Read Online Murder on the Half Shelf by Lorna Barrett - Free Book Online

come by and put in some pansies once the threat of frost is gone.”
    “That sounds pretty ambitious.”
    “Anything to please the tourists. Happy tourists spend money. And we’re sure glad for the business, too.”
    “Speaking of business, I saw a lovely arrangement at the Sheer Comfort Inn last night. Your family does such beautiful work.”
    “That was my mom’s handiwork.” Her smile of pride soon dimmed. “It’s a shame about Mrs. Comfort being killed. I spoke with her when I made the delivery.” She shuddered, and Tricia was sure it wasn’t a result of the stiff breeze. “We were going to have a standing order to deliver flowers twice a week. Now…who knows?”
    “Has Mr. Comfort already canceled the order?” Until the rest of the world knew Harry’s story, Tricia thought it best to keep up the charade.
    “Not yet. But if nothing else, the inn isn’t likely to open as planned—if it opens at all. That’s a shame, too. Stoneham could really use the extra accommodations.” She turned back to the van and took out another planter.
    “I won’t keep you,” Tricia said. “And I’ll look forward to seeing my new planter.”
    “I should make it down to Haven’t Got a Clue in another five or ten minutes. I’ll wave at Miss Marple through the window.”
    Tricia smiled. “See you around, Amy.”
    Tricia started back down the pavement. She had just enough time to drop Sarge off and still get back to her shop by the stroke of one.
    She halted before she got to the Cookery’s door, picked up the dog, and, on impulse, gave him a quick kiss on the top of his head. “You’re such a good boy. Don’t tell Angelica, but I’d love to take you on a walk any time. You just ask.”
    Sarge yipped and licked her face. Tricia giggled and reached for the door handle, turned it, and stepped inside.
    “I saw what you did!” said a commanding voice.
    Caught!

SEVEN
    “Haw-haw!” Frannie said with glee, as Tricia shut the Cookery’s door. She straightened and, with great dignity, placed Sarge on the carpet, where he promptly sat, looking up at her expectantly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she told Frannie, but she could feel the color rising up her neck to her cheeks.
    “You kissed Angelica’s dog—right on the head. Wait ’til Miss Marple smells that dog on you. She’s going to be mighty upset.”
    “I only took Sarge for a walk to help Angelica out. It’s not like I’m swearing off cats forever.”
    Frannie crossed her arms over her pink and white aloha shirt. “Uh-uh.”
    “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to take Sarge upstairs,” Tricia said, then tugged on the leash, and Sarge jumped to his feet and happily followed.
    By the time Tricia returned to the kitchen, Angelica wasbusy stirring something in a pot on the stove. She dipped the spoon out and held it out to Tricia. “Here, taste this.”
    “I really have to get back to my store. Mr. Everett is waiting,” Tricia said, and quickly let Sarge off his leash, which she hung on a chair. “Gotta go!” she said, then hightailed it out of the kitchen, down the hall, and to the stairs that led back to the Cookery. She hoped she could escape without having to talk to Frannie again, but as there were no customers in the store, Frannie had lain in wait for her to exit the stairway and practically jumped out at her.
    “Don’t do that!” Tricia chided. “You could give someone a heart attack.”
    “Oh, sorry,” Frannie apologized, but her eyes were alight with mischief. She was ready to dish some kind of gossip.
    “I hear tell things aren’t as they seem over at the Sheer Comfort Inn.”
    Tricia’s eyes narrowed. “And who told you that? Angelica?”
    Frannie shook her head. “She’s too busy working on her new cookbook to stand around with the help these days. No, I got a call from a friend of a friend who said that Mr. Comfort isn’t Mr. Comfort at all. And that you might have known him in the past.”
    Since