miss fortune mystery (ff) - sinfully delicious

miss fortune mystery (ff) - sinfully delicious Read Free

Book: miss fortune mystery (ff) - sinfully delicious Read Free
Author: anna snow
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Fortune will be camped out in the shadows near the rear entrance.” I added.
“Right.” Ida Bell continued. “Then we wait. Once the thief enters the office, Gertie and Fortune will lock the entrances. At that point I will flick on the light and make myself known. From you two will make yourselves known and hopefully whoever it is will give in without a fight.”
“But if they do, you have your pepper spray don’t you?” Fortune asked.
Ida Bell nodded and patted her pocket.
“Then let’s get this show on the road.”
                                                                          * * * *
The boat ride to Francine’s lasted all of three minutes and was shockingly accident free. We docked behind the café and using the full moon as a spotlight, made our way to the back door.
The already open back door.
Fortune looked back at us and shook her head, then placed her finger over her mouth.
We eased the door open and I said a silent thank you that the hinges didn’t squeak. The three of us tiptoed in and saw a light coming from beneath the office door.
Someone was definitely inside and from the rustling noises coming from within, it was obvious that our thief was looking for the recipe.
Fortune waved her finger in the air, directing us to take up positions at the entrances. She stayed by the office door.
Once in place we gave her a thumbs up.
She didn’t really need to kick the door in or draw her gun, but I think Fortune had been feeling a little constricted and needed to let out some aggression. Especially since I’d smashed her nose only hours before.
Her foot slammed into the door and it flew open, hitting the wall behind it.
“Don’t move!” Fortune yelled.
There was a loud squeal followed the sound of a crash. Ida Bell and I hurried to the office and flanked Fortune on both sides.
“Who the hell are you?” Ida Bell asked the tall, thin redhead standing with her hands in the air and a frozen look of fear on her face.
“C-Cathy.” She sputtered.
Fortune put her gun away and asked. “The Cathy that Francine just hired?”
“Yes.” She nodded.
“You’re the one who stole the recipe? Why?”
She dropped her hands and shook her head. “I never intended to hurt Francine, I swear, but I’m in college. My parents died six month back and ever since then I’ve been struggling to pay my tuition. Two men from New Orleans came in a couple of days ago and asked about the recipe. I told them that I didn’t know anything about it, but they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. If I don’t pay the college within the next two weeks, I’ll have to quit. So, I followed Francine to the door of her office, watched her key in the safe combination, and then hurried back out front. When we were busy this morning, I snuck in and took the recipe.”
We all exchanged glances.  “That’s one hell of a reason to steal the recipe.” I admitted.
“Yes, but it doesn’t make it right.” Ida Bell said.
“I care about Francine and this town, but my entire future rides on me finishing college. I didn’t know what else to so.” Cathy said.
Ida Bell shook her head. “Where’s the recipe that you took this morning?”
“The fake? It’s right here.” She pulled a tattered brown card from her front pocket.
I reached out and took it. “This isn’t really a fake. We lied. We spread word that it was a fake in order to catch you.”
She looked completely defeated.
“I’ll call Carter.” Fortune left the room.
“What will happen to me?” she asked.
“I don’t know, but I guess we’ll find out.” I said.
Chapter Five
The next morning came faster than we’d have liked. After our mid-night rendezvous with Cathy the Pudding Thief, we were all dragging, but the promise of Francine’s pudding had us up and headed into town before seven o’clock.
Sinful was decorated in all the usual fall colors, and booths lined the sidewalks and down the center of

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