Cooking Up Trouble Read Online Free PDF Page A

as if she were floating. Gray, clear eyes met his. “Who are you?”
    “I’m—”
    “Paavo!” Angie came in through the French doors at the far end of the drawing room. It’d been only three days since she’d met him at his tiny house to say good-bye. The memory of that good-bye made his skin warm under his black sweater.
    She wore a little green stretch top that dipped in front lower than he quite approved of and hugged her ribs tight, and white slacks that flowed wide and easy down to funny lime-green shoes with thick wooden soles. Her short, wavy brown hair, streaked with gold highlights, was brushed back from her face in a loose, casual style. Seeing him, she paused just long enough at the door that her wide smile and sparkling brown eyes brightened the room. Although she tried to run toward him, her shoes made it hard for her to do much more than walk fast.
    Suddenly, all the hassle, all the trouble he’d gone through to get here to her, was worth it. He grinned and left the foyer and the blond woman to hurry across the room to Angie.
    She was in his arms, kissing him and talking all at once. It was all he could do to kiss her back. “Where have you been?” she asked. “I was so worried about you, and with everything else here—God, I was so glad when I finally heard the Ferrari and knew you’d made it safely.”
    He heard a tremor in her voice and his arms tightened. “It’s all right now,” he said quietly into her dark hair. “What’s wrong? What’s upset you?”
    She pulled her head back and stared at him. “We’ve been searching and searching all evening. Everyone said not to worry. But I should have known. From the time I saw that rat. I could just feel something was dreadfully wrong.”
    “Slow down, Angie. What’s happened?”
    “My boss, Finley Tay. He’s disappeared.”
     
    “The sheriff’s here.” Moira Tay stood at the front door, holding it open.
    Angie heard a car door slam and a moment later footsteps on the front porch. “Sheriff Clark G. Butz,” the big man announced. Keeping his teeth clamped on a Tiparillo, he tugged on the wide brim of his beige hat, which was covered with an ill-fitting plastic rain protector.
    “I’m Moira Tay.” The tall blond woman shook his hand. “Thank you for coming.”
    Butz sauntered into the drawing room. Only the movement of his puffy eyelids told Angie he was carefully observing everything around him. He waved his thumb over his shoulder and without looking back said, “That’s my deputy.”
    A lanky fellow bounded through the door. He snatched off his hat and pressed it hard against his stomach. “Deputy Sparks here.”
    Butz passed a slow glance over Angie, Paavo, and Moira. “That’s what’ll fly if he gets riled.”
    Sparks gave an embarrassed smile at what was clearly a worn joke between them. Angie didn’t think the sheriff was in any position, though, to joke about anyone else’s name.
    “Well, Inspector,” Butz said, facing Paavo, “I see you made it. If I’d known the phone call coming in was about this place, I’d have led the way here for you.”
    “Call?” Paavo glanced at Moira. “I thought your phones were out?”
    “They are. Quint, my…my gardener, went to a neighbor’s house out on the highway to phone the sheriff.”
    Angie loudly cleared her throat.
    Paavo glanced her way, then put his arm around her waist and guided her forward. “This is Angelina Amalfi,the woman I told you about.” He introduced her to the sheriff and deputy.
    “I’m here to work with Mr. Tay on his menu,” Angie explained to the sheriff.
    He didn’t look impressed.
    “Shall we sit?” Moira interjected. They did, the three men fidgeting uncomfortably on the stiff Victorian furniture. Angie sat next to Paavo, but forward on the seat, her hip against his thigh and her hand on his knee. That didn’t add to his comfort level.
    “I haven’t seen my brother since last evening,” Moira began. “He often goes out after dinner