Death by Pumpkin Spice Read Free

them, so she put up with them. I can’t believe she’s going to continue on the tradition without him, especially after what happened.”
    Some of the air went out of me then. What I’d thought of as a chance to get to know Will better was now starting to sound more and more like it might end up being a somber affair where Howard’s wife and friends would lament his passing by holding the party he’d held so dear. I would feel like I was imposing, not having met the man.
    Rita leaned forward even more, so that she was only a few inches from my face. “And let me tell you something about William Foster . . .”
    I held up a hand before she could go on. “No,” I said, taking a step back. “Just, no.”
    â€œNo?” She said it like she’d never heard the word before. “No, what?”
    â€œI don’t want to hear it.” I picked up my cooling coffee and took a sip, shaking my head all the while.
    â€œI don’t know what you could mean?”
    â€œNo gossip,” I said. “No secrets. I want to discover these things on my own.”
    Rita stepped back, looking mildly offended. “I don’t gossip!” Someone sitting at a nearby table snorted. She glared over her shoulder at him. “Well, I don’t.”
    I knew for a fact that Rita spent most of her life gossiping about the people of Pine Hills, but I decided not to press the issue. It would get me nowhere but on her bad side, which in turn would turn me into a major target of her gossipy wrath.
    â€œWell, I should run,” Rita said, hand going to her hair. She’d recently curled it, though with the coming rain it was starting to sag. “You must tell me how the party goes.”
    â€œI will,” I said, knowing I wouldn’t have any choice. I’d either tell her everything, or she would find someone who would. At least if I told her, I could make sure everything she heard was true.
    She gave me a simpering smile before walking away.
    â€œParty?” Vicki asked, startling me. Apparently she’d come downstairs at some point during my conversation and was standing behind me. “What party?”
    I turned away from Rita, and with a grin that nearly split my face in half, I told Vicki all about it.

2
    â€œThis is going to be amazing! I can’t believe we’re both going to be there.”
    Vicki beamed at me as we entered the costume shop, Halloween Queens. We’d both gotten up early so we could be at the store just as it opened so Vicki could get to Death by Coffee and start her shift. Lena was opening today, which was a big deal for her. Usually, either Vicki or I was present when the store opened and closed, but not today. We both trusted her to do a good job, even if she was going to have to train Jeff in some of the basics by herself.
    â€œMason’s invite came because of Raymond.” The elder Lawyer and all-around jerk. “He didn’t want to go, but when he told me about it, I insisted. I mean, it isn’t every day you get to go to a big Halloween party! It’s been so long since I’ve been to anything this large, I’m kind of nervous.”
    Vicki had definitely been to her fair share of parties, and mostly under protest. Her parents were both small-time actors, but they were still able to attend quite a few cast parties since they held a few minor roles here and there. They’d dragged her along, kicking and screaming, not caring if she wanted to be there or not. Even though she got to meet quite a few famous people at these events, Vicki just wasn’t interested in the lifestyle. It was part of the reason she’d moved to Pine Hills in the first place. The only acting she wanted to do was on the small stage, in front of friends and neighbors; not on the television or movie screens.
    Not many people understood her choices. I, for one, was glad for them.
    â€œI’m worried,” I told her.