A Catered Christmas Killer (A Sinful Sweets Cozy Mystery) Read Online Free PDF

asked.
     
    “I would think so. I can’t imagine he’ll want to keep the party on for tonight .”
     
    “What are we going to do with all the food?”
     
    “We can donate it to a food bank. I wouldn’t feel right making money on it.”
     
    “Tell me about Julia,” Grace requested. They’d only met during the interviews. Sydney hadn’t had time to tell Grace much about baking in the Durans’ house and being under Julia’s constant scrutiny.
     
    “She’s . . . tough to work for.”
     
    “How so? She seemed great when she was interviewing you.”
     
    “Yeah. I’m sure she had to seem that way or no one would cater her party. I never asked why last year’s caterer didn’t come back, but my gut tells me that they didn’t want the headache of dealing with her.”
     
    Grace’s eyes showed surprise. “What happened?”
     
    “She was just the epitome of micromanagement. She came to the store with me to pick everything up. Which ended up being good because she knew the manager of Natural Wonders, so it was easy to get everything in one stop. But then she added things to the menu, tasted everything, was never supportive and just never left the kitchen.”
     
    “That’s too bad,” Grace said, looking disappointed that her friend hadn’t had a positive previous two days.
     
    “How was Sinful Sweets without me? Did it get too busy?”
     
    “Everyone was great. They all send their greetings. No, I managed fine. But I wouldn’t want to do it alone every day!”
     
    “Don’t worry,” Sydney said with a smile.
     
    “Did you notice what Julia was wearing?” Grace asked, bringing the conversation back to the disaster in the kitchen.
     
    “No. I was too shocked by the whole scene to take in much of anything else. What was it?”
     
    “She had a dress coat on.”
     
    “That is strange. She and Marcus were gone all day yesterday. I don’t even know when they got home, I’d already gone to bed and fallen asleep.”
     
    “Well, it looked like she never made it to her bedroom.”
     
    “Wouldn’t Marcus have been with her in the kitchen then?” Sydney speculated.
     
    “Maybe he went upstairs right away and she didn’t. But you’d think he would have realized she didn’t come to bed. Unless he did notice but is hiding that.”
     
    “Maybe we should go back downstairs and see what he wants to do about the food.” Grace agreed and they walked back down to the kitchen together.
     
    The police had cleared out and taken the body with them. They’d cleaned up the scene of the crime and Marcus was the only person left downstairs. He hadn’t left his chair in the dining room. He was still in his pajamas, a robe over the top.
     
    “Marcus, I’m so sorry for your loss,” Sydney started.
     
    He looked up, startled. He hadn’t heard them come into the room.
     
    Grace nodded in agreement with Sydney’s condolences.
     
    “It’s a shame this happened last night. Of all nights.” He didn’t look sad about losing his wife. He looked angry instead. “Tonight is the biggest night of the year in Newhall. And Julia won’t be here to enjoy it.”
     
    “You don’t mean . . .” Sydney started. She wasn’t sure how to finish the question.
     
    “You mean the party will go on?” Grace stepped in and asked for Sydney. Sydney offered her a look of thanks for being direct when she couldn’t.
     
    “Of course it will. Julia has been planning this for nearly a whole year. As soon as one party finishes, she starts planning the next one.” He chuckled. “The first thing to go last year was the caterer.”
     
    “I thought the food was a hit?” Sydney asked, remembering Ryan’s comment about having her hands full with meeting the guests’ expectations.
     
    “Oh, that wasn’t the problem. Julia couldn’t work with them. They kicked her out of the kitchen and wouldn’t listen to any of her suggestions. I heard about it for months. Probably until you were hired.”
     
    Grace and