Free Criminal Confections by Colette London

surreal—the way it did when you’ve been awake twenty-four hours straight, crossing time zones and getting increasingly jet-lagged.
    Except I hadn’t been traveling. Not for weeks.
    I should have been getting itchy feet just realizing it.
    â€œHow much of Adrienne’s green juice did you drink?”
    I frowned, thinking. “A few sips. That stuff was vile. You know I’m not much for the health-freak routine.” I widened my eyes, suddenly catching Danny’s drift. “You don’t think—”
    â€œMaybe.” His stony expression said it all. He did think.
    Now I felt really woozy. But also hyperaware. I know it sounds weird, but I swear I could feel my pulse. In my ear. Ugh.
    It occurred to me that Adrienne had been conspicuously sweaty earlier. Uh-oh. If that was one of the warning signs . . .
    â€œYou weren’t out there when the shit hit the fan.” Danny paced, casting wary glances at the window and door. “I was. The paramedics said Adrienne might have overdosed on something.”
    Instantly, I was indignant. “Adrienne wasn’t on drugs! She was a nice, hardworking, strawberry-daiquiri-loving woman.”
    I remembered our chatty after-work drinks sessions. Those wouldn’t be happening anymore. I sat on the king-size bed. Hard.
    â€œShe was only in her forties,” Danny persisted. “And she died of a heart arrhythmia. That’s the theory the EMTs were working with, anyway. That doesn’t happen randomly.”
    â€œA heart arrhythmia doesn’t cause someone to bleed all over!” I shivered, remembering the ghastly sight of Adrienne in Nina’s arms. I knew I’d never forget it. I’d never seen a dead person before. Now I had. I didn’t know how to feel about that.
    â€œNo, but an overdose might,” Danny said. “Adrienne might have been vomiting blood. That would explain the splatters.”
    Yikes. He’d accurately diagnosed blood splatters?
    â€œYour life is vastly different from mine. You know that?”
    Danny wasn’t bothered by my non sequitur. “That could have been Adrienne reacting to whatever she overdosed on. Your body does its best to protect you from your dumbass brain. Like when you go full bore on those strawberry daiquiris and wind up puking your guts out.” Still looking tense, he glanced outside again. Evidently, he’d gone into hard-core security-expert mode on me. “Only sometimes the fail-safe doesn’t work as designed.”
    I didn’t want to know how Danny knew that. Also, gross.
    But he had a point. “You think I might overdose, too?”
    â€œMaybe you were supposed to.” His gaze turned hard. “Maybe Adrienne got the dose meant for you. Do you have enemies here?”
    At his dire tone, I couldn’t help laughing. “Danny! This isn’t a movie. It’s me. At a chocolate retreat. At a chichi resort with its own security force. Nobody tried to overdose me tonight.” I gave him a long look. “You’re just being paranoid.”
    He didn’t give in. “Did anyone give you a drink?”
    I tried to remember. Rex? I shrugged. “Only Adrienne.”
    Danny made a face. “That disgusting swamp juice?”
    Another shrug. “Sometime I might get healthy.”
    â€œThat’ll be the day.” He flashed me a grin. “You mainline chocolate like it’s your job.” A pause. “Oh, wait. It is.”
    â€œHey. Chocolate contains valuable antioxidant flavonoids,” I informed him. “Cacao is very rich in phytochemicals. Those are good for you. They come from plants. Plus, a third of the fat in cocoa butter is stearic acid, which doesn’t raise cholesterol levels.” Warming up to my lecture, I added, “Chocolate can help with chronic fatigue syndrome, improve arterial blood flow, ease depression, and help prevent heart attacks. So,