Scone Cold Dead by Kaitlyn Dunnett Read Free Book Online

the search.
    â€œBut some are,” Sherri murmured. “Uh, Pete?” She raised her voice as she lifted the receptacle. “You want to come in here and take a look at this?”

Chapter Three
    L iss was barely awake the next morning when her doorbell rang. Deciding what to wear had been beyond her when she’d rolled out of bed twenty minutes earlier, so she’d thrown on the brightly colored silk caftan Dan had once said made her resemble a circus tent.
    That hadn’t been the look she’d been going for, but the comment made her smile every time she remembered it. She could count on Dan to be up-front with her. That was a good thing. Wasn’t it?
    Liss had not passed a peaceful night. Every time she closed her eyes, an instant replay began. First it had been of that ridiculous quarrel with Dan. Then she’d been back at the reception, watching helplessly as Sherri and Pete tried to revive Victor Owens. She felt a nagging sense of wrongness about the way Victor had died. It should not have happened, especially not on her watch.
    Liss knew it was absurd to feel guilty about his death. She’d done everything she could to keep mushrooms off the menu. Nor was it her fault that Victor had evidently forgotten to carry an EpiPen. But he’d died at a function she’d arranged. She couldn’t help thinking that there might have been something she could have done to prevent the senseless accident that had taken his life.
    Was it any wonder that the idea of taking his place with the company no longer appealed to her?
    The ringing changed to banging.
    â€œComing!” Liss fumbled with the chain, the dead bolt, and the brass key in the old-fashioned lock beneath. Nothing worked right with only an ounce or two of caffeine circulating through her bloodstream. She hadn’t managed to consume more than a few sips from her first mug of coffee of the day.
    A blast of icy air swirled inside when she jerked the door open. A man wearing a ski jacket open over a sports coat and dark slacks stood on her porch. He was holding up a badge, as if he expected her to ask to inspect it before she let him in. “Amaryllis MacCrimmon?”
    â€œYes?” She wrapped her arms around herself, but that didn’t stop a chill from running up her spine. She suddenly wished she’d taken the time to look through the side windows first. Then she might have been able to pretend she wasn’t home.
    â€œI’m State Police Detective Gordon Tandy. I wonder if I might talk to you for a few minutes. It’s about the incident at the Student Center last night.”
    Liss hesitated. It seemed odd to her that the state police would interest themselves in an accidental death, but she told herself there must be formalities to go through when the deceased had been a visitor to the area and had no family near at hand. She wasn’t sure how much help she’d be. She had no idea where to find Victor’s next of kin.
    â€œCome in out of the cold, Detective Tandy.” As she said his name, it belatedly rang a bell. “Tandy’s Music and Gifts?”
    â€œMy brother’s place.” His glance strayed next door to Moosetookalook Scottish Emporium. “Ah. I should have guessed. You’re the little girl who used to win all the dance competitions.”
    Liss frowned at the “little girl” part as he moved past her into the foyer. “And you’re one of the bagpipe-playing Tandy brothers. Small world.”
    She studied him as he shrugged out of the ski jacket. She knew he must be at least a dozen years older than she was, but he didn’t look it. He had the kind of face that made people think “boy next door” at any age. The body wasn’t bad, either.
    Liss decided she must be more sleep deprived than she’d thought if she was ogling a strange man at this hour of the morning. That didn’t stop her from admiring the thick, reddish brown hair