Poison Me by Cami Checketts Page B

old.”
    Ruby gave Michael an “I told you so” look. He pressed his lips together and glanced away.
    Her eyes traveled over the withered body of her cousin. A wonderful life snuffed out, and this punk cop laughed about it. She stared at him with contempt. “This isn’t a nursing home. The residents here are healthy and not that old.”
    The officer’s eyebrows lifted. “This guy was healthy?”
    Ruby exhaled. “Well, Richard wasn’t healthy, but he wasn’t to the point of dying, either. Two deaths in less than a week at the same retirement community?” She sought for calm, when she ached to scream. “Doesn’t that seem strange to you?”
    The young man nodded. “Uh-huh. Strange.” He looked at Michael and gestured with his head. “Can you take Mrs. Merrill back to her room, please? She seems upset.”
    Michael reached for her hand. Ruby jerked it away. “I am upset. I’ve lost a friend and a cousin in less than a week’s time, and you can’t even take a minute to see if there is anything suspicious about their deaths.”
    The policeman rolled his eyes. “Maybe you could inform me of the conclusions you’ve come to.”
    She ignored his sarcasm and plunged ahead. “Somebody poisoned them. Anne told me that somebody had poisoned her—a woman, she said. Her breath smelled awful, just like Richard’s neck. His neck and collar are sticky wet with some kind of substance. It’s not water. It smells and tastes horrible, and as you can see” —she pointed to the table next to Richard’s chair, carefully avoiding looking at her slain cousin— “he wasn’t taking any liquid medications.”
    The man stroked his chin. At least he appeared to be listening. “Maybe he keeps the liquid meds somewhere else.”
    “He hasn’t walked in months,” Ruby said. “If he took a liquid medication tonight, somebody else gave it to him. I would appreciate it if you would test what is on his neck and see if it matches any of the medications prescribed to him. I doubt it does.”
    The officer turned his back on her and leaned down to sniff Richard’s neck. “Thanks for your detective work, ma’am. I’ll look into it.”
    “Can you promise me that?”
    Officer Barnes glanced over his shoulder at her. “I promise you I’ll do my best, ma’am.”
    The mortician, Agatha Smelter, toddled into the room, clutching a bag of supplies. “Well, we’ve got another one.” She set the bag next to Richard’s chair, rubbed her plump hands together, and then pumped her eyebrows at Michael. “How are you, Michael?”
    “Not great.”
    She turned to Ruby. “I’m sorry you have to see another loved one like this.”
    Ruby folded her arms across her chest, not answering the sympathetic greeting. The mortician studied her, clearly waiting for a response, but eventually gave up.
    Officer Barnes glanced at Michael. “Mr. Trapper, can you please take Mrs. Merrill back to her room? Mrs. Smelter and I have work to do.”
    Michael reached for her hand again. Ruby pulled it away. She looked at Richard one last time. She wanted to straighten his neck and beg him not to leave this earth, but there was nothing left for him here but more pain.
    “Do you want me to help you to your room?” Officer Barnes asked.
    Michael took a step closer to Ruby, his gaze full of safety, comfort, and something she needed even more.
    “I can find my own room.” Ruby stalked through the door and down the hallway, choking back a sob when she saw the overturned vase, scattered rose petals, and trampled lilacs littering the floor.
     
     

Chapter Ten
     
    Jake opened the truck door for Ruby and helped her step down onto the sidewalk. She said nothing. Didn’t even smile. They hurried through the ninety-five-degree weather and into the solace of air-conditioning. The floral shop burst with roses, carnations, and baby’s breath. The smell knocked Jake back half a step. He steadied himself and sneezed.
    A thin redhead beamed behind the Flowers and Beyond