Stars, Stripes, and Secrets: A Cookie's Creamery Mystery by Suzette Kathleen

Author:Suzette, Kathleen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-06-06T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

“Ispoke to your mother last night, Maddie,” Cookie said as we got ready to open the ice cream shop.

I turned to her. “Did you?”

She nodded. “Your mom and dad are going to supply the steaks for the barbecue, and I’m going to bring some jumbo shrimp to grill.”

“Oh, I love shrimp on the grill,” Chloe said as she finished filling the sprinkles containers. We kept an assortment of colors on hand at all times. Customers loved sprinkles on their ice cream.

“Me too,” I said. “Noah said he was going to bring some ribs to barbecue. We’re going to have quite a spread on the Fourth of July.”

“It sure sounds like it, and I can hardly wait. I’ll go get those two buckets of ice cream in the back,” Chloe said as she headed to the kitchen.

“I think we’re just about set to open. I still have some white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies to bake, but other than that, I think we’re set for the day.” Cookie looked over the shop and then turned back to me. “Oh, I almost forgot. I invited Estelle to the Fourth of July barbecue. The poor dear was going to be alone for the holiday, and I thought she would enjoy spending it with us.”

“That’s a great idea, Cookie. I’m glad you thought to ask her. It will be a lot of fun having her along.” I enjoyed Estelle, and it would be great to have her there.

At ten o’clock, I unlocked the ice cream shop door and headed back behind the counter. It wasn’t a minute later when the door swung open, and Mrs. Garner and Mr. Farmer walked through it. Mrs. Garner’s eyes were wide as if she’d seen something frightening, and Mr. Farmer looked angry.

“Good morning,” I said. “It’s nice seeing you two here early. Are you ready for some ice cream?” If I had thought about it for a moment, I would have realized that it was odd seeing the two of them together here at the ice cream shop. Although they both enjoyed ice cream, I had never seen them come in together, and certainly not with the looks on their faces.

“Maddie,” Mrs. Garner said, hurrying to the counter. “Maddie, something has to be done about that vile woman.”

I shook my head and glanced at Mr. Farmer. “What are you talking about? Val Greenwood? She didn’t come back and try to set up the memorial again, did she? Has the one at Beau’s house gotten out of hand?”

She placed both hands on the counter and leaned forward, even though we were the only ones in the shop. “She came by this morning at eight o’clock and was asking questions about the murder. She wanted to know exactly what I saw that night, and when I told her I didn’t see anything other than his body lying there in my yard, she just kept questioning me about it as if I wasn’t telling her the truth.”

“I’ll tell you what,” Mr.

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