Death by Lime: A Key West Culinary Cozy - Book 5 by Summer Prescott Page A
Authors: Summer Prescott
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know, exactly,” she shook her head. “Lately, when I walk home, I’ve just felt like…like someone was watching me or something. I know it probably sounds crazy,” she said, embarrassed.
“I don’t think it sounds crazy at all,” Tiara assured her. “The card says that whoever this is sees you every day. Maybe someone has been watching you, or following you. It used to happen to girls on campus sometimes. Guys would get obsessed and just not take no for an answer.”
“Do you have any idea of who this could be?” Marilyn asked. “Could someone be playing a sad joke or something?”
“I have no idea,” Kelcie replied, wide-eyed.
“Ex-boyfriends? High school crushes?” Tiara prodded, trying to help her narrow it down.
“I doubt it,” the assistant made a face. “I was an ugly duckling in high school, so no crushes, and the only ex-boyfriend that still lives around her is Camden, and I’m still friends with him, so there’d be no reason for him to do this.”
“Well, it’s a mystery,” Marilyn remarked. “And I think for now, on nights when Thomas can’t be here to walk you home, either I’ll give you a ride or Tiara and I will walk with you,” she said firmly.
“You don’t have to do that,” Kelcie protested, not wanting to impose.
“Uh...yes we do,” Tiara insisted. “At least until we find out who your “secret admirer” is.”
“Okay,” the young woman agreed, still uncomfortable. “I guess that makes sense.”
Chapter 2
“Okay, this is really freaking me out,” Kelcie complained when she came in the back door of the shop carrying her morning latte.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Marilyn asked, concerned. It was so unlikely for the sweet girl to complain about anything, that something must be really wrong for her to mention it.
“When I left my house this morning, I noticed that someone had weeded and re-mulched all of the gardens in front of my house, so I texted my landlord to thank him, and he said that he hadn’t sent anyone to do it. He was actually a little bit rude about it too, saying that he wasn’t going to pay for it if someone sent him a bill because he didn’t authorize it,” she made a face, remembering the interaction.
“Thomas?” Marilyn asked.
“That’s what I thought,” Kelcie nodded. “He may not have much money, but this is something that he could’ve done almost for free, so I texted him to ask about it and he said that he hadn’t done it either,” she frowned.
“Are you thinking that your secret admirer might have done it?” her boss felt a growing sense of dread.
“If he didn’t, I don’t know who else would have,” the worried young woman replied. “But, it gets worse…”
“Worse? How?”
“So, I went to the coffee shop that’s just down the street from my house. I stop there every morning before work because they make the best coconut milk lattes. When I got to the front of the line and ordered, the cashier asked if I was Kelcie. I said that I was, and he said that my order had already been paid for earlier. So, I asked him by whom, and he said that he didn’t really remember, some guy had come in the day before and given him the money. This is really getting to me, Ms. Hayes. I don’t know what to do,” Kelcie lamented.
“Have you spoken to the police?” Marilyn asked.
“No. What would I tell them? Someone keeps doing nice things for me? I don’t think that’s a crime,” she sighed.
“Right, but they might be able to give you some guidance as to the best way to deal with this kind of thing,” her boss pointed out.
“I suppose. Maybe I’ll stop by the police station after work,” Kelcie shrugged, slightly scared, but mostly annoyed.
“Or…there’s a detective that stops in for pie occasionally. I could call him and ask him to come by. I’ll offer a free slice of pie as a bribe,” Marilyn smiled.
“Let’s not use detective and bribe in the same conversation,” Kelcie teased. “Are you
“I don’t think it sounds crazy at all,” Tiara assured her. “The card says that whoever this is sees you every day. Maybe someone has been watching you, or following you. It used to happen to girls on campus sometimes. Guys would get obsessed and just not take no for an answer.”
“Do you have any idea of who this could be?” Marilyn asked. “Could someone be playing a sad joke or something?”
“I have no idea,” Kelcie replied, wide-eyed.
“Ex-boyfriends? High school crushes?” Tiara prodded, trying to help her narrow it down.
“I doubt it,” the assistant made a face. “I was an ugly duckling in high school, so no crushes, and the only ex-boyfriend that still lives around her is Camden, and I’m still friends with him, so there’d be no reason for him to do this.”
“Well, it’s a mystery,” Marilyn remarked. “And I think for now, on nights when Thomas can’t be here to walk you home, either I’ll give you a ride or Tiara and I will walk with you,” she said firmly.
“You don’t have to do that,” Kelcie protested, not wanting to impose.
“Uh...yes we do,” Tiara insisted. “At least until we find out who your “secret admirer” is.”
“Okay,” the young woman agreed, still uncomfortable. “I guess that makes sense.”
Chapter 2
“Okay, this is really freaking me out,” Kelcie complained when she came in the back door of the shop carrying her morning latte.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Marilyn asked, concerned. It was so unlikely for the sweet girl to complain about anything, that something must be really wrong for her to mention it.
“When I left my house this morning, I noticed that someone had weeded and re-mulched all of the gardens in front of my house, so I texted my landlord to thank him, and he said that he hadn’t sent anyone to do it. He was actually a little bit rude about it too, saying that he wasn’t going to pay for it if someone sent him a bill because he didn’t authorize it,” she made a face, remembering the interaction.
“Thomas?” Marilyn asked.
“That’s what I thought,” Kelcie nodded. “He may not have much money, but this is something that he could’ve done almost for free, so I texted him to ask about it and he said that he hadn’t done it either,” she frowned.
“Are you thinking that your secret admirer might have done it?” her boss felt a growing sense of dread.
“If he didn’t, I don’t know who else would have,” the worried young woman replied. “But, it gets worse…”
“Worse? How?”
“So, I went to the coffee shop that’s just down the street from my house. I stop there every morning before work because they make the best coconut milk lattes. When I got to the front of the line and ordered, the cashier asked if I was Kelcie. I said that I was, and he said that my order had already been paid for earlier. So, I asked him by whom, and he said that he didn’t really remember, some guy had come in the day before and given him the money. This is really getting to me, Ms. Hayes. I don’t know what to do,” Kelcie lamented.
“Have you spoken to the police?” Marilyn asked.
“No. What would I tell them? Someone keeps doing nice things for me? I don’t think that’s a crime,” she sighed.
“Right, but they might be able to give you some guidance as to the best way to deal with this kind of thing,” her boss pointed out.
“I suppose. Maybe I’ll stop by the police station after work,” Kelcie shrugged, slightly scared, but mostly annoyed.
“Or…there’s a detective that stops in for pie occasionally. I could call him and ask him to come by. I’ll offer a free slice of pie as a bribe,” Marilyn smiled.
“Let’s not use detective and bribe in the same conversation,” Kelcie teased. “Are you
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