Murder by the Slice Read Free Page B

conflict of interest?”
    “Not at all,” Carolyn said. “All the entries will be assigned a number, and they’ll be judged anonymously. We won’t know who came up with the winning snack until it’s all over.”
    Phyllis was tempted; she truly was. Although she got tired of losing to Carolyn, she enjoyed their competition. This time, though, she was going to remain above the fray, as the old saying went.
    Anyway, she had a much better idea for a fancy decorated cake than she did for a healthy snack that kids probably wouldn’t like, anyway.
    She shook her head and said, “I’ll donate a cake for the auction, but I just don’t have time to come up with something for the contest. I’m sorry, Carolyn. Right now I have to get back to this job.” She knelt, picked up the wrench, and crawled under the sink again.
    “You’re sure?”
    “I’m sure.” Phyllis’s reply sounded hollow inside the
    cabinet. She lifted the heavy wrench and again fit it around the pipe.
    “Well, all right.” Carolyn’s footsteps retreated from the kitchen. Phyllis decided to wait a few minutes to be sure she was really gone before scooting out from under the sink.
    Before she could do that, more footsteps entered the kitchen, heavier ones this time, and Sam Fletcher’s deep voice asked, “What are you doin’ under there, Phyllis?”
    She knew that she probably looked utterly undignified. Not only that, but she could tell that her shirt had hiked up a little as she moved around, revealing a few inches of bare belly. She tugged it down and said, “One of the pipes is leaking.”
    “Want me to take a look at it?” He hunkered down so that he could peer into the cabinet under the sink.
    Something about lying there like that with Sam so close by made her uncomfortable. She slid out, but that pushed her shirt up again and she had to grab it and pull it down. “Please,” she said as she sat up. “I don’t know whether to tighten it or loosen it or what to do.”
    He took the wrench from her and lay down on his back, putting his head and shoulders into the cabinet. Phyllis remained where she was, sitting on the kitchen floor beside him.
    “Carolyn looked a little disappointed when she came out of here,” Sam commented as he worked with the wrench.
    “She wanted me to enter a cooking contest she’s going to put on at that school carnival.”
    “Another contest, eh? You going to enter?”
    “No, I don’t think so. She’s doing a cake auction, too, and I think I’d rather do that.”
    “Well, I’m sure you’ll come up with something mighty fine.”
    “Oh, it doesn’t really matter. It’s just to raise money for the PTO.”
    “And braggin’ rights, I expect.”
    Rather than respond to that comment, Phyllis leaned over and looked under the sink. “Do you know what’s wrong with it?”
    “Might need a new washer… .” Sam tugged on the wrench. Something cracked, and suddenly water spurted out, splattering over his face. “Oh, shoot! Phyllis, cut the water off! Wait—never mind—I got it!” He twisted something on one of the pipes, and the water slowed to a trickle, then stopped entirely.
    “What a mess,” Phyllis said as Sam scooted out from inside the wet cabinet.
    “Sorry.” He raked dripping hair out of his eyes. “I’ll get a towel and mop it all up. I’m afraid plumbing’s just not my strong suit.”
    “Don’t worry about it. I should have called somebody to take care of it to start with.”
    “I’ll pay for a plumber. I’m the one who cracked that pipe.”
    “Oh, no, you were just trying to help. It’s my responsibility.”
    “I insist—”
    Eve walked into the kitchen at that moment and stood there for a couple of seconds looking at them as they sat side by side on the floor, both splattered with water, Sam’s head soaked.
    “My,” Eve said coolly, “what have you two been doing?”
    Without waiting for an answer, she turned and walked out of the kitchen.
    The level of awkwardness in the