Read Online A Dead End (A Saints & Strangers Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Keeley Bates - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Keeley Bates
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drink anybody under the table. Cranberry is the new raspberry. I have a high tolerance for alcohol but a low tolerance for entitled snobs.”
Romeo didn’t bother to hide his amusement. “And what did you find out that is relevant to the investigation?”
A server appeared beside Kit, ready to take their order. She did a double take when she looked at Kit. “Omigod, you’re her.”
“I am often accused of being her,” Kit said.
“Can I have your autograph?”
Kit smiled. “For a short stack with a side of blueberries, sure.” She hadn’t intended to splurge on calories tonight, but three vodka tonics at the Weston Inn had kickstarted her appetite.
“And you, sir?” the server asked Romeo.
“The Divine Sampler,” he said, handing her both menus.
“Anything to drink?” the server asked.
“A large water for me,” Kit said. Her mouth already felt full of cotton.
“Coffee, please,” Romeo added.
The server practically skipped back to the kitchen. Kit found it strange that people wanted her autograph. She hadn’t become an actress in order to be famous. That was simply an unwelcome by-product. After a few years, though, she’d gotten used to the attention.
“Coffee at ten o’clock?” Kit chided him. “You’ll never get to sleep.”
“Who said I’m going to sleep soon?” he asked.
Kit cleared her throat. Maybe Romeo had a girlfriend. A girlfriend who liked him in summer casualwear and didn’t mind him sharing pancakes with a former television star.
“Okay, so I’ll tell you what I learned tonight,” she said. “I’m not sure if any of it is helpful, but I won’t prejudge.”
“Unlike your people.”
“Unlike my people.” She drew in a breath. “My cousin said he hasn’t run the story about the murder because he doesn’t want crazy stalkers at my house.”
“Sounds reasonable.”
“He’s lying. I love Crispin, but he cheats at tennis and gin rummy and I have no doubt that there’s another reason.”
Romeo absorbed this nugget of information. “Anything else?”
“Cecilia Musgrove has been chatting with our beloved Chief Riley about the case.”
“And?”
“And I don’t know. It’s sketchy.”
“Sketchy? Did she know Ernie?”
Kit shook her head. “Don’t think so. She’s way too high in the pecking order to tolerate someone like him. She’s a taller, icier version of my mother.” She shivered at the thought.
“Okay, I’ll drop in on Cecilia tomorrow afternoon. See what I can find out.”
“You should do morning or afternoon,” Kit advised. “She mentioned attending a fundraiser in Bryn Mawr tomorrow afternoon.”
“I can’t do morning,” Romeo said.
“Sleeping in after your all-nighter?” Kit teased.
Romeo glanced at her quizzically. “No, I’m doing Adopt-a-Cop at a school in Philly.”
Kit’s eyes widened. “Do tell.”
“You don’t know about Adopt-a-Cop?” he queried. When she shook her head, he explained, “It’s a program where we go into schools and talk to kids about self-esteem and how important it is to like yourself.”
She snorted. The image of Romeo in an elementary school talking to kids about liking himself delighted Kit to no end.
“Why is that funny?” Romeo asked, not amused.
“It’s not,” Kit said, suppressing a smile. “It’s adorable.”
Romeo scowled. “It’s not adorable. I talk about other things, too. I go to the same school every month during the school year. The first month is always self-esteem. Next month is drug safety.” He gave her a pointed look. “It’s serious police business. Definitely not adorable.”
The server brought their drinks and promptly returned to the kitchen for their plates.
Kit was fascinated by this. Her school had offered no interaction with the police department. Then again, if someone like Romeo had shown up at her school, he’d have had twenty smitten girls offering their rapt attention…and their phone numbers.
The server returned with their meals
Romeo didn’t bother to hide his amusement. “And what did you find out that is relevant to the investigation?”
A server appeared beside Kit, ready to take their order. She did a double take when she looked at Kit. “Omigod, you’re her.”
“I am often accused of being her,” Kit said.
“Can I have your autograph?”
Kit smiled. “For a short stack with a side of blueberries, sure.” She hadn’t intended to splurge on calories tonight, but three vodka tonics at the Weston Inn had kickstarted her appetite.
“And you, sir?” the server asked Romeo.
“The Divine Sampler,” he said, handing her both menus.
“Anything to drink?” the server asked.
“A large water for me,” Kit said. Her mouth already felt full of cotton.
“Coffee, please,” Romeo added.
The server practically skipped back to the kitchen. Kit found it strange that people wanted her autograph. She hadn’t become an actress in order to be famous. That was simply an unwelcome by-product. After a few years, though, she’d gotten used to the attention.
“Coffee at ten o’clock?” Kit chided him. “You’ll never get to sleep.”
“Who said I’m going to sleep soon?” he asked.
Kit cleared her throat. Maybe Romeo had a girlfriend. A girlfriend who liked him in summer casualwear and didn’t mind him sharing pancakes with a former television star.
“Okay, so I’ll tell you what I learned tonight,” she said. “I’m not sure if any of it is helpful, but I won’t prejudge.”
“Unlike your people.”
“Unlike my people.” She drew in a breath. “My cousin said he hasn’t run the story about the murder because he doesn’t want crazy stalkers at my house.”
“Sounds reasonable.”
“He’s lying. I love Crispin, but he cheats at tennis and gin rummy and I have no doubt that there’s another reason.”
Romeo absorbed this nugget of information. “Anything else?”
“Cecilia Musgrove has been chatting with our beloved Chief Riley about the case.”
“And?”
“And I don’t know. It’s sketchy.”
“Sketchy? Did she know Ernie?”
Kit shook her head. “Don’t think so. She’s way too high in the pecking order to tolerate someone like him. She’s a taller, icier version of my mother.” She shivered at the thought.
“Okay, I’ll drop in on Cecilia tomorrow afternoon. See what I can find out.”
“You should do morning or afternoon,” Kit advised. “She mentioned attending a fundraiser in Bryn Mawr tomorrow afternoon.”
“I can’t do morning,” Romeo said.
“Sleeping in after your all-nighter?” Kit teased.
Romeo glanced at her quizzically. “No, I’m doing Adopt-a-Cop at a school in Philly.”
Kit’s eyes widened. “Do tell.”
“You don’t know about Adopt-a-Cop?” he queried. When she shook her head, he explained, “It’s a program where we go into schools and talk to kids about self-esteem and how important it is to like yourself.”
She snorted. The image of Romeo in an elementary school talking to kids about liking himself delighted Kit to no end.
“Why is that funny?” Romeo asked, not amused.
“It’s not,” Kit said, suppressing a smile. “It’s adorable.”
Romeo scowled. “It’s not adorable. I talk about other things, too. I go to the same school every month during the school year. The first month is always self-esteem. Next month is drug safety.” He gave her a pointed look. “It’s serious police business. Definitely not adorable.”
The server brought their drinks and promptly returned to the kitchen for their plates.
Kit was fascinated by this. Her school had offered no interaction with the police department. Then again, if someone like Romeo had shown up at her school, he’d have had twenty smitten girls offering their rapt attention…and their phone numbers.
The server returned with their meals
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