Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches (A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery Book 3) by Karen Rose Smith

Author:Karen Rose Smith [Smith, Karen Rose]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2019-05-28T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

On Friday morning, Russ Windom entered the tea garden. Daisy noticed him immediately because business was slow today. An article had appeared in the Willow Creek Messenger about the murder. It had mentioned the sandwiches as the cause of death and the fact they came from the tea garden. Daisy glanced into the kitchen where Iris was helping Tessa. She motioned to Cora Sue that she’d take Russ’s order.

When she crossed to his table, he smiled sheepishly. “Hi, Daisy.”

“Did you ask Iris out yet?”

“Not yet,” he said with a shake of his head.

“Are you still afraid she’ll say no?”

“Maybe, but when I come in like this, we can have a little quiet conversation if she’s free.”

“Do you want me to get her?”

“No, I want it to be natural . . . that she just stops to talk to me because she wants to.”

Daisy shook her head and scowled at him. “Is that how you asked girls out when you were in high school?”

“When I was in high school, I had more confidence and a lot more hair,” he answered grudgingly.

Daisy laughed. “Sorry,” she apologized, “but you still have a lot of hair.”

“Not on top.”

She bit back another smile. “If you don’t want me to get Iris, what can I bring you today?”

“How about lemongrass green tea and a bowl of your beef barley soup?”

“Early supper?”

“Yep. I don’t feel much like cooking tonight. A couple times a week I stop by Sarah Jane’s and order takeout. Usually, one of her meals lasts two nights, but the refrigerator’s pretty bare. I have to go grocery shopping tomorrow. I might take along a few of your blueberry muffins too.”

“Three?” she asked.

“No, make it a half dozen.”

After Daisy brought Russ his order, she asked him, “Do you want company? Business has been ridiculously slow today.”

“Yes. Join me. I hate eating alone.”

Daisy wondered if her aunt Iris felt the same way. If Russ didn’t soon make a move, she might have to play matchmaker.

“Any word on the murder investigation?” he asked her.

“The detective asked me to keep the specifics of Derek’s death to myself.”

Russ dipped his spoon into the beef barley soup and swished it around. “No problem. I understand confidentiality. As a teacher I had to deal with it a lot. Times have sure changed since I began teaching.”

“Were you a teacher under Bradley Schumacher?”

“I was.”

“How was he as a principal? Vi never said much about him, and Jazzi doesn’t now.”

“He was firm but fair. He has great organizational skills. Being a high school principal is a lot of paper pushing. The assistant principal usually takes care of the discipline if the teacher can’t handle it himself or herself.”

Daisy nodded. “Does Bradley get along with all of the teachers?”

Pulling his teacup in front of him, Russ added a teaspoon full of sugar and a bit of cream. “He made it a point of his to get around to all the teachers every day and talk to them about something. He didn’t play favorites.”

As soon as Russ said that, she frowned.

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