Gossip Can Be Murder by Connie Shelton

Author:Connie Shelton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: detective, mystery, cozy, New Mexico, women sleuths
ISBN: 9781450593878
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published: 2010-05-24T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

I finished my calls and left the room. Crossing the lobby, I noticed Samantha Sweet’s little vehicle parked out front again, the hatchback open. Sure enough, down the corridor that led to the ballroom she was wheeling a cart that almost seemed dwarfed by a four-tier wedding cake. She spotted me and nodded at the closed doors and I hurried toward her.

The maitre ’d arrived at about the same time I did and he quickly pushed open the double doors and secured them in place so Samantha could get through.

“Hey, Charlie,” she said. “Thought you were coming to my rescue again for a second time there.”

“Wow, beautiful cake.” Tiny beads dotted the sides of the creamy layers, and she’d created delicate ribbons of frosting that made the whole thing look like a gift from one’s fairy godmother.

“Thanks. Wedding reception here this afternoon.”

Now that she mentioned it I noticed the trappings. Round tables set up for eight diners each, wait staff doling out place settings and folding napkins, bows being fluffed over draped linen, massive flower arrangements and a bandstand.

A woman in an electric blue suit, wearing a cell phone on the side of her head like some android appendage, and carrying a thick stack of papers on a clipboard emerged from another room just then. The wedding planner, no doubt. “Oh, there you are! It’s about time!”

“Catch you later,” Samantha said, straightening her shoulders and facing the jittery woman with a smile.

I left the ballroom disorder behind and walked to the conference center. On this side of the complex the halls were quiet. Shirley sat behind the reception desk, pecking at a computer keyboard, a pair of tiny reading glasses riding low on her nose.

“Everyone’s in meditation right now,” she said. “The session should be ending in about ten minutes. I’ll be starting the nutrition class soon after.”

Did I detect a note of reproof in her voice? Too bad. I didn’t want to deal with criticism over my failure to take the program seriously. I had a few other things to deal with right now. I mumbled something polite and wandered toward the classroom. Maybe I could get a jump on the tea and cookies. Too bad they wouldn’t be some of Samantha’s decadent varieties.

Dr. Light stood by the windows that looked out to the courtyard. I nearly backed out but he’d heard the scuff of my shoes on the carpet and he turned.

“Lovely morning, isn’t it?” he said. His smooth voice held no hint of recognition. Mine was just one in the endless stream of faces who came through this place and he didn’t seem to remember that he’d seen me in town only yesterday and in the dining room after that. “Autumn is supposed to be a sad time,” he continued, “signaling the impending death of the year, the final throes of glory before the winter freeze.”

“Personally, I love the fall,” I said. “The colors are glorious, the oppressive heat of summer is gone.”

“Yes. True.” His voice still contained that drifty, mystical quality.

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