"Not her."

"What happened to Sheila's brother was tragic. But people like her never stop hating." Chief Kirk nodded. "Lola put the peanut butter in the roast beef sandwiches. Sheila figured the horseradish would cover the smell and the taste."

"I remembered the horseradish. It was extra strong. And the missing epi-pens?"

"Sheila."

"You mentioned one count of attempted murder? Elizabeth. What about Sheila's attempts on my life?"

"She denies anything to do with your assault."

I wanted closure, but I wasn't going to get it. "You know she's lying."

Chief Kirk cleared his throat. "We're still looking into it, but realistically, Kay, I think we are going to reach a dead end unless Sheila gives us something."

I felt the heat of anger on my cheeks. "What about Nancy Reinhardt? What about her involvement?"

"Sheila said Nancy had nothing to do with Les' murder."

"Do you think she's telling the truth? Couldn't she be charged as an accessory?"

"How so?"

"She hired Sheila knowing full well, that Les was employed. Nancy would have known how much Sheila hated him. He might still be alive today, if she hadn't hired her."

"Nancy didn't force Sheila's hand. What she did was unethical, but she didn't do anything illegal."

After leaving the police station, I realized how tired I had gotten, digging around in people's dirty laundry. I made a quick stop at the patisserie and then drove to Hawthorne Hills.

Viktor was shovelling the snow on the stairs when I arrived. I told him everything I learned at the police station.

"I'm getting away from here, from Sudbury Falls. Kay, I gave notice a short while ago. I need peace of mind again."

Exactly my thoughts. Peace of mind. "Where are you going?"

"I applied for the job Les would have had in Minneapolis. I start in two weeks."

I reached out my hand and shook his. "Congratulations! I wish you all the best, Viktor."

His eyes watered. "Thank you, Kay, for all you did, bringing justice for Les. You're a good person."

He gave me a bear hug. I kissed him on his cheek, then went inside.

I walked down to the kitchen and asked for Chelsey. "Am I too late to bring you your dessert?"

Chelsey opened the bag. "eclairs! Thanks! I heard Sheila's in custody. Thank goodness, things can get back to normal around here. I wonder who her replacement will be."

"Chelsea, why don't you apply? You've been here five years. You'd be great at running the kitchen."

"You think I could?"

"Sure."

"I do know the ins and outs and have some ideas about how the kitchen could be run more efficiently."

"There you go."

She smiled. "Thanks. I may just do that, Kay."

I walked up the stairs to Sarah's apartment. She and Anne were playing a word board game.

"I'm not going to stay long. I wanted to let you know what happened when I talked to Chief Kirk earlier."

They listened and seemed to be at peace with the news.

"It's going to take a very long time to get over Martin's death," Sarah said, looking over at Anne, "but we just were saying that we are both glad we helped with the investigation."

"Kay, I know Martin would have thanked you for all that you did, if he were here," Anne said, "And I thank you too."

Sarah nodded. I gave them both a hug. "I should get going."

"Don't be a stranger now, Kay," Sarah said. I glanced back at them as I let myself out. Their heads were down over the game board.

I drove over to the patisserie. Deirdre and Elizabeth weren't there yet. I took off my coat and scarf, put them on the back of a chair, and went over to our favorite sofa, plopping myself down in front of the fireplace. I was exhausted. I stared into the fire, thinking about all the good times I had at the patisserie with Deirdre and Elizabeth, my "home away from home." I thought about a few sad times we had had here as well.

Soon Elizabeth and Deirdre arrived, with Marissa following, carrying a plate of pastries.

Marissa put down the plate on the coffee table. "My gosh, ladies, how are you all doing? Elizabeth, I'm sorry to hear about your father."

Word got around fast in Sudbury Falls. I suppose especially at the patisserie, the hotbed of activity and gossip in town.

"Thank you, Marissa. It's all happened so suddenly. But at least I had the chance to spend some time with him and learn about what a good man he was."

Elizabeth pushed her hair back from her damp eyes.

"Elizabeth, your ring!" Marissa said.

Elizabeth's face broke out into a sudden smile. "By the way, John and I are engaged!"

"How can you even hold your finger up?" Marissa said.

"Yes, it must be so heavy for you!" Deirdre teased.

"I tell you, a rock that size would be my best friend," Marissa said.

"It is beautiful!" Elizabeth flashed her hand back and forth.

"Kay, what did you find out about Sheila?" Marissa asked. "Can I sit down for a bit with you all?"

"Of course," I said.

After telling them everything I learned, Deirdre said, "Sheila didn't admit to attacking you?"

"She's going to keep Kay wondering," Elizabeth said. Then added under her breath, "We all know it was Sheila."

I shrugged my shoulders. What could I say? I wouldn't have to worry about Sheila and Lola anytime soon.

