Death, Limes and Videotape: A Key West Culinary Cozy - Book 7 Read online

  It only took a few minutes for several patrol cars to arrive and take the killer into custody. When the forensics team arrived, Bernard instructed them to grab the meat cleaver that he had seen under the edge of the club chair that Wayne had been sitting in, along with the black trash bags that were the same brand and type as the ones used to hide Jace’s remains in, and a roll of duct tape that had been used for the same purpose. He left them to do their work, made a call to the station, then headed to SubLime Sweets to let Marilyn know what had happened.

  **

  “So, how did you know it was him?” Marilyn asked, wide-eyed.

  “Well, when I saw the video of Daniel beating Jace senseless, I had to wonder…what kind of buddy would film his friend being beat up, rather than trying to intervene?” he explained.

  “How did Jace die?” Tiara asked, biting her lower lip at the thought.

  “Wayne drove him out to a deserted area, and his weakened condition from fighting with Daniel made it relatively easy for him to kill Jace by twisting his head so hard that it snapped his neck.” Marilyn and Tiara both cringed.

  “But it gets worse,” Cort said grimly. “He disposed of the body by hacking it to pieces using a meat cleaver that I discovered later in the RV. He put the pieces into black trash bags and secured the tops with duct tape before tossing them into a retaining pond. It was obviously dark when he did it, because he apparently didn’t realize that the bags would float. They were discovered the next morning, and the rest is history,” he finished.

  “Gross,” Tiara shuddered.

  “Horrifying,” Marilyn agreed. “But they were friends, weren’t they? Why would Wayne have done such a thing?”

  “He mentioned this morning, right before the arrest, that Jace had willed everything to him,” he grimaced.

  “Greed? That’s disgusting,” she shook her head.

  “I agree,” the detective nodded. “But, I suppose when you want the lifestyle without having to work for it, greed can be a powerful motivator.”

  “Well, I’m glad you found out who did it,” Tiara said softly. “I’m going to go back to the office and start working on those invoices,” she told her mother, not wanting to hear any more.

  “Okay, sweetie, I’ll be back there in a bit to go over some things with you,” her mother promised. She and Cort watched the young woman head down the hall.

  “She okay?” the detective asked.

  “Yes,” Marilyn smiled. “She’s made her peace with her dad and the world.”

  “She’s a smart girl,” Cort remarked. “Just like her mama,” he flashed the dimples.

  Marilyn grinned at the compliment. “I don’t know about all that, but thanks. I’m just glad it’s all over,” she sighed with relief.

  “That makes two of us,” he admitted. “Now about that sailing date….”

  A letter from the Author

  To each and every one of my Amazing readers: I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Let me know what you think by leaving a review!

  I’ll be releasing another installment in two weeks so to stay in the loop (and to get free books and other fancy stuff) Join my Book club.

  Stay Curious,

  Summer Prescott

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22