Delicious and Suspicious Read Online Free PDF Page B

tables.
    Ella Beth shrugged. “I guess so.”
    Lulu shot her a searching look for the less-than-enthusiastic reply. “What’s wrong, sweetie? Not a fan of the TV scout?”
    Ella Beth shrugged. “Coco thought she was really cool. She kept talking about Miss Adrian’s fancy clothes.”
    Lulu hid a smile. “Sounds like you really weren’t taken in, though.”
    “I like things the way they are, Granny Lulu. I never want Aunt Pat’s to change. Uncle Seb said stuff like we’re going to get all these tourists and start selling tee shirts, salt and pepper shakers, and those stupid bells.” Ella Beth sounded affronted.
    Lulu frowned. “Well, I’d have to give the okay on that. Seeing as how it’s my restaurant. And I certainly don’t recall approving Aunt Pat kitsch. I think Aunt Pat would be rolling around in her grave if she thought her likeness was on somebody’s tee shirt.”
    “And . . . well, I just didn’t like her. She reminded me of my teacher from last year. She was pretty and seemed real nice at first, but she was the meanest teacher ever. She’d bite your head off if you even asked her a question.”
    “You don’t think she’s the real deal.”
    “Nope. Just a phony.” An idea popped in Ella Beth’s head. Maybe she could find out more about Miss Adrian. Some detective work would be fun. And everybody expected to see her lurking around anyway, so they wouldn’t suspect a thing.
    “Well,” said Lulu, considering the phony label, “she does have those colored contact lenses in. Nobody has violet eyes but Liz Taylor.”
     
     
    Flo would have agreed one hundred percent with Ella Beth. Rebecca Adrian was definitely a phony. Worse than that, she was sneaky. She’d pretended to be great friends with the Graces while Tony kept a watchful eye on her and shook his head from time to time.
    The evening was just fine to begin with. The Peabody’s glamorous and luxurious lobby was always a treat to gather in—before, after, or during the ducks. They settled in around the bar, each with a drink—except for Derrick, who got a Red Bull.
    Cherry was a source of amusement for the ladies there—she’d clearly set her sights on Tony. She wore her special lucky lipstick that matched her hair, and her personality was especially sparkly.
    “Cherry’s really set her cap for Tony,” Flo whispered to Evelyn.
    “She drives me batty with all that. It’s not like she’s ever going to cheat on her Johnny,” said Evelyn. “She just enjoys the thrill of the hunt. And why she puts up with all Johnny’s nonsense is beyond me.”
    Tony seemed taken with Cherry, too. But then, Cherry—in full-throttle flirting mode—was well-nigh irresistible.
    The lighthearted mood changed abruptly when the devil got into Rebecca Adrian again. Flo later wondered if Rebecca just didn’t like seeing people have fun.

    “So tell me,” asked Rebecca cajolingly to Cherry, who had finally removed her motorcycle helmet, since the threat of inclement weather had passed (although the threat of her falling out of her chair in front of the Peabody bar was rapidly becoming a distinct possibility), “are you ladies all for real? You give tours at Graceland? And you love each other like sisters and eat heaping piles of barbeque to maintain those skinny-minnie bodies? And you’re all sweet as pie? It seems a little corny.” Her swift smile minimized her cutting words. “Isn’t there any dirt in there at all?”
    Now Flo noticed that Tony kept some distance between himself and Rebecca. He asked the bartender for another drink. “That’s it in a nutshell,” said Flo in a rush. “Can I get you another drink, Rebecca?’
    But Peggy Sue snickered. “We do love us our barbeque and we’re all best friends. But sweet? I dunno about that.”
    Rebecca smiled encouragingly. “It would be a little weird if you were all like some sort of Stepford women.”
    “We’ve all had our little escapades, you know. Love affairs, scandals.” Peggy