Secrets Among the Cedars (Intertwined Book 2) Read Online Free
Author: Sherri Wilson Johnson
to stay."
"Thanks, really. But I can't."
He could take a hint. He must have QUARANTINE or PLAGUE written across his forehead because she obviously couldn't wait to get away from him. Had he said something wrong? He shouldn't have brought up Maria again. Or maybe Kathryn was a Mrs. after all.
Then she tossed her sable hair over her shoulder with a swing of her head and pulled the porch door open. She turned to face him with a smirk. "It was really nice seeing you. I hope I run into you again."
He smiled, and a strange exhilaration shot through him from her sudden change of attitude. Something he hadn't felt in a long time.
Chapter Three
Had Kathryn really told Phil she hoped to see him again? She'd lost her senses. She should step out into the water and call for all the sharks to come bite her legs off. That was the equivalent of flirting with Maria's ex.
She needed another ice cream to cool her down from her time with Phil and to get her mind back on the case. Had he seen her sweating? It'd taken every bit of control she had not to take him up on the offer to pay for her lunch. What a sweet gesture. No one had done that for her in years.
She was not here to meet men though. She had to focus on this case and not let a man distract her. A handsome man. A friendly man. Maria's ex-man. Ugh!
She walked the short distance to the Island Trading Post and ordered a double scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in a waffle cone. One bite and her mind forgot all about Phil. She'd been so busy over the last few years, she'd forgotten the pleasure of such simple things.
Kathryn reached for a napkin from the dispenser on the counter. "Excuse me. I'm an attorney from Georgia, and I'm investigating a murder case. Have you seen any suspicious activity lately?"
The young man with shaggy brown hair in a red Panama Jack T-shirt scratched his head. "No, ma'am, I sure haven't. Not much of that in Cedar Key. You could talk to the Chief of Police. You'll see him riding around on his golf cart."
Golf cart? "Okay, thanks. Great ice cream, by the way!"
She stepped out of the store, scanning the strip for a golf cart. There were at least ten. How would she be able to spot the Chief? Her ice cream dripped down her hand. Again. She'd focus on the case later. Right now, she was going to enjoy every bite of her treat.
She unlocked her car as her cell phone rang. She dropped her shoulders, set her to-go box on the roof of her car, and dug the phone out of her purse. If only she could ignore whoever was on the other end, but it might be D.A. Schwartz or the public defender's office.
Before she could speak, a piercing whistle sounded through the earpiece. She yanked the phone away from her ear, dropped her ice cream on the pavement, and flung her hand over the phone to muffle the noise. When the whistling stopped, she brought the phone back to her ear. Her ice cream rested in a puddle at her feet. "Hell-lo?"
"I'm watching you. Be careful, little lady," a distorted voice blared then dead silence.
Kathryn gasped and pulled the phone away from her face again. The call log popped up on her screen, but the number was blocked. Who could it have been? Although the voice sounded harmless enough, like someone's great-grandmother speaking through a handkerchief, her arms and legs tingled with adrenaline.
She tugged her car door open, but a white envelope the size of a greeting card wedged beneath her windshield wiper distracted her. She grabbed it and her leftover food, and plopped down into her seat. She cranked the car, turned the air on high, then studied the chicken scratches on the front of the envelope. She ran her finger underneath the flap and slid out a sympathy card. A lock of white and brown fur fell to her lap. Fur that looked like it came from Sadie. She snatched it up and read the words scrawled on the inside of the card.
It would be a shame if something happened to your dog. Watch your step, Kathryn Bellamy!
Her heart
"Thanks, really. But I can't."
He could take a hint. He must have QUARANTINE or PLAGUE written across his forehead because she obviously couldn't wait to get away from him. Had he said something wrong? He shouldn't have brought up Maria again. Or maybe Kathryn was a Mrs. after all.
Then she tossed her sable hair over her shoulder with a swing of her head and pulled the porch door open. She turned to face him with a smirk. "It was really nice seeing you. I hope I run into you again."
He smiled, and a strange exhilaration shot through him from her sudden change of attitude. Something he hadn't felt in a long time.
Chapter Three
Had Kathryn really told Phil she hoped to see him again? She'd lost her senses. She should step out into the water and call for all the sharks to come bite her legs off. That was the equivalent of flirting with Maria's ex.
She needed another ice cream to cool her down from her time with Phil and to get her mind back on the case. Had he seen her sweating? It'd taken every bit of control she had not to take him up on the offer to pay for her lunch. What a sweet gesture. No one had done that for her in years.
She was not here to meet men though. She had to focus on this case and not let a man distract her. A handsome man. A friendly man. Maria's ex-man. Ugh!
She walked the short distance to the Island Trading Post and ordered a double scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in a waffle cone. One bite and her mind forgot all about Phil. She'd been so busy over the last few years, she'd forgotten the pleasure of such simple things.
Kathryn reached for a napkin from the dispenser on the counter. "Excuse me. I'm an attorney from Georgia, and I'm investigating a murder case. Have you seen any suspicious activity lately?"
The young man with shaggy brown hair in a red Panama Jack T-shirt scratched his head. "No, ma'am, I sure haven't. Not much of that in Cedar Key. You could talk to the Chief of Police. You'll see him riding around on his golf cart."
Golf cart? "Okay, thanks. Great ice cream, by the way!"
She stepped out of the store, scanning the strip for a golf cart. There were at least ten. How would she be able to spot the Chief? Her ice cream dripped down her hand. Again. She'd focus on the case later. Right now, she was going to enjoy every bite of her treat.
She unlocked her car as her cell phone rang. She dropped her shoulders, set her to-go box on the roof of her car, and dug the phone out of her purse. If only she could ignore whoever was on the other end, but it might be D.A. Schwartz or the public defender's office.
Before she could speak, a piercing whistle sounded through the earpiece. She yanked the phone away from her ear, dropped her ice cream on the pavement, and flung her hand over the phone to muffle the noise. When the whistling stopped, she brought the phone back to her ear. Her ice cream rested in a puddle at her feet. "Hell-lo?"
"I'm watching you. Be careful, little lady," a distorted voice blared then dead silence.
Kathryn gasped and pulled the phone away from her face again. The call log popped up on her screen, but the number was blocked. Who could it have been? Although the voice sounded harmless enough, like someone's great-grandmother speaking through a handkerchief, her arms and legs tingled with adrenaline.
She tugged her car door open, but a white envelope the size of a greeting card wedged beneath her windshield wiper distracted her. She grabbed it and her leftover food, and plopped down into her seat. She cranked the car, turned the air on high, then studied the chicken scratches on the front of the envelope. She ran her finger underneath the flap and slid out a sympathy card. A lock of white and brown fur fell to her lap. Fur that looked like it came from Sadie. She snatched it up and read the words scrawled on the inside of the card.
It would be a shame if something happened to your dog. Watch your step, Kathryn Bellamy!
Her heart
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