Pepperoni Pizza Can Be Murder Read Online Free PDF

spend talking to him. Maddy, I’m not ready to have a conversation with anybody about what happened.”
    “You talked to me last night.”
    “Just barely, and you’re my family.” I attempted to ignore the phone, but the more I tried, the more adamant my sister became that I call him.
    I finished adding yeast to the water, mixing the flour and other ingredients together, and turning on the mixer before I finally took it from her. “Fine. I’m calling him right now, so back off, all right?”
    “That’s all I’m asking,” she said.
    As I dialed David’s number, Maddy asked, “Do you want me to give you some privacy?”
    “Why on earth would I want you to do that?” I asked.
    David picked up on the first ring, and before I could even say hello, he asked, “Eleanor? Are you all right?”
    “I’m fine, David, but I can’t really talk. I’m up to my elbows in dough right now.” That wasn’t strictly the truth, but I had work to do.
    “You never came home last night,” he said, an undertone of accusation in his voice. “I waited until one A.M .”
    “You shouldn’t have done that,” I said.
    “I didn’t mind. As soon as I heard about what happened, I needed to see you. I had to make sure you were okay.”
    “I stayed with Maddy last night,” I said, cradling the telephone between my shoulder and my neck so I could check on the dough, steadily stirring away in the floor stand mixer.
    “Of course you did, that makes sense. I should have looked for you there.”
    “No, you shouldn’t have,” I said. My patience was just about worn out with him, and I couldn’t keep from letting it show in my voice.
    “Are you seriously going to act like you’re the one who’s hurt? I’m really surprised you didn’t call me after what happened to you, and more than a little disappointed. Eleanor, I have a right to know how you are.”
    “And tell me, why is that, David?” I saw Maddy warning me off, but I was on a roll and wasn’t about to stop. She’d wanted me to make this telephone call, so she was going to have to live with the consequences of it. I didn’t even try to ease the anger in my voice as I said, “We’re not dating, as I’ve told you a hundred times before. We have a meal together once a week, but if you think that gives you some kind of proprietary interest in my well-being, then you’re mistaken.”
    “Sorry,” he said, the hurt clear in his voice. “I was just concerned about you.”
    “You needn’t be. I’m fine, which I believe we already established. Is that all you wanted to talk to me about? I can’t really talk. I’m busy right now. I have to get the Slice ready to open.”
    He paused a moment, then said softly, “The reason I was looking for you last night was that I wanted to tell you that I won’t be able to make dinner this week. Something came up at the last minute.”
    He hung up before I had a chance to say anything else to him.
    “How do you like that? He just canceled on me,” I said as I hung the telephone back into its cradle.
    “Are you honestly surprised?” Maddy asked. “What’s gotten into you? You just treated him like caring about you was something criminal.”
    “He doesn’t have the right to worry about me,” I said, getting back to my dough. “We’re just friends.” It was time to turn off the mixer and take the mixture out so I could knead the dough on the counter.
    “You didn’t have to stomp on him so hard,” she said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you drove him off for good.”
    “I can’t do anything about that now, can I?” I said, trying to keep my voice confident as I spoke. I’d been frustrated with David—there was no doubt about that—but I hadn’t meant to be so mean to him. It generally wasn’t in my nature, but I was still upset about being robbed the night before, and his implication that I should have come running to him didn’t sit well with me. I was a little too old to have to check in with someone