Diva Runs Out Of Thyme

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Acknowledgements

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

TWENTY-ONE

TWENTY-TWO

TWENTY-THREE

TWENTY-FOUR

TWENTY-FIVE

TWENTY-SIX

TWENTY-SEVEN

TWENTY-EIGHT

TWENTY-NINE

THIRTY

THIRTY-ONE

THIRTY-TWO

THIRTY-THREE

RECIPES & COOKING TIPS

Skewered

After what seemed an eternity, a man with skin drawn tightly over the contours of his face flashed a badge at me and said he was Detective Kenner. I told him the whole story.

When I finished, he said, “You know the store has cameras. We’ll be able to verify what you’ve said.”

Of course. Why hadn’t I thought of that? “So you’ll be able to see who killed that guy and put him in the Dumpster.”

“How do you know he was murdered?”

“Most people don’t bleed spontaneously from the chest.”

His cold eyes narrowed. “You’re in a lot of trouble, Mrs. Winston. Being a wiseacre isn’t going to help any.”

Was he trying to scare me? “I didn’t do anything. The store videos will back that up.”

“Then how do you explain the blood on your sweater?”

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

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THE DIVA RUNS OUT OF THYME

A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author

PRINTING HISTORY

Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / October 2008

Copyright © 2008 by Christina Ryplansky.

All rights reserved.

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eISBN : 978-1-436-28083-9

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For my mom, Marianne,

my friend and my biggest fan,

who has always encouraged me,

even when I decided to become a writer.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many thanks to my agent, Jacky Sach, and my editor, Sandra Harding, without whom the divas would not exist. Special thanks to Janet Bolin, Daryl Wood Gerber, and Sandra Parshall, who read, critiqued, and offered insights with humor and patience. Thanks also to my valuable first reader, Betsy Strickland, as well as Susan Erba and Amy Wheeler, who showed me true friendship by enduring the ups and downs of my life over the past few years. And special appreciation to Trudy Wheeler, who knew just how a Frenchman might express disdain.

Finally, endless thanks to the Guppies for cheering me on and urging me to persevere. You are far too many to mention but you are undoubtedly the best friends I’ve never met.