Grilled for Murder by Maddie Day Page A

you can look at it.”
    Octavia blew out a breath. “All right. Give me her number, and I’ll send someone out to pick it up.”
    â€œShe’s still here. I’ll have her call you when she gets home, okay?”
    She agreed and I disconnected the call, staring at Adele.
    â€œCould someone have used the press to kill Erica? The police did find what they called a contusion on the back of her head. It’s totally horrible even thinking about it.” My voice shook, and I swallowed. “If the killer used the press on Erica, he took it away with him, or else the police would have found it.”
    Adele dried her hands on a blue-and-white-striped towel. “Guess you’re lucky they didn’t use the chopper.” She pointed to the two-handled curved blade, which fit exactly in a shallow wooden bowl.
    â€œ Ack. You’re right. I don’t even want to think about that.”
    â€œI’m heading back to the farm now, hon. Left Sloopy out.”
    â€œHow’s he doing?” I liked her energetic border collie.
    â€œGood. Loves his job, rounding up the flock. And Samuel’s coming over a little later on.” A blush tinted Adele’s deeply lined cheeks.
    Phil’s grandfather was Adele’s main squeeze, and good for them, finding full-blown romance in their seventies.
    â€œSounds like a nice afternoon.” I remembered something I’d been meaning to ask her. “Adele, I want to add some new gift items for the holidays. You know, local crafts and such. You’ve got yarn from your sheep that you sell. Could you bring some over? We can set up a special display, maybe bring in more shoppers before Christmas.”
    â€œThat’s a great idea, hon. I have a decent supply, and in the most gorgeous colors. I’ll bring it by next time I come to town.”
    â€œThanks. Now go home to your dog and your man. I’ll be fine.” I held out my arms for a hug from the only relative I’d ever known besides my mom. Mom had died suddenly last January at only fifty-three, and the taste of missing her was still bitter. She’d taught me cabinet making and how to love life, and she’d left me enough money so that, combined with my savings, I could buy this country store and make it over into a restaurant.
    She hugged me. “Any word from Roberto?”
    â€œHis foot is healing up well. I Skyped with him on Friday, and we’re planning my trip.” Last month I’d discovered my absent father was a professor in Italy who’d never even known of my existence. Mom had never told him about me, or me about him. After I contacted him, he’d welcomed me into his heart and invited me to come to Tuscany for Christmas to meet him and the half-siblings I wasn’t even aware I had.
    â€œThat’s just ducky, hon,” Adele said. “All righty, I’m out of here. Now don’t you worry about having to be closed. Folks are going to come on back as soon as you reopen, you’ll see. People around here have gotten used to your tasty meals.”
    â€œI hope so.” I mustered a smile as I saw her out the side door. I closed the door and thought for a moment, and opened it again. I needed to board up the top part of my door. Cardboard wasn’t secure at all, and with a murderer out there, being secure was high on my list. I knew I had some plywood left over from the store renovation out in the old barn that’d come with the property.
    Half an hour later, I shot in the last screw with my power drill and stepped back to examine it. I hated to have to put screws into an antique door, and it wasn’t pretty, but the door was as secure as it was going to get for today. I’d order replacement glass tomorrow. It was too bad, because the antique glass had made lovely wavy patterns on the floor when late-day sunlight streamed through it. I thought they made unbreakable glass for doors now, so perhaps having it