Sugar and Sliced (Maple Lane Mysteries) by C. A. Phipps

Author:C. A. Phipps [Phipps, C. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cheryl Phipps
Published: 2022-07-23T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

If she hadn’t been so shocked at the photos, Maddie might have considered how kind the detective was to ensure she got to Camille’s place safely, but she couldn’t think straight, and no words came to her on the drive except to give him directions.

“Thank you,” she managed to say as he dropped her at the apartment’s entrance door along with her bag and a rather unimpressed cat.

“Go on, get inside before I leave, so I don’t have to worry about you for the rest of the night. And don’t walk around on your own at any time, okay?”

After Dalton’s treatment, Maddie was inclined to give a snippy reply at being told what to do, but it was clear he had her best interests at heart, and it wasn’t until Camille bundled them into her apartment that Maddie was able to enunciate her feelings. “I think Dalton is a crook.” It was the first of many statements Maddie was intending to make, but Camille’s retort stopped her cold.

“Well, sure he is.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s as slippery as an eel and as charming as Jack Sparrow.” Camille shrugged without apology. “I never doubted he was a shady character with ulterior motives for just about everything.”

“Really? You never told me how much you disliked him.”

Her friend snorted. “You never asked, but I’d like to think I made my feelings clear enough.”

Like maple syrup on pancakes, the truth seeped through. They had known each other longer than she’d known Dalton, so of course she knew how Camille felt about him, and Dalton had certainly voiced his opinions about Camille being a man hater and a bad influence on Maddie.

Annoyingly, her lips quivered. How had she been so blind, ignoring the obvious and accepting Dalton was what he pretended to be—long after she knew he wasn’t? That wasn’t right either. She’d wanted the dream to stay alive, despite never needing a handsome prince on a white charger, because she didn’t want to fail again by picking the wrong guy. All she wanted was to be seen for herself and not as a piece of clay to be molded into the ideal woman according to some outdated criteria.

Camille put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her down on the sofa. “Are you okay? Sorry, that’s a dumb question after all you’ve been through.”

“You don’t know the half of it.”

“Then you sit right there while I get wine and chocolate so you can tell me all about it.”

Maddie didn’t answer. Ordinarily she didn’t touch alcohol during the week, but these were not ordinary times. Camille was a good listener, and maybe it would help order her chaotic mind if she went through everything in order.

Camille put a glass into her hand and opened the chocolate, waving it under her nose like smelling salts, which wasn’t the worst idea.

She took a sip and picked up a piece of chocolate. “I don’t know how, but Cleo Black’s murder had something to do with Dalton.”

Camille gasped and slopped wine down her sweater.

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