Read Online A Deadly Slice of Lime: A Key West Culinary Cozy - Book 6 by Summer Prescott - Free Book Online Page B

hating to just drop in, but not
knowing where else to go while the police checked out her cottage. She had
dropped off a spare house key with the detective on her way over, and headed
for her daughter’s, just longing to feel safe and see a friendly face.
    “Mom…hi,”
Tiara looked puzzled when she opened the door.
    “Can
I come in?” her mother asked, feeling shaky and weak.
    “Of
course,” she opened the door all the way, standing back to let Marilyn pass.
Her roommates were out of town, so Tiara had been sitting in front of the
television working on a new ad campaign for when the shop reopened. “Are you
okay?” she asked, looking closely at her mother.
    Marilyn
related what had happened at the house and Tiara listened intently, shaking her
head.
    “This
has to stop – it’s getting ridiculous,” her daughter exclaimed, frowning. “You
have some sick guy stalking you, Dad says that he thinks they’re going to
arrest him for Brad’s murder, and the shop is destroyed. What next?” she fumed.
    “Your
father is going to be arrested?” Marilyn sank down onto the couch.
    “Looks
that way. The detective found some shady deals in his past and talked to some
people who said that he threatened them, and…” Tiara trailed off, trying to
keep the tears at bay.
    “Oh,
honey, I’m so sorry,” she put her arm around the distraught young woman.
    “I
think he’s going to run,” she mumbled.
    “What
do you mean?” Marilyn asked, gently tipping her daughter’s chin up to look at
her.
    “The
police told him that he had to stay in town while they were investigating, and
he complained about how expensive the hotel was, so I told him that he could
stay here and sleep on the couch, and he started acting really weird and made
an excuse to leave right away,” she explained miserably. “I still don’t think
that he did it, but it seems like he’s so afraid of going to jail that he might
do something stupid.”
    “Well,
I’m sorry, sweetie, you did your best to try to help him. He’s an adult, so
hopefully he’ll make an adult decision and stay put,” Marilyn leaned her
forehead against her daughter’s.
    Tiara
nodded, then gave her mom a quick hug and pulled away, swiping at her eyes.
“Are you hungry? I was about to order some Chinese food,” she changed the
subject.
    “Let’s
go out,” her mother proposed. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had an actual
mother-daughter date,” she observed. “We can go out to eat and maybe catch a
movie and forget about all this ridiculous drama for a while, how does that
sound?” she asked gently, tucking a stray golden lock of hair behind her
daughter’s ear.
    “That
sounds amazing, Mom,” she nodded, still not smiling, but feeling a bit better
at least. “I feel bad though…going out and having fun while Dad’s life is so
complicated,” she admitted.
    “There’s
nothing you can do though, sweetie, and sitting here worrying about it isn’t
going to help. There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of relief. I know I
could use some diversion right about now,” Marilyn said softly.
    “Okay,”
Tiara nodded. “I’m sorry you’re having to go through all of this, Mom. I’m just
so used to you being so self-sufficient and taking care of everything and
everyone, that I sometimes forget that you need support too,” she looked up at
her mother with wide blue eyes.
    “And
right now, I could use a drink, so let’s walk to wherever we’re going,” she
replied, lightening the mood.
    “Agreed,”
her daughter replied wryly.
    When
Marilyn shared that they were invited to go charter fishing with Captain Bob,
and now had a contractor to work on the shop, Tiara was so excited that she
texted Kelcie immediately to arrange to pick her up on the way to the marina.
Mother and daughter had a relaxed evening filled with laughter, and were
finally able to relieve some of the stress that had been building for both of
them ever since Daniel had decided to come