Deep Dish Pizza Disaster by Jodi Rath

Author:Jodi Rath [Rath, Jodi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: cozy mystery, contemporary, mystery, cooking, recipes
Publisher: MYS ED LLC
Published: 2020-08-20T00:00:00+00:00

As we were walking into Chocolate Capers, I noticed Betsy’s front window display showed chocolate nursing shoes, construction boots, and ballet shoes. Betsy loved to do chocolate models of different things to display in her front window. This was one of the many new things she had done since taking over her Aunt Ellie’s shop.

We walked in, and there wasn’t a customer in sight. Betsy came from the back. “Hey, ladies. Need an afternoon pick-me-up?”

“Oh, we just ate a huge lunch,” Ava said, rubbing her stomach.

Betsy nodded, and her shoulders drooped. I suddenly wondered if people were boycotting her shop with the rumors flying over her dessert poisoning Ralph.

“Actually, those chocolate-covered cake pops look wonderful,” I said, looking for the smallest treat I could stuff into my overly full stomach.

Ava seemed to pick up on the cue. “Wow, they do look good. I’ll take one too.”

Typically, her display cases were half empty, and she was in the back, making more treats to add, but today everything was full.

The business phone rang, and Betsy stared at it.

“We aren’t in a hurry,” I said.

“Hello?” Betsy said, then said it three more times then hung up.

She grabbed the cake pops and went to wrap them. Her body was tense.

“Betsy, who was that?”

“People keep calling me and saying horrible things. I don’t think it’s anyone from here. I’m guessing it’s some people from Tri-City. I had some not so pleasant things spray-painted on my garage when I woke up this morning.”

“Did you make a police report?” Ava asked.

“Why would I do that? They think I’m guilty too.”

Betsy looked like she was coming apart at the seams.

“No one here thinks you are guilty, Betsy. You need to let Teddy know what’s going on,” I said.

Betsy rang up our cake pops, took the money, handed them over then grabbed a napkin to wipe her eyes. “As if all of this isn’t bad enough, I’ve got some man I don’t even know calling saying I owe money on my loan. And I don’t!”

“You have a loan? I thought your aunt left you this place?” Ava asked.

“I took out a loan to remodel, and Aunt Ellie still owed on some things. I took care of it all by consolidating it into one loan with the credit union.”

“So, who is calling you?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve only worked with Keith’s sister, Denise.”

“It’s only been a few days. Things will get back to normal. Our restaurant hasn’t had as much business after the festival. You know how it is. Everyone goes there, splurges, then eats at home for a week or two,” I said, trying to make her feel better.

“Meantime, I’m calling Teddy and having him come here. You need to report it. I’d suggest having Niko be here to be sure Teddy doesn’t ask anything about Ralph,” Ava said, pointing to Betsy’s phone, signaling for her to call Niko.

“She’s right. You need to protect yourself from all sides right now.”

“Have you heard anything about Stella or how Peggy is doing?”

“I’ve been calling and texting Peggy.

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