Free Death by Tea by Alex Erickson Page A

heaved a sigh. “Please stick around, okay? I’m sure you have a perfectly good reason for taking this thing, but until we check it over, this puts you at the very top of our suspect list, whether I like it or not.”
    â€œBut . . . but . . .” But what? It was all happening too fast.
    â€œAren’t you going to arrest her?” Buchannan asked as Chief Dalton started for her cruiser.
    â€œWhy?” she asked, clearly annoyed. “She isn’t going anywhere.”
    â€œBut she is our best suspect! She might make a run for it now that we have evidence.”
    Patricia glanced back at me. “Are you going to leave town?”
    â€œNo.” It came out as a mumbled whisper. I sounded like I did back when I was a little girl caught with my hand in the cookie jar before dinner.
    â€œGood.” She got into her cruiser and started it up.
    Buchannan stood, mouth agape, as he watched Chief Dalton turn the car around—driving over my yard, no less. As soon as she was at the end of the driveway, his gaze turned toward me and hardened.
    â€œWe’re going to get you,” he said, pointing a finger. “Even if I have to follow your every step for the next month, I’ll make sure you don’t get away with this.”
    â€œBuchannan!” Chief Dalton was leaning out her window. “Let’s go.”
    He glared at me a moment longer before he stormed around to the driver’s side of the car, got in, slammed the door hard behind him, and then jerked the car into reverse. His tires spun and he nearly lost control before he managed to find his way back onto the road. He gave me one last furious glare before shoving the car into drive and speeding off in a flurry of dust.
    I stared after the retreating cruisers in disbelief. Did they actually search my house while I wasn’t there? Was that even legal? Somehow, I didn’t think it was, but I doubted I’d make much headway if I tried to argue it, especially in a town like this. I was quickly learning that Pine Hills wasn’t like other places. Things were done differently here and I’d best learn to fit in or else I was going to find myself in a whole lot of trouble.
    Something warm and fuzzy barreled into my legs just then, startling a scream from me. I staggered forward, arms pinwheeling, and just barely managed to keep from falling. A sharp yip came next, and before I could turn around a white Maltese was standing on his back paws, front paws pressed against me, begging to be pet.
    â€œMaestro, no!” Jules said, rushing to my side. “I’m so sorry.” He picked up the little dog and held him close to his chest. “He just gets so excited sometimes.”
    Jules Phan was my neighbor—the one I actually liked. He appeared to be of Asian descent, though I’d never asked him if he was born here or immigrated. It seemed rude somehow. He had caramel skin you could lap up and stylized hair that made him look as if he could fit right in with a boy band. When at work, he often dressed in outlandishly colorful outfits, but today he was wearing white Keds with tan shorts and a tight-fitting T.
    â€œIt’s okay.” I swallowed back my heart as I brushed hair from my face. I ruffled the dog’s ears.
    â€œI saw what was happening,” Jules said. “It’s absolutely terrible how they’re treating you, isn’t it? I heard through the grapevine that Mrs. Winthrow is responsible for a lot of your troubles.” His gaze traveled to the Winthrow house, but Eleanor had already retreated inside.
    â€œI suppose,” I said with a sigh. “I brought a lot of it upon myself.” At Jules’s widening eyes, I hurriedly added, “I didn’t kill anyone. But I did take a cardboard cutout of my dad that belongs to Rita Jablonski. She left it in my shop, and well . . .”
    Jules nodded as if he completely understood. “She’s a special one,