Green Living Can Be Deadly (A Blossom Valley Mystery) Read Online Free Page A

you here about the death already?”
    “What death? I came to cover the festival.”
    That made perfect sense, considering Jason was the lead reporter for Blossom Valley’s weekly paper, but my muddled brain had all but forgotten about the festival at this point.
    Jason glanced around, finally noting the paramedics next door. “What’s going on over there? I saw the crowd, but thought the booth had one of those wheels you spin to win free stuff.”
    “I think there was a murder while I was off touring the rest of the festival.”
    “Murder,” Jason said sharply. “Are you sure?”
    I ran a hand through my hair. My stomach twisted at the memory. “I’m not positive, but unless she slashed her own throat, it’s a good bet.”
    Had she taken her own life? That possibility hadn’t even occurred to me, and I dismissed it at once. Wendy was a successful businesswoman running her own company. I couldn’t picture her committing suicide, especially not in the middle of a festival. Then again, I couldn’t picture her being murdered, either, although I didn’t really know her anymore.
    Jason brushed my hair back from my face. “You must be so upset.”
    I nodded, unable to say anything more.
    He dropped his hand and squeezed his notepad, sneaking a peek back at the crowd. His reporter side was at full alert, ready to ferret out the details.
    “Go ahead,” I said. “Do your job.”
    “I’ll stay here with her,” Zennia said. I’d almost forgotten she was there.
    Jason nodded his thanks to her and rubbed my arm. “I won’t be long. The cops probably don’t know anything yet, not even her name.” He turned to go.
    “Her name’s Wendy.”
    He swiveled back. “You know her?”
    “We went to school together. She’s twenty-eight, like me, but with her own company and who knows what kind of fantastic life ahead of her. And now it’s all over.” I rubbed my forehead. The threat of a headache was creeping in.
    Jason jotted something in his notepad. “When did you last see her?”
    I thought about how I’d walked straight past her tent when I’d decided to see the other booths. Had she been alive at that point? She hadn’t called to me as I went by. Was she already bleeding to death on the cold, hard pavement?
    “Dana?” Jason asked, his voice tender.
    I rubbed my head again. “Sorry. I talked to her this morning. Then Kimmie showed up here and some guy visited Wendy’s booth. In fact, you should find that guy. He was sure mad.”
    “Do you know what it was about?”
    “Was this before I got here?” Zennia asked. “I don’t remember that.”
    “You got here a few minutes later.” I closed my eyes, but I came up blank. “With everything that’s happened, I don’t really remember what I heard,” I told Jason.
    “Take your time. I need you to tell me anything at all that comes to mind.”
    “I have a better idea!” someone behind me boomed. “How about you tell the police everything you know?”
    I turned to find Detective Palmer glowering at me. With his arms crossed over his chest, he looked like one unhappy policeman.
    Which meant I was about to be unhappy, too.

4
     
    Detective Palmer glanced from me to Jason, then back to me. “Tell me what happened.”
    I gulped, suddenly nervous, and stared at the diamond pattern on his blue tie. “I don’t know. I didn’t hear a thing, and I was in my booth the whole time. Well, except when I walked around at lunch.” I turned to Zennia. “Did you hear anything? Did you leave the booth at all?”
    “For a few minutes. I left the package of napkins in my car, and when I went to get them, I ran into an old friend, who wanted to see the festival. We got to chatting about this new holistic herb she read about, and I’m afraid I lost track of time.”
    Before I could ask anything else, Detective Palmer took my elbow and directed me toward the parking area. “Let’s continue this in my car before you start interviewing all my witnesses. I don’t