Slice of Life 02-Wed, Dead and Gingerbread by Rachel Beattie

Author:Rachel Beattie [Beattie, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: small town murder mystery, whodunnit, amateur sleuth, christmas cozy mystery, wedding
Publisher: Rachel Beattie
Published: 2024-12-06T06:00:00+00:00

“I THOUGHT YOU DIDN’T want me rushing around on my feet all day?” Dad asks as I tie an apron around his more-than-ample middle. “Isn’t running the Slice of Life diner in the middle of the Christmas rush the opposite of rest and recuperation?”

“Would you rather stay sitting alone at home with nothing to do and nobody to talk to?” I ask, throwing the words of his own complaint back at him. “Breathe in!” He obediently sucks in his gut and I manage to get the strings of the apron tied into a bow. “Now, you don’t have to stand up. I’d rather you didn’t.” I run around the front of the counter and grab a stool, dragging it to sit behind the cash register. “There. Sit. You can take orders if anyone comes in, and you should be able to make the odd coffee and sandwich. You remember how to do it, right?”

“Ha!” Dad rolls his eyes. “Listen, young lady. I was running this place single-handedly before you could even walk -”

“Great!” I drop a kiss on his cheek. “Then you’ll manage just fine while I take my break.” I dash towards the door. “I’ll just be a quarter of an hour. Remember! No rushing around. Slow and steady.”

“I’m sure I’ll manage,” Dad says, drily, as he surveys the near-empty diner. It still isn’t a patch on the usual Christmas hustle and bustle but for once that’s a good thing, and I know I’m leaving the place in very capable hands. I just wish I didn’t have to.

You don’t have to, a voice nags me. A voice that sounds uncannily like that of the new sheriff. This isn’t your murder to solve, you know. You don’t need to go hunting out clues or tracking down suspects, or...

“Veronica!”

I halt at the sound of my name and turn to see Melissa Barnes hurrying towards me.

“Did you hear what happened?”

“I know,” I say, sadly. “Isn’t it awful?”

“Dreadful.” Melissa shakes her head. “As if Pamela Kaufman is capable of such a thing!”

“Pamela Kaufman?” I hesitate, trying to make sense of the unexpected change in direction. I’d assumed Melissa was talking about Amy’s death. What on earth did Pamela Kaufman have to do with anything?

“Melissa,” I say, patiently taking her by the arm and steering her back towards the diner where I know Dad is working, oblivious to the news that Pamela might be in some kind of trouble. “What’s Pamela Kaufman done?”

“They think she’s responsible for killing that poor young friend of Anna’s. Bludgeoning her to death. It’s completely ridiculous, of course!”

“Completely,” I agree, shuddering at the thought. “Why on earth do they think Pamela is responsible?”

“Because it was her rolling pin,” Melissa says. “And you know what Deputy Dell is like when she latches onto an idea. She’s tenacious.”

“That’s a polite way of saying stubborn as a mule.” I push the door open and scoot Melissa over the threshold. “Come into the warm and we’ll work out what we’re going to do.”

“What you’re going to do about what?” Dad isn’t sitting on the stool I pulled out for him.

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