Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry Read Online Free PDF Page B

you, your parents, and grandparents, and have always been a good neighbor. Scumble Riverites have been able to depend on Grandma Sal’s for jobs, charitable contributions, and a future. Because of this, we who have reaped their bounty want to thank them by hosting the best ever Soup-to-Nuts Cooking Challenge.”
    The crowd clapped and whistled, and Skye smiled at her uncle. He was not a particularly good uncle, and she knew from experience that he was a lousy boss, but he had turned out to be a great mayor. She was truly happy for him and her family that after so many years he had found his niche.
    Dante waved, bowed, and then stepped back as Grandma Sal opened the floor to the media. The majority of the questions were addressed to all of the contestants, and anyone could answer. Skye noticed that Cherry usually managed to have the last say on most subjects. Grudgingly Skye acknowledged that the writer had a way with the audience. Her quips generally left them laughing and, more important, scribbling in their notebooks.
    They had been standing on the stage for nearly two hours, and Skye was rocking from foot to foot, hungry, bored, and needing to pee, when the owner/reporter of the
Scumble River Star
, Kathryn Steele, asked the group, “What inspired your recipes?”
    It took a moment for Skye to realize that her mother had stepped forward and was answering. It took another moment for her to grasp what May was saying.
    “My entry was inspired by my daughter’s upcoming wedding.”
    Despite Skye’s pleas, the Star had run several stories about her crime-solving activities, so she was well-known among the paper’s staff, and for some reason she couldn’t fathom, they were fascinated with her personal life.
    Kathryn’s body language resembled that of a golden re-triever that had just discovered a flock of ducks hiding among the cattails. “Who’s the groom? Has a date been set?”
    Skye didn’t have time to think or plan what to say, butshe knew she had to answer before her mother did. She leapt forward and, trying to keep the edge out of her voice, said, “Kathryn, you know Mom meant my eventual, some-time-in-the-far-far-future wedding.” Skye held up her left hand, naked of any ring. “When I get married you’ll see a rock the size of a Christmas-tree ornament on my finger.” The audience laughed, and she wrapped it up with, “Who knows how many cooking contests Mom’ll win before then?”
    Skye shot a sideways look of warning to May, who had her mouth open but slowly closed it without speaking.
    The rest of the questions were harmless, and Skye zoned out, concentrating on her increasing need for the ladies’ room. Finally the contestants were dismissed. Several raced for the bathroom. Skye had the advantage of knowing the lay of the land and headed for the faculty restroom, located deep within the bowels of the building, which she was sure would be empty.
    Whipping inside, she locked the door and was unzipping her pants when she heard loud voices coming from the other side of the wall. Hmm, that would be the teachers’ lounge. Skye leaned closer to the wall, curious as to who had ignored the sign on the closed door that said, DO NOT ENTER. TEACHERS ONLY. THIS MEANS YOU.
    “Listen up, sweet cheeks. You didn’t give me any data on her or her family other than what I already had. You guaranteed me that your information would be up close and personal. I have too much riding on this for your shoddy work to ruin things for me. You have until tomorrow morning to get me the dirt on her and her relatives.” The woman’s tone was angry.
    “I sent you what Grandma Sal sent me. Can I help it if the old broad didn’t give me what I asked for? She always does in-depth profiles of the contestants to make sure they’re squeaky-clean.” This second voice was deeper, but Skye couldn’t tell if it belonged to a man or a woman. “I’ll reach out to my sources tonight and have the lowdown tomorrow at