Fillet of Murder by Linda Reilly Read Free Book Online Page B

they leave it there?
    She drove around the block, this time snaring a spot on Main Street, only a pebble’s throw from the arcade. Sage & Seaweed was one of the two shops closest to Main. A fast walk would take her there in less than a minute.
    Talia locked the Fiat and scooted across the cobblestone to the bath shop. A shiver raced up her arms. She told herself it was from the cold. She didn’t believe for a moment that she was in any danger.
    Someone had wanted Phil Turnbull dead. It was as simple as that.
    Wasn’t it?

5

    The spicy aromas of pumpkin, cinnamon, and vanilla swirled around Talia, enveloping her in a cloud of sensory delight. She inhaled slowly, each breath drawing her closer to the mythical Shangri-la. She began to feel lighter, more at peace. She now understood the attraction of aromatherapy. Sage & Seaweed had to be the best-smelling shop on the planet.
    Well, except for Lambert’s when the deep fry was in high gear, and the fish and the chips were sizzling in the baskets.
    â€œTalia!” Suzy Sato dashed out from behind the long glass counter that ran along a portion of the rear wall. Springy reddish curls bounced around Suzy’s head like mini Slinkys. She grabbed Talia and pulled her into a hug, her sky-blue eyes burning with questions. “I heard about you and Bea finding Turnbull,” Suzy gushed. “My word, you poor thing.Are you okay? You must be wiped. Come over here and tell me all about it.” She took Talia’s hand and tugged her toward the back of the store. “Sit,” she said, pointing at one of the padded stools in front of the counter.
    Inwardly, Talia groaned. She’d come in here to get away from the murder, not to talk about it. She’d already had to tell the awful story to both her mom and dad. When she’d talked to them earlier that afternoon, it had taken the better part of twenty minutes to convince her agitated mother that she wasn’t headed to the pokey.
    Suzy sidled around the other side of the counter, plopped onto her own stool, and plunked both elbows atop the glass. She gaped at Talia. “I heard Phil’s whole
head
was nearly severed, that when you found him it was hanging by a
tendon
!” She gave a dramatic shudder, her eyes rolling back in her head.
    â€œSuzy, there was no severing.” Where did she hear such a thing? “And besides, I only caught a momentary glimpse. Once I realized he was, you know, gone, I pushed Bea out of the room and called nine-one-one. I hardly saw anything.”
    Okay, that part was a bit of a fib. But she had no intention of blabbing about the crime scene to Suzy, who would no doubt broadcast it on Facebook. Plus, the police had cautioned her against telling anyone what she saw. She did not need to add any more troubles to her day.
    â€œBut was there blood, right? Lots of it, I’ll bet.” Suzy clasped both hands against her ample chest. “Oh, it must have been horrible, simply terrifying. I’d probably have
fainted
if I’d been the one who found him.”
    Luckily, Talia wasn’t the fainting type. She smiled sweetly at Suzy. “Anyway, Suzy, enough about the murder. I camein for some nice relaxing bath oil, or bubbles, or whatever you recommend. Tonight I want to put this entire day out of my head and have a long, luxurious soak in the tub.”
    Seemingly mollified, Suzy instantly morphed into sales mode. “Oh, I have just the thing! I’m so glad you came by. I’ve been experimenting with oils and creams, and I’ve designed my own blend of pumpkin bath oil. Perfect for the season, right?”
    â€œIs that the luscious scent I detected when I walked in?”
    Suzy grinned. “Yup. One of them.” She slid aside one of the cabinet doors on her side of the counter. She reached inside and carefully removed a tall bottle filled with a thick amber liquid. “Now smell this,” she said, removing the silver cap and