Live and Lime Die: A Key West Culinary Cozy - Book 8 Read Online Free PDF

that Tiara never noticed it.
    “I
brought a pie,” he announced, addressing Tiara, who was more than relieved to
see him. She had no idea how she was going to get rid of Sam, so the neighbor’s
arrival was a welcome distraction. Maybe they’d both leave at once.
    “How
thoughtful, Tim, thank you,” she smiled, feeling strangely sleepy all of the sudden.
When she stood to go to the kitchen for three plates and forks, she was a bit
unsteady on her feet, but passed it off as an effect of relaxing after all of
the adrenalin that had been flooding through her since Sam had arrived. She went
into the house, her head feeling fuzzy, and gathered up the plates and
silverware, remembering to grab a handful of napkins as well. As she stepped
out the back door, the world seemed to tilt sideways, and she absently noted
that both Tim and Sam were gone, before collapsing onto the patio.
     

Chapter 9
    “Cort,
she’s not answering,” Marilyn said, when the detective came back into the bar
after calling the station.
    Her
eyes were wide with fright, and once they’d paid their check, he ushered her
out to his car, heading for her house. When they arrived at the house, she was
relieved to see that there were lights on inside, but her relief was
short-lived when she opened the front door and Tiara wasn’t reclining on the
couch, watching Netflix.
    “Tiara?”
she called, hurrying into the kitchen, trying her best not to be alarmed. She
spotted the open back door just as she heard Cort call out to her from the
patio.
    “Marilyn,
call an ambulance and don’t touch anything.”
    Terrified,
she walked to the back door while dialing 9-1-1, and saw the detective kneeling
beside Tiara, who was motionless on the patio. She noticed several things
simultaneously: her daughter wasn’t bleeding and appeared to be breathing,
which at this point, only provided minimal comfort, there was a bottle of wine
and two glasses, and a Key Lime pie, with three plates and forks. Had Tiara
made plans to meet someone? If so, why was she unconscious, and who were her
two guests?
    “She’s
breathing, and her pulse is steady, but she’s not responding to smelling
salts,” Cort said, his fingers on Tiara’s wrist.
    “Is
she going to be okay?” Marilyn was on the verge of tears.
    “I
certainly hope so,” the detective replied, looking up as he saw red and white
lights of the ambulance splashing over the trees.
    The
EMT’s assessed Tiara’s condition and bundled her into the ambulance, with
Marilyn close behind.
    “I’ll
take you to the hospital as soon as I brief the officers,” Cort nodded at the
four uniformed policemen that she hadn’t noticed were standing behind her. Seeing
the panic in her eyes, he assured her that it wouldn’t take long, and jogged
over to the group. In what seemed like an eternity, but in reality only took a
few minutes, the detective apprised his men as to what was happening, and
whisked the nervous mother away.
    “It
wasn’t one of mine,” Marilyn murmured, when they were on their way to the
hospital.
    “I’m
sorry?” Cort asked. “What wasn’t one of yours?” he glanced over at her, while
trying to keep his eyes on the road.
    “The
Key Lime pie that was on the table on the patio…it wasn’t one of mine,” she
explained, in a daze.
    “What
makes you think that?”
    “It
was a different type of pie pan. I use a specific type that I special order.
They have the shop logo embossed in the bottom.”
    “Where
would she have gotten the pie if it wasn’t from the shop?” the detective asked.
    “The
only other Key Lime pie that I know of that she’ll actually eat, is my
neighbor’s,” she replied with certainty. She and Tiara were definitely Key Lime
pie snobs, it was an occupational hazard.
    “Mr.
Eckels?” Cort clarified.
    Marilyn
nodded, and he got on the phone with more instructions for his officers. When
they arrived at the hospital, the detective hustled her into the Emergency Room
waiting area,