Read Online The Secret Ingredient Murders: A Eugenia Potter Mystery by Virginia Nancy; Rich Pickard - Free Book Online Page A

at all. So you’ll have to lock up your studio for a little while, so what? It’s such a small thing to ask for the good of the community.’ ”
    David Graham twinkled at her from across the table. “I’m sure he loves it when you explain it to him like that, Donna.”
    She looked surprised, then blushed and laughed.
    “Kevin and the business owners are just being selfish and shortsighted, Larry,” Celeste continued, punctuating her thoughts with sips of wine. “All we’re asking for is one measly weekend out of an entire year, and they act as if we’re going to take every parking place downtown for the whole tourist season. And who do they think is going to be coming, anyway, if not tourists? We’ll make money for them, not take it away.”
    Larry Averill smiled at her. “I’m on your side, Celeste. But there’s more to it than that, and I have to try to understand the viewpoints of all my constituents. The store owners downtown say that all the tourists will be out on the island, looking at art and buying things out there, and all they’ll be doing downtown is parking. The downtown restaurant owners aren’t happy about it, either, especially since we want to sell food at the festival. You can see their point.”
    But his old friend shook her head. “No, I can’t.” She grinned wickedly. “Think of all of those future homebuyers who will be coming to the festival.” Then she lifted her glass in a toast. “I say, here’s to progress.”
    “Second that.” David raised his own glass and tapped it against hers. “Luckily, it is Stanley’s island to do with as he pleases, and it appears that what pleases him is to hold an art festival on it. Your ex-husband can object all he wants to, Donna, but I doubt that’s going to sway Stanley. I predict this town will have its art festival out on Parker Island—”
    “Over Kevin’s dead body,” Donna muttered, and they laughed again when she added, “which I might be happy to provide at no cost to the town!” Belatedly, she realized that her daughter had just entered from the kitchen, bearing a tray for picking up appetizer plates, and had overheard that last remark. “No offense to your father, Janie.”
    Janie said nothing, but when the time came to pick up her mother’s plate she snatched it away and barely missed Donna’s nose with it. Her mother looked half-angry, half-amused. To the others she commented, “It’s a good thing she makes good grades, although you’d never guess it from looking at her. And if she had to support herself on tips, she’d starve. I don’t know what my son’s going to do; he doesn’t even make the grades!”
    Celeste laughed and held out her glass for more wine.
    Genia understood that Donna felt embarrassed by her daughter’s appearance, and that made her tongue sharp, but there was no excuse for humiliating the child. She felt like kicking Donna under the table. David Graham was frowning, too. He personally handed his own empty plate to Janie, saying as he did so, “Well, I’d tip her generously, Donna. I think she’s doing a lovely job. She deserves a lot of credit for helping out her aunt tonight.” As Janie removed his plate, he said courteously, “Thank you, child.” Her great-aunt Genia’s heart warmed in gratitude to him for salving the cut of her mother’s hurtful words.
    “I heard Kevin changed his mind about the festival,” Harrison suddenly inserted, hearkening back to earlier comments.
    His wife stared at him. “Where’d you hear that?”
    “At the TV station, I think.”
    “When?” she pressed him.
    “Maybe yesterday.” He frowned in thought. “Or, maybe not.”
    “I can’t believe it,” the mayor said. “Who’d you hear that from, Harrison?”
    “Somebody,” the weatherman answered, with the expression of a man who sincerely wishes to be helpful. “Might have been the reporter who’s assigned to the city council. Or to the arts council. I’m not sure. Anyway, I know I heard