Maple Frosted Murder (Donut Hole 2) Read Free Page B

How could they?  Is it that Detective
Shepherd?  Is he the one harassing you?”
     
    “He’s
not harassing me,” she said, “and he doesn’t really suspect me.  He just has to
investigate everyone the victim had contact with in the past 24 hours.”
    There
was a pause as Amy digested this.  “I guess so,” Amy said.  “At least, that’s
what they do on CSI.”  Another pause.  “Well, you certainly sound better than
you did when you left me that voice mail,” she said.  “Are you sure you don’t
need to talk?”
     
    “I
can’t right now.  I’m at the grocery store picking up a pie for tonight and
some other stuff.”
     
    “Get
a veggie tray for me, would you?  I’m supposed to bring one, and I haven’t had
time to go out.  I’m working on an intricate piece.”
     
    “Sure. 
No problem.  See you tonight?”
     
    “You
better believe it.  We’ll talk there.”
     
    Heather
realized she had stopped right in the middle of an aisle.  Another customer was
waiting politely behind her.  She pushed her cart forward and located the pie
section.  As she stood there trying to decide which variety looked most
impressive, she heard voices coming from the bakery counter just behind her.
     
    “I
was going to pick up some of those gourmet donuts from that donut shop on Oak
Lane,” someone said.  “But not after what I heard about that place.”
     
    Heather
sneaked a glance behind her to see a store employee handing a white box across
the counter to a middle-aged woman in a long, heavy coat.  She glanced away as
the employee said, “Oh, really?”
     
    “I
heard they got cited for health department violations,” the customer said. 
“God only knows what goes on in that place.”
    Health
violations?
     
    “Who
knows?” the employee said.  “Well, have a nice day.”
     
    Heather
forced herself not to look up as the woman pushed a cart past her.  She could
almost feel the steam coming out of her ears.  Health department violations? 
No way!  Where in the world had the woman heard that?
     
    Maybe
from Stan?  Heather chuffed out a disgusted breath.  Probably.  But now, she’d
probably never know.  Oh, well.  At least, if it was Stan, he wouldn’t be
spreading any more rumors about her and her products.
     
    Wonder
how many other people heard that and maybe believed it? she fumed as she pushed
her cart toward the deli for Amy’s veggie tray.  Probably not too many, she
decided as she grabbed the first veggie tray she saw.  Business has been okay
lately.  Better than okay, in fact.  It’s been great.  And besides, my
customers are loyal.  They know me. 
     
    Stan’s
jealousy and underhanded tactics hadn’t had the effect he apparently desired. 
Not against her, anyway.  But how many more people had Stan made accusations
against?  Had one of those people felt threatened and wanted to silence his
claims?
     
    I
need to visit his shop, she decided.  Tomorrow morning—if it’s still open.  See
what I can find out.  Maybe I can pick up a clue as to who hated him enough to
kill him.
     
    ***
     
    Ahhhh,
the scent of pine, Heather thought, and tried not to be too obvious about
sniffing the air.  Mingled with the piney scent emanating from the hanging
garlands and table arrangements everywhere were the aromas of a variety of side
dishes and desserts, not to mention the entrée choices, orange-honey-glazed ham
and enchiladas with sour cream sauce.
     
    At
least they’d had the entrees catered, she thought, as she looked for a place to
set down Amy’s vegetable tray and her pie.  Several members of the Hillside
Council for the Fine Arts had wanted to have the entire event catered, but in
the end, budget constraints won out, and they voted to hire a caterer for the
entrees and have guests bring the rest.
     
    She
set down her pie on the cranberry-red tablecloth that covered the dessert table
and quickly separated the plastic lid from the silver pie dish.  Glancing