"I'll never forget when you did the citizen's arrest. That was priceless!" Deirdre said. "Although thinking back, she might have been armed and dangerous at the time, so maybe that wasn't such a good idea."

"I'll go get your tea," Marissa said, then left.

"So what happened with Celine?" Deirdre asked Elizabeth.

"Celine and I are going to stay in touch. She's planning on going back to Chicago. Robert's funeral will be there."

"Deirdre and I talked about it. We are going to the funeral as well."

"You two are the best!"

"That's what friends are for," I said.

"Did you and John talk about your wedding at all?" Deirdre asked.

"Of course!" A large smile appeared on Elizabeth's face that extended to her voice. "It's going to be in spring or early summer. A small intimate affair."

"I'm so excited for you and John," I said.

"My herbal shop is opening on the Spring Equinox. That would be a great time and place for a wedding!"

Elizabeth smiled. I knew it was sheer willpower that prevented her from rolling her eyes.

Thinking about Deirdre's herbal shop opening and Elizabeth's wedding, I couldn't wait for springtime and for this long, hard winter to be over.

"I hope my two best friends will stand up for me at the wedding."

Deirdre put her hand over her heart. "It would be our honor! We have to start making plans."

Marissa came back into the room with our tea and put it down on the coffee table. We sat gazing into the fire, tasting the pastry samples, feeling the warmth of our friendship. Then all of a sudden, Elizabeth burst out laughing. A loud, contagious laughter.

"What's so funny Elizabeth?" Deirdre asked.

"I was just thinking about the style of hat I would wear at my wedding!"

About the Author.

Susan Bernhardt is an author living in Wisconsin. Like Kay Driscoll in her cozy mysteries, The Ginseng Conspiracy and Murder Under the Tree, Susan is a retired public health nurse who volunteers at her local free clinic. An avid reader of mysteries, she is a member of Sisters in Crime, Inc. and the Wisconsin Writers' Association. Her other published works include "October 31st", "Midsummer", and "John and Madeline."

Susan's town in northern Wisconsin was an inspiration for the quaint setting of her novel. She lives with her husband, William, and has two sons, Peter and David.

When not writing, Susan loves to travel, bicycle, kayak, and create culinary magic in her kitchen. She works in stained-glass, daydreams in her organic garden, stays up late reading mysteries, and eats lots of chocolate.

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The Ginseng Conspiracy

Cozy Mystery by Susan Bernhardt On her way to attend a Halloween Ball, Kay Driscoll, a newcomer to town, witnesses the murder of a local professor. When the official coroner's report rules the cause of death to be accidental and the community accepts the judgement, Kay decides to uncover the truth for herself. Through her personal investigations, Kay exposes a complex conspiracy, woven deep within the thriving local ginseng industry, that involves some of the more prominent figures and families of Sudbury Falls.

With her new friends, the free-spirited herbalist Deirdre and the untamed modern woman Elizabeth, Kay discusses new clues over tea and pastries at Sweet Marissa's Patisserie, their crime-fighting headquarters. As Kay gets closer to the heart of the conspiracy, additional murders happen in quick succession. Before long, Kay learns that the villains are gunning for her, too. Phil, her musically talented but preoccupied husband, determined to keep her safe, withholds from her the one thing she needs most: the truth.

Chapter One.

Thursday, October 27 The days that led up to the murder were like any other. Most weekday mornings, I started my day speed walking with my friends, Elizabeth and Deirdre, for an hour. Since my favorite establishment in town, Sweet Marissa's Patisserie, was my "home away from home," regular exercise was definitely in order. I rationalized that exercise eliminated all of the fat grams in a scrumptious piece of to die for chocolate raspberry torte. So far, so good; the pounds had mostly stayed away. Deirdre tried to get me interested in other forms of exercise, like yoga and Pilates. One day in yoga class, I fell asleep, but as it turned out, everyone thought I was just into some heavy meditation.

My name is Kay Driscoll. I would best describe myself as being tall, about five feet nine inches, with the kind of curvaceous figure yearned for in the Renaissance times. My hair is cut in a short pixie style. I let it go natural after years of dyeing it.

Earlier this year, my husband Phil and I moved from Colorado to Sudbury Falls, Wisconsin. Enticed by the town's lush green landscape, it felt like a perfect place to live.

We had both taken early retirement and were excited to come back to Wisconsin to be closer to our sons, Will and Andy. I had worked as a public health nurse and a part-time medical consultant for the Boulder Police Department. Phil had spent over twenty-five years in the computer industry and decided to spend the next twenty-five chasing his dream of building guitars. Last month he enrolled in a luthier program at a nearby technical school and, in his free time, was starting up a jazz band with some friends.