Read Online The Cereal Murders by Diane Mott Davidson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Diane Mott Davidson
Tags: Fiction, General, Suspense, Romance, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths, Cooking, Large Type Books, Colorado, Caterers and Catering, Cookery, Bear; Goldy (Fictitious Character), Women in the Food Industry
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His right hand combed his beard in Moses-like fashion. He murmured that he'd check with the diocesan office. The clergy meeting was this coming Friday, and as the church bulletin announced, they were going to discuss faith and penance. So could I think of something appropriate? I gave him a blank look. What, bread and water? Then I assured him a penitential meal was no problem. I even had a recipe for something called Sorry Cake.
When Arch and I got home, Julian sat in the kitchen sipping his version of caf‚ au lait, a cup of hot milk flavored with a tablespoon of espresso. He said he'd called for a window-repair person to come out tomorrow, and he wasn't in the mood to do his homework, so could he help with the choucroute for the Bronco lunch? He also said I'd had six calls: two hang-ups and four with messages. The messages were from the headmaster, Tom Schulz, Audrey Coopersmith, and my ex-husband, who sure sounded pissed off about something.
Nothing new there. But two hang-ups? "Did these anonymous callers say anything at all?" Julian tilted back in one of the kitchen chairs. "Nope. I just said, 'Hello? Hello? This is Goldilocks' Catering, who're you?' And all I could hear was breathing and then click."
The air around me turned suddenly chill. Could it be the same prankster who had smashed our window last night? What if Arch had taken those calls? Was someone casing my house? Best to tell Schulz about this. But I had someone else to call first.
I reached for the phone; my ex-husband picked up after four rings. The Jerk's uninflected voice, the one he used to try to show he was above feeling, said only that he'd been trying to get me all morning. I asked if he'd been around our house last night, maybe with a rock? He said, "What do you think I am, crazy? "
Well, I wasn't going to answer that one. I asked what he wanted. Only this: Because of the early snow, he wanted to go skiing this coming weekend, his time to take Arch. He wanted to pick him up at Elk Park Prep early on Halloween, this Friday, to beat the rush. Just wanted to let me know.
I chewed the inside. of my cheek. Since our weekend visitation arrangement did not include Friday, John Richard had to check with me about Arch's leaving school early. Of course, this checking actually meant announcing his plans and then waiting to see if I would get upset. Who, me? But I was concerned Arch might have other plans for Halloween. If Arch agreed, John Richard would no doubt take him to his condo in Keystone. His dad had had the locks changed, Arch had reported to me, to make sure I never used the place on the sly. Why should I be upset? Fine, I told John Richard, just let me check with Arch. I didn't even say what went through my mind, that some people had to work on Halloween. Or at least, like the Board of Theological Examiners, be penitent. But John Richard fit into neither of those categories, so I hung up.
I phoned Headmaster Perkins next, but got his son. Macguire acknowledged that he knew me by saying, "Oh yeah, hi. That was pretty heavy last night. You okay?" When I replied in the affirmative, he said, "Dad said to tell you he'd like to see you. Tomorrow. Just come into the office anytime, and, uh, bring some coat." He thought for a minute. "Tell him you just dropped in, you know, like a... meteorite."
I told him to expect a hit about ten the next morning, and hung up. Before I could dial Schulz, the phone rang.
"Goldilocks' Catering," I chirped, "where everything is just right!"
Breathing.
"Hey!" I yelled. "Who is this?"
A dial tone, then nothing. I pressed Schulz's number.
"How's my favorite caterer?" he said with a chuckle when I had greeted him.
"You mean your only caterer."
"Oops. She's in a bad mood. Must have been chatting with her ex-husband."
"That, and someone heaved a rock through one of our windows last night. Plus I just had
When Arch and I got home, Julian sat in the kitchen sipping his version of caf‚ au lait, a cup of hot milk flavored with a tablespoon of espresso. He said he'd called for a window-repair person to come out tomorrow, and he wasn't in the mood to do his homework, so could he help with the choucroute for the Bronco lunch? He also said I'd had six calls: two hang-ups and four with messages. The messages were from the headmaster, Tom Schulz, Audrey Coopersmith, and my ex-husband, who sure sounded pissed off about something.
Nothing new there. But two hang-ups? "Did these anonymous callers say anything at all?" Julian tilted back in one of the kitchen chairs. "Nope. I just said, 'Hello? Hello? This is Goldilocks' Catering, who're you?' And all I could hear was breathing and then click."
The air around me turned suddenly chill. Could it be the same prankster who had smashed our window last night? What if Arch had taken those calls? Was someone casing my house? Best to tell Schulz about this. But I had someone else to call first.
I reached for the phone; my ex-husband picked up after four rings. The Jerk's uninflected voice, the one he used to try to show he was above feeling, said only that he'd been trying to get me all morning. I asked if he'd been around our house last night, maybe with a rock? He said, "What do you think I am, crazy? "
Well, I wasn't going to answer that one. I asked what he wanted. Only this: Because of the early snow, he wanted to go skiing this coming weekend, his time to take Arch. He wanted to pick him up at Elk Park Prep early on Halloween, this Friday, to beat the rush. Just wanted to let me know.
I chewed the inside. of my cheek. Since our weekend visitation arrangement did not include Friday, John Richard had to check with me about Arch's leaving school early. Of course, this checking actually meant announcing his plans and then waiting to see if I would get upset. Who, me? But I was concerned Arch might have other plans for Halloween. If Arch agreed, John Richard would no doubt take him to his condo in Keystone. His dad had had the locks changed, Arch had reported to me, to make sure I never used the place on the sly. Why should I be upset? Fine, I told John Richard, just let me check with Arch. I didn't even say what went through my mind, that some people had to work on Halloween. Or at least, like the Board of Theological Examiners, be penitent. But John Richard fit into neither of those categories, so I hung up.
I phoned Headmaster Perkins next, but got his son. Macguire acknowledged that he knew me by saying, "Oh yeah, hi. That was pretty heavy last night. You okay?" When I replied in the affirmative, he said, "Dad said to tell you he'd like to see you. Tomorrow. Just come into the office anytime, and, uh, bring some coat." He thought for a minute. "Tell him you just dropped in, you know, like a... meteorite."
I told him to expect a hit about ten the next morning, and hung up. Before I could dial Schulz, the phone rang.
"Goldilocks' Catering," I chirped, "where everything is just right!"
Breathing.
"Hey!" I yelled. "Who is this?"
A dial tone, then nothing. I pressed Schulz's number.
"How's my favorite caterer?" he said with a chuckle when I had greeted him.
"You mean your only caterer."
"Oops. She's in a bad mood. Must have been chatting with her ex-husband."
"That, and someone heaved a rock through one of our windows last night. Plus I just had
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