Vanilla Bean Vengeance by Agatha Frost

Author:Agatha Frost [Frost, Agatha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pink Tree Publishing LTD
Published: 2020-02-28T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Claire didn’t add Graham to the factory group chat. Nevertheless, he found his way in and announced the factory would be closed for the rest of the week. He also confirmed that everyone would get full pay for the shifts they were scheduled to work during those cancelled days. Despite the dozens of questions following this announcement, he left the chat and didn’t check in again.

“There are worse ways to spend the day,” Damon said the next day, helping himself to another slice of brownie. “In fact, I think this is the life. Being paid to sit around eating brownies? Who wouldn’t love this?”

“Speak for yourself.” Claire took a bite of hers. “I wasn’t scheduled to work today, so I’m sitting around eating brownies without being paid.”

“Well, I’m being paid.” Uncle Pat picked up a brownie and held it to the light. “I’m not sure about all this vegan stuff, though. I miss Jane’s Tearoom. Now, she was a woman who knew how to make a flapjack!”

“You really can’t tell the difference,” Claire’s father said, reaching for a second helping from the large plate they’d ordered. “Besides, we’ll need the fat if we’re going to be using our brains to figure this out.” He glanced at Claire and shook his head. “Don’t tell your mother. She’ll kill us both, and there’s been murder enough in this village to last a lifetime.”

It had been Claire’s idea to meet with Uncle Pat to discuss things. Despite butting heads on their previous meeting, neither brother was the type to sustain a grudge against the other for more than an hour. Since Pat was part of the management team and had worked at the factory longer than anyone Claire knew, she hoped he could provide some insight into Graham on a professional level. Meeting at the café – where they could eat junk in peace – had been Alan’s idea. Damon, living above the café, had just happened to already be there, working his way through his second hot chocolate of the day.

“I’m not used to all this sitting around,” said Pat after putting the brownie back. “I like to keep busy. I feel idle. No offence, Alan.”

“None taken.”

“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Damon muttered through his final mouthful of brownie. “We’ll all be back to work on Monday. Everyone seems to think Graham will put things back how they used to be since he and William were so close.”

Claire decided against repeating Graham’s warning. Considering both her uncle and best friend had jobs at stake, she didn’t want to cause more of a panic than she needed to. She’d warn them, but not here, and not when they had other things to discuss.

“So, Graham?” Alan said, turning to his brother. “What do you think, Pat? Capable of murder?”

“I don’t know him all that well, truth be told.” Pat picked up a brownie again. “He’s always been quiet. In Nicola’s shadow, you know. She was the factory’s accountant; he did his own thing.”

“He did my dad’s taxes for the butchers,” Damon cut in.

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