A Novel Death: a Danger Cove Bookshop Mystery (Danger Cove Mysteries Book 10) Read Free Page B

portions of it at Dangerous Reads, six o'clock on Saturday." I gave them my best public relations professional smile, and they each tucked a flyer into their pockets.
    "Meri, I'm all ready for you," Cassidi said, walking to the front of the salon and greeting me with a warm, lopsided smile. "Your mom says you're growing your hair out."
    Of course she did. I stuffed Cal's book into my bag and headed back to the shampoo center. "No, I am not. In fact, take another inch off."

CHAPTER TWO
     
    "Sweetheart, this coffee is not quite right," Cal Montague said, handing the cup back to Katya with a smile that never quite reached his eyes. "Try again, but hotter and with more cream."
    Katya smiled and turned around, waiting until her back was to the celebrity author before she gave me the stink-eye. This would be her third trip across the street to the Cinnamon Sugar Bakery to try to satisfy the actor's demands. I gave her an apologetic smile as she left the break room and then closed the door behind her to keep our celebrity author out of view until I could introduce him to the growing crowd at the front of the bookstore.
    He signed another book with a flourish.
    "Meredith, you have a lovely store here," Cal said with a smile. He was not a traditionally handsome man, but there was something attractive about him. He had lovely blue eyes and a thick head of silver hair. His grin revealed straight, white teeth. If he'd had plastic surgery, it was well done and subtle and hadn't erased the crow's-feet around his eyes that crinkled up with his smile.
    "Thank you, Mr. Montague," I said, handing him another book opened to the title page. "You're our first author visit for the new speakers series. We're all so happy you could accommodate us in your tour."
    "It's my pleasure. It's been a long time since I've been back in Danger Cove," he said. "You're a native too?"
    I nodded, swapping books again. He had a huge stack to sign before the reading, and I wanted to make sure we had plenty of signed copies to sell after he left.
    "I am, but I've been living in Seattle for about ten years," I said. "I recently moved back here."
    Cal nodded with what looked like a sympathetic expression and signed another scrawl in black ink across the page.
    "Can't imagine that, myself. But it's nice to be back for a visit."
    A sharp knock sounded on the door to the break room, and I stood up to let in Cal's publicist, Karen Dale, who had been running around Danger Cove to find gluten-free snacks for the guest of honor. She dropped a bag on the table.
    "Cal, they had cookies but no crackers. And I couldn't find this week's edition of People or Us magazines," she said.
    Cal gave an impatient snort and frowned.
    "Don't you have magazines here?" he asked me.
    "Some, but the new editions won't be delivered until Tuesday," I said.
    "My book is being reviewed in People , you know," he said.
    "Wonderful," I said.
    I had only made it through the first chapter so far. With all the things that needed to be done to get the store ready for his signing, I hadn't had much time to read. And each time I had finally crawled into bed with a mug of tea and Cal's book, it had lulled me into a deep sleep. So I hadn't gotten through it yet. On the other hand, I was now very well rested.
    Cal opened the bag of gluten-free cookies, peered in, and then pushed them away with a look of disgust. "I wanted the other ones, without the nuts."
    Karen's lips pursed, but she didn't say anything. The publicist was in her 50s, with short, spiky brown hair and a near-constant frown.
    "Where's that child with my coffee?"
    I went to the door and looked out at the shop, which was filling up with customers arriving for the signing. Katya was coming in the front door with a tray of coffees. I ushered her into the break room, and she set the four cups on the table and took the lids off all of the coffees, which had various amounts of cream.
    Cal examined them and then chose one in the middle and took a sip.