Raspberry Creme Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery - Book 14 (Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries) Read Online Free Page B

meetings,”
she said, more solemn than any of them had ever seen the typically boisterous
and irreverent redhead.
    “Are
we all going to fit in your tiny little place?” Tara, the stay-at-home-mom and
member of the country club set, who had missed the last meeting, asked.
    Marsha
frosted her with a look. “Just because I don’t have five bathrooms and a
swimming pool doesn’t mean that my house is too small for a handful of women to
sit around and drink wine in,” she snapped.
    “I
didn’t mean…” Tara began.
    “I
know you didn’t,” Marsha interrupted, waving her hand dismissively. “Our nerves
are all just a little bit raw right now,” she sighed.
    The
bell above the door signaled that someone was coming in, and, as one, the
ladies looked up to see Samantha heading hesitantly toward their table.
    “Sorry
I’m late,” she said softly, warily. She slowly pulled out her normal chair and
eased into it, with no one saying a word. Marsha angrily reached into her
purse, grabbed her keys and stormed out of the shop, leaving the rest of the
club sitting there uncomfortably, not looking at each other. One by one, they
stood up and left quietly, some of them thanking Missy for the coffee and
cupcakes on their way out, until only Missy sat with Sam, who now had tears
rolling freely down her cheeks.
    “I
guess I’m no longer welcome at book club,” she observed, staring down at the
table and wiping her eyes.
    “There
are just so many…unanswered questions,” Missy offered, trying not to upset her
further.
    “And
not one of those women is giving me the benefit of the doubt,” she muttered
bitterly.
    Missy
took a good hard look at the miserable creature slumped in the chair across
from her. Samantha’s eyes had dark circles under them, and her face was tired
and drawn. She looked as though she had lost weight, and her hair was a mess,
as though she hadn’t showered or brushed it in days. The clothing that she wore
was the same outfit that she’d had on when she sat on Missy’s lawn crying, and
her fingernails had been bitten down to the quick. Despite what she might have
done, Missy’s heart hurt for her.
    “When’s
the last time that you had something to eat, Sam?” she asked, trying to get the
young woman to look at her. When at last she did look up, there was a haunted
quality to her gaze, as though she was enduring an inner struggle that was
eating away at her soul, piece by piece.
    “I
can’t remember,” she replied weakly, shrugging her shoulders a bit. “I can’t
sleep, I don’t have an appetite, and it’s difficult to even put a coherent
thought together,” she admitted. “My entire life has been turned upside down
since Sally died.”
    “Well,
you need to keep up your strength,” Missy said firmly. “You wait right here,
I’ll be back in a minute.” She returned moments later with a plate that
presented a Morning Glory muffin that was rich in nutrients and heavy in fiber,
along with a cup of strong coffee, a glass of ice water, and a warm, damp cloth,
all on a serving tray. Setting the tray down, Missy handed the wash cloth to a
stunned Samantha, urging her to wash her face and hands. The surprised young
woman complied, and Missy saw the surge of relief that the simple act brought
to her. Taking the cloth, she pushed the tray toward Sam and let her know that
it was her responsibility to eat and drink everything on it. Tears of gratitude
shone in Samantha’s eyes as she tore a small chunk from the muffin and placed
it in her mouth.
    Missy
sat with her, saying nothing, simply observing, her heart aching. She couldn’t
imagine what would possibly compel one human being to kill another, and made no
excuses for that evil behavior, but she hated seeing anyone suffer, and
clearly, Samantha Lemmon was suffering. She also was self-protective enough to
figure that, if Sam was indeed a killer, being nice to her was probably the
smartest thing that she could do to stay safe. Once she had