Chocolate-Covered Crime Read Online Free PDF Page A

person’s prepared. We’ve only been home from the hospital for a few hours.” I fell backward, sending more letters sliding to the floor. “How do I keep getting myself into these things?” I groaned. “Ethan is going to kill me—or worse—cancel the wedding.”
    “Your uncle Roy will clean his guns again. In this last year, you’ve been the cause of him having the cleanest guns in Mountain Shadows.” Aunt Eunice started scooping the papers into the bag. “Let’s hide the evidence.”
    I scooted to the floor beside her. “What do I do with the rest of these? Toss them? Burn them?”
    She shrugged. “We’ll figure that out later. Maybe you can hire an assistant, being famous and all.”
    “Ha-ha. Look, I have something else.” I pulled Mae Belle’s appointment book from my tote. “I haven’t had a chance to go through it yet, but I’m betting the name of Mae Belle’s killer is in here.”
    “How did you get that?”
    “I took it off her desk. When Joe told me to go away.”
    My aunt shook her head. “I’m not going to jail again, Summer. That was a very unpleasant experience.”
    “If I find anything, I’ll turn it over to Joe. Until then, I’m taking notes. Then he can have the book.” I flipped it open to this week’s appointments. Most of the days had names scribbled across the page then crossed out. “Wow. It’ll take a lot of time to visit all these people.”
    Aunt Eunice peered over my shoulder. “It looks like she didn’t do just weddings. I see a couple of parties.” She ran her finger down the page. “Why are all the names scratched off ?”
    “It’s not like she was swimming in business. She left a long line of disgruntled customers. People who canceled.” I snapped my fingers. “That’s it. An unhappy patron killed her. We just have to find out who that person was. We can start with this list of crossed-off names. Somebody might know something they aren’t aware they know.”
    “There’s no ‘we’ to this, and don’t jump to any conclusions. I promised your uncle Roy no more detective work. I’m a woman of my word.” She leaned closer to me. “As you should be.”
    “Ethan gave me his permissiont n tonight. Sort of.” I slapped the book closed. “Tomorrow is Sunday. Some of these people will be at church.”
    “Don’t forget we have to pick up Mae Belle’s parents at the airport.” Aunt Eunice groaned as she pushed to her feet. “It’s been two years since I’ve seen my sister. I wish it was under different circumstances. No one should have to lose a child. How will I ever console Claudia?”
    Aunt Claudia was difficult under the most pleasant of conditions. She made her daughter look like the nicest woman in Arkansas. Sighing, I slid the notebook back into my tote, along with the threatening letter. Tomorrow promised to be a full day. I felt certain I would have a suspect by the time of the funeral.
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FIVE
     
    Of course the pastor would choose this Sunday to speak on deceit. It amazed me how the sermons always seemed to fit the situations in my life. No matter what I was doing or dealing with, I’d find some nugget to take away with me. Sometimes not too flavorful of one.
    I swished my straw in the watery whipped cream left in the bottom of my habitual Sunday frozen coffee. Anything to squelch the feelings that swirled like a dust devil in my conscience.
    “ ‘Nor was any deceit in his mouth. . . .’ ”
    My head jerked upright. What was the pastor saying? What did it mean? I glanced at the large screen hanging at the front of the sanctuary. Isaiah 53:9. I flipped through my Bible. The passage spoke of Christ’s death. His innocence and love for us.
    “ ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.’ ”
    Wait. The pastor went too fast. The pages of my Bible rippled as I tried to keep up while searching for 1 Peter 3:10. Keeping my tongue was about gossip,