Death By Chocolate 6 (Mystery and Women Sleuths) (Josiah Reynolds Mysteries) by Abigail Keam Page A
Authors: Abigail Keam
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right?”
“Yes. I’m sorry but I don’t remember your name.”
“It’s Charlotte. I’m glad I ran into you. I was going to give you a call.”
“My check didn’t bounce, did it?”
Charlotte gave a short laugh that sounded like little silver bells tinkling. I don’t know why they had to be silver, but the color seemed appropriate.
“I forgot to give you something along with the report.”
“What is it?” I asked, intrigued.
“I found human hair on the chocolate caked in the blood. I put the hairs in a vial and meant to put it in the return container, but it was a busy day and I forgot. So I was going to mail it to you. I’m very sorry for the mix-up. I hope you don’t report me to my boss.”
“No, I won’t report you. Do you remember if the hair was from the same person or different people?”
Charlotte put her finger to her mouth, remembering. “There were only four hairs, short, brown.”
“Did you do a DNA profile on them?”
“No, that wasn’t asked for. There was nothing on the application that requested hair sampling.”
“Can you do an DNA profile on them?”
“Of course,” Charlotte responded cheerfully.
“Can you compare DNA from another strand of hair if provided?”
“Certainly.”
“Do me a favor, will ya, Charlotte?” I asked.
“If it’s not illegal,” she answered, grinning.
“Keep the hair. I’m going to find another sample and have a complete DNA analysis done.”
“Super.” Charlotte gave a quizzical look.
“This could be the answer to the disappearance of a friend of mine.”
“Cool. Just like CSI. Just ask for me to do the sampling. It’s Charlotte. Can you remember that?”
I repeated her name. “Yes. Thank you, Charlotte.”
“Bye.”
I hurried to my car, but by the time I found a piece of paper, I had forgotten her name.
Jumping Jehosaphat!
21
After racking my brain trying to remember the technician’s name, I remembered that I had not gotten any groceries. So into the store I marched again with a list that Eunice had written for me. She was cooking for me once a week and storing the dinners in the walk-in freezer. So all I had to do was nuke them.
This was on top of her duties planning and executing the tours and receptions now held at the Butterfly.
I don’t really see how she did it all.
But her cooking saved me from a lot of stress as I couldn’t stand very long, and it was too frustrating to cook. Besides, with my short-term memory loss, I couldn’t recall recipes any more.
After my fall, nothing with my body was the same as before. One never appreciates good health until it fails. Well, let’s not dwell on that. It’s too depressing.
Putting the groceries in the front passenger’s seat (so I wouldn’t forget them), I looked up and noticed a dark blue sedan with tinted windows parked not too far from me. It looked like the same blue sedan that I had seen on other occasions.
Was someone following me?
Were there two cars that looked alike?
Was it coincidence?
Was I losing my mind?
It was time I found out for sure.
Gathering a pad and pencil which I slid into my coat pocket, I walked my grocery cart, presumably over to its collection bin. Somehow the cart slipped out of my hands and rolled toward the blue sedan, hitting it square on its bumper. It made a little dent. (Funny how that happened as the cart had to roll uphill. Maybe it had been pushed a little bit.) No one jumped out of the car in outrage to inspect the damage. Assured that no one was in the car, I retrieved the cart and sidled my way to the back of the sedan where I quickly wrote down the license plate number.
I’ve killed two birds with one stone
, I thought to myself.
What a lucky day at the grocery store!
22
Once I had gotten home and helped Eunice put away the groceries, I sat down at my office desk and began to make a list of people in Dwight’s life, starting with those closest to him.
Ginny/Mother – Had the motive of the insurance money,
“Yes. I’m sorry but I don’t remember your name.”
“It’s Charlotte. I’m glad I ran into you. I was going to give you a call.”
“My check didn’t bounce, did it?”
Charlotte gave a short laugh that sounded like little silver bells tinkling. I don’t know why they had to be silver, but the color seemed appropriate.
“I forgot to give you something along with the report.”
“What is it?” I asked, intrigued.
“I found human hair on the chocolate caked in the blood. I put the hairs in a vial and meant to put it in the return container, but it was a busy day and I forgot. So I was going to mail it to you. I’m very sorry for the mix-up. I hope you don’t report me to my boss.”
“No, I won’t report you. Do you remember if the hair was from the same person or different people?”
Charlotte put her finger to her mouth, remembering. “There were only four hairs, short, brown.”
“Did you do a DNA profile on them?”
“No, that wasn’t asked for. There was nothing on the application that requested hair sampling.”
“Can you do an DNA profile on them?”
“Of course,” Charlotte responded cheerfully.
“Can you compare DNA from another strand of hair if provided?”
“Certainly.”
“Do me a favor, will ya, Charlotte?” I asked.
“If it’s not illegal,” she answered, grinning.
“Keep the hair. I’m going to find another sample and have a complete DNA analysis done.”
“Super.” Charlotte gave a quizzical look.
“This could be the answer to the disappearance of a friend of mine.”
“Cool. Just like CSI. Just ask for me to do the sampling. It’s Charlotte. Can you remember that?”
I repeated her name. “Yes. Thank you, Charlotte.”
“Bye.”
I hurried to my car, but by the time I found a piece of paper, I had forgotten her name.
Jumping Jehosaphat!
21
After racking my brain trying to remember the technician’s name, I remembered that I had not gotten any groceries. So into the store I marched again with a list that Eunice had written for me. She was cooking for me once a week and storing the dinners in the walk-in freezer. So all I had to do was nuke them.
This was on top of her duties planning and executing the tours and receptions now held at the Butterfly.
I don’t really see how she did it all.
But her cooking saved me from a lot of stress as I couldn’t stand very long, and it was too frustrating to cook. Besides, with my short-term memory loss, I couldn’t recall recipes any more.
After my fall, nothing with my body was the same as before. One never appreciates good health until it fails. Well, let’s not dwell on that. It’s too depressing.
Putting the groceries in the front passenger’s seat (so I wouldn’t forget them), I looked up and noticed a dark blue sedan with tinted windows parked not too far from me. It looked like the same blue sedan that I had seen on other occasions.
Was someone following me?
Were there two cars that looked alike?
Was it coincidence?
Was I losing my mind?
It was time I found out for sure.
Gathering a pad and pencil which I slid into my coat pocket, I walked my grocery cart, presumably over to its collection bin. Somehow the cart slipped out of my hands and rolled toward the blue sedan, hitting it square on its bumper. It made a little dent. (Funny how that happened as the cart had to roll uphill. Maybe it had been pushed a little bit.) No one jumped out of the car in outrage to inspect the damage. Assured that no one was in the car, I retrieved the cart and sidled my way to the back of the sedan where I quickly wrote down the license plate number.
I’ve killed two birds with one stone
, I thought to myself.
What a lucky day at the grocery store!
22
Once I had gotten home and helped Eunice put away the groceries, I sat down at my office desk and began to make a list of people in Dwight’s life, starting with those closest to him.
Ginny/Mother – Had the motive of the insurance money,
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