Donut Shop 7 - Drop Dead Chocolate by Jessica Beck

Author:Jessica Beck [Beck, Jessica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths, Fiction
ISBN: 9781250001054
Google: nut3j-h-9EUC
Amazon: 1250001056
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Published: 2012-04-24T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

“Kelly Davis! What a coincidence running into you here,” I said when we finally found her browsing through a shop that specialized in antique uniforms, buttons, and ribbons. I’d wanted to skip that one, since it didn’t look promising at all, but Grace had insisted. I didn’t know if she had some kind of weird sixth sense about it, but she was right.

“Suzanne,” she said tepidly. “I see you brought along reinforcements this time.”

I smiled my brightest smile. “Grace and I are out shopping, just like you.”

She didn’t look as though she was buying it, not for one second. “Here? Excuse me if I have a hard time believing that.”

“Grace’s uncle loves this stuff,” I said as aloofly as I could manage. “I might ask the same thing of you.”

“My dad is nuts for antique uniforms, and his birthday is tomorrow.” She looked around and then said, “I was looking for a nice present for him, but I’m afraid this place is way out of my price range.”

An older man with mutton chop sideburns said, “Make me an offer, then. I’m not afraid to dicker with you; I told you that before.”

“Maybe later,” Kelly said as she headed for the door, leaving us behind.

I picked up an item at random and without even looking at the price, I said, “I’m sorry, but you’re out of our league, too.”

As we were leaving, the man repeated, “Don’t just leave. Make me an offer. Any offer.”

When we were all out on the sidewalk, I had a rash idea. “Kelly, I’m glad we ran into you. I want to apologize. I didn’t mean to jump all over you yesterday. Could Grace and I buy you a late lunch? There’s a place called the Popover Diner down the street that’s supposed to be very good.” I wasn’t sure about that, but it was the only card I had to play at the moment.

“I suppose I could eat,” Kelly said.

“Then it’s settled,” I said as I started down the road. Kelly moved out a little in front of us, and Grace winked at me and smiled as she caught my eye.

I just shrugged. I’d gotten lucky so far, but I couldn’t count on that to get us through the interview. We had to ask some tough questions. I just hoped Grace and I would find a way to word them so we didn’t cause another scene. We’d already discovered that Kelly’s temper lived up to its billing.

The Popover was no Boxcar Grill; that was certain. Trish’s place was fun and light and welcoming, but the Popover hadn’t been that way since the fifties, judging from the décor of the place. That was most likely the last time the red vinyl covering the booth benches might have been new. The linoleum floor had chunks missing, showing the battleship-gray concrete underneath it, and the curtains had all faded so much it was nearly impossible to decipher what their original colors might have been.

“Isn’t this nice?” I asked, trying to put the best face on it I could.

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