Deadly Pumpkin Slice (A Sinful Sweets Cozy Mystery) Read Online Free PDF Page B

were walking. Riding, Maple was too excited to keep up to check out smells or take off after anything. There was also a strict leash law in Twin Peaks and Sydney didn’t want to test her luck by drawing any more attention to herself right now.
     
    “ Twin Peaks Diner or Paradise Café? ” Grace asked.
     
    “ Paradise Café , hands down,” Sydney told her. “I’m surprised you even had to ask!”
     
    “Just making sure nothing had changed.” They both chuckled.
     
    Over a lunch of creamy potato soup with fresh bread, they dove right back into their own investigation. Sydney caught her best friend up on the rest of her conversation with Mia.
     
    “I just can’t believe she’d throw me under the bus like that,” Sydney complained. “She’s my sister!”
     
    “It’s not like Detective Massey wouldn’t find out about your breakup one way or another. And maybe just having Mia know him will be an asset in the long run. Now he knows he can trust her with this case.”
     
    “Maybe. We’ll see. Did you bring the list of orders we have to check out?”
     
    “Yeah. Right here. There’s Jody Durham, Michael Helmick and Madelyn Kountz. All new customers.”
     
    “And they’re all in Westhedge?” Sydney asked.
     
    “Yup.”
     
    “What about gift ordering. Were any of them ordered as gifts and shipped elsewhere? Like to a hotel?”
     
    “It doesn’t look like it.”
     
    “How can we be running into so many dead ends?” Sydney asked, exasperated.
     
    “Do you remember any of these names when you were living with Aaron? Maybe they’re connected to him somehow,” Grace suggested.
     
    “Nothing familiar. Let’s head to the library and look for Allison.”
     
    They paid for their lunch and walked the short distance to the library, hoping to find Allison.
     
    Before they could get there, they saw Detective Massey coming their way.
     

CHAPTER 4
     
    “Good afternoon Sydney. Grace,” Detective Massey greeted them on the street. “I’m surprised to see Maple on a leash. I didn’t think she’d ever leave your side.”
     
    “Just following the rules, Detective,” Sydney said, hoping this was just a chance meeting and he wasn’t following her every move.
     
    “Glad to hear that. I think it’s time we had another chat. Could you come down to the precinct with me?” he asked Sydney.
     
    “I’d be happy to. Let me just bring Maple home and I’ll be down in a half hour,” she told him.
     
    “I think it’ll be best if you come with me right now,” he said authoritatively.
     
    “Don’t worry, I’ll take Maple. We’ll go for a long walk,” Grace said, always coming to the rescue.
     
    “Thanks. Here are my keys. You can keep her with you or bring her back to my place if I’m not home yet. I’ll text you when I’m on my way.” Sydney handed her keys to Grace and squatted down to Maple’s level to give her a quick hug and receive a kiss. If for no other reason, she had to clear her name so she could come home to Maple.
     
    “Don’t worry, we’ll be fine together,” Grace reassured her and they parted ways.
     
    “Ready to go? Sorry about all this,” Detective Massey said, completely changing his demeanor now that he was alone with Sydney.
     
    She didn’t have a response, so just got into the passenger seat of the cop car. He courteously held the door open for her. She was thankful she didn’t have to go through the embarrassment of getting into the back of the car.
     
    Now that she was alone with him and had the time to study him, she couldn’t deny his good looks. His hair was the kind you would be able to run your fingers through if you were given the chance. And those eyes. Sydney knew most girls fell for the deep blue. But Detective Massey’s dark chocolate eyes were eyes she could get lost in.
     
    As he turned the key and started driving, she also noticed his long slender fingers. Fingers made to serenade a girl with piano melodies.
     
    She looked away