Donuts and Disaster: An Abi Button Cozy Mystery Romance #5 by Lewis Lizzie

Author:Lewis, Lizzie [Lewis, Lizzie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: White Tree Publishing
Published: 2020-08-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Danny stayed in the hall to chat about whatever the real reason was behind the invitation, while the rest of us, including the three children, sat at the table. I was right. The Pillingers had brought in an outside caterer to do the cooking.

While Danny and Piers chatted, the domestic staff brought in our starters, what we were told was sea bream ceviche with charred sweetcorn.

I was half afraid it was going to be shellfish. I’m not too keen on anything that lives in shells if it hasn’t got legs. Crabs and lobster are fine, but not mussels, snails or anything of that sort. This starter tasted strongly and pleasantly of lemon and chilli.

Liam asked if we were having jam donuts, and I shook my head and frowned at him. “Just wait and see what’s coming,” I said, sounding ever so gentle.

The conversation in the hallway only took ten minutes, ending with the signing of some paperwork on the side table and a handshake. Just as the two men were finally sitting down, Danny’s phone rang. He looked at the screen, nodded to himself, and looked up at Piers Pillinger.

“I’m ever so sorry for the interruption,” he said. “This looks important. It’s the police. Piers, Charlotte, do you mind if I take it in the hall?”

The Pillingers didn’t seem to mind. I thought it made Danny seem important that he was being consulted by the police in the evening. It might even be the chief constable. I hoped it was, and Danny could just let the name drop casually in conversation when he returned.

After a few minutes Danny reappeared, half laughing and half frowning. “I don’t know if it’s good news or bad news,” he said. He turned to Mr Pillinger. “I think there’s something I should share, since we all have children. Well, Abi and I are looking after a child this week.”

Danny had already explained why Liam was with us, and I wanted him to hurry on. The police had obviously passed on something useful. Perhaps vital to all of us.

“We have a friend with a small baby,” Danny explained, “and at the moment she’s living in our road with an older couple. If you ever go our way, you must have seen the small play area at the end. It’s opposite our house. Anyway, Bethany, that’s the young woman with the baby, was concerned that a man was watching her. So Abi managed to get a photograph of the man, and I took it to the police station this morning to see if he was on any ... er ... list.”

I noticed Mrs Pillinger frowning, probably hoping Danny wasn’t going to mention the sex offenders’ register. Of course he didn’t. I have a very diplomatic husband, and Branks, Davis & Waters have a very diplomatic junior solicitor working for them.

“Well, the police picked up a man who was on his own, watching the children in the play area this afternoon. It seems he put up some resistance, protesting he was totally innocent.

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