A Deadly Slice of Lime: A Key West Culinary Cozy - Book 6 by Summer Prescott

you?”
    “Sometime
last week, I don’t remember which day exactly,” Marilyn replied, frowning.
    “Did
anyone witness the interaction?” Bernard asked.
    “No,
but Trudy, from the diner, came in just as he was leaving. She’s the one who
told me about what Lizzie does to local business owners.”
    The
detective asked a few more questions, then Marilyn told him about what she and
Tiara had discovered concerning Daniel and Brad.
    Cortland
nodded. “I looked into Daniel’s business transactions as well, and it seems
that he’s handled more than his share of shady transactions. Some of his
“clients” are folks with whom he shouldn’t be involved. I’m still looking into
it, but the insight that you and your daughter have provided is most
appreciated,” he gave her a brief, professional smile.
    “I
hope it helps…in one way or another,” Marilyn said, rather wistfully.
    “I’ll
check back with you if I need clarification on anything,” the detective
replied, snapping his notebook shut and standing to go.
    “I’ll
walk you out,” she said, feeling oddly drained and defeated.
     

Chapter 13
    Marilyn
was restless and melancholy, wandering around her quiet little house with
Fluffy following at her heels, mewing her support. Unable to focus or
concentrate on even accomplishing something as simple as unloading the
dishwasher, she decided to go for a walk, hoping that the fresh ocean breeze
would soothe her troubled spirit. Stuffing her license and credit card into the
front pocket of her capris in case she might want to stop off in one of the
local bars for a drink, she stepped out into the balmy night, dejected and
alone.
    Heading
toward the beach, her refuge in times of trouble, she strolled slowly, taking
comfort in the soft breeze sighing through the palms, and the faint scent of
tropical flowers. A small lizard skittered across her path and she slowed so as
not to disturb its progress. Yet, even in the tranquility of a perfect Key West
night, she couldn’t find peace from the thoughts that tormented her with the
relentless circles that they traveled in her brain. She wondered if her
ex-husband might actually be a murderer, and if he was, how it would impact her
beloved Tiara. There had been so many strange occurrences in Marilyn’s life
since she opened her own business in Key West, that it made her question
whether the universe might be trying to tell her something. There had been so
much tragedy and so much pain, and she’d been on the fringes of it all. Maybe
she was cursed. Maybe everyone would be better off if she just disappeared.
    Making
a conscious effort to dismiss that particular “pity party” train of thought,
Marilyn gave herself a mental shake and tried to focus on the positives in her life.
Business was going well, she and Tiara had made amends and were fine with each
other, after their initial tiff over Daniel’s possible guilt, and she had her
health, her home, and a measure of financial security for the first time in her
single adult life. So why on earth couldn’t she shake her despondency? She’d
always told her daughter that happiness was a choice that was made every day,
yet she couldn’t seem to stick to her own advice.
    A
faint sound behind her broke Marilyn’s train of thought, and made the hairs on
the back of her neck stand up. Taking her hand and smoothing them down, she
turned slowly, expecting to see someone closing in on her. She stood for a
moment, surveying the neighborhood, seeing nothing but neatly trimmed lawns
adorned with swaying palms, dangerous-looking palmettos, and ornamental grasses
of every stripe, fluttering gently in the breeze.
    “I’m
just really rattled tonight,” she said softly, turning to resume her walk. “It
was probably a squirrel or something.”
    A
quick movement on her left made her heart leap to her throat and she sucked in
a harsh gasp of air as a fat orange cat shot out in front of her and crossed
the street, disappearing under a