A Poodle Perplexity (A Mobile Groomer Mystery Book 3) by M. Alfano

Author:M. Alfano [Alfano, M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Published: 2024-04-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Sophia had baked plenty of cakes.

And had always been late delivering them.

This time? I wasn’t going to let her mess up.

Which was why I spent my Saturday night learning how to use a mixer and trying not to break any piping bags I filled. The three-tiered, bright-white cake, complete with a pair of chocolate poodles on top needed to be at the church before the services began.

And luckily, we got it there just in time.

It seemed like any normal Sunday service when we walked into the church, with the smiling gentleman ushers in their finest Stetson hats, handing out programs.

Women dressed in their usual church best they picked up from one of the local boutiques or from the boardwalk at Canton Trade Days.

But as soon as I left Sophia to drop off the cake in the church hall, I was transported to someplace else.

Sure, it was the usual church sanctuary, but now it was filled with flowers of every shade of pink and white.

I’d been to a lot of weddings in my day.

Archie had clients who would invite us to their backyard barbecue nuptials or lavish affairs at one of the fancy hotels in downtown Houston.

But never in my life had I sat in the second row of Pecan Baptist Church, watching Mrs. Bev take a death grip on two sparkling poodle leashes near the front pulpit.

When services began, Pastor Dave tried to recite his bible verses as MacAdoodle whined, pulling on her leash, trying to get to the flowers.

Somehow, someone had purchased and wrangled MacAdoodle into a white tutu, the mesh veil already off and kicked to the side so she’d stop chewing on it. Snickerpoodle was an equal disaster with his black bow tie askew and the top hat crumpled on the floor somewhere near Mrs. Bev’s feet.

At least everyone was laughing about it by the time we headed to the church hall, decorated by the youth group. They strung a heart and paw print garland over the door and covered each table with plastic tablecloths and leftover Christmas candles in mason jars, surrounded by dog biscuits.

With the late morning sun casting a glow on Sophia’s cake and the candles flickering, it almost looked like just another wedding in the church hall.

Like maybe for a moment, I could forget that this was a dog wedding because MacAdoodle was pregnant. And that my best friend was a murder suspect.

But of course, as soon as the parishioners filed into the hall and sat in the squeaky black vinyl chairs around the tables, that’s when the whispers started.

After the ceremonial cake cutting and the bride took a nap under Pastor Dave’s chair, Sophia and I grabbed our own pieces of cake. Then we aimed for a seat at the table where my parents were already in deep conversation with another couple.

But all talk halted as soon as Sophia and I approached.

Weird.

“Hey ladies, where’s Jake and the kids?” Ma asked, scooting her chair a bit so Sophia and I could fit at the table.

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