A Corpse in the Soup by Morgan St. James & Phyllice Bradner

Author:Morgan St. James & Phyllice Bradner [Bradner, Morgan St. James and Phyllice]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery
Publisher: L&L Dreamspell
Published: 2010-06-06T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 29

Trying to bring some semblance of order to the taping, a desperate Cranston Hollingsworth paced back and forth throwing his hands in the air, palms out, pleading for the audience to calm down.

Godiva leaned toward Goldie cupping her hand over her mouth as she tried to make herself heard above the deafening roar. “What do you suppose happened to that pompous ass?”

“Who cares?” Goldie raised one disapproving eyebrow. “The big blowhard was probably afraid he would really lose to Caesar. And on worldwide TV, no less.”

“Or...” Godiva shuddered, “Maybe he didn’t show because of something more important, like Edgar’s murder!”

Finally the few scattered spectators left in Wellington’s cheering section stopped shouting. Hundreds of Biff’s hardcore groupies were out in front of the building staging a dramatic protest. They formed a solid line of aerobic exercisers doing jumping jacks and chanting, “Whoa, whoa, Biff will show! Don’t begin, Biff will win. Hell no, Hell no...hold the cameras, hold the show!”

Meanwhile, inside the arena the battle for the title was in full swing as the cameras rolled.

With Wellington’s unprecedented withdrawal from the competition, each of the three remaining chefs now had a better chance. During their feverish chopping, braising, sautéing and baking, the coliseum commentators spent more time speculating about what could have caused Wellington’s mysterious disappearing act than they did commenting on the chefs.

Chimes sounded signaling the final five minutes.

Chili pranced around in her cute little Roman tunic adding the garnishes that would turn Caesar’s dishes into presentation showpieces.

Jankowski two-stepped around his cooking area as his assistants passed platters back and forth in a crazy kind of kitchen polka.

Matsumoto seemed to be alternately bowing and praying over beautifully laid out creations as the Jewish geishas mopped his brow.

Lights flashed, bells rang and Hollingsworth called for the entries to be delivered to the judges.

Mouth-watering images filled the huge screen above the main stage and the audience oohed and aahed as the cameras zoomed in on each presentation.

After each sampling, Lulu Lavelle rolled her eyes, batted her lashes into the cameras and held up her scorecard. Toulouse Jankowski’s supporters went crazy when she gave him a nine.

Always the businessman, Justin Tyme seemed to be calculating the cost to duplicate each recipe at home. He gave Jankowski and Matsumoto scores of seven each. Then he licked his lips and held up his card once again with a solid nine for Caesar Romano.

Forrest Forsythe didn’t even blink an eye. He tasted everything politely, but gave Romano a huge lead with a ten.

Dr. Arrup Gupta was solidly behind Matsumoto giving him an eight; his next best score of seven went to Romano and the lowest mark of five to Jankowski.

There was a hush as Madeline Mandingo held up her card, seductively flirting with Romano while showing a perfect ten for him, a seven for Jankowski and a six for Matsumoto.

With a flash of his super white teeth, Hollingsworth advanced toward Romano holding out the green Gladiator’s laurel wreath. The coveted golden medallion sparkled in his other hand, suspended from a black velvet ribbon.

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