Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke Read Free Book Online Page A

they leave your place.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œThat’s right. And I’m not even counting your mother. Every time she comes in, she buys something.”
    â€œMother can afford it.” Hannah glanced at her watch and slipped into a faster gear. “I’ve got to run, Claire. I’m judging the baked goods contest tonight.”
    â€œGood luck,” Claire said, taking her cue. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Hannah.”
    After Claire left, Hannah glanced around. People were still filing out of the auditorium, and it was time to make herself scarce. There was somewhere she had to go, and she had to do it fast. If she hurried, she’d have just enough time for the clandestine treat she’d decided to enjoy before she joined Willa and Pam at the Creative Arts Building.
    Â 
    Less than two minutes later, Hannah rounded the corner by the deep-fried candy bar booth. She was slightly out of breath, and she stopped to let her breathing return to a normal rate. There was a friendly-looking woman sitting on a stool behind the counter, and her nametag read RUBY in bright red block letters. No one else was in line at the moment, and Hannah stepped up to place her order.
    â€œWhat’ll it be, Ma’am?” the woman named Ruby asked. And that meant Hannah had to come to a decision. She’d been debating the merits of a Milky Way and a Snickers bar all day. She knew full well she shouldn’t indulge in a deep-fried candy bar, especially since she’d be sampling coffeecake, cinnamon bread, and sweet rolls in less than fifteen minutes. But all day long she’d been dreaming about a deep-fried candy bar. It was driving her crazy, and the only way to stop thinking about it was to have one.
    â€œMa’am?” Ruby prodded her back to the present, and there was a knowing smile on her face. “It’s hard to choose, isn’t it?”
    â€œDoes the Milky Way have the original milk chocolate? Or is it the kind with the semi-sweet dark chocolate?”
    â€œIt’s the original with milk chocolate. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
    â€œYou like the milk chocolate best?” Hannah asked, interpreting her comment.
    â€œYou got it right. I don’t understand why they wanted to mess with something that was already perfect.”
    â€œNeither do I.”
    â€œI felt the same way when they came out with peanuts in the M&Ms. And I really hate the new Hershey’s Kisses with fruit and nuts. They’re supposed to melt in your mouth without chewing, you know?”
    â€œI know.” Hannah felt she’d found a kindred soul. “I really shouldn’t have a deep-fried candy bar at all. I’m judging the baked goods contest in less than fifteen minutes.”
    Ruby threw back her head and laughed. “You’re right. You shouldn’t. These things are loaded with calories and you can’t take just one bite. Once you taste it, you have to finish the whole thing. It’s addictive.”
    â€œHow many calories does it have?” Hannah asked, hoping that if she didn’t eat anything except lettuce for the next two days, she could have one without gaining weight.
    â€œBelieve me, you don’t want to know!”
    â€œThat bad?”
    â€œWorse. I started to figure it out once, but I quit when I got up to a thousand. I figured it wasn’t a real good selling point.”
    â€œYou’re right,” Hannah said, hoping it wasn’t quite as bad as Ruby was making out. “I’ve got to taste one, though. I’ve been dreaming about it ever since I walked past your booth this morning.”
    â€œOkay. What kind of candy bar do you want?”
    â€œI’m still trying to decide between the Milky Way and the Snickers. Which one do you…” Hannah stopped speaking and whirled around as she heard someone calling her name. “Uh-oh!” she said with a groan. “It’s my