Throw a Monkey Wrench (an Emma Cassidy Mystery Book 1) Read Free

curled into fists, and the
ache returned to her stomach. “I’m not sure. People just started collapsing.”
She drew in a breath. “Why are you here? I thought it was the food and health
authorities’ responsibility to investigate food poisoning.”
    Sherilee lifted a shoulder. “Just following
orders. Besides, this might be more than just accidental, seeing as how people
got ill so quickly. It could have been deliberate poisoning.”
    Deliberate poisoning? That was so much worse. Emma’s stomach heaved, and sweat broke out
on her brow from the effort of keeping herself composed.
    “Are you feeling okay?” Sherilee’s composed
gaze swept over Emma, making her acutely aware of her crumpled dress and her
hair coming loose from its knot. In contrast, Sherilee looked crisp and competent
in her polycotton blend police uniform. “You don’t look too good.”
    “I’m fine,” Emma retorted. No way did she
want Sherilee feeling sorry for her.
    The officer’s gaze shifted past Emma’s
shoulder, and some of her frostiness dissolved. “Hey, Fletcher. What are you
doing here? We didn’t call in the sheriff’s department.”
    Emma’s heart descended into the nauseous
whirlpool in her stomach. Could this night get even worse? Apparently, it
could. Now, not only did she have her nemesis questioning her, but her old high
school boyfriend had arrived to witness this entire debacle.
    Owen Fletcher stopped in front of the two
women. For such a tall man he was surprisingly light on his feet. A deputy
sheriff with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, he wasn’t in uniform tonight,
though his black cargo pants, dark shirt, close-cropped hair and square jaw
exuded a law enforcement air.
    “Evening, Emma,” he said, grave and polite,
before turning to Sherilee, his voice lightening. “I’m not here on official
business. Mom called me to pick her up. She came with a friend, but Marcie needs
some medical attention.”
    “Oh, no,” Emma blurted out. She hadn’t even
noticed Owen’s mom at the party, that was how harried she’d been. Now, she felt
even worse. She’d always liked Owen’s mom; she hoped Ingrid didn’t think she’d
been snubbing her. “I’m so sorry, Owen.”
    He looked at her with a quizzical
expression. “I hear you’re the one who organized this whole shebang.”
    His eyes were deep mocha brown, and once
upon a time they had lit up whenever he saw her. Now, they were wiser and
warier, but still they held a hint of sympathy, and his was the first friendly
face she’d seen in what felt like hours.
    “It’s probably the last shebang I get to
organize, if Tony Barnet gets his way,” she muttered, folding her arms around
her waist.
    On the other side of the room, Tony had
been monopolizing the other police officer for several minutes, talking
earnestly and a couple of times pointing accusingly in Emma’s direction. Jordan
was nowhere to be seen.
    “Barnet thinks you’re responsible for
this?” Owen briefly glanced at Tony before addressing Sherilee. “That can’t be
right.”
    Sherilee shrugged. “We’ve just started
investigating. We can’t jump to conclusions.”
    “But Tony already has,” Emma said. “I
suppose he expects you to march me off in handcuffs.”
    “I’m a professional, Emma,” Sherilee said
with just a hint of a smirk. “I won’t arrest you just because Mr. Barnet
insists you’re the culprit,”
    Another painful wave twisted her stomach,
but Emma compressed her lips, determined not to show any weakness in front of
these two people.
    “What, does he think I’m trying to harm
him?” she scoffed. She really had had enough of Tony Barnet and his bullying.
“Honestly, if I wanted to hurt Tony, I can think of plenty of better ways than
poisoning his guests.”
    A look of alarm flickered across Owen’s
face. She was familiar with that expression. He’d always been the steady,
reliable one, whereas she’d been the reckless girlfriend leading him astray. It
was a