Agony of the Leaves: Tea Shop Mystery #13 Read Online Free PDF Page A

Parker enough of a chance. Maybe she’d been too eager to go a little gaga over Max.
    Whatever. Now it’s a moot point.
    Haley breezed over with a plate that held twofresh-baked apple scones. “Here you go,” she said with an eager smile. “Still hot from the oven and amazingly fortifying. Along with a dish of the freshest Devonshire cream your taste buds have ever enjoyed.” She paused, hoping either her words or her goodies might cheer Theodosia.
    “Thank you, Haley,” said Theodosia. She glanced at Drayton, who looked on tenterhooks. “Thank you both for being so kind and understanding and…” She’d somehow run out of words.
    “Oh, Theo,” said Haley, her sunny manner crumbling. “We both feel so awful!”
    “It’s a terrible thing,” echoed Drayton.
    “At least Detective Tidwell is working the case,” said Haley. She gave a tentative frown. “You guys know that Tidwell’s not my most favorite person in the world.” Indeed, Haley didn’t care for Tidwell’s brusque manners one iota. “But he’s a smart guy. A tenacious guy. So, all things considered, I’m pretty sure this whole investigation is in good hands.”
    “Is there an investigation?” asked Drayton. His eyebrows rose in twin arcs.
    Haley looked startled. “Well…yeah. I think so.” Now she wasn’t so sure. “Isn’t there, Theo?”
    Theodosia took a sip of tea. A lovely Keemun with a slight top note of rose petals. “I don’t know.”
    “The thing is,” said Drayton, “just because one
suspects
foul play doesn’t mean there actually
was
foul play.”
    “Spoken like a true doubter,” said Haley. “Me? I’m with Theo. Something about Parker’s death seems fishy to me and it’s not just the fish. I find it hard to believe he just tumbled haphazardly into that tank!”
    “Accidents happen,” said Drayton.
    “Then what was he
doing
up there?” pressed Haley. “Imean, the aquarium people were leading tours last night, but I don’t think that was one of the stops. I mean, seriously. Jellyfish Grotto, okay. Maybe Starfish Cove. But tiptoeing across a dangerous, slippery catwalk over a huge tank? Be serious.” She shook her hair back for emphasis.
    “It’s a mystery,” agreed Drayton.
    Knock, knock, knock!
    Someone was beating on the front door.
    Drayton glanced over in annoyance. “Whoever’s out there is way too early.” One of his pet peeves was tourists who banged on the door, demanding to be let in. Especially when he was in the middle of setting out teakettles and strainers, or measuring out tea. Then he practically blew a gasket.
    “Maybe somebody from the neighborhood?” asked Haley. The local shopkeepers were always anxious to swoop in for their morningcuppa-and-scone fix. She tiptoed to the window and slid a red chintz curtain aside. “Oh, poop,” she said, “it’s Delaine.”
    “Don’t let her in,” Drayton rasped. He had alove-hate relationship with Delaine Dish, one of their neighbors and the proprietor of Cotton Duck Boutique. In other words, he loved Delaine’s prodigiousfund-raising skills but hated her sharp tongue and gossipy nature.
    “You have to let her in,” said Theodosia. “She’ll just keep knocking and battering at the door. After all, she knows we’re in here. Knows we’re going to open intwenty-five minutes.”
    “Twenty now,” said Drayton.
    Haley scampered over to the front door and turned the latch. “Delaine!” she cooed. “What a surprise!”
    Delaine barely acknowledged Haley as she barreled her way in.
    “Theodosia!” she exclaimed. Her stiletto heels maderapid-fire
click-clacks
against the pegged wooden floor as she headed for Theodosia. Her eyes blazed and hershoulder-length dark hair flew out around herheart-shaped face. Shewore atomato-red suit with patent leatherblue-and-white spectator stilettos. When spring’s warm weather came barreling into Charleston, Delaine and her wardrobe were good to go.
    “I’m so sorry about your friend,” said Delaine.