Poisoned in Cherry Hills (Cozy Cat Caper Mystery Book 3) Read Free Page B

perhaps already suspecting his services as police detective would be required.
    No one could leave until the police determined exactly what was going on, and the forced confinement had generated a buzz of anxiety. Despite the instructions they’d been given, nobody wanted to remain seated next to someone who might have killed a woman. Almost equally disturbing, they were all going to be interviewed as potential witnesses.
    Kat snuck a peek at Lucy Callahan, who kept craning her neck to get a better view of the activity across the room. Kat couldn’t help but remember the redhead’s angry scowl as she’d faced down Heidi earlier. Could the two women really dislike each other so much that one would murder the other? The idea turned Kat’s stomach.
    “Can you see what’s happening?” Lucy asked.
    Kat shook her head, hoping to deter a lengthy conversation by remaining mute.
    Lucy practically climbed on top of her seat for a better view. “I’m sure Andrew will fill us in when he comes back.”
    Kat flinched at Lucy’s use of Andrew’s first name. Although, she reasoned, her familiarity only made sense. After all, the two had met before the dining room had become a potential crime scene and Andrew had morphed into Detective Milhone of the Cherry Hills Police Department.
    Lucy straightened. “He’s coming this way.”
    Kat scanned the area, her heart beating a little faster when she saw that Andrew was indeed headed toward them. He halted next to their table, his face grim.
    “You all are up next,” he said, glancing at the five people seated around the table in turn. “I’ll be escorting you one at a time to another room so I or one of my colleagues can interview you in private. Once we’ve captured your statement, you’re free to leave.”
    “Can you give us an update?” Lucy said, practically bouncing in her seat. “What’s going on?”
    Andrew’s mouth thinned. “Heidi didn’t make it. Right now, we’re suspecting foul play. Our best guess at this time is that she was poisoned, but we’ve expedited some samples to the lab for confirmation.”
    Lucy’s mouth dropped open. Kat couldn’t tell whether she found the news shocking or exciting.
    Andrew’s eyes didn’t leave Lucy. “Why don’t I start with you? You seemed to have known the victim better than most everybody else here.”
    “Sure.” Lucy scrambled to stand up.
    Kat leaned back in her seat and fanned herself with one hand as Andrew led Lucy away. She closed her eyes to block out the dizzying swarm of activity around her but still couldn’t prevent the slightly nauseated feeling that had been building in her gut for the past twenty minutes.
    Figuring she had enough time to splash some water on her face before Andrew returned to take her away for questioning, Kat slipped her purse strap over her shoulder, stood up, and made her way toward the restrooms.
    Crossing the hotel corridor, Kat flung the bathroom door open and strode inside. But before she could reach the sink, the sight of Champ standing guard by the garbage can stopped her short.
    The Labrador’s ears pricked, and he rushed forward to look up her dress again. However, this time Kat was expecting the ambush and managed to turn away in time.
    As she stroked Champ, Kat heard the unmistakeable sound of someone retching from behind the closed stall door. She wasn’t surprised that the shock of this evening’s turn of events had made at least one person sick. Kat’s own stomach wouldn’t stop roiling either.
    The toilet flushed and the door banged open. Tasha Taylor stepped out, halting when she saw Kat. “Oh, you startled me,” she said, gripping her clutch purse close to her chest. “I didn’t realize anybody else was in here.”
    Kat’s heart pinched in sympathy as she took in Tasha’s pale face and the mascara trails streaking down her cheeks. “Are you okay?”
    “Yes. No. Not really.” Tasha leaned against the side of the stall, pressing her hand against her