Shadow of a Spout by Amanda Cooper

Author:Amanda Cooper [Cooper, Amanda]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2015-04-07T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Rhiannon, now dressed in jean shorts and a tank top, returned to the living room, sweeping her auburn hair up into a ponytail and fastening it with a thick purple elastic. “What brings you here?”

“I was just wanting to get an insider’s view of some of these teapot society members. I can’t believe it, but folks are actually gossiping that Nana killed that woman with her teapot!”

“I heard that it was done with your grandmother’s teapot. Weird.” She went into the little kitchenette that was off the living room. “I’ve got some iced tea I made with fruit zinger tea and some lemon balm from a neighbor’s garden,” she said, sticking her head out of the tiny room. “Want to try it?”

Sophie said, “Sure.”

“Sit. I’ll bring it into the living room.”

Rhiannon seemed so nonchalant about all that had happened at the inn. Was that innocence, or an attempt to feign innocence? Sophie couldn’t believe where her mind was going, that she was even considering the notion that Rhiannon had anything to do with the murder, but SuLinn’s information about Rhiannon lying about being at the inn had thrown her for a loop. Sophie slipped off her sandals and sat cross-legged on the sofa. A moment later Rhiannon came into the living room with two tall glasses, condensation frosting the outside. “Here, give it a go. My mom e-mailed me the recipe.”

Sophie sipped and then took a long drink. “That’s good. I might try something like this in the tearoom. We’ve got iced tea, but I’d like something a little different—a signature drink, you know?”

“I’ll write this down, and you can play with it. You’re the chef!”

“Maybe I could use a chai blend, or something like that.” Sophie examined Rhiannon. “I was noticing the photos on the wall. You’ve been going to the ITCS convention for a long time.”

“Long as I can remember. My mom was one of the founding members before I was born. She lived in New York City at one point, and then moved here when she got pregnant with me.”

They had talked enough over the summer that Sophie knew Rhiannon’s mom was a single mother who left the big city for the good of her unborn child. She used some inherited money to start a tea shop in Butterhill, trading on her Irish heritage to import the very best of English and Irish blends, at first, before getting into professional blending herself.

“But it seems lately that there has been some infighting,” Sophie said, eyeing her friend. She was going to sugarcoat it, but what was the point? She had always been straightforward, and it generally served her well. “You got caught in the cross fire last year, I understand.”

“Cross fire?” Rhiannon asked, her voice cool.

After looking at the photos, Sophie could see that Rhi resembled her mother except for having thin lips and a strong set to her chin. “You must know what I mean.” Sophie’s mind was jumbled with too many things she wanted to ask about; the note had confused her and put her off balance.

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