A Ghostly Affair: A cozy mystery series (Death by Chocolate Book 3) by Pat Amsden Page B

she’d considered herself long past those days. Apparently not.
    “Then it’s a good thing I’m a caterer, not someone whose life depends on such skills.” She took a deep breath and smiled at him sweetly. “At any rate the coffee and cookies will be enjoyed whether or not my judgment is lousy.”
    Heath was already helping one of the protestors bring out a folding table from one of the CRVs parked nearby. Maxine couldn’t help noting that such a vehicle looked more like the vehicle of someone who would hire a caterer than the long gone VW vans, hippies had used to protest with in another era.
    Heath set up the coffee dispenser and started filling up cups of coffee.  Milk and sugar appeared on the table along with stir sticks.
    “I’ll get you a cup of coffee. And a cookie,” she added as she headed towards the table. She didn’t exactly count on it sweetening Mr. Jake Jones up but who knew? It certainly couldn’t hurt.
    The others were laying down their picket signs, the smell of fresh hot coffee and cookies enticing them away from protesting. “That hits the spot,” said one.
    “I’ll say,” said another. A washed out blonde of about the same age as Maxine she was rail thin and made Maxine want to hug her.
    Jake looked annoyed as he took the coffee and cookie from her. “I don’t know what your game is but you’re not going to stop us protesting.” He took a bite of her cookie. “Although I’ll admit you do bake a dam fine cookie.”
    “I’ve already told you what my ‘game’ is,” she said exasperated. “I can’t help wondering why you’re protesting now though.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “There’s a better time to protest? Early morning, late at night…”
    She gave an exasperated sigh. “No, but they’ve already built a huge number of houses. Why didn’t you try and stop them before hand?”
    “It shouldn’t have been necessary,” he said stiffly. “Environmental approval should never have been given.”
    “But it was,” she said shortly. “Now you’ve got millions of dollars in development, people are already moving into their new homes and you start protesting. Why?”
    “So that’s what you’re really doing here.” He headed towards the table and she followed him.
    “What? I’m curious.”
    “Remember what happened to the cat,” he muttered under his breath.
    Maxine stopped in her tracks feeling goose-bumps run up and down her arms. “What did you just say?” she asked incredulously.
    “I’m not going to repeat myself,” he said dismissively. “Whoever sent you to snoop, it’s not going to work. Go back and tell them we can’t be scared off that easily.”
    Two spots of color on her cheeks betrayed her anger. “I’m not reporting back to anyone,” she said. “I wanted to make it a little easier for everyone out today. It’s not a day I’d want to spend standing around in the rain.”
    There was a low murmur of agreement and she noticed no one was in a rush to put down their coffee and cookies to resume protesting. Heath came up beside her. Jake Jones looked furious.
    At six feet three Heath projected an aura of calm. He also had the size that made most people decide they really didn’t want to mess with him.
    “What was it you just said?” he asked softly.
    Jake Jones looked at them both with anger in his eyes. But he didn’t appear to want a confrontation. “You must be mistaken,” he said softly. “I didn’t say anything, except that if she’s trying to find out what we’re doing here she’s wasting her time. Everything that needs to be said, has been said. On the news if you want to check it out.”
    Then, seeming to make a decision he said, “you want to know more, give me a call later. I’ll show you what’s at stake. Maybe you can get some of your rich friends to give a dam.”
    She stiffened at his words, even as she pulled her phone out. “My friends aren’t all rich,” she said hotly.
    “Maybe not but most people hiring