Silent Knife (A Celebration Bay Mystery) by Freydont Shelley

Author:Freydont, Shelley [Freydont, Shelley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2013-09-02T16:00:00+00:00

BeBe was waiting for her at the trolley stand. She was standing near the front of a line of people waiting for the house tour to begin.

“I already got the tickets,” BeBe said. “My treat.”

“Thanks. I’ll buy you dinner if you’re free tonight.”

“It’s a deal.” A knit cloche of blue heather was pulled down over one of BeBe’s ears. She was wearing a matching scarf and mittens.

“Let me guess. You bought those at the Yarn Barn.”

“Of course. Support local businesses.” BeBe laughed. “I just wanted the scarf, but those knitters can be very persuasive. And I do feel rather française in the hat, but I put my foot down at the matching sweater.”

“Well, it’s very pretty.”

“I suppose you bought yours at Bloomingdale’s.”

“Actually, I never wore a hat when I lived in Manhattan. Hat hair is a definite no-no in event planning. And I didn’t need one just to step out of a building and yell ‘Taxi!’ I ordered this from an online catalogue when I decided to take this job. Though I guess I’d better get over to the Yarn Barn and make amends.”

The trolley doors opened and the driver climbed down to the street. He was dressed in a navy blue uniform with brass buttons and gold braid. His conductor’s hat had a sprig of holly tucked in the band.

“Welcome to the Annual Celebration Bay Holiday Tour of Homes.” He took their tickets, and Liv and BeBe climbed inside.

Most of the passengers were tourists, but there were a few locals that Liv recognized. Ruth Benedict was sitting a few rows back. Two ladies from the Garden Club, whom Liv suspected of taking the tour to get ideas for the spring Tour of Gardens, sat across the aisle from Ruth. Liv pulled BeBe down into a seat near the front; she had no intention of getting within earshot of the town’s worst gossip.

The doors closed and the conductor slid behind the wheel. “Welcome. The trolley will take you to your first stop where our hostess, Maeve Kingston, will guide you through some of Celebration Bay’s loveliest homes. The trolley will pick you up at the last stop and return here or continue to the inn for those of you with tickets to the Dickens Dinner.” He chuckled. “And you won’t want to miss the inn’s roast beef and Yorkshire pudding or their Christmas trifle or flaming plum pudding.

“Now I’ll turn the show over to Maeve.”

Maeve waved from her seat at the front. The conductor clanged the bell and the trolley pulled into the street.

“Our first stop is the historic Chapman House. Built in 1874, it has been accurately and lovingly restored by the Charles Chapman family.”

The trolley came to a stop in front of a white clapboard cottage decorated with a multitude of white lights. The façade was trisected by three pitched roofs of varying sizes. Icicles hung from the eaves and wreaths hung in every window; a lit candle, which for safety’s sake were actually electric, sat on every sill.

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