Ghost Takes A Vacation: Genie and Adriana Darling mysteries: A cozy paranormal ghost mystery (Genie and Adriana Darling cozy paranormal ghost mysteries Book 2) by Carmen Radtke

Author:Carmen Radtke [Radtke, Carmen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2023-11-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter fifteen

When the receptionist called me on the room phone to announce Matt, I’d prepared an overview of what we knew, what we suspected, and what could have happened.

He arrived with a box of cantuccini studded with almonds and pistachios and a worried expression.

“You shouldn’t have,” I said at the same instant he said, “Serina sends these. There’s a small pastry shop in town that specializes in biscuits.”

Adriana, who’d gone all puppy-eyed at his arrival, harrumphed. “Is that the one he’s sweet on?”

I gave her a tiny shrug. I hadn’t seen anything overly flirtatious at the restaurant, but then the situation didn’t exactly scream romance, especially with a third person at dinner.

His next words put Adriana at peace again. “I think she hopes you’ll feature them in your food blog. The owners are relations of hers.” He put the box on the table. I was flattered by Matt and Serina's faith in my readers who, truth be told, were a tiny group.

“Everything alright here?” he asked.

“Sure.” Then it came back to me that I’d used a pretext last night to explain my running away. “Like I thought, it was only a neighbor's cat that got in via the balcony.”

“That’s a relief. Jolene has given me an earful, about dragging you into this whole business, after you nearly got murdered once already.”

“I’m alright, honestly.”

I nibbled a biscuit, to prove to Matt how unconcerned I was. “My mother must have spooked Jolene. Ridiculous, but Aimée is prone to a fit of nerves once in a while.”

While I spoke I kept my fingers crossed behind my back. Technically I wasn’t throwing my parent under the bus. We had a long-standing arrangement that, in certain situations and to dig ourselves out of a hole, we could go so far as to swear on each other’s life.

Yet it gave me a sense of unease, to pile up all these lies. I might have to take notes, to keep track of all of them.

“Talking about this whole business, I think we should make a list of possible motives first,” I said.

I’d torn a page from my largest sketch book and written down my notes.

Matt read out aloud, “Was Paolo the intended victim and the arson was supposed to act as cover-up? Was it to hide thefts? Or was Tristan Odell behind the whole crime to cash in the insurance money and pay off his debts? Or did a rival try to put him out of business?”

He scratched his nose. “The last idea is new.”

“I overheard a man,” I said. “This one, to be precise. Have you seen these two before? She runs a vintage shop in Livorno.” I showed him the picture I’d taken.

Matt scrutinized it closely, only to shake his head regretfully. “Not me, but Serina might. Can you forward it to me?”

I clicked send, and then I waited. He had to search through his contacts before he found her details.

Adriana gave me the thumbs-up. The glamorous Italian wasn’t someone Matt had on speed dial.

“We could send the photo to her,” he suggested.

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