Fur Babies and Forgery by Jinty James

Author:Jinty James [James, Jinty]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: New release cozy cat cupcake mystery, coffee cupcakes cats mystery wedding, Culinary kitty cat crime cozy mystery, Cupcake cozy mystery comedy female protagonists, food bake cook latte coffee humorous cozy mystery, cozy mystery police love interest small town, baking mystery with Norwegian Forest Cat, amateur sleuth detective series coffee shop café cats, Cozy mystery series with kitty cats, amateur sleuths, small town women sleuths, kitty cozies
Publisher: Jinty James
Published: 2021-11-09T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

After closing the café right on the dot of five, cleaning, and giving Annie her dinner at the cottage, Lauren sank onto a kitchen chair.

“Are you sure we need to interview Celeste at the bridal shop?” she asked.

“Yes,” Zoe replied. “And we’d better skedaddle. She closes at seven-thirty.”

Lauren checked her watch. Just before six.

“Okay.” She sighed. “We’ll have to grab dinner on the way home.”

“That’s what I was thinking.” Zoe grinned. “We can stop at a fast-food joint.”

Lauren hoped it was one that included salad on their menu. She definitely wanted to fit into her gown.

Explaining to Annie what they were up to, she dropped a kiss on the feline’s forehead.

“We won’t be long,” Zoe assured her.

“We can all watch TV when we get back,” Lauren promised.

“Brrt.” Good.

Annie ambled toward the living room.

“Let’s go.” Zoe zipped out of the kitchen.

Lauren followed, hoping the bridal shop manager wouldn’t be offended by their – Zoe’s – questioning.

Lauren observed the speed limit on the highway, and about an hour later, they arrived in Sacramento. She found a parking spot a few doors down from the shop.

“Awesome!” Zoe jumped out of the car. “Come on!”

Lauren wondered if they were doing the right thing – had Detective Castern even interviewed Celeste yet? Had Zoe thought of that? She was just about to ask her cousin, when she saw her open the door, the bell tinkling above her head.

With an inward sigh, Lauren followed.

“Zoe. Lauren.” Celeste looked up from the register, a quizzical smile on her face. “Is everything okay with your outfits?”

“Yes,” Lauren hastened to assure her. “I love my gown.”

“And I love my gorgeous co-maid of honor outfit,” Zoe added. “We’re here about Simone. Has a Detective Castern been to see you?”

“No.” Celeste wrinkled her brow. “No one from law enforcement has visited me today. Why? Is something wrong?”

“We want to make sure Simone’s murder is solved before Lauren’s wedding,” Zoe explained.

Lauren flushed. “And since you mentioned you’d heard about Simone’s behavior,” she began delicately, “we thought—”

“We’d ask you a little more about it,” Zoe finished. “Because Detective Castern isn’t very—”

“Zoe,” Lauren warned.

“Mmm – you might be right.” Zoe made a moue. “Anyway, what we wanted to know was, who told you about Simone trying to steal people’s boyfriends or grooms away from them? Maybe they had a motive to kill her, because Simone actually did it!”

“Did what?” Celeste looked a little puzzled.

“Stole their significant other,” Zoe explained. “Maybe her come hither charm actually worked on one of the grooms, and the bride-to-be was furious and BAM! She killed Simone for revenge.”

Celeste looked like she was stifling a smile.

“Well, I can’t think of anyone offhand,” she began.

“When did you first hear rumors about Simone?” Lauren prompted.

“Oh, let me see, a few months ago.” She nodded. “Yes, that’s right. One of my brides came into the shop, crying, because she said Simone had flirted with her fiancé, and he’d flirted back. I tried to calm her down and said at least it was only

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