Death by Lime: A Key West Culinary Cozy - Book 5 Read Online Free PDF

tennis racket slung casually over one shoulder.
    “Yes, I know him,” Kelcie nodded. “That’s Camden Reynolds, he’s a good friend of mine.”
    “When was the last time that you saw Mr. Reynolds?” Bernard asked, as a feeling of dread tickled the bottom of Kelcie’s stomach.
    “Sunday evening. We had dinner together at Old Italy after he helped me move to my new apartment,” she replied.
    “Where were you last night around 11:30?”
    “I was at Ms. Marilyn’s house with her and Tiara, eating pizza and watching movies. Why?” she asked, puzzled.
    “His body was found in the dumpster behind your new apartment this morning,” Cortland answered, watching her carefully for a reaction.
    “What? Camden?” she breathed, horrified. The detective watched as the young woman swayed for a moment, and when her eyes rolled back in her head, he reached across to catch her before she hit the counter or the floor.
     

Chapter 8
    “I don’t know how this is possible,” Kelcie shook her head and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “Everyone loved Cam, he’s a sweetheart.” She had regained consciousness on the couch in the break room, surrounded by Marilyn, Tiara and Detective Cortland.
    “I’m wondering if his death has anything to do with the fact that you have a stalker,” Bernard mused, his pen poised above his ever-present notepad.
    “You think Terrible Tim did it?” Kelcie was wide-eyed. “But…as far as I know, Cam didn’t even know that awful man.”
    “Terrible Tim?” the detective raised a questioning eyebrow.
    “My neighbor,” Marilyn explained. “He’s the one who brought the florist’s box to the door. Did you talk to him?”
    “Briefly,” Bernard replied, not giving away any details of his conversation with the creepy neighbor.
    “Well, do you think he’s the stalker?” Tiara came right out and asked, frustrated by the detective’s determination to avoid giving a straight answer.
    “We’re leaving all possible avenues open for consideration,” Bernard drilled the young woman with a glance. She sighed audibly, but let it go.
    The detective moved his gaze back to the devastated young woman on the couch. “Unless you have anything to add, I’m going to get going.”
    “Nothing that I can think of,” Kelcie shook her head miserably, then remembered something. “Oh, wait, I forgot!” She told the detective about her encounter with Tim Eckels, and let him know that the pie that the strange man had brought was still on the counter in the kitchen. “I was going to call you, but you came in before I had the chance.”
    “Okay, I’ll grab it and take it to the lab. Keep me posted on any strange events,” Bernard directed, standing to go.
    “I’ll walk you out,” Marilyn volunteered following him out the door. “Should I be worried about her safety?” she asked softly, once they were out of earshot.
    “I’d encourage her to be very careful and alert,” Bernard nodded.
    “Who do you think did this?” she asked, worried.
    “You know that I can’t share that kind of thing, Marilyn,” he admonished. “But I’m investigating every angle of both cases. I’ll get it figured out. In the meantime, just encourage Kelcie to stay vigilant,” he advised.
    “Okay,” Marilyn agreed, her mind going a thousand miles and hour. There had to be something more that could be done, something that maybe the police had overlooked, or didn’t have the time to do. She had never been one to sit idly by and rely on others to solve her problems, and Kelcie’s dilemma shouldn’t be an exception. A plan was beginning to hatch in her mind, and she spent most of the rest of the afternoon lost in thought.
    **
    “I think that Kelcie should spend the night at your house for the next few days, or until the police figure out what the heck is going on, don’t you think so, Mom?” Tiara asked as the three women closed up the shop for the day.
    “Umm…no. You know, sometimes the best thing that you