Devil's Food Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery - Book 10 (Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries) by Carol Durand, Summer Prescott
Authors: Carol Durand, Summer Prescott
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Maggie came back in, bearing a tray with iced water, tea, cookies and a small piece of chocolate “just for smiles, lass,” Missy asked her to run a bath, hoping it would help her to relax.
Soaking in the warm, bubbly water, Missy did relax a bit, but the stress and strain of the day hit her with full force, draining her of all energy, and she was grateful that the stout maid had stayed nearby to help her from the tub.
“There now, lil miss,” Maggie cooed soothingly, plumping the pillows, helping Missy into bed and pulling the light comforter up over her. “A bit of rest will do yer poor tired body a world of good,” she promised.
“Thank you so much, Maggie,” Missy murmured, already close to sleep.
When Chas quietly poked his head in, hours later, she was so profoundly asleep that he refused to wake her, knowing that he could fill her in on what had happened in the morning. Smiling at the peaceful slumber of his beautiful beloved, he closed her door softly and headed for bed.
**
“So, what happened?” Missy demanded, popping a grape into her mouth from the generous breakfast tray that Maggie had brought.
“Well, unfortunately, it turns out that Livvy was correct, Amanda did try to poison you. The police ran the substance on your plate through the lab and discovered that the powder that she used was the same powder that was used to kill her husband.”
Missy gasped. “Amanda killed her husband? That’s horrible! Why would she do such a thing? And why on earth would she try to kill me?” Tears sprung to her eyes as she realized just how close she had come to taking a bite of cake that could’ve been her last.
“That’s my fault, I’m afraid,” Chas said, making a face. “Amanda confessed to killing Giles when she saw what she thought was my official return to society. She figured that if her husband wasn’t standing in the way, she’d be free to have the relationship with me that she and her parents have always wanted. Once she eliminated Giles, the only thing, in her estimation, standing between her and me…was you,” he explained, looking pained.
Missy’s hand went to her head injury. “Was she the one who…?” she asked, eyes wide.
Chas nodded. “She admitted to attacking you, and when police searched her car, they discovered a tennis racket in the trunk with blood and curly blond hairs on it,” he said grimly.
“She tried to bludgeon me with a tennis racket?”
“She always did have a heck of a backhand,” Chas commented dryly.
“What about my tummy troubles after dinner last week? Was that her too?” Missy asked.
“There was a different poison used, but, yes, she admitted to that as well.”
Missy stared into space for a moment, taking it all in. “Wow, it looks like I’m pretty fortunate to have survived,” she murmured, turning her pained gaze to the handsome detective.
“I’d say that I’m the fortunate one,” he replied, tilting her chin up for a kiss.
Chapter 17
Althea Browning breezed into Missy’s favorite Italian restaurant carrying a large tote bag filled with magazines, fabric samples, CD’s, invitation catalogs, and more, thrilled to begin her wedding plan. For two hours, the delightful young woman chattered non-stop about colors, themes, finding the perfect dress and bridesmaids dresses, and all other things that made planning a wedding such fun. After the grim time that Missy had spent with Chas’s family in New York, being in the company of a sweet young woman who was facing her future with joy and optimism was like a healing balm to her wounded spirit, and she soaked it in gratefully, caught up in the bride’s enthusiasm.
The meeting with Althea went very well, and despite the fact that Missy had only agreed to helping the girl because she felt that Mayor Felton gave her no other choice, she wondered if wedding planning might not be a bad idea to add to her business resume, at least on a part-time basis.
Both of the cupcake shops had done
Soaking in the warm, bubbly water, Missy did relax a bit, but the stress and strain of the day hit her with full force, draining her of all energy, and she was grateful that the stout maid had stayed nearby to help her from the tub.
“There now, lil miss,” Maggie cooed soothingly, plumping the pillows, helping Missy into bed and pulling the light comforter up over her. “A bit of rest will do yer poor tired body a world of good,” she promised.
“Thank you so much, Maggie,” Missy murmured, already close to sleep.
When Chas quietly poked his head in, hours later, she was so profoundly asleep that he refused to wake her, knowing that he could fill her in on what had happened in the morning. Smiling at the peaceful slumber of his beautiful beloved, he closed her door softly and headed for bed.
**
“So, what happened?” Missy demanded, popping a grape into her mouth from the generous breakfast tray that Maggie had brought.
“Well, unfortunately, it turns out that Livvy was correct, Amanda did try to poison you. The police ran the substance on your plate through the lab and discovered that the powder that she used was the same powder that was used to kill her husband.”
Missy gasped. “Amanda killed her husband? That’s horrible! Why would she do such a thing? And why on earth would she try to kill me?” Tears sprung to her eyes as she realized just how close she had come to taking a bite of cake that could’ve been her last.
“That’s my fault, I’m afraid,” Chas said, making a face. “Amanda confessed to killing Giles when she saw what she thought was my official return to society. She figured that if her husband wasn’t standing in the way, she’d be free to have the relationship with me that she and her parents have always wanted. Once she eliminated Giles, the only thing, in her estimation, standing between her and me…was you,” he explained, looking pained.
Missy’s hand went to her head injury. “Was she the one who…?” she asked, eyes wide.
Chas nodded. “She admitted to attacking you, and when police searched her car, they discovered a tennis racket in the trunk with blood and curly blond hairs on it,” he said grimly.
“She tried to bludgeon me with a tennis racket?”
“She always did have a heck of a backhand,” Chas commented dryly.
“What about my tummy troubles after dinner last week? Was that her too?” Missy asked.
“There was a different poison used, but, yes, she admitted to that as well.”
Missy stared into space for a moment, taking it all in. “Wow, it looks like I’m pretty fortunate to have survived,” she murmured, turning her pained gaze to the handsome detective.
“I’d say that I’m the fortunate one,” he replied, tilting her chin up for a kiss.
Chapter 17
Althea Browning breezed into Missy’s favorite Italian restaurant carrying a large tote bag filled with magazines, fabric samples, CD’s, invitation catalogs, and more, thrilled to begin her wedding plan. For two hours, the delightful young woman chattered non-stop about colors, themes, finding the perfect dress and bridesmaids dresses, and all other things that made planning a wedding such fun. After the grim time that Missy had spent with Chas’s family in New York, being in the company of a sweet young woman who was facing her future with joy and optimism was like a healing balm to her wounded spirit, and she soaked it in gratefully, caught up in the bride’s enthusiasm.
The meeting with Althea went very well, and despite the fact that Missy had only agreed to helping the girl because she felt that Mayor Felton gave her no other choice, she wondered if wedding planning might not be a bad idea to add to her business resume, at least on a part-time basis.
Both of the cupcake shops had done
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