Steamed to Death by Peg Cochran Page A

He only knew this much by, you know, keeping his ear to the ground, so to speak.” Alice smiled proudly. “He did say that there was something on the scene that had convinced Detective Mertz.”
    “I wonder what that was.” Sienna glanced from Alice to Gigi. “I know Anja, Felicity’s housekeeper, would be very relieved if it’s proven Felicity’s death wasn’t a suicide. On the other hand, murder isn’t much of an alternative.”
    Gigi was quiet. An idea was already percolating in her mind. Winchel had asked her to stay on for a bit and provide meals and ultimately a luncheon after Felicity’s funeral. Anja also needed help in the kitchen since the police had asked Winchel’s houseguests to stay in the area for a few days, and Winchel had insisted they stay with him. Besides, Hector’s Plumbing and Heating still hadn’t come up with the appropriate piece of kitchen pipe, so Gigi was glad of the offer.
    Sienna regarded her with narrowed eyes. “Okay, give. What’s up? You’ve got that look.”
    “What look?” Gigi asked innocently.
    “The look. The one you get when you’re about to suggest we do something insane like break into someone’s porch for evidence.”
    “I had no choice,” Gigi protested.
    “Well, whatever it is, we can’t let you do it alone.”
    • • •
    Gigi spent the rest of the morning working on some recipes for Branston Foods. The good news was that she would serve the finished products to Winchel and the rest of Felicity’s houseguests for lunch.
    Anja was serving the meal, and everyone was in the dining room waiting to eat, when Gigi got out her cell and called Sienna and Alice. She reached Alice first and whispered into the phone, “The coast is clear,” before hanging up.
    She dialed Sienna and went through the same scenario. Then she hovered near the back door until they arrived.
    “Oh, that rain refuses to let up,” Alice declared.
    “Sssh,” Gigi and Sienna said in unison.
    Alice’s hand flew to her mouth. “Sorry.”
    “We can go straight upstairs.” Gigi pointed to the back stairs, which went from the mudroom by the back door up to the second and third floors.
    “This is so exciting,” Alice said, and they shushed her again.
    They got to the door of Felicity’s bedroom, and Alice suddenly came to a halt. “I . . . I’m not sure I want to go in there.” She swiped a hand across her eyes. “It was so . . . horrible, seeing that poor woman like that.”
    “Then you can stand watch,” Sienna said decisively.
    “Well, all right, I guess I’ll go with you,” Alice said, obviously not wanting to be left out.
    They tiptoed across the acres of ultra-plush carpeting toward the master bath. Alice’s head swiveled this way and that. “I didn’t really get a chance to look around before. I was too upset. This is some setup, don’t you think?” She plunged her hand into the cashmere throw that was casually draped across a rose-colored chaise longue.
    “It’s a little fancy for my taste.” Sienna crossed the room quickly.
    Gigi realized she couldn’t even begin to imagine living in a room like this, so there was no point in thinking about it. The bedroom in her little cottage was perfect as far as she was concerned—small but homey and comfortable.
    “Is this where it happened?” Sienna stood at the entrance to the bathroom.
    Despite her earlier attack of nerves, Alice peered over Sienna’s shoulder eagerly. Gigi was the only one holding back. Sienna opened the sauna door and peered in. The bench inside was large enough for several people. Gigi had never seen a sauna before, but this one looked as if everything was in order.
    “Do you think it malfunctioned somehow?” Gigi examined the knobs and dials that she supposed set the temperature and the time.
    “But that would make it an accident, and the police don’t think it was for some reason.”
    “True.”
    Sienna pushed the door to the sauna closed and sighed in defeat. “I can’t