Read Online Treacherous Tart by Ellie Grant - Free Book Online Page A

into Maggie’s hand, as though she understood. Maggie urged her to get off of the bed before she went to sleep.
    But when the alarm went off at five, the cat was sleeping on the pillow next to her head.
    â€œMy stars!” Aunt Clara walked into Maggie’s room with a flashlight. “I’ve been looking all over the house for the cat. Here she is on your bed.”
    â€œI didn’t invite her, believe me.” Maggie sat up as Aunt Clara turned on the overhead light.
    â€œPoor thing.” Her aunt picked up the cat, cradling her in her arms. “I’ll take her to my room for a while. Maybe we should call her Winky. She has a way of blinking her eyes as though she’s winking.”
    â€œThat’s fine.” Maggie yawned. “As long as I don’t have to yell outside, ‘Hey, Winky.’ That sounds bad.”
    â€œWell, we can’t keep a cat with no name. We’ll have to think of something.”
    Maggie waited until her aunt was gone before she forced herself out of bed. She hadn’t slept well. She couldn’t blame it on the cat.
    She’d had slow-motion nightmares about Donald stumbling into Pie in the Sky and falling down dead over and over again. In one horrible version, it was Aunt Clara who died.
    Getting up, showering, and dressing made a huge difference. Maggie felt more like her normal self. The radio announcer was calling for more snow that day.
    A group of schoolchildren from the elementary school a few blocks over was coming in to make snowflake pictures and drink free hot cocoa at Pie in the Sky. Ryan had promised to take pictures for the paper.
    â€œWe’re running late, so I made you a slice of toast.” Aunt Clara yawned and pushed a piece of peanut butter toast toward Maggie. “There’s juice. I might have you make me a cup of coffee from that fancy coffeemaker today too!”
    Maggie ate her toast while she put on her coat. The cat was waiting at the front door for them to leave. “Do you really think she’ll go back and forth with us?”
    â€œShe has been.” Aunt Clara put on her purple coat and wound a pink-and-purple scarf around her throat. “I think she likes commuting.”
    â€œOr she likes to eat pie scraps.” Why didn’t I notice?
    â€œI like her going back and forth. Now that youknow, she can walk with us instead of skulking through the yards on the way.”
    Maggie didn’t really expect it to happen, but the cat walked at their feet down the wet sidewalk all the way to Pie in the Sky. It was amazing for someone who’d never had a cat before. She didn’t know a cat would do something like that.
    Uncle Fred had bought her a puppy when she was very young. It was a cocker spaniel with golden hair. Maggie had really loved that dog. She’d called him Buttons.
    Buttons had died when Maggie was fifteen. He was old and sick by then and had passed away in his sleep one night. Her heart had been broken, and she’d never considered having a pet again.
    The cat was different. It was Aunt Clara’s cat, for one thing. She wouldn’t get so attached to it. She opened the pie shop door and turned on the lights. “I was hoping it wouldn’t be this bad.” Aunt Clara stood in the middle of the shop and shook her head. “I can’t believe Donald is really dead. I thought he might be my second chance at love, you know? That’s what I get for reading all those silly romances.”
    The chairs were spread everywhere, in no certain order. There were still dirty footprints and blood all over the blue tile floor in front.
    Maggie hugged her. “I know. I’m sorry this happened. I wish I could change it for you.”
    Aunt Clara smiled. “I know you do, dear. I appreciate that.”
    â€œYou go in back and start on the pies. I’ll take care of this. What’s the pie of the day?”
    â€œI haven’t even given it a thought. I