Read Online Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry by Denise Swanson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Denise Swanson
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questions. “Who’s Cherry Alexander? Why would she switch salt and sugar? What’s May going to do?”
Skye wished she knew. She was afraid May’s retaliation might involve plucking poultry and heating up asphalt. Two things May did not tolerate were anyone insulting her children, and anyone messing with her cooking. And as Skye knew from personal experience, rather than forgive and forget, May’s specialty was to reprimand and remember.
When Skye reached the Special-Occasion Baking area, she recoiled. Cameras of all descriptions were pointed atthe crowd gathered around her mother’s stove. May stood in the center of the group waving a wooden spoon in the air. Two of Grandma Sal’s employees, Charlie, and Vince were all dancing around her like orderlies at a mental hospital trying to put a straitjacket on a patient.
Another group restrained Cherry. Unfortunately they had not taped her mouth, and she was screaming, “First she steals my secret ingredient, and now she accuses me of sabotage. I demand she be kicked out of the contest.”
Skye saw her mother’s face go from red to magenta, and hurried forward. Stopping just out of wooden-spoon range, Skye raised her voice. “Mom, put down your weapon.”
May sneered. “The only place I’m putting this is up Miss High-and-Mighty’s a—”
Skye cut her off. “Just calm down and think. We’ll find out who did this.”
“I know who did it, and she’s standing over there smirking.” May pointed the spoon at Cherry, who did indeed have a smug expression on her face.
Before Skye could respond, a sweet female voice managed to project itself over the melee. “Oh, my heavens. What in the world is going on around here?”
The crowd around May and Cherry split open like a cracked egg, and Grandma Sal walked between the two angry women. Skye prayed fervently that no yolks would be broken.
Both May and Cherry tried to explain at once, but Grandma Sal raised a work-roughened hand and pleaded, “One at a time. My hearing’s not so good anymore.”
Hmm
. That was odd. The older woman’s ears had seemed to work just fine earlier. Skye thought she saw a roguish twinkle in Grandma Sal’s eyes.
Both May and Cherry tried to speak again, and this time there was a quaver in Grandma Sal’s voice as she begged, “Please, ladies, don’t ruin my contest. If you do, it might be the last one we ever have.”
Skye barely stopped herself from snorting. Grandma Sal was certainly laying it on thick, but it looked as if one of the angry women was buying it—at least up to a point.
May put the spoon on the counter and moved toward Grandma Sal. “We wouldn’t dream of ruining your wonderful contest.”
Grandma Sal clasped May’s hands. “Thank you, my dear. That’s so sweet of you.”
“But…” May tightened her grip on the older woman’s fingers. “We do have to punish the person who tried to ruin my recipe.”
“Of course we do.” Grandma Sal maintained her smile as she freed herself from May’s grasp.
“If
it was intentional, but I’m sure it was just a mistake.” She spoke to the crowd. “One of the reasons we have this trial run the day before the contest is to iron out any kinks, to find the mistakes and make everything perfect for the actual competition.”
May narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth, but Grandma Sal gracefully cut her off. “When you are stocking twenty-four kitchens, there are bound to be mistakes, but let me assure you all that there was no malice involved. It was just an error that could happen to anyone.”
The crowd broke into applause, and Skye read defeat in May’s face. Sighing with relief that the incident had been averted, Skye turned to go.
She got about halfway back to her kitchen when she heard a male voice roar, “Dammit to hell! Who switched my sweet peppers for jalapeños?”
Skye closed her eyes and willed reality to change. If something was about to happen, please let it be Vince or Butch, not Charlie, whose
Skye wished she knew. She was afraid May’s retaliation might involve plucking poultry and heating up asphalt. Two things May did not tolerate were anyone insulting her children, and anyone messing with her cooking. And as Skye knew from personal experience, rather than forgive and forget, May’s specialty was to reprimand and remember.
When Skye reached the Special-Occasion Baking area, she recoiled. Cameras of all descriptions were pointed atthe crowd gathered around her mother’s stove. May stood in the center of the group waving a wooden spoon in the air. Two of Grandma Sal’s employees, Charlie, and Vince were all dancing around her like orderlies at a mental hospital trying to put a straitjacket on a patient.
Another group restrained Cherry. Unfortunately they had not taped her mouth, and she was screaming, “First she steals my secret ingredient, and now she accuses me of sabotage. I demand she be kicked out of the contest.”
Skye saw her mother’s face go from red to magenta, and hurried forward. Stopping just out of wooden-spoon range, Skye raised her voice. “Mom, put down your weapon.”
May sneered. “The only place I’m putting this is up Miss High-and-Mighty’s a—”
Skye cut her off. “Just calm down and think. We’ll find out who did this.”
“I know who did it, and she’s standing over there smirking.” May pointed the spoon at Cherry, who did indeed have a smug expression on her face.
Before Skye could respond, a sweet female voice managed to project itself over the melee. “Oh, my heavens. What in the world is going on around here?”
The crowd around May and Cherry split open like a cracked egg, and Grandma Sal walked between the two angry women. Skye prayed fervently that no yolks would be broken.
Both May and Cherry tried to explain at once, but Grandma Sal raised a work-roughened hand and pleaded, “One at a time. My hearing’s not so good anymore.”
Hmm
. That was odd. The older woman’s ears had seemed to work just fine earlier. Skye thought she saw a roguish twinkle in Grandma Sal’s eyes.
Both May and Cherry tried to speak again, and this time there was a quaver in Grandma Sal’s voice as she begged, “Please, ladies, don’t ruin my contest. If you do, it might be the last one we ever have.”
Skye barely stopped herself from snorting. Grandma Sal was certainly laying it on thick, but it looked as if one of the angry women was buying it—at least up to a point.
May put the spoon on the counter and moved toward Grandma Sal. “We wouldn’t dream of ruining your wonderful contest.”
Grandma Sal clasped May’s hands. “Thank you, my dear. That’s so sweet of you.”
“But…” May tightened her grip on the older woman’s fingers. “We do have to punish the person who tried to ruin my recipe.”
“Of course we do.” Grandma Sal maintained her smile as she freed herself from May’s grasp.
“If
it was intentional, but I’m sure it was just a mistake.” She spoke to the crowd. “One of the reasons we have this trial run the day before the contest is to iron out any kinks, to find the mistakes and make everything perfect for the actual competition.”
May narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth, but Grandma Sal gracefully cut her off. “When you are stocking twenty-four kitchens, there are bound to be mistakes, but let me assure you all that there was no malice involved. It was just an error that could happen to anyone.”
The crowd broke into applause, and Skye read defeat in May’s face. Sighing with relief that the incident had been averted, Skye turned to go.
She got about halfway back to her kitchen when she heard a male voice roar, “Dammit to hell! Who switched my sweet peppers for jalapeños?”
Skye closed her eyes and willed reality to change. If something was about to happen, please let it be Vince or Butch, not Charlie, whose
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