Read Online Death on a Platter by Elaine Viets - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elaine Viets
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rich aroma of broiling meat came from her home. Josie unlocked the front door and caught the scent of steak with top notes of baked potato. Where did Amelia get money for steak? Maybe Jane had decided to surprise Josie.
The surprise was waiting in Josie’s living room. Ted folded her into his arms. The vet was so tall her head only reached his chest. He bent down to kiss her and Josie felt his slightly scratchy beard. Ted had a sexy five o’clock shadow.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. “Mom was going to cancel our date.”
“She did,” he said. “I figured you’d be too tired to go to dinner, but you’d like some good food. You were planning to open a can of soup, weren’t you?”
“Am I that predictable?” Josie asked.
“Yep. You need something heartier. The filet mignon will be ready shortly. The baked potatoes are done. I made green beans with slivered almonds, but you don’t have to eat them. You don’t like vegetables.”
“I love almonds,” Josie said, kissing him again. “And I love you for thinking about me.”
“I figured you wouldn’t be in the mood for Italian food after spending all day at Tillie’s,” Ted said.
“You figured right,” Josie said.
She saw Amelia in the kitchen, setting the table. “I made brownies for dessert, Mom.”
“This is too good to be true,” Josie said.
That’s when the cat made a flying leap onto the table and started lapping coffee cream from a fat pitcher.
“Harry!” Amelia cried. “You know better.”
“Time-out for the cat,” Josie said. “Harry is confined to your bathroom until after dinner.”
Amelia didn’t argue. She picked up the feline and carried him down the hall to her purple bathroom. Harry’s big ears drooped. He knew he was in disgrace. Amelia dropped him in the bathroom and shut the door.
Josie dumped the cream down the drain, washed the pitcher and refilled it.
“Maybe you’d like to wash up before dinner,” Jane said. “Does she have time, Ted?”
“Dinner will be on the table by the time you’re ready,” he said.
Now that Ted was here, Josie felt suddenly energized. She could see why her mother sent her to freshen up. She washed her face, put on fresh lipstick, then combed her brown hair. Her bob still had bounce. There. That looked better. She’d finished buttoning a clean white blouse when she heard Jane knock on the back door. Ted must have opened it. She hurried out and saw Jane carrying her new red purse and wearing a matching raincoat and red-and-blue scarf.
“You look nice in that color,” Ted told her.
“Thank you.” Jane flushed at the compliment. “I wanted to tell Josie I’m leaving now to be with Tillie. She’s a wreck and that daughter of hers is no help.”
“Any word on how Clay is doing?” Josie asked. “That’s the man who got sick, Ted.”
“Ted knows,” Jane said. “I already told him. Clay is not well, from what Tillie said. His symptoms are too disgusting to mention at dinnertime, but his system seems to be shutting down.”
“How does Tillie know this?” Josie said.
“After more than fifty years in the restaurant business, Tillie has friends everywhere, including the hospital ER.”
Apparently patient confidentiality crumbled before toasted ravioli, Josie thought.
“I’m worried, Josie. I think she’s in serious trouble. The police told Tillie not to leave town, like in the movies. What do they think she’ll do—escape to Brazil? She’s seventy-six years old. She’s lived in St. Louis all her life. She has a successful business here. I just hope her restaurant survives this.”
“It will,” Josie said. “Tillie has lots of friends. Do you want us to walk Stuart Little?”
“I’ve already walked the dog. He’s asleep,” Jane said. “I’ll call you if I stay with Tillie all night. I’d better go. I’ll see you when I see you.”
Jane marched to the backyard garage. Her small, determined figure seemed prepared to fight the entire
The surprise was waiting in Josie’s living room. Ted folded her into his arms. The vet was so tall her head only reached his chest. He bent down to kiss her and Josie felt his slightly scratchy beard. Ted had a sexy five o’clock shadow.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. “Mom was going to cancel our date.”
“She did,” he said. “I figured you’d be too tired to go to dinner, but you’d like some good food. You were planning to open a can of soup, weren’t you?”
“Am I that predictable?” Josie asked.
“Yep. You need something heartier. The filet mignon will be ready shortly. The baked potatoes are done. I made green beans with slivered almonds, but you don’t have to eat them. You don’t like vegetables.”
“I love almonds,” Josie said, kissing him again. “And I love you for thinking about me.”
“I figured you wouldn’t be in the mood for Italian food after spending all day at Tillie’s,” Ted said.
“You figured right,” Josie said.
She saw Amelia in the kitchen, setting the table. “I made brownies for dessert, Mom.”
“This is too good to be true,” Josie said.
That’s when the cat made a flying leap onto the table and started lapping coffee cream from a fat pitcher.
“Harry!” Amelia cried. “You know better.”
“Time-out for the cat,” Josie said. “Harry is confined to your bathroom until after dinner.”
Amelia didn’t argue. She picked up the feline and carried him down the hall to her purple bathroom. Harry’s big ears drooped. He knew he was in disgrace. Amelia dropped him in the bathroom and shut the door.
Josie dumped the cream down the drain, washed the pitcher and refilled it.
“Maybe you’d like to wash up before dinner,” Jane said. “Does she have time, Ted?”
“Dinner will be on the table by the time you’re ready,” he said.
Now that Ted was here, Josie felt suddenly energized. She could see why her mother sent her to freshen up. She washed her face, put on fresh lipstick, then combed her brown hair. Her bob still had bounce. There. That looked better. She’d finished buttoning a clean white blouse when she heard Jane knock on the back door. Ted must have opened it. She hurried out and saw Jane carrying her new red purse and wearing a matching raincoat and red-and-blue scarf.
“You look nice in that color,” Ted told her.
“Thank you.” Jane flushed at the compliment. “I wanted to tell Josie I’m leaving now to be with Tillie. She’s a wreck and that daughter of hers is no help.”
“Any word on how Clay is doing?” Josie asked. “That’s the man who got sick, Ted.”
“Ted knows,” Jane said. “I already told him. Clay is not well, from what Tillie said. His symptoms are too disgusting to mention at dinnertime, but his system seems to be shutting down.”
“How does Tillie know this?” Josie said.
“After more than fifty years in the restaurant business, Tillie has friends everywhere, including the hospital ER.”
Apparently patient confidentiality crumbled before toasted ravioli, Josie thought.
“I’m worried, Josie. I think she’s in serious trouble. The police told Tillie not to leave town, like in the movies. What do they think she’ll do—escape to Brazil? She’s seventy-six years old. She’s lived in St. Louis all her life. She has a successful business here. I just hope her restaurant survives this.”
“It will,” Josie said. “Tillie has lots of friends. Do you want us to walk Stuart Little?”
“I’ve already walked the dog. He’s asleep,” Jane said. “I’ll call you if I stay with Tillie all night. I’d better go. I’ll see you when I see you.”
Jane marched to the backyard garage. Her small, determined figure seemed prepared to fight the entire
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