Fatal Pharma

By Mary S. Sheppard

On the surface, things in San Axel are pretty much the same. Alisa’s work with the sheriff is the same and her romantic life continues to be stuck on the ‘friends’ setting. She did move in with a local family and is getting the benefits of home cooked meals, lively conversation and a possible prescription connection.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mary S. Sheppard
• Release date: May 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005095024

Mary S. Sheppard

In my new series Samantha Keene, energy analyst extraordinaire, lead a pretty much run of the mill existence. There is always work, family and more work, but when she takes a vacation to the U.K. she is suddenly plunged into a different world, one filled with spies, intrigue, and romance and so the limited series starts.

Book preview

Fatal Pharma

An Alisa Price Mystery

Mary S. Sheppard

Copyright © 2021 Mary S. Sheppard

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only, it may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

You can also visit my website for more information at

http://www.maryssheppard.com

Main Characters

Alisa Price - crime analyst

Jake Jones - temporary mayor of San Axel

Max Quinn - the sheriff

Lucas Stone - deputy sheriff

Emily Stone - wife of Lucas

Daryl Grale - friend of Jake’s, owner of a cannabis farm

Esteban Rios - biochemist, works with Daryl

Alonso Rios - brother of Esteban

Dr. Beth Wilkins - doctor at the Centrale Hospital, works in forensics

Virginia del Valle - lives next to Daryl’s farm

Ciera Fisher - college friend of Alisa and Jake

Liam Taylor and Ed Brown - co-owners of Brown & Taylor Cannabis

Cecilia and John Price - Alisa’s parents

Karen Smythe - relator

Ron Stevens - duty officer at the sheriff station

Carlos - waiter at El Chaparral, restaurant connected to hotel

Chapter 1

Alisa looked around the hotel room one last time. If she left anything she wasn’t concerned, she was sure Carlos or Lisa or… She had obviously been at the Dudley Hotel too long.

In any case, most of her things were in storage and would remain there until she found a permanent place. Okay, she didn’t have a lot here, she thought as she picked up her bags and headed down the stairs.

Are you leaving us now? asked Lisa, the receptionist.

Lisa had taken over the job at the hotel front desk when Clark had quit to be the new admin at city hall. Yes, she said as she turned in her key.

If you left anything, we’ll send it to you. The address is, she glanced down at her notes, the one on Coronado Street?

Yes, that’s the one. Lisa was obviously a professional and her face didn’t question the address which she probably knew was out in the farming rural area.

Ms. Price come visit us soon, said Carlos. He was standing by the entrance to the dining room. The chef is making your favorite tonight.

Carlos had been her waiter on most days she ate at El Chaparral, the hotel restaurant, and there had been far too many of those. Tonight, might be a little too soon to come back, Carlos, she smiled. I may have to skip it this time but give the chef my regards.

She loaded the bag into the car and drove out of San Axel; the Rios’ home wasn’t far. She had rented a room there for the next month. It hadn’t been her first choice, but since her boss, Sheriff Max, was ‘seeing’ Beth Wilkins, it was best she didn’t move into Beth’s backyard studio; a thought encouraged by her boss.

She drove up on the dirt side yard next to the house and parked. They had told her she could park there, next to the chicken coop. Luckily today, there were no chickens running wild like the time she had come with Max. The door of the house swung open as she grabbed her bag.

Do you need any help with your bags?

It was Esteban, one of Grandma Rios’ grandsons. Esteban had a degree in biochemistry and worked with Daryl at the cannabis farm.

No thanks Esteban, I can manage. She carried her bag inside, and Esteban led the way to her room.

Grandma is very happy you are going to be staying here. She thinks you’ll be a good example for me and Alonso.

Alisa smiled. She was actually younger than Esteban. An example for you? How’s that?

You know I work in the cannabis industry, and Grandma doesn’t like that. Even if I was working somewhere else, a person who works with the police has a higher rank, in her mind. He opened the door to her room.

She knew it was the largest bedroom in the house and the bonus was that it had its own bathroom. Someone had put flowers in a vase on the small desk.

It looks perfect, she said.

"Grandma said you only want the room for one month?’

Yes. My parents are coming for an extended stay and I’ll be moving in with them.

Right. You know it’s none of my business, but I thought you and Jake were, he paused. He has a house and it seemed large enough you could live there.

She just looked at him.

Yep, I guess it’s not my business. This is the internet password, he said as he gave her a piece of paper. It works most of the time and the speed is not bad. It kind of depends if my brother, Alonso, is playing one of his games.

She nodded. She had made sure there was internet available since she did work on her computer at night.

I’ll leave you to get settled then. He started to walk away and stopped. Oh, Grandma wanted to know if you would like dinner tonight. She’s making Sunday Chicken Enchiladas.

Yes, that sounds very good. She had asked for breakfasts to be included but including a home cooked dinner on occasion sounded great, she thought as she started to unpack.

Yeah, she would have move in with Jake if they weren’t fighting at the moment. It wasn’t really a fight; it was a difference that made them argue and that had made her want to have an independent housing situation.

She put away her clothes and sat down on the edge of the bed to think. A few months ago, she had her own apartment in Oakland and although it was small, this place was definitely a size down. She looked out the window and saw a swing hanging from the tree. She could see herself making use of that, but first, she was going to take a walk around the new neighborhood.

As soon as she opened the door, she could smell Grandma’s cooking. Hmm, garlic, onions, definitely cumin, and probably oregano and peppers if she remembered her enchilada recipe. She headed towards the kitchen.

Buenas tardes Miss Price. Is everything good? The room?

Buenas tardes Señora Rios. Si todo está bien. Alisa was fluent in Spanish and knew Mrs. Rios was not as fluent in English. She asked her if she needed help.

No. Esta comida es fácil, sale en un santiamén.

She said the dinner was easy, ready in a jiffy, but it didn’t look that way with all the pans on the stovetop. Grandma was probably making everything from scratch.

Vamos a tener una visita esta noche para la cena, la novia de Esteban, se llama Virginia.

Alisa did not know Esteban was engaged. His fiancée was going to join them for dinner. Alisa asked if it was all right she stay for dinner, Of course, si. I make plenty. Please call me Abuela Rios, everyone does.

Y mi nombre es Alisa, she said. She told her she was going for a walk and started to head out the backdoor but Abuela Rios stopped her.

Esteban, she called out. She told him to accompany her to give her information about the neighborhood. Otherwise it could be dangerous for a young lady.

Alisa didn’t argue with Grandma but asked Esteban about it once they were outside.

Nah, the neighbors are not dangerous. Just watch your step.

She had noticed a lack of sidewalks and now she also noticed something else she didn’t want to step on.

In any case, Esteban continued, I think working for Daryl is more dangerous than living here.

By the way, how is Alonso doing? she asked as they picked their way through a field. The explosion at Daryl’s warehouse had injured both his brother Alonso and Daryl seriously. Daryl had been in a coma for days, and he had recovered fully, but Alonso’s leg had been damaged and no one knew how much he could recover. Jake had also been there… It made her think about how quickly things could go sideways.

I think Alonso is depressed. He doesn’t do much.

Do you think he is in pain?

Esteban shrugged. He doesn’t talk much either.

They talked about