Strong AlibiAn Elizabeth Strong Mystery
K.C. Turner
Two Ten Press
This book is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
STRONG ALIBI
Elizabeth Strong Mystery Book 2
Second Edition
Published by Two Ten Press
Reprinted with author permission.
Copyright © 2021 K.C. Turner
Cover art by The Cover Collection
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, email [email protected]
eBook ISBN: 978-1-7367415-2-8
Print ISBN: 978-1-7367415-3-5
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
Other books by K.C. Turner:
Chapter 1
The rain pelted the leaves as her bare feet bore into the earth, forming puddles in their wake with each stride she took. She stopped and hid behind the biggest tree in sight to try and gain her composure. The storm nearly drowned out the sound of his voice.
“Liz-zy…”
Her head spun in his direction, flipping a lock of drenched blonde hair over her eye to rest against her tiny nose. She stood silent, motionless. Looking ahead, she could make out the porch light above Marta’s door in the distance. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before propelling herself forward to run for safety, the mud oozing between her toes with each step.
“Lizzy!”
Running faster, the door handle was within her reach. Lunging for it, she quickly stopped before reaching the edge of the boat dock and waving her arms by her sides to catch her balance. The sound of his boots echoed with the thunder above them. She slowly turned around, succumbing to the weakness in her legs and fell to her knees before him. Her tears danced with the raindrops down her cheeks.
He moved closer to her, gradually raising the gun to her face. “I told you I would see you soon, Lizzy.”
“Please!” she begged between breaths. The sound of the bullet leaving the barrel mixed poetically with her scream.
Thrashing the blankets as she woke, Elizabeth fell off the side of the bed, hitting her head against the nightstand. It hadn’t affected her. She ripped off her sleep mask and placed her hands beside herself on the floor, taking large breaths in an attempt to pace the rapid heartbeats. She jumped up, ran to the bathroom, and fumbled in the cabinet for the bottle of Valium. After popping a pill into her mouth, she turned on the faucet and cupped her hands under the cold running water before taking a gulp and splashing her face with the remainder. Her reflection in the mirror was as pale as her hair. When is this going to end?
Before she could answer her own thoughts she heard the screen door open, the sound of clogs on the wooden porch floor, then loud knocking on the door to the dining room.
“Hello! Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey!”
Elizabeth looked at herself one last time in the mirror, smiled, and grabbed a face towel from the rack on the wall to her left. She walked past the table that seated six and un-bolted the door.
“Good morning, sunshine,” exclaimed China as she breezed past Elizabeth and threw her beach bag on the table, just missing the fruit bowl.
Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth shut the door behind her friend and walked around the table to follow China into the kitchen.
“What the hell, Liz? No coffee? Did you forget I was coming over?” China finally turned around and actually looked at Elizabeth. Her slanted eyes grew wide with concern. “Honey! Are you okay?”
Leaning on the doorframe she replied, “I didn’t forget. Sorry, I over slept and it wasn’t as pleasant as it should have been.” She raised her hand to stop China from hugging her. “Don’t worry, I took a Valium.”
China had learned when it was necessary to play counselor and when to leave well enough alone. “Well alright then,” she said as she turned away and reached in the cabinet for the coffee. “Go get ready. By then we should have some liquid fuel ready to consume and the sun should be per-fect.”
Elizabeth shut the door to the bathroom behind her and stripped out of her pajamas. She grabbed her coral colored, string bikini hanging from the doorknob and put it on her petite frame. She was always tiny, but the past three months had allowed her to gain a few pounds while remaining a size two, filling in her swimsuit quit nicely. A nice man in her life tends to do that to a woman. She brushed out her long blonde hair, put some tinted chap stick on her lips, and threw her sunscreen in her bag.
Meeting China back in the kitchen they grabbed the cooler, CD player, and to-go coffee cups before heading out the back door and down the trail to Marta’s private beach. For as long as they had been friends, China rarely visited Elizabeth’s home. It was typically the other way around. However, now that Elizabeth had the lake house and access to a boat and private beach, it didn’t make much sense go to China’s. Sitting by a quiet lake and basking in the sun was much more relaxing than a hot tub surrounded by woods, depending on the season, of course.
Marta was Elizabeth’s closest neighbor. She was also like a second mother. She and her husband Bill were close friends of the family for years and they took care of the lake house for Elizabeth after her parent’s death and prior to her decision to move back. The lake house didn’t have access to the beach but it had a private boat dock and a beautiful view. A wooded trail connected the two homes and Elizabeth had permission to use their beach whenever she liked.
Choosing a spot close to the water, they laid the sheet down, securing it
