who had come to Maria’s side.
“I don’t see him. How do you know him?”
“Oh, our families go way back. Before we even came to the Durans—or to America—we knew each other.”
“You’re not originally from here?” Sydney asked.
“No. Our families were neighbors in Cuba. My parents brought me here as a teenager. He hasn’t been here as long. I helped him get the job with the Durans when he moved here.”
“And he still works for them?”
“No. He just lost his job two weeks ago.” Maria looked like she was going to reveal more, but she suddenly clammed up. “Here’s Eduardo now.” Her face returned to a relaxed expression and her eyes danced with happiness at his return.
Sydney was sure there was something she was hiding, but could tell she wasn’t going to get anything out of her just yet, so she let her be. She’d try to dig deeper later. Now that she knew where the knife was, she could at least rest a little easier that she’d be removed from the suspect list once the police were informed. She’d wait until the end of the night to make that call, sparing the Durans any more heartache and embarrassment this evening.
“She’s always wanted more than her share,” Sydney heard a man say not far behind her as she walked back to the kitchen. She turned and saw Howard immersed in conversation with faces Sydney hadn’t met. She lingered on the outskirts, checking the food at nearby tables. She wasn’t sure, but she suspected he was talking about Julia.
“You know, she owned fifteen percent of the company. All she did was marry into it!” he continued, her suspicions confirmed. Sydney stole a glance at the guests he was haranguing, gauging their level of agreement. Some were grimacing, looking like they were hoping they could quickly remove themselves from the conversation without appearing rude, while others seemed to actually agree with him.
“Now, those shares are available to the public. That’s what Marcus and I had agreed to years ago—should anything happen to either one of them, their shares wouldn’t automatically go to the other, but would become public. That puts me in an interesting position, giving me the opportunity to become the majority shareholder!” His final sentence was said with joy in his voice. She turned to look at the group again and saw him raising his glass in a toast. A toast to becoming the majority shareholder due to the ill fortune of his partner’s wife? Sydney was incredulous. And to her even greater shock, three other guests joined him in a toast with genuine looking smiles on their faces!
Sydney couldn’t take it anymore. She brought her empty tray to the group of guests and offered to take empty glasses, just to make their celebration stop. Two wine glasses were placed on her tray and a few of the guests took the opportunity of the interruption to leave.
“Sydney, this food keeps surprising me! How did you find the time to get all of this done while running Sinful Sweets?” Howard asked. She instantly regretted getting this close, she didn’t want to seem like she knew the man.
“I have a great partner who I couldn’t live without.”
“Partners sometimes get in the way, though, too, don’t you think?”
Sydney shook her head and gave him a warning look with her eyes. She turned her back, carrying the empty glasses, and brought them to the kitchen.
“Grace, you won’t believe what just happened! Howard is thrilled that Julia is out of the way so he can become a majority shareholder of the business he shares with Marcus,” she spewed as soon as she was back in the kitchen. She took the glasses to the far end of the counter, knowing they wouldn’t have a chance to wash them until the next day, unless that was going to be part of Drew’s job. “ And ,” she continued, “Eduardo just lost his job at the manufacturing plant and has known Maria all his
“I don’t see him. How do you know him?”
“Oh, our families go way back. Before we even came to the Durans—or to America—we knew each other.”
“You’re not originally from here?” Sydney asked.
“No. Our families were neighbors in Cuba. My parents brought me here as a teenager. He hasn’t been here as long. I helped him get the job with the Durans when he moved here.”
“And he still works for them?”
“No. He just lost his job two weeks ago.” Maria looked like she was going to reveal more, but she suddenly clammed up. “Here’s Eduardo now.” Her face returned to a relaxed expression and her eyes danced with happiness at his return.
Sydney was sure there was something she was hiding, but could tell she wasn’t going to get anything out of her just yet, so she let her be. She’d try to dig deeper later. Now that she knew where the knife was, she could at least rest a little easier that she’d be removed from the suspect list once the police were informed. She’d wait until the end of the night to make that call, sparing the Durans any more heartache and embarrassment this evening.
“She’s always wanted more than her share,” Sydney heard a man say not far behind her as she walked back to the kitchen. She turned and saw Howard immersed in conversation with faces Sydney hadn’t met. She lingered on the outskirts, checking the food at nearby tables. She wasn’t sure, but she suspected he was talking about Julia.
“You know, she owned fifteen percent of the company. All she did was marry into it!” he continued, her suspicions confirmed. Sydney stole a glance at the guests he was haranguing, gauging their level of agreement. Some were grimacing, looking like they were hoping they could quickly remove themselves from the conversation without appearing rude, while others seemed to actually agree with him.
“Now, those shares are available to the public. That’s what Marcus and I had agreed to years ago—should anything happen to either one of them, their shares wouldn’t automatically go to the other, but would become public. That puts me in an interesting position, giving me the opportunity to become the majority shareholder!” His final sentence was said with joy in his voice. She turned to look at the group again and saw him raising his glass in a toast. A toast to becoming the majority shareholder due to the ill fortune of his partner’s wife? Sydney was incredulous. And to her even greater shock, three other guests joined him in a toast with genuine looking smiles on their faces!
Sydney couldn’t take it anymore. She brought her empty tray to the group of guests and offered to take empty glasses, just to make their celebration stop. Two wine glasses were placed on her tray and a few of the guests took the opportunity of the interruption to leave.
“Sydney, this food keeps surprising me! How did you find the time to get all of this done while running Sinful Sweets?” Howard asked. She instantly regretted getting this close, she didn’t want to seem like she knew the man.
“I have a great partner who I couldn’t live without.”
“Partners sometimes get in the way, though, too, don’t you think?”
Sydney shook her head and gave him a warning look with her eyes. She turned her back, carrying the empty glasses, and brought them to the kitchen.
“Grace, you won’t believe what just happened! Howard is thrilled that Julia is out of the way so he can become a majority shareholder of the business he shares with Marcus,” she spewed as soon as she was back in the kitchen. She took the glasses to the far end of the counter, knowing they wouldn’t have a chance to wash them until the next day, unless that was going to be part of Drew’s job. “ And ,” she continued, “Eduardo just lost his job at the manufacturing plant and has known Maria all his
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