Sweet, Sweet Murder (Sky High Pies Cozy Mysteries Book 13) by Maxwell Mary

Author:Maxwell, Mary
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2016-12-30T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 22

On the way home from my meeting with Elliott Taplin, I decided to make a quick stop at Crescent Creek Lodge. Since Zack was in New Mexico shooting pictures for his friend, a glass of wine and an appetizer at the bar in the lounge sounded more appealing than reheated white bean chili at home alone.

As I came into the lobby, Connie was behind the front desk, pecking frantically on a laptop as Lucy Arganbright, the hotel’s longtime business manager, watched eagerly over her shoulder.

“This okay?” Connie asked, turning to Lucy.

“I don’t think you should use the F-bomb,” the slender brunette said in a gentle tone. “It might convey the wrong tone.”

“Well, what’s the right tone?” Connie gasped. “This idiot just—” She screeched to a halt when she noticed me standing nearby. “Oh, Katie! How long have you been there?”

“I came in just before Lucy suggested the F-bomb should go,” I said. “Which leads me to believe you’re not writing a letter home to your folks.”

One hand quickly covered her eyes. “I’m so mortified!” Her voice was jittery and soft. “I didn’t hear the door.” She glanced at Lucy. “Did you?”

“No, sorry.” Lucy gave me a smile. “Hey, Katie! How’s your evening going?”

“Better than yours, I’d guess.”

They both laughed as Connie closed the laptop and handed a crumpled sheet of paper to Lucy.

“Join me at the bar?” I asked.

“I’d love to,” Connie said as Lucy headed toward the far end of the counter. “I was having a really great evening until somebody called to tell me that the Boulder Buzz had posted a scathing review about us. When I found the article, it was obvious that someone had mistaken us for the Copper Creek Lodge, that new place over near Vail.”

I shrugged. “Haven’t heard of it.”

“Don’t bother,” she said. “At least for a few weeks. It sounds like they opened without due diligence and a bunch of people got food poisoning from some bad—”

I grabbed her wrist. “Can I hear the rest another time? I’m starving, and I don’t want to order my food after hearing about whatever it was those poor people ate.”

Connie smiled. “It’s okay, Katie. We don’t serve escargot with—” She clamped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, sorry! That newspaper review really has me stirred up.”

“Then a glass of wine is exactly what you need,” I said, as we walked into the deserted lounge. “Where is everybody?”

“We only have a handful of rooms booked tonight,” Connie answered. “Normally, that would get me going, but not with the bad review in the Buzz. I’m glad it’ll be a quiet night.”

We climbed onto a pair of stools and the bartender came over and asked what he could prepare for us.

“Strychnine on ice,” Connie joked.

The guy laughed. “We’re all out, but there’s a Beaujolais that we just added to the wine list. Would you be interested in trying a glass?”

“That sounds perfect,” I said, squinting at his tie. “Are those penguins wearing antlers?”

“They are,” he replied proudly. “My daughter’s eight.

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