Creamy Casserole Murder: Book 15 in The Darling Deli Series by Patti Benning

said. “According to Danny, they were close. If anyone knows anything, she does.”
     

CHAPTER NINE
    The next morning, Moira got a call from Eli. He was excited, and she had to put down her coffee and ask him to go over it again.
    “It’s about Beatrice’s sister,” he said. “Her name’s Delilah. She’s even older than Beatrice was, but she seems to know what’s going on… and guess what?”
    “What?”
    “She says she knows her sister was killed, and she has a good idea about who did it. I guess someone’s been bugging her about her own will, but she had to go and do her morning exercises before she could tell me who. She wants to meet us for lunch and talk about it—oh, and she wants you to bring a fast food burger. She said she’s sick of the food here and wants something unhealthy for once. Will you be able to come?”
    “Lunch today?” Moira glanced at her watch. She had to be at the deli by one to relieve Meg. “I can come for a cup of coffee at noon, but I can’t stay for long. I’ll bring her burger as long as it won’t get me in trouble with the nurses.”
    “Perfect,” Eli said. “I can’t believe Grandpa was actually right. He’s always concocting mysteries where they don’t exist, but this is twice now that he’s actually been onto something. Bring David if you can. See you soon, Ms. D!”
    She and David pulled up to the retirement home shortly before noon. She clutched a small fast food bag, and kept glancing nervously at her phone; she had called Eli a few minutes ago to tell him they were nearly there, but he hadn’t answered.
    “I hope she hasn’t changed her mind about talking to us,” she said to David as they walked through the first set of heavy doors. “If she really knows who killed her sister, she might be in danger if she tells us.”
    They had to buzz twice before anyone came to unlock the second set of doors.
    “I’m sorry,” the harried-looking nurse said as she let them in. “One of our residents just passed away, so we’re all busy. It’s fine for you to come in as long as you stay out of the way when the paramedics arrive.”
    Moira’s stomach swooped.
    “Who was it?” she asked.
    “Delilah Ford,” the nurse said. “Did you know her?” She must have seen the shocked expression on Moira’s face.
    “No,” the deli owner said faintly. “Not really.”
    The nurse walked away, leaving them to find an out-of-the-way spot to stand. The assisted-living home was busy, with staff rushing back and forth, and most of the residents ignored them. She was just opening her mouth to wonder aloud to David if this could possibly be a coincidence when Eli rounded the corner and waved them over. His expression was grim.
    “We’re meeting in my grandfather’s room,” he said. “I take it you heard?”
    She nodded as they followed him. On their way, they passed a man even older than Reggie, sobbing quietly into a handkerchief.
    “That’s Griff,” Eli said softly. “I guess he was close to Delilah. They spent most of their time together.”
    How sad , she thought. To lose someone so close to him so suddenly…
    When they got to Reggie’s room, Moira was surprised to see her daughter there too, pacing back and forth in front of the window. The old man sat in an armchair, a frown creasing his brow.
    “Delilah knew,” he said once Eli had closed the door behind her and David. “She knew, and she got killed for it.”
    “Did she tell you who the killer was?” Moira asked him. He shook his head.
    “She got rushed away for morning exercises before she could. I didn’t know her very well, not like I knew Bea. She didn’t even know that I suspected murder until Eli here tracked her down and asked her about her sister’s death.”
    “How did she die?” the private investigator asked.
    “I heard one of the nurses say she passed peacefully in her sleep during a nap,” said Eli. “But I don’t know much more than that. We got shooed away as soon as they