who had dusted for fingerprints, trampled the flowers under my windowsills, and pretty much asked me so many questions my head had started to ache. Now, the only one left was Detective Howard, and he’d given us permission to move about the house as we pleased again, but he was still questioning me.
I could hear Brandon rummaging through the kitchen.
“Have you been asking questions about Mitzi’s case?” he asked. The officer jotted the answer on his pad of paper before I could answer him.
The man must think me stupid. “You know I have.” I answered.
“I suggest you stop.” He answered. “Leave Mitzi’s case to us. We’ll find her killer.”
He had my interest. I scooted to the edge of the couch and asked. “You have new leads?”
His steel blue eyes narrowed. “I’m afraid I can’t give out that information, Ms. Parker.”
“Is there anything you can tell me? Like if the brownies are poisoned?” Bitterness laced my voice.
The detective stood. “That I can tell you but not before we get the results from the lab. Until then, stay out of this investigation, Ms. Parker.”
Yeah right. I arranged a smile on my face and showed him to the door.
TITLE
Lethal Lasagna
Chapter 12
When I returned to the living room, Brandon had filled two glasses with soda. He handed me a paper plate. “You have no intentions of butting out of this case, do you?”
My appetite came back in full force at the aroma of warm pizza. “Not on your life.” I smiled and picked up a slice. I almost took a bite but noticed that Brandon sat with his hands in his lap. “Something wrong?”
He grinned. “I was just going to say grace.”
I laid the pizza back down on my plate. “Oh, sorry. I forgot.”
“Not a problem.” He lowered his head and said a quick prayer over the food.
How could I have forgotten to pray? I’d been praying over my food all my life. Seldom did I forget. The desire to make an excuse popped into my head, but I chose not to do so. Instead I silently said my own prayer of thanks.
“So what now?” Brandon asked, picking up a slice of pizza and then taking a big bite.
The smell of pepperoni and onions filled the warm air. I inhaled deeply before answering. “The police will test the brownies and the roast beef, after that I’m not sure. Someone doesn’t like my asking questions. But, who?” Cheese coated my tongue as I chewed.
“I don’t know, but I don’t like it.” He took a swig of cola and swallowed hard. Concern laced his eyes.
I swallowed the now-dry pizza. “Whoever it is, they don’t know much about my life.”
He continued to study me. “No, if they did they would know your mother doesn’t live around here.”
I knew he was trying to be sensitive by not saying that they didn’t know my mother was dead. It was sweet…But, must focus on the matter at hand, not about him being sweet and handsome right now. “So, I’m going to assume it was someone who I’ve just met.” I folded a napkin in my lap.
Brandon picked up another slice of pizza. “It would seem that way. Did anyone act upset that you were asking questions about Mitzi?”
“Not really. Most just showed sorrow for her death.” I scooted back in the chair, my mind working to remember if anyone acted suspiciously. Margery Williams had gotten upset, but I thought that was because of her granddaughter Olivia. Could she be hiding something?
The doorbell rang.
For a brief moment, panic welled up inside me. Having someone break into your home causes you to behave a little irrational at the slightest sound. The killer wouldn’t ring the doorbell I thought as I made my way to answer it. Maybe one of the policemen had forgotten something.
My neighbor, Sara, stared down at me. “Are you okay?”
I sighed and pulled the door open. “Come on in, Sara. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? I saw the police drive away a few moments ago.” She followed me through the entryway and into the living room.
Brandon stood when
I could hear Brandon rummaging through the kitchen.
“Have you been asking questions about Mitzi’s case?” he asked. The officer jotted the answer on his pad of paper before I could answer him.
The man must think me stupid. “You know I have.” I answered.
“I suggest you stop.” He answered. “Leave Mitzi’s case to us. We’ll find her killer.”
He had my interest. I scooted to the edge of the couch and asked. “You have new leads?”
His steel blue eyes narrowed. “I’m afraid I can’t give out that information, Ms. Parker.”
“Is there anything you can tell me? Like if the brownies are poisoned?” Bitterness laced my voice.
The detective stood. “That I can tell you but not before we get the results from the lab. Until then, stay out of this investigation, Ms. Parker.”
Yeah right. I arranged a smile on my face and showed him to the door.
TITLE
Lethal Lasagna
Chapter 12
When I returned to the living room, Brandon had filled two glasses with soda. He handed me a paper plate. “You have no intentions of butting out of this case, do you?”
My appetite came back in full force at the aroma of warm pizza. “Not on your life.” I smiled and picked up a slice. I almost took a bite but noticed that Brandon sat with his hands in his lap. “Something wrong?”
He grinned. “I was just going to say grace.”
I laid the pizza back down on my plate. “Oh, sorry. I forgot.”
“Not a problem.” He lowered his head and said a quick prayer over the food.
How could I have forgotten to pray? I’d been praying over my food all my life. Seldom did I forget. The desire to make an excuse popped into my head, but I chose not to do so. Instead I silently said my own prayer of thanks.
“So what now?” Brandon asked, picking up a slice of pizza and then taking a big bite.
The smell of pepperoni and onions filled the warm air. I inhaled deeply before answering. “The police will test the brownies and the roast beef, after that I’m not sure. Someone doesn’t like my asking questions. But, who?” Cheese coated my tongue as I chewed.
“I don’t know, but I don’t like it.” He took a swig of cola and swallowed hard. Concern laced his eyes.
I swallowed the now-dry pizza. “Whoever it is, they don’t know much about my life.”
He continued to study me. “No, if they did they would know your mother doesn’t live around here.”
I knew he was trying to be sensitive by not saying that they didn’t know my mother was dead. It was sweet…But, must focus on the matter at hand, not about him being sweet and handsome right now. “So, I’m going to assume it was someone who I’ve just met.” I folded a napkin in my lap.
Brandon picked up another slice of pizza. “It would seem that way. Did anyone act upset that you were asking questions about Mitzi?”
“Not really. Most just showed sorrow for her death.” I scooted back in the chair, my mind working to remember if anyone acted suspiciously. Margery Williams had gotten upset, but I thought that was because of her granddaughter Olivia. Could she be hiding something?
The doorbell rang.
For a brief moment, panic welled up inside me. Having someone break into your home causes you to behave a little irrational at the slightest sound. The killer wouldn’t ring the doorbell I thought as I made my way to answer it. Maybe one of the policemen had forgotten something.
My neighbor, Sara, stared down at me. “Are you okay?”
I sighed and pulled the door open. “Come on in, Sara. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? I saw the police drive away a few moments ago.” She followed me through the entryway and into the living room.
Brandon stood when
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