Chocolate Cream Cupcake & Murder (A Dana Sweet Cozy Mystery Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

scene.”
    “What happened, officer?” the man in glasses with dark brown hair demanded as he stood up.
    “And you are, sir?”
    “Tierry Renaldo, Jr. I’m his son. And this is my sister, Jackie. Her fiancé, Miles and my brother, Tony.”
    Dana noted that the two brunet men were Renaldo’s boys and the blond woman with dark roots, his daughter and the blond guy, was his daughter’s fiancé. Seemed like everybody was dressed, or undressed, in their PJs. Were they up late on a Friday night partying? Or probably not. Dana did think it was odd, though.
    “Sorry about your loss, sirs.” Troy’s voice was firm, yet compassionate. Dana admired seeing Troy in action for some reason.
    “But we’re still going over some details,” Troy continued. “And if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask all of you some questions, too.”
    “We’ll co-operate, officer.” Junior swallowed hard and his Adam’s apple bobbed.
    Something was very odd about that whole scene. Dana sensed something but she just couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
    But here was the billion dollar question: Where on earth was Goldie, Mr. Renaldo’s supposedly loving fiancée?
     
     

Chapter 5
     
     
    “Dana, are you all right?” Katie said, walking into the living area.
    “I’m sorry, ma’am but this is a crime scene,” Troy said to Katie before recognizing her. “Oh, you’re Kate Sweet, right?”
    “Yes, I’m Katie, Dana’s cousin. I work over at the café.”
    “Right. Of course. I will probably need to speak with you later. Please don’t touch anything.”
    “I won’t,” Katie said, looking around.
    “What are you doing here?” Dana asked, surprised.
    “I heard what happened. Are you okay?” Katie frowned.
    “Yes, I’m fine. Just a little shaken up. I can’t believe he’s…he’s dead.”
    “That’s terrible. How did it happen?” she whispered, her eyebrows furrowed with concern.
    “Well, I came into…Hey wait a minute. How did you know about Mr. Renaldo’s death?”
    “I came over to bring you the box of golden spoons for the cupcakes…”
    “Oh, right. I forgot about the golden spoons.”
    “Right. And well, I bumped into Gerdie-Sue…”
    “Oh, boy. Gerdie-Sue. The unofficial news bulletin. But how did she know so fast?”
    “She told me that she heard sirens going this way and after what she told me at the café about…well, I’ll fill you in later.”
    “Fill me in about what? What is it Katie?”
    “I can’t tell you here, but there’s something awfully strange going on.”
    “Tell me about it. Old man Renaldo is dead. There’s a crazy murderer on the loose out there.”
    “Or in here.” Katie’s voice was a hard whisper.
    Before long, Dana inhaled a strong scent of a designer perfume. The smell wafted into the room before the source. A woman with white-blond long flowing hair, dangling earrings, a green dress and a Chanel black double flap lambskin handbag came waltzing into the kitchen area.
    “Boo? Where’s my boo?” Her voice was falsetto and her lips were red and pouty and looked as if she had one too many Botox injections.
    “I’m sorry, ma’am…” Troy proceeded. Before he could finish, the woman flung herself over the body.
    “Boo. No, Boo.”
    Dana couldn’t help but notice the dramatic eye-roll of the moment-ago grieving daughter and her two brothers.
    Junior had his arms folded tightly across his chest and his lips pinched thin together. “Okay, you can stop with the Oscar performance, Goldie,” he said.
    Goldie immediately stopped sobbing and a look of disgust slid across her face. She arched an attitudinal brow and placed her hands on her hips. “Excuse me?”
    “You heard me? You were only here for our father’s money. Now he’s dead. Satisfied?”
    “Satisfied?” Goldie was fuming. “Why you low-down dirty scoundrel. You killed him, didn’t you? You killed your daddy. My boo. I loved him.” She had a strong southern accent that seemed to flow out like a bottle