Jamie Quinn Cozy Mysteries Collection

Chapter 24

Marian must"ve killed Spike! Just yesterday, I"d been chatting with her and drinking coffee. I felt a chill go down my spine. Now, what do I do?

Marian must"ve killed Spike! Just yesterday, I"d been chatting with her and drinking coffee. I felt a chill go down my spine. Now, what do I do?I watched Dr. Simon coax Adam out of his hypnotic state. I was worried that Adam would be feeling worse after all he"d been through, but, to my surprise, he looked better. Not carefree, more like a weight had been lifted off of him. He even gave Dr. Simon a half-smile. Although he was much taller now, Adam still looked like that sleepy little boy I used to babysit, reading animal stories under the covers before he drifted off.

You"d think I"d know what to do next, considering all of the mysteries I"ve read and all the TV shows I"ve watched, but I was clueless. I knew one thing for sure, I had to tell Grace! I hated doing it by text, but she was at work and I couldn"t wait. Patience is not my forte.

Hey G, things just got interesting! Adam had a breakthrough under hypnosis & told us the "bad" thing he did, the one that got Spike killed…

Hey G, things just got interesting! Adam had a breakthrough under hypnosis & told us the "bad" thing he did, the one that got Spike killed…OMG!! Why would you leave me hanging like that? Why so mean?

OMG!! Why would you leave me hanging like that? Why so mean?LOL!! He revealed a secret that Spike asked him not to tell, the secret was…

LOL!! He revealed a secret that Spike asked him not to tell, the secret was…I"m going to kill you!!!!

I"m going to kill you!!!!The secret was that Spike was in love with Rosa! Adam spilled the beans and told someone who got very, very angry….

The secret was that Spike was in love with Rosa! Adam spilled the beans and told someone who got very, very angry….You will pay for this torture. I promise you.

You will pay for this torture. I promise you.Drum roll please….it was Marian!!!

Drum roll please….it was Marian!!!No- way!!!

No- way!!!Yes! And now I can add "coffee klatch with a murderer" to my resume. Maybe I can get a job with the prison system…

Yes! And now I can add "coffee klatch with a murderer" to my resume. Maybe I can get a job with the prison system…Wow! But how do you know for sure it was her?

Wow! But how do you know for sure it was her?I don"t, but my gut tells me it’s her. And Adam believes it.

I don"t, but my gut tells me it’s her. And Adam believes it.You have to go to the state attorney with this.

You have to go to the state attorney with this.But I hate that guy! Don"t make me talk to him!

But I hate that guy! Don"t make me talk to him!Jamie….

Jamie….Sigh. Okay, but you just ruined my day.

Sigh. Okay, but you just ruined my day.Now we"re even. Lol! Good luck!

Now we"re even. Lol! Good luck!It only took me a minute to realize I couldn"t go to Nick the state attorney and accuse Marian of killing Spike in a jealous rage--not because he was my arch-enemy, playing Magneto to my Professor Xavier--but because he"d never believe me. I mean, what proof did I have? Because my hypnotized, traumatized, autistic cousin said so? That would go over well. What I needed was proof. I needed Duke, damn it!

Where was he, anyway? It was weird that I hadn"t heard from him, not even a lewd text. I called him, but it went to voice mail. I texted him and got no response. I made myself a piece of toast and then called the only place I could think of.

"It"s always Mardi Gras at The Big Easy, this is Brendan, how may I help you?

"Hi Brendan, I"m looking for Duke Broussard, have you seen him?"

"Um, well…Duke?" I could hear Duke in the background saying "I"m not here."

"Brendan?"

"Yes ma"am. I"m sorry but--"

"Brendan, this is Mr. Broussard"s attorney and I must speak with him immediately. Please put him on the phone."

"Yes ma"am, okay--alright, here he is."

I heard the phone changing hands and then Duke said hello, but he didn"t sound right, not at all.

"Duke? What"s the matter? Are you sick, do you need me to take you to the hospital?"

"Don"t need no hospital." He was slurring, like he"d been drinking heavily. Something was way off. Alcohol makes some people depressed, but not Duke. He was usually the happiest drunk on the planet.

"You stay there, Duke! I"ll see you in five minutes." I threw on some jeans and a t-shirt, jumped in my car and raced over to The Big Easy. I used to lead such a quiet life, what the hell happened? It seemed like there was a new crisis every day. Maybe I should get a siren for the roof of my car, and paint the door panel to say: "Hang on, I"m on my way!"

Oh, Duke! You were supposed to save me, not the other way around…

Oh, Duke! You were supposed to save me, not the other way around…