Easter Hair Hunt by Nancy J. Cohen

Author:Nancy J. Cohen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Easter holiday fiction books, cozy mystery, cozy culinary mysteries, amateur sleuth, murder mystery holidays, women sleuths, humorous mysteries, mysteries with recipes
Publisher: Orange Grove Press
Published: 2020-03-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” Lacey said, breezing into the parlor. “It’s been a hectic morning.”

“I can imagine. Your entire routine must be disrupted. Please accept my sincere condolences regarding Sarah. I wanted to make sure you were all right.” Marla studied the estate owner, who appeared as put together as ever with her hair up in a twist, her makeup applied with an expert touch, and her palazzo pants matched to a flowery top.

Lacey eyed her in return. “I’m told you’re the one who found her. What were you doing here after hours?”

“Sarah had something to tell me. Now I’ll never know what she meant to say.”

Lacey sank into an armchair, and Marla followed suit on a sofa. “I can’t even think about replacing her. It’s so awful. Your husband said we’ll be able to reopen once his team finishes processing the scene, but...” Lacey’s voice broke, and a brief silence ensued. After a moment, she continued. “We relied on her talents. She was creative about selecting items for the shop.”

“What about the reproductions? I’ll bet those are popular with visitors.”

Lacey gave a rueful chuckle. “Yes, customers especially like the jewelry. We really couldn’t have started this whole venture without Sarah. She was our driving force.”

“She started here as a maid, didn’t she? Where did she get the knowledge to be a buyer for the store?”

“We all learned the business from the ground up. It wasn’t easy after Connor died.”

“A lot of your staff was here back then. They must be very loyal.”

“Or I pay them well. What is it you want to know, Marla? You’re not here just to comfort me, although I appreciate the chocolates. That was a thoughtful gesture. But you’re taking time away from your salon to be here.”

“I don’t go in until one o’clock on Thursdays, so my morning is free.” Marla gestured toward the exit. “I heard Bruno’s voice from down the hall. We haven’t had a chance to chat. Would you mind if I had a word with him?”

“About what?” Lacey’s gaze chilled.

“He’s familiar with the house and would notice if anything was amiss. You did want me to investigate the thefts, remember?”

A look of relief flitted across Lacey’s face. “Of course. He’ll be in the dining room fixing one of the pictures.”

“You know, it crossed my mind that Sarah had ordered the replicas of artifacts in the house. How do you know the thief wasn’t working with her and substituting fakes for the real thing?”

Lacey stared at her. “That’s a preposterous idea. Then items wouldn’t be missing. They’d appear to be in place.”

“It would explain why I found the Fabergé egg discarded on the grass. Maybe you should get some of these things reappraised, like the painting Bruno is fixing. Why would it loosen from the wall all by itself?”

“One of the maids might have dusted it, and the screw wasn’t secure. You’re searching for ghosts where they don’t exist.”

Isn’t that what Lacey had told Bruno, too? Did the

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