A Santa Slaying: A Haunting Avery Winters Christmas Cozy Mystery Novella by Dionne Lister

Author:Dionne Lister [Lister, Dionne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aye Alba Publishing

Chapter Six

Racking my brain all night didn’t help me come up with anything. I’d pondered her diary entries, but nothing jumped out at me. Also, I was sure I’d seen something. Maybe it wasn’t Stephanie’s ghost? Was it a family member who’d passed, or maybe a random ghost who lived in her house?

Hmm…. I should mention it to Bellamy when I saw him. Maybe we could go back and see if I could coax them out.

After going for a short walk with Zeus—I’d bought him a little, warm jacket so we could go out in rain or snow—I dressed for work and drove ten minutes to Ivy Langham’s. She made fudge at Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas and sold it as gifts. She’d asked for an interview because, apparently, sales had been slow this year, and she wanted to branch out to year-round fudge making. Widowed two years ago, she looked about sixty. Her grey hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail.

“Please come in, Avery. Lovely to meet you.” Her kindly smile was reassuring. I’d turned up to houses only to be accused of murdering people after my nemesis, Joy—a.k.a. Joyless—had kicked up a fuss on Facebook and had started a rumour that I wasn’t just finding bodies, but I was the person who’d killed them so I could get a good story for the paper. I wanted to roll my eyes just thinking about it, but I didn’t want Mrs Langham to get the wrong idea.

I followed her into the open-plan living/family room. Her country-style kitchen had lovely timber benchtops, a farmhouse sink, white cupboards, and all the mod cons. “This is really cosy.”

“Thank you. My husband had life insurance, so I redid the kitchen after he passed. I’ve really gotten into baking—gives me something to do when I’m not at work.”

I took my notebook out. “What do you do for work?” Funnily enough, I’d thought it was the fudge, but that must be a hobby.

“I’m a midwife.”

“Oh, lovely. So you make fudge in your spare time?”

“Yes. It’s so relaxing, and I do love to eat it.” She smiled. “Please sit.” She gestured to a six-seater timber table that had five different white dishes, all filled with different coloured fudge. One was even white with red bits in it.

I pointed to the white fudge. “Are those flowers?”

“Yes. That fudge has some rosewater and rose petals. I thought we could do a taste of each one, so you can do a proper write up and recommend them. They really do make wonderful Christmas or even birthday presents. Also a tasty addition to the dessert menu of any event.” She gave me a shy smile. “I’m hoping to transition to selling fudge full time instead of working. I’m often so tired after work. The days are long, and my back is sore. We’re terribly understaffed, so I do more overtime than I want. I worry about the mothers and babies, you know, so it’s hard to say no when the hospital needs me.

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