The Diva Sweetens the Pie (A Domestic Diva Mystery Book 12) by Krista Davis

Author:Krista Davis [Davis, Krista]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2019-04-29T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Dear Natasha,

I love the taste of butter piecrusts, but I have such trouble with them. Do you have any tips? I know the ingredients should be cold.

No Luck in Butterfield, Minnesota

Dear No Luck,

Make your crust using oil. It works fine and isn’t as finicky.

Natasha

Daisy barked and jumped away. I screamed.

Daisy pulled at her leash, unwilling to get any closer.

But I saw something that chilled my heart. Close to the bottom of the window was a handprint. At least the fingers were indisputable. The palm had been smeared. As the fingers ran through it? Even worse, in the pale glow emanating from the room, the handprint was clearly red.

I cupped my hands around my eyes and pressed against the window. “Alex?” I raised my voice. “Alex?”

I hurried to the door and tried the handle. It swung open easily. Something was wrong. Alex would never leave the door unlocked.

Cautiously, in case someone else was inside, I scanned the reception room. I didn’t see anyone, but in the back of the office, I heard someone moving around. “Hello?” I called. “Alex?”

A door slammed in the back.

Daisy tugged me farther into the room, toward the window where the hand had appeared.

Alex lay on the floor. His beautiful face was a bloody mess. I fumbled for my cell phone and dialed 911. When I was assured that help was on the way, I looked around the room one more time, to be sure no one would attack me. I briefly considered waiting for the police outside, but another glance at Alex and I couldn’t let him lie there in agony alone.

I knelt on the floor next to him. “Alex, can you hear me? It’s Sophie.”

His eyes were swelling. I wasn’t sure he could even open them enough to see me.

He grunted. I picked up his bloody hand and clutched it in mine. “An ambulance is on the way. Conserve your strength. You’ll be okay, sweetie.”

An ambulance siren wailed in the distance as someone opened the front door.

“Sophie?” I recognized Wong’s voice.

She flicked on bright lights. “What’s going on?” She strode closer and saw Alex. “Whoa! Sophie, don’t move. I need to make sure no one else is here, okay?”

“I heard someone in the back and then a door slammed.”

I was vaguely aware of Wong checking out Alex’s office, the file room, and the restroom.

Speaking into her phone, she returned to us. She clicked it off and jammed it into her pocket. “We have to get out of here. Now!”

“What’s going on?”

“I’ll help you with Alex. You get his left side and I’ll lift on the right.”

The two of us dragged him toward the door. I no longer had to ask her why. Flames licked under the door that led to the back of his office. They were coming from the file room.

We had just pulled him onto the sidewalk when the EMTs arrived.

Wong spoke calmly, but was very clear. “Get him out of here. There’s a fire inside. Sophie, you and Daisy, too. Get to safety now.

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