blame him.
    “Do what you need to do.” I pushed the container into Jerry’s hands. Now wasn’t the time to ask questions, especially with Melinda here.
    “Miss Thacker, I’m really sorry.” Jerry glanced at her. “Do you need someone to come get you?”
    Melinda shook her head. “Emily’ll drive me to Mom and Dad’s.” A tear rolled down her cheek, now free of scrub. After the initial uproar had quieted, I had passed around the wet washcloths to both soothe the women and let them clean their faces.
    Tess moved to give Melinda a hug. “Hey, my sister just pulled up. She’s takin’ me and Mitch home. I’ll call ya later.” Melinda nodded. Without a word to me or a look in my direction, Tess and Mitchalene left the store.
    I sat down at the round table. “Melinda—”
    “Don’t talk to me right now.” The words