Read Online Bake, Battle & Roll by Leighann Dobbs - Free Book Online Page A

chill run up her spine. All of Dugasse’s notes and personal effects were in here and, in light of the fact that he had been murdered, she didn’t think anyone was supposed to be in his office … much less rummaging around in the drawers. The schedule was important, but it had been sitting on the top of the desk, surely Brad didn’t need to rummage around to find it. 
    Which begged the question … what exactly was Brad looking for?

 
    Chapter Ten
     
    Deena had the day off, and Lexy was able to whip up the tarts for that evening’s dessert at record speed since she didn’t have to take time out for giving instructions. Once finished, she threw her apron in the laundry basket and headed off for some well-deserved beach time. 
    At her cottage, she changed into a white and blue striped one piece and threw on a long sleeved white shirt as a cover-up. Tossing Sprinkles a treat, she shoved a towel in her oversized beach bag and headed down to the small beach at the end of her street.
    The beach was dotted with colorful blankets and beach umbrellas. Kids played at making sand castles, parents sat in beach chairs next to coolers and teens ran through the water laughing and diving. 
    Lexy spotted Jack lying on a lounge chair about ten feet from the edge of the water. She slipped off her flip flops to feel the warm, course sand on her feet and started toward him.
    “Hi handsome, is this spot taken?” Lexy spread her towel down beside Jack who peered over the top of his book at her.
    “I suppose you can sit here, but only until my wife comes down.” 
    Lexy laughed, then bent over to kiss him before plopping down on the towel.
    “So how was your visit with the widow?” Jack asked.
    “Interesting.” Lexy dug in her beach bag for suntan lotion. “She said Dugasse was worth more to her alive than dead.”
    Jack raised an eyebrow. “How so?”
    “Well, he was a shoo-in to win that Chili Battle . You know, the one they are having here at the fairgrounds.” Lexy pointed in the direction of the open field in the middle of the resort. “Anyway, I guess winning that means you get a lot of money thrown at you.”
    “Hmmm.” Jack pursed his lips.
    “Oh, and she also said that she thought Dugasse was having an affair because he snuck out in the wee hours of the morning.”
    “But she was there the morning he was killed, right?” Jack asked.
    “Yes, but she said she didn’t kill him.”
    “They all say that.” Jack dog-eared a page and then closed his book. “But she might have a point about him being worth more money. Does she have an alibi?”
    Lexy’s brows mashed together. She dumped out the contents of her bag, still unable to find the suntan lotion. “I don’t know. She didn’t seem very hospitable after Nans practically accused her of killing Dugasse, so we got out of there fast.”
    Jack laughed. “Well, maybe you could check the hotel. Or maybe Payne has already done that. The room keys record when people come and go so if she was back in her room at the time of death, it would show that.”
    “Well, I don’t think Payne is going to share any of that information with me. He’s not as nice as you are with that sort of stuff.” Lexy grabbed the copper colored bottle of sun tan lotion and opened the top. Squirting some on her arm, she started rubbing it in. “But I don’t think the wife is the killer.”
    “Oh, why not?”
    “I ran into Sylvia Spicer when I was at the dining lodge and she was acting really funny. Nans and the ladies were thinking she might be the one Dugasse was having an affair with, so I kind of hinted around about that and she got really mad.”
    Jack chuckled. “Well, wouldn’t you, if someone was hinting around that you had an affair and murdered someone?”
    “Yeah, probably.” Lexy pressed her lips together. Maybe Sylvia was only reacting to her accusations. “But I found out some other strange things today too.”
    “What?” Jack took the bottle from her and started