Read Online The Diva Steals a Chocolate Kiss by Krista Davis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Krista Davis
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could work some kind of magic.
I left the family and ran to the garden gate to show them the way. Three uniformed Emergency Medical Technicians followed me upstairs. One took over CPR immediately.
A male voice behind me asked, “Anyone know who he is?”
Unfortunately, I knew that voice. Wolf Fleishman, my old boyfriend, the homicide investigator. Why, oh why, did he have to be the one to respond to the call tonight?
“Hi, Wolf.”
He nodded at me. “Sophie.”
“Apparently it’s Arnaud Turnèbe who is . . . was supposed to open a new chocolate shop. Give him the wallet, Coco.”
She handed it over to Wolf. “How could this possibly have happened?” asked Coco. “There were hundreds of people here. Someone must have noticed something.”
“He was lying here on the floor? Who found him?” asked Wolf.
I raised my hand and wiggled my fingers.
“I should have known.”
I explained that I had been gathering trash when I spotted Arnaud doubled over the side of the bathtub.
Wolf sighed. He kept his calm, though. Typical Wolf. “If you wouldn’t mind, everyone, except Sophie, please return to the main house. I’ll come and speak to each of you.”
He watched as they walked away. “This crime scene is a mess. Pulling him out of the tub? You know better than that.”
“You’re kidding, right? We weren’t even sure he was dead. What would you have done?”
One corner of Wolf’s mouth turned up in a suppressed grin. “The same thing, I guess.”
“Wolf?” called one of the EMTs. “We’ve got petechiae.”
I frowned at Wolf. “What’s that?”
“Spots of blood in the eyes. Usually means strangulation.”
I sucked in a noisy breath of air. I’d known he was probably dead but somehow that made it so much worse!
“Who was here tonight?” asked Wolf.
“All kinds of people. I can print off a list for you.”
“That would be very helpful, thanks.”
“Somebody must have done it fast is all I can say. I saw Arnaud during the tasting, so we know he was alive then.”
“What do you know about these folks?”
“They’re the Amore Chocolates family—”
“This is Joe Merano’s place?”
“Yes. Do you know him?”
“He’s a great guy. A big supporter of our youth league. You know, the program that gives kids something to do to keep them out of trouble.”
“He went missing sometime Thursday night,” I said, thinking about how outraged Mitch would be that I spilled the beans.
Wolf nodded. “Yeah, I heard about that.”
Wolf always had a poker face. I guessed that was good for a cop, but he seemed too calm. “Don’t you think there could be a connection? One chocolatier goes missing and another turns up dead in his guesthouse?”
Wolf wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed gently. “Always playing the sleuth. You should have been a cop, Sophie. Now get out of here.” He turned away.
“Wolf? It may not be anything at all, but when I was cleaning up I found a glass with medicine of some sort dissolving in the champagne.”
“Show me.”
He followed me down the steep stairs and into the kitchen.
I pointed at the box, and Wolf peered into it.
“Maybe it’s a good thing you were here. Most people would have dumped it. I’ll have the forensic guys take a look. Can you leave the rest of the glasses until we’re done?”
“Sure.”
“Now go home so you won’t trample any evidence. Man, I hate these nighttime crime scenes. I’ll pick up the list of guests from you tomorrow morning, okay?”
I walked down the stairs, grabbed my little card holders and my briefcase, and hightailed it out, but not before I saw Dan watching me from a window in the main house.
I trudged home thinking about Arnaud. It should have been a happy time in his life. Expanding his business toAmerica had to be a big deal. But then I wondered if he was always a smarmy lush who tried to pick up women. I guessed being a drunken cad wasn’t mutually exclusive with being a fine
I left the family and ran to the garden gate to show them the way. Three uniformed Emergency Medical Technicians followed me upstairs. One took over CPR immediately.
A male voice behind me asked, “Anyone know who he is?”
Unfortunately, I knew that voice. Wolf Fleishman, my old boyfriend, the homicide investigator. Why, oh why, did he have to be the one to respond to the call tonight?
“Hi, Wolf.”
He nodded at me. “Sophie.”
“Apparently it’s Arnaud Turnèbe who is . . . was supposed to open a new chocolate shop. Give him the wallet, Coco.”
She handed it over to Wolf. “How could this possibly have happened?” asked Coco. “There were hundreds of people here. Someone must have noticed something.”
“He was lying here on the floor? Who found him?” asked Wolf.
I raised my hand and wiggled my fingers.
“I should have known.”
I explained that I had been gathering trash when I spotted Arnaud doubled over the side of the bathtub.
Wolf sighed. He kept his calm, though. Typical Wolf. “If you wouldn’t mind, everyone, except Sophie, please return to the main house. I’ll come and speak to each of you.”
He watched as they walked away. “This crime scene is a mess. Pulling him out of the tub? You know better than that.”
“You’re kidding, right? We weren’t even sure he was dead. What would you have done?”
One corner of Wolf’s mouth turned up in a suppressed grin. “The same thing, I guess.”
“Wolf?” called one of the EMTs. “We’ve got petechiae.”
I frowned at Wolf. “What’s that?”
“Spots of blood in the eyes. Usually means strangulation.”
I sucked in a noisy breath of air. I’d known he was probably dead but somehow that made it so much worse!
“Who was here tonight?” asked Wolf.
“All kinds of people. I can print off a list for you.”
“That would be very helpful, thanks.”
“Somebody must have done it fast is all I can say. I saw Arnaud during the tasting, so we know he was alive then.”
“What do you know about these folks?”
“They’re the Amore Chocolates family—”
“This is Joe Merano’s place?”
“Yes. Do you know him?”
“He’s a great guy. A big supporter of our youth league. You know, the program that gives kids something to do to keep them out of trouble.”
“He went missing sometime Thursday night,” I said, thinking about how outraged Mitch would be that I spilled the beans.
Wolf nodded. “Yeah, I heard about that.”
Wolf always had a poker face. I guessed that was good for a cop, but he seemed too calm. “Don’t you think there could be a connection? One chocolatier goes missing and another turns up dead in his guesthouse?”
Wolf wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed gently. “Always playing the sleuth. You should have been a cop, Sophie. Now get out of here.” He turned away.
“Wolf? It may not be anything at all, but when I was cleaning up I found a glass with medicine of some sort dissolving in the champagne.”
“Show me.”
He followed me down the steep stairs and into the kitchen.
I pointed at the box, and Wolf peered into it.
“Maybe it’s a good thing you were here. Most people would have dumped it. I’ll have the forensic guys take a look. Can you leave the rest of the glasses until we’re done?”
“Sure.”
“Now go home so you won’t trample any evidence. Man, I hate these nighttime crime scenes. I’ll pick up the list of guests from you tomorrow morning, okay?”
I walked down the stairs, grabbed my little card holders and my briefcase, and hightailed it out, but not before I saw Dan watching me from a window in the main house.
I trudged home thinking about Arnaud. It should have been a happy time in his life. Expanding his business toAmerica had to be a big deal. But then I wondered if he was always a smarmy lush who tried to pick up women. I guessed being a drunken cad wasn’t mutually exclusive with being a fine
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