Tea is for Temptation: A Haunted Tearoom Cozy Mystery (Haunted Tearoom Cozy Mysteries Book 7) by Karen Sue Walker

Author:Karen Sue Walker [Walker, Karen Sue]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Laragray Press
Published: 2023-05-16T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

As I entered the kitchen through the back door, Jennifer entered from the front, giving me a view of the dining room. The undulating lights reminded me of Irma’s defunct café.

I recognized some of the regulars from The Mermaid Café. Zoe stood at the sink washing dishes, while Irma stirred pots on the stove.

Everyone froze. Trying not to jump to any conclusions or lose my temper, I said, “Irma, what’s going on here?”

Even knowing she’d been caught red-handed running a restaurant in my house when I’d already nixed the plan, Irma showed no sign of remorse. “You told me I could invite some people over for dinner.” She turned down the flame on one of the burners. “So that’s what I did.”

Zoe shut off the tap, while Jennifer stood rooted in place in the doorway with a large serving tray balanced on the palm of her hand.

“Put that down before you drop it,” I told her. “Are these people paying for their dinner?”

“A restaurant can’t make money if people don’t pay to eat,” Irma informed me with infuriating calm. “Since you’re here, we could use some help waiting tables.”

Clenching my teeth, I said, “You have some nerve, you know that?”

Irma wasn’t the kind of person to back down, but I thought I saw her flinch. We stood staring at one another until I broke the silence.

“I should tell all those people to leave, but I won’t embarrass you like that. We’ll talk about this tomorrow. I’ve had a really long couple of days, and I’m going upstairs. I’d prefer not to be bothered.”

Halfway up the stairs, I heard the tap turn back on and the activity returned to normal, or what Irma considered normal anyway. For all the difference my arrival had made in their clandestine dining caper, I might as well have stayed in Stockville.

From the top of the stairs, I heard an inquisitive, “Meowrr?”

Whisk sat on the top stair silhouetted against the light in the upper hallway. When I passed the cat without speaking, he repeated the sound.

Glancing down, I said, “I’ve had a long day. Can we talk about this another time?”

The Bengal fell in beside me at a brisk trot, following me to the parlor door. “I guess that’s a no.” I sighed. “You want an answer right now?”

A rumbling purr answered my question.

I stopped and looked down into his glowing amber eyes. It felt as if we’d entered a kind of negotiation.

“You’re trying to tell me that you want to live with Zoe.”

The cat’s head dipped in an imperceptible nod.

To my surprise, a knot came into my throat. I can’t say that Whisk and I had ever gotten close, but I was used to the gorgeous creature’s aloof presence in my life. And he was a surprisingly good listener. I’d miss having him to talk to.

“Okay. I’ll ask her when all this blows over.”

Cocking his head to the side, Whisk let out a concerned chirp.

“Don’t worry. Zoe’s not in trouble. She’s just doing what her grandmother told her to do.

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