Read Online Murder On The Menu: A Romantic Comedy Culinary Cozy Mystery (A Celebrity Mystery) by Zanna Mackenzie - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Zanna Mackenzie
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cuts into my clenched fist. I’m going to the Veggies, whether Jack is there or not.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Daisy is not keen on having to navigate the rough track from Eskdale down to the road in this storm. Concentrating, I steer her carefully, avoiding the numerous potholes which are overflowing with water, making them even more difficult to drive around than normal. Her windscreen wipers are going full tilt yet I’m still struggling to see where I’m going. The rain might have eased up a little when Frazer left but now it is absolutely pelting down again. I misjudge one of the pesky potholes and Daisy lurches alarmingly. Fearing I’ve got us both stuck, I gingerly ease her forward and thankfully she responds and we’re soon on our way again. My death grip on the steering wheel relaxes just a fraction once we reach the end of the track and turn onto the lane towards the village. Unsurprisingly the road is deserted and I allow myself to press down on the accelerator a tad more to get us to the Veggies as quickly as possible. What few trees there are around this area are bent double in the fierce wind, buffeting the bleak landscape.
As Daisy and I head along the main road of the village, nerves ramping us as we grow closer to the Veggies, a cat suddenly darts out from somebody’s garden and races across the road in front of me. I slam on Daisy’s brakes and we screech to a halt. The cat pauses, sitting on a nearby stone wall, and I swear it’s glowering at me. Phew. At least it’s safe, even if it hates me. Gathering my thoughts and my nerves, I slip Daisy into first gear and trundle carefully, more slowly this time, through the rest of the village towards the Veggies.
Five minutes later I pull the Beetle to a stop on the edge of the turning for the Veggie’s car park. This area, unlike most around these parts, does have some streetlights, though they’re pretty randomly spaced. Thankfully the power is still on in the village. It must just be the cables up on the hill for the farms which are out. Keeping the windscreen wipers running, I peer at the restaurant. It sits in complete darkness. Its stone façade is usually all lit up and welcoming, but not tonight. The media hounds must have dispersed after the earlier press conference given by the Chief of Police. I saw him on the news, standing outside the Veggies, face suitably solemn, giving the sparsest of details about the investigation and reassuring the locals regarding their safety. Thoughts of what this place has witnessed make me want to turn around and drive straight back home. I wonder if there’s still blood everywhere in the kitchen. I gulp. Pulling my mobile from my coat pocket, I try Jack’s number again. Still no answer. Now what? I’m rummaging around in the door pocket looking for the torch I always keep there for emergencies when suddenly the passenger door is flung open. I almost leap out of my skin, my girly squeal piercing the night air.
CHAPTER NINE
“Don’t freak out!” A male voice hisses, just as I clearly am freaking out.
A hand grips mine, and I look up to see Jack. He’s dressed head to toe in black, including a woolly hat and gloves. He actually does look like one of those sexy spies you see on the TV. All stubble, confidence and capability. My breathing starts to calm just a touch, but my heart is still pounding.
“What are you doing here?” he asks, an annoyed flicker in his eyes. “You weren’t actually contemplating going into the Veggies on your own, were you? You could land yourself in even more trouble by doing that.”
“Well, that’s why you’re here, isn’t it? To get into the Veggies and have a look around?”
“Yes. It is. But, one, I know what I’m doing. I do this sort of thing for a living. Two, I’m not the one suspected of killing Armand. You, however, are.”
“Well, I couldn’t just sit at home doing nothing!” I protest.
“No,” he says with a shake of his head. “I don’t suppose you
CHAPTER EIGHT
Daisy is not keen on having to navigate the rough track from Eskdale down to the road in this storm. Concentrating, I steer her carefully, avoiding the numerous potholes which are overflowing with water, making them even more difficult to drive around than normal. Her windscreen wipers are going full tilt yet I’m still struggling to see where I’m going. The rain might have eased up a little when Frazer left but now it is absolutely pelting down again. I misjudge one of the pesky potholes and Daisy lurches alarmingly. Fearing I’ve got us both stuck, I gingerly ease her forward and thankfully she responds and we’re soon on our way again. My death grip on the steering wheel relaxes just a fraction once we reach the end of the track and turn onto the lane towards the village. Unsurprisingly the road is deserted and I allow myself to press down on the accelerator a tad more to get us to the Veggies as quickly as possible. What few trees there are around this area are bent double in the fierce wind, buffeting the bleak landscape.
As Daisy and I head along the main road of the village, nerves ramping us as we grow closer to the Veggies, a cat suddenly darts out from somebody’s garden and races across the road in front of me. I slam on Daisy’s brakes and we screech to a halt. The cat pauses, sitting on a nearby stone wall, and I swear it’s glowering at me. Phew. At least it’s safe, even if it hates me. Gathering my thoughts and my nerves, I slip Daisy into first gear and trundle carefully, more slowly this time, through the rest of the village towards the Veggies.
Five minutes later I pull the Beetle to a stop on the edge of the turning for the Veggie’s car park. This area, unlike most around these parts, does have some streetlights, though they’re pretty randomly spaced. Thankfully the power is still on in the village. It must just be the cables up on the hill for the farms which are out. Keeping the windscreen wipers running, I peer at the restaurant. It sits in complete darkness. Its stone façade is usually all lit up and welcoming, but not tonight. The media hounds must have dispersed after the earlier press conference given by the Chief of Police. I saw him on the news, standing outside the Veggies, face suitably solemn, giving the sparsest of details about the investigation and reassuring the locals regarding their safety. Thoughts of what this place has witnessed make me want to turn around and drive straight back home. I wonder if there’s still blood everywhere in the kitchen. I gulp. Pulling my mobile from my coat pocket, I try Jack’s number again. Still no answer. Now what? I’m rummaging around in the door pocket looking for the torch I always keep there for emergencies when suddenly the passenger door is flung open. I almost leap out of my skin, my girly squeal piercing the night air.
CHAPTER NINE
“Don’t freak out!” A male voice hisses, just as I clearly am freaking out.
A hand grips mine, and I look up to see Jack. He’s dressed head to toe in black, including a woolly hat and gloves. He actually does look like one of those sexy spies you see on the TV. All stubble, confidence and capability. My breathing starts to calm just a touch, but my heart is still pounding.
“What are you doing here?” he asks, an annoyed flicker in his eyes. “You weren’t actually contemplating going into the Veggies on your own, were you? You could land yourself in even more trouble by doing that.”
“Well, that’s why you’re here, isn’t it? To get into the Veggies and have a look around?”
“Yes. It is. But, one, I know what I’m doing. I do this sort of thing for a living. Two, I’m not the one suspected of killing Armand. You, however, are.”
“Well, I couldn’t just sit at home doing nothing!” I protest.
“No,” he says with a shake of his head. “I don’t suppose you
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