Cheesecake Murder: A Milly Pepper Mystery Book 3 by Rosie A. Point

Author:Rosie A. Point [Point, Rosie A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub

Twelve

Saturday night…

* * *

The interior of Sue’s house was dimly lit, with armchairs strewn around her expansive downstairs living room—an eclectic mix of chintz chairs, recliners, egg chairs, stools, and even a chaise lounge. Tall and short side tables held lamps dimly lit, and the coffee table bore a tray of tea and cookies.

The people who had been invited to the party sat in their chairs, most quietly, some choosing to chat with their neighbor, but all had picked up on the strange atmosphere. It was difficult not to—Sue was a master at setting the scene.

I took a seat in a puffy armchair beside a woman with gray hair that curled outward near her ears. She turned a worried gaze in my direction, lines wrinkling at the corners of her eyes. “Hello there,” she said. “How are you?”

“I’m good, thanks,” I said, and stuck out a hand. “I don’t think we’ve met.” Which was strange because I’d met most of the people here when they’d stopped by the Starlight Cafe.

“Reba Boseman.” Her handshake was soft, with only the tips of the fingers offered.

“Milly Pepper,” I said. “I haven’t seen you around town?”

“Oh, Pepper?” Reba shifted in her three-legged stool, pursing her lips when it wobbled. “You must be Cecelia’s granddaughter! I’ve heard so much about you from my friends. You run the Starlight Cafe, isn’t that right?”

“That’s right.” I smiled. “I’m afraid I don’t know much about you.”

“You wouldn’t. You’re a busy young woman, and then there’s the fact that I seldomly leave the house.”

“You don’t?”

“I prefer my privacy.” She smoothed her dress over her lap. “I find that being around a lot of people at once saps my energy. I believe it’s called being an introvert.”

“But you decided to come tonight,” I said.

Reba glanced at the others in the room then lowered her voice to a whisper. “I couldn’t afford to insult, Dray. He owns the building where I live, but I suppose you must know that if you’re here. I didn’t want to upset him or his lovely wife, Sue. But I’d much rather be at home having a bubble bath with a glass of wine.”

“That does sound like fun.”

“I need relaxation after recent events,” Reba continued. “You know, there was quite an accident recently. It’s the talk of the town.”

“I heard,” I said. “Horrible.”

“Horrible? I don’t know about that,” Reba said. “It’s more interesting than horrible. See, I own the antique store right across from the butchery where it happened. I happen to know the victim, and I have to say that—”

A throat cleared and everyone in the room fell silent.

Dray, Sue’s handsome husband, stood just inside the doorway. I gave him a surreptitious thumbs up. I owed him big time for attaching his name to this event. “Good evening, everyone,” Dray said briskly. “I hope you’re having a great time chatting with your fellow conspirators.”

A mumble of confusion ran around the room.

“Tonight, we’re going to do something a little different,” Dray continued unfazed. “In a moment, Sue will arrive with further instructions.

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