Death Before Diamonds (Sky High Pies Cozy Mysteries Book 10) by Mary Maxwell Page B

know.”

CHAPTER
11
     
     
    I was still in the kitchen a couple
of hours later, arranging a dozen double fudge brownies in a paperboard box for
a delivery. They smelled so good that I was tempted to start a second batch and
indulge my sweet tooth when Harper whistled at me from the dining room.
    “You busy?” she called. “There’s
someone on the phone.”
    “Does the someone have a name?” I
asked.
    Harper gave me a simmering leer.
“I’m sure they do,” she said. “But someone else is in the weeds out here so she
didn’t have the time to ask.”
    “Sorry! Do you want me to come out
and help?”
    “Maybe after you take the call?”
she said. “I was doing great until six members of the Crescent Creek Crabby Committee
started bickering about separate checks.”
    “Is that Betty Ritter’s book club?”
    She nodded. “How’d you know?”
    “I saw them come in the door,” I
said. “Let me get this call and then I’ll be right with you.”
    As Harper headed back into the
fray, I asked Julia how she was doing with the flood of new tickets.
    “So far, so good,” she said with a
quick nod. “But if I can’t handle it, you’ll be the first to know.”
    I flashed a smile, grabbed my
coffee mug and dashed into the office. When I answered the phone, I heard
someone singing in an off-key warble.
    “This is Kate,” I said.
    “Oh, no!” the caller yelped. “Did
you hear that?”
    “Yes, and it sounded lovely,” I
said.
    “That’s sweet of you, but I know my
voice is just plain bad.” She chuckled nervously. “Anyway, this is Caroline from
Simply Chic. Pearl said you were interested in the fuchsia Wunder Under Pants.”
    I smiled again at the name. “Yes,”
I said. “I wanted to know if you could tell me who bought the two pairs recently.”
    “That was Polly Ladd,” said Caroline.
“She was looking for a gift for someone and thought they’d be perfect.”
    Polly had moved to Crescent Creek
the previous year, shortly before I returned from Chicago. I hadn’t met her
yet, but I’d heard a few things here and there. I knew that she worked in the
travel industry. I’d heard that she was renting a house on Edgewood Road. And
more than one source had confided that Polly’s temper could occasionally be
both short and sharp.
    “Did she happen to mention who the
tights were for?” I asked. “I mean, if there’s a chance we’re both buying
something for the same person…” I left the rest unspoken, hoping that Caroline would
finish the thought. “You know what I mean? It can be so embarrassing
when you go to a party and someone else brings the same gift.”
    “I’ve done that a couple of times!”
she said. “And I totally understand. But Polly didn’t say who they were
for.”
    “Darn my luck!” I tried to sound
genuinely disappointed. “I guess that I’ll just have to take my chances.”
    “Of course, we carry that line
exclusively here in Crescent Creek,” Caroline said. “Since we only had two
pairs in fuchsia, there’s not much of a chance that you’ll end up with the same
present for the birthday girl.”
    “True, but I was going to be in Denver
this weekend,” I said. “I’m sure several stores down there would carry the
wonderful under pants.”
    “Wunder Under Pants!” she said,
sounding perky and accommodating. “And you know what? I’m pretty sure that we
still have them available in three colors—Peach Echo, Golden Honey and Berry Blaze.”
    “Hmmm,” I cooed. “Those all sound
delicious! Are they also edible?”
    “Well…” Caroline hesitated. “I
don’t think so, but they are super comfy!”
    “Sorry about the lame joke,” I
said. “I’ve been up since before dawn and fatigue is starting to take its
toll.”
    “That’s okay,” she replied. “Do you
want me to double check on the other colors?”
    “No, that’s not necessary. I’ll
stop by again and take a look.”
    “Sounds good,” Caroline said. “I’ll
see you