Read Online Death of a Chocolate Cheater: A Food Festival Mystery by Penny Pike - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Penny Pike
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don’t owe her anything.”
But I knew why. In spite of everything his ex had done to him, Jake was a genuinely nice guy, and not the type to hold a grudge. Besides, she was drop-dead gorgeous. And maybe he was still in love with her.
“I’m helping her because her parents asked me to.”
I remembered that Lyla’s parents would have losttheir life savings if Jake hadn’t helped them out back when he was a corporate securities attorney. When he discovered one of his clients was bilking investors out of their money—including his ex-fiancée and her parents—he told them to pull their money out in order to protect them. But he was indicted for securities fraud and disbarred for breaching the attorney/client privilege. That’s when he turned to creating cream puffs.
Still, why would Jake help his ex-fiancée and her parents now?
“Jake, you’re not a private detective. You’re not even a divorce lawyer. Why doesn’t Lyla just hire a professional to do all of this? Why get you involved?”
He shrugged and looked away. “Honestly, I’m not sure I understand it either.” He shook his head. “Guilt, maybe.”
“What do you have to feel guilty about?”
“I was a workaholic when I was at the law firm. I know I neglected her. That’s probably why she left me. Brad gave her the attention she wasn’t getting from me. That’s part of the reason I didn’t try to get reinstated to the bar. I realized after all was said and done that I didn’t have much of a life outside of work, and I wanted to change that.”
“Jake, are you sure she’s not just trying to get you—” I stopped myself.
“Back?” Jake broke into a grin. “Darcy . . . are you . . . jealous?”
“What?” I felt my face turn the color of Aunt Abby’s dyed hair. “No! I’m just trying to look out for you. . . .”
“You actually think Lyla wants to get back togetherwith me?” He laughed. “I’m flattered, but there’s not a chance in hell of that happening.”
I started to ask if he was really that naive, but my response was interrupted by a scream. The room went deadly silent.
I immediately looked for Aunt Abby to see if she was all right. I spotted her sitting at the table with her friend Wendy. Both were staring openmouthed at the table next to them, as were the rest of the guests who had heard the scream. I leaned in to see what had happened.
The limp figure of a woman lay facedown on top of the table, not moving.
I recognized her from the blond twist of hair and red gown.
Polly Montgomery.
Chapter 5
“Oh my God!” a woman shrieked. “Is she dead?”
The festival judge lay sprawled across the round table. She wasn’t moving.
Jake pushed through the encircling crowd, shouldering his way to the table. I was right behind him. “Someone call nine-one-one!” he said as he reached in to feel Polly’s neck.
I heard a muffled giggle and looked around to see who was rude enough to laugh when there was a dead woman lying in the middle of a table.
It was the dead woman. She raised her head and blinked her glassy red eyes.
The crowd gasped.
She rolled over onto her back and giggled again.
So, Polly Montgomery wasn’t dead after all. She was simply dead drunk.
“Whoopsh!” she said, grinning as she looked up at Jake. “How about a li’l help, handshome?”
“She’s all right,” Jake announced to the onlooking crowd. “Everyone, give her some space.”
Polly waved her arm around. The chocolatediamond on her finger sparkled in the light. “Hello? Need a hand here, big boy.”
The crowd began murmuring at the spectacle Polly was presenting. Like a gentleman, Jake took Polly’s arm and hoisted her up to a tenuous sitting position on the table. She shook her head as if trying to clear her vision. “Whoa!” she said. “Why is the room spinning?”
“Are you okay, Ms. Montgomery?” Jake asked.
“’Coursh I am,” Polly replied, as the crowd whispered around her. She glanced at the table.
But I knew why. In spite of everything his ex had done to him, Jake was a genuinely nice guy, and not the type to hold a grudge. Besides, she was drop-dead gorgeous. And maybe he was still in love with her.
“I’m helping her because her parents asked me to.”
I remembered that Lyla’s parents would have losttheir life savings if Jake hadn’t helped them out back when he was a corporate securities attorney. When he discovered one of his clients was bilking investors out of their money—including his ex-fiancée and her parents—he told them to pull their money out in order to protect them. But he was indicted for securities fraud and disbarred for breaching the attorney/client privilege. That’s when he turned to creating cream puffs.
Still, why would Jake help his ex-fiancée and her parents now?
“Jake, you’re not a private detective. You’re not even a divorce lawyer. Why doesn’t Lyla just hire a professional to do all of this? Why get you involved?”
He shrugged and looked away. “Honestly, I’m not sure I understand it either.” He shook his head. “Guilt, maybe.”
“What do you have to feel guilty about?”
“I was a workaholic when I was at the law firm. I know I neglected her. That’s probably why she left me. Brad gave her the attention she wasn’t getting from me. That’s part of the reason I didn’t try to get reinstated to the bar. I realized after all was said and done that I didn’t have much of a life outside of work, and I wanted to change that.”
“Jake, are you sure she’s not just trying to get you—” I stopped myself.
“Back?” Jake broke into a grin. “Darcy . . . are you . . . jealous?”
“What?” I felt my face turn the color of Aunt Abby’s dyed hair. “No! I’m just trying to look out for you. . . .”
“You actually think Lyla wants to get back togetherwith me?” He laughed. “I’m flattered, but there’s not a chance in hell of that happening.”
I started to ask if he was really that naive, but my response was interrupted by a scream. The room went deadly silent.
I immediately looked for Aunt Abby to see if she was all right. I spotted her sitting at the table with her friend Wendy. Both were staring openmouthed at the table next to them, as were the rest of the guests who had heard the scream. I leaned in to see what had happened.
The limp figure of a woman lay facedown on top of the table, not moving.
I recognized her from the blond twist of hair and red gown.
Polly Montgomery.
Chapter 5
“Oh my God!” a woman shrieked. “Is she dead?”
The festival judge lay sprawled across the round table. She wasn’t moving.
Jake pushed through the encircling crowd, shouldering his way to the table. I was right behind him. “Someone call nine-one-one!” he said as he reached in to feel Polly’s neck.
I heard a muffled giggle and looked around to see who was rude enough to laugh when there was a dead woman lying in the middle of a table.
It was the dead woman. She raised her head and blinked her glassy red eyes.
The crowd gasped.
She rolled over onto her back and giggled again.
So, Polly Montgomery wasn’t dead after all. She was simply dead drunk.
“Whoopsh!” she said, grinning as she looked up at Jake. “How about a li’l help, handshome?”
“She’s all right,” Jake announced to the onlooking crowd. “Everyone, give her some space.”
Polly waved her arm around. The chocolatediamond on her finger sparkled in the light. “Hello? Need a hand here, big boy.”
The crowd began murmuring at the spectacle Polly was presenting. Like a gentleman, Jake took Polly’s arm and hoisted her up to a tenuous sitting position on the table. She shook her head as if trying to clear her vision. “Whoa!” she said. “Why is the room spinning?”
“Are you okay, Ms. Montgomery?” Jake asked.
“’Coursh I am,” Polly replied, as the crowd whispered around her. She glanced at the table.
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