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The Write Ring Mysteries 7/13/2007 10:45:35 AM
No way off the mountain, Anita dead, and what fate awaits the six left. Only five days to go for someone to win the million. We visited for a while about Anita’s new Texas Jack book, which she was anxious to get back too. The aspect of the money had lured her away from it, as it had all of us. It was late when she decided to go back to her room. Her anxieties had calmed down and she wanted to get an early start finding her way down the mountain. With no warning as she started for the door her knees buckled and she fell to the floor. I rushed to kneel beside her calling her name,
“Anita,” I shook her and got no response. ”Anita…”
Flinging open the door I screamed “Help, someone help.” I looked back at the figure on the floor. CPR…how do you do it, I felt panic rising wondering what to do…I ran down to the next room and pounded on the door still calling for help. The door opened, Larry stood there in his pajamas, half asleep. Other doors opened and Robin stepped into the hall.
“What’s going on?”
“Its Anita, she fainted or something…” I cried and rushed back to my doorway, Robin close behind. He knelt down and put his finger to her throat feeling for a pulse. There was none.
“She’s dead.” He said looking up at me with a question. I backed away, this could not be happening. What happened? That is what Larry was asking me. I shook my head. I didn’t know what happened. Someone put heir arm around my shoulders and gave me a little shake.
“Tell us what happened in here.”
“We had been talking, she decided to go to her room, she was alright, nothing was wrong, then she stood up, she just fell over.” I felt like nothing I was saying made any sense.
Charles, standing in the background watching spoke up,
“There is no way we can report this or get help right now. Let’s get her to her room and then decide what to do. Phyllis…why don’t you make us a pot of coffee in the kitchen. I for one won’t be able to go back to sleep now, I am sure others feel the same way.”
The men picked her up and carried her to her room. Placing her on her bed they pulled a sheet over her and left, closing the door behind them.
We all gathered in the kitchen around a big oak table.
“Well, she said she was leaving…I guess she was serious.” Someone said.
“Tell us, what were you doing just before she got up to leave?” Charles asked.
“She came to my room right as we all went upstairs. We had a glass of iced tea and talked about her book and the fact she wanted to leave this morning. She asked me what I was going to do.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That I hoped things would look better in the morning.”
“You say you both drank the tea? Did you eat anything?”
“No we didn’t eat anything, just drank tea.”
“Canned tea?”
“No I made tea earlier in the day. I don’t like to drink soft drinks a lot. They are not good for you>” I finished lamely. Thinking something had not been good for Anita, but it couldn’t be my tea because I drank it too and I am alright, I think, I put my hand to my throat as the thought came to me.
“Are you feeling okay?” Robin asked. I nodded.
“Did she do anything different that you remember?” going over it in my mind I spoke aloud,
”She came in, I asked if she wanted tea, she said yes, I got out ice and poured her a glass, then handed her the sweet and low, then I poured me a glass…” I looked up into Robins face as he listened, “I did not use sweetener.“ I whispered.
“Where is the sweetener, I will go get it.” Charles volunteered.
“It is in a little wicker basket next to the coffee pot.”
Phyllis took her coffee and went out on the porch to smoke, Larry and Linda followed her. Robin stayed with me. I felt sick all over. I really did like Anita. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, I didn’t want to cry. I stood up and walked to the coffee pot. There was a little wicker basket of sweetener there beside it just like the one in my room.
Charles walked back in,
”Its not there. The basket is gone.”
I stared at the one before me. was it the same one?
