Black Bottom Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery Book 6 (Frosted Love Mysteries) by Carol Durand, Summer Prescott Page B

work, so
much revenue, melted into nothing…” she laid her head down on her arms,
defeated.
    Missy
hadn’t even noticed Safflower standing in the doorway that led to the kitchen,
surveying the mess, until she spoke. “Wow, sucks to be you, sis. It’s going to
take hours to get this cleaned up. Have fun with that,” she tossed over her
shoulder as she flounced from the room.
    Missy
gasped aloud at the selfish girl’s callous disregard for her sister. “Echo, I
don’t know how you put up with that girl. She needs to learn how to mind her
manners.”
    Her
friend didn’t even raise her head from the table. “I don’t need your judgment
right now, Missy. I have enough to deal with, thanks,” she muttered.
    “Honey,
I’m not being judgmental, that girl treats you horribly…and you let her get
away with it.” Missy was outraged on her friend’s behalf and said more than she
should when her emotions got the best of her. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she
was behind all of this,” she remarked, sorry immediately when the words left
her mouth.
    Echo
sat bolt upright, a look of fierce protectiveness on her face like none Missy
had ever seen before. “Now you listen to me, Missy Gladstone. I know you’re
trying to be my friend, but no one comes between me and my family, do you
understand? My sister may not be an angel, but she’s my sister, and she would
never do something like this to me. You know what – I’m sorry that I called you
this morning. I thought you’d encourage me and lend a helping hand like you’ve
always done, but instead you came in spewing negativity. I don’t need this
right now, Missy, I really don’t. You can just take your opinions and
suspicions and go right back across the street,” she glared, breathing heavily.
    “Echo…I…”
Missy began.
    “Just
go,” Echo said wearily, waving her off and putting her head back down.
    Missy
hesitated for a moment, then turned toward the door.
    Chas
Beckett frowned, not wanting to contradict his girlfriend, but unwilling to let
her follow a path that would only bring her unhappiness. “Missy, sweetie, let’s
think about this for a moment. Safflower is Echo’s sister. Why would she come
all the way out to Louisiana to ruin her sister’s life and friendship? It just
doesn’t make sense,” he finished gently.
    Missy
sighed. “Chas, the police have come up with nothing. I’ve had my tires
deflated, my shop destroyed, a day’s proceeds stolen, and Echo has now had her
shop destroyed. Doesn’t that seem a little coincidental to you? Who else would
do such horrible things to a couple of honest business people?”
    “I
understand your frustration, but it seems a little too convenient to local law
enforcement that these things are happening to two honest business people who
are suspected of murder.”
    “Do
you mean to tell me that, after all of this, Echo and I are still suspects?”
she was aghast.
    “Well,
persons of interest, technically, but yes. Since they can’t seem to find any
evidence to support their suspicion of Roger Bowden, by default, they’re
looking more closely at you and Echo. The damages and theft are being
considered a potential smoke-screen attempt to throw them off,” the handsome
detective explained. “I’m doing everything that I can to chase down information
on this, Missy. I not only want to clear your name and Echo’s, I want to find
out who murdered two innocent people.”
    “What
if….” she hesitated to finish her sentence, knowing how terribly it was going
to sound.
    “What
if what?” Chas prompted.
    “I
hate to even say this, but…what if Safflower is the murderer?”
    “You
can’t be serious,” he raised an eyebrow in astonishment.
    “Well,
I mean…she’s a really selfish and negative person…” she trailed off lamely.
    “Missy,
honey, take my advice. Stop pursuing that line of thought. It’s going to lead
nowhere, and will most certainly cost you a valuable friendship, if it