Devil's Food Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery - Book 10 (Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries) Read Online Free PDF

nonsense to rest yet?” he asked, taking a rather large gulp of his wine.
    “I…uh…” Missy faltered.
    “We’re working on it,” Chas replied.
    “I don’t see what’s so difficult, other than maybe narrowing down the long line of people who would’ve been more than glad to see the insufferable bloke snuffed,” Reggie observed, refilling his glass.
    “What do you mean?” Missy asked, feeling a glimmer of hope.
    “As you learned firsthand, Giles Heatherington is…excuse me…was, a posturing, pompous arse who had the insane ability to get on the nerves of nearly everyone he met,” he explained dryly.
    “Lose one too many wagers to him, Reggie? You’re sounding a bit bitter,” Chas raised an eyebrow.
    “Merely stating fact, dear brother,” Reggie drained his glass again, shooting daggers over the rim at his brother, who was observing him with keen interest.
    “Just where did you disappear to last night?” Chas asked.
    “Don’t even start with me, Charles. I may have despised the pathetic fool, but my life is far too good to risk being put in a cage for the rest of my life,” his brother warned, sounding bored.
    “Who do you think did it?” Missy asked, ignoring a frustrated glance from Chas.
    “If I had to place bets, I’d guess that it was the senator who backed a bill that was written for the sole purpose of benefitting the Heatherington enterprises globally. The bill was passed, and somehow the donation that had been earmarked for the senator’s campaign disappeared, leaving the poor sap high and dry. He ended up losing to some grass-roots yokel. But what do I know?” he finished sarcastically, shooting his brother a withering glance.
    “Was the senator at the party last night?” Missy persisted, and this time Chas was listening intently as well.
    “Of course. He was trying to court Beckett funding for another run at the seat in the next term,” Reggie shrugged nonchalantly.
    Missy found herself feeling even more out of her league. Politician’s tried to curry favor with Chas’s family when considering a campaign for office.
    “I’ll check it out,” Chas said begrudgingly, while his brother smiled in triumph.
    “What about his wife?” Missy asked, in a small voice.
    “What?” Chas responded before his brother could.
    “Isn’t it kind of like a police rule or something that if someone dies, the first person to be questioned is the spouse or significant other?” she asked, fearing the detective’s reaction to the accusation that she was sort of suggesting about his former fiancée.
    “Impossible,” he proclaimed dismissively, making Missy wince.
    “Why impossible?” she persisted.
    Reggie decided to weigh in on the discussion. “Because, sweet lady, Amanda married that sow Giles because he was the next wealthiest choice after Charles.”
    “Reginald!” Chas barked a warning.
    “Ohhh…you hadn’t told her yet, how clumsy of me,” he said, sounding not the least bit apologetic. “At any rate, that woman is one hundred percent gold-digger, despite her family’s considerable net worth. There’s not a chance in the world that she’d jeopardize her bank account or social standing just because she hated the fop that she had the misfortune to marry after my dear brother spurned her,” Reggie finished lightly, pouring yet another measure of expensive French wine into his goblet.
    The dining staff came in to serve as he finished his explanation, leaving Missy staring miserably at her plate and pretending to eat the exquisite repast.

Chapter 11
    Missy had gone to her room right after dinner, claiming a headache and feeling utterly devastated. The more experience that she had with Chas, his family and friends, the more she realized that she was entirely out of her league. She longed to return home to the simple comforts of dear, hard-working people and the busy oblivion of her businesses, which would be a welcome respite.
    She had received a call the evening before, while