A Parfait Murder by Wendy Lyn Watson

Author:Wendy Lyn Watson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.
Published: 2011-04-11T07:00:00+00:00

chapter 14

As I schlepped my way to the fair parking lot after the competition, a posh mica gray Audi slid up beside me. The tinted window on the passenger side glided down with a soft whoosh and a wave of arctic air wafted out.

“Hey, hot stuff, can I give you a lift?”

My friend Deena Silver peered at me over the rims of her bright purple sunglasses. One plump, persimmonmanicured hand rested lightly on the Audi’s leather steering wheel, a tangle of copper bangle bracelets swaying gently in the gale-force blast of the car’s air-conditioning. As usual, Deena was garbed in flowing, gauzy robes, veils of periwinkle and aqua draping her earth-mother roundness.

Deena and I were fellow travelers. We’d met when we’d worked together to cater my ex-husband’s company picnic. I did dessert, and Deena’s popular catering company provided the rest of the food and drink. Deena and I discovered that our kinship transcended a love of tasty food. We’d quickly become genuine friends.

“Where you heading?” I asked.

“Just over to Jackson and Ver Steeg with a Bundt cake. Jason’s been clerking with them while he waits for the results of his bar exam.” Deena’s daughter had just married Jason, a recent law school grad, earlier in the summer. “Under the circumstances, I thought you might want to tag along.”

“The circumstances?”

“Oh, don’t play coy with me, young lady. I know your penchant for snooping, and I’ve heard a thing or two about how Ms. Ver Steeg died.”

I’d been relieved that Jackie didn’t mention Bree’s arrest, but I knew it was just a matter of time before the whole town heard. I phrased my question carefully. “Anything particular?”

Deena sighed. “I play canasta with Vonda Hudson from the 911 call center. I got the skinny about Bree last night. I’d say the news will go viral by late this afternoon.” She patted the black leather passenger seat. “Come on. I’d bet good money you’d appreciate an excuse to visit Kristen’s office. Besides, a slice of my lemon Bundt is worth a little detour on your way home.”

With a grateful smile, I pulled open the passenger door and slid into the blissful cool of the car’s front seat. As I tugged the door closed, Deena used one acrylic nail to raise the window, sealing us inside.

“I didn’t know Jason was working with Madeline and Kristen,” I said.

Deena slid her glasses back up her nose and edged forward through the dusty parking lot.

“Well, he’s cheap labor right now. Poor kid graduated with a law degree when law jobs are thin on the ground, and until he gets that letter from the State Bar saying he passed, he really can’t do much of anything. They’ve been paying him minimum wage to do legal research and draft motions.”

“Minimum wage? Heck, I pay Kyle better than that.”

Deena chuckled. “Scut-work for Jackson and Ver Steeg will look better on Jason’s résumé than scooping ice cream for you. And he’s been making a little extra cash bartending for me.” Deena ran a popular catering company, the Silver Spoon.

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