Spicy Lasagna Murder: Book 13 in The Darling Deli Series Read Free Page A

said. “Maybe they started the bonfire early today for some reason. They usually wait until it gets dark, though.”
    David glanced at his watch.
    “It’s only eleven,” he said. “It has to be something else.”
    Moira frowned, but couldn’t think of what it could be. The barbecue? But that wouldn’t send up such a big plume of smoke, would it?
    When they heard the screams, they both broke into a jog.
    “Which way?” David said when they reached a T in the path.
    “I don’t know!” the deli owner exclaimed. “Just choose a direction, I’ll follow.”
    He chose right, and they both ran down the rows of corn. David took the turns quickly, making split-second decisions that Moira trusted. The plume of smoke in the sky got darker, and both of them could smell wood burning. At last they burst through the maze’s exit. Both of them stumbled to a halt as they saw the smoke billowing from the old barn’s door only a few dozen yards in front of them.
    “Oh my goodness,” Moira exhaled, frozen in spot as flames licked through the small windows in the top half of the barn. A black pillar of smoke was already beginning to rise into the clear sky.
    “Keep back,” David warned, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Old buildings can go up in flames fast, and you don’t want to be near it when it collapses.”
    She took a step back, remembering the fire damage suffered by her own house all those months ago. The poor thing had barely been standing after the flames had been put out, and it had been built much more solidly than this barn was. How quickly would the fire engines be able to get here? Was there any hope of saving it?
    “I hope no one was inside,” she said. At least she knew that there were no horses or other animals inside it—as far as she knew, Luke Samwell only used it to store hay, straw, and old equipment. He didn’t want to risk it collapsing on his animals during a storm. What on earth could have happened? Had one of the guests foolishly flicked a cigarette onto a pile of dry straw?
    “Has anyone called this in?” David muttered, gazing at the crowd of people that was gathering some distance away from the barn. Moira looked too, but couldn’t see a single person with their cell phone to their ear. A few were recording the blaze, their phones held out in front of them with the camera pointing at the barn.
    “My cell phone’s in my purse,” Moira said after quickly checking her pockets. “Should I go get it?”
    “No, I’ll go. I left mine in the car as well, so I wouldn’t be distracted by work calls.” He shook his head, annoyed at himself. “Next time I’ll just leave it on silent. You stay here—don’t go any closer, and don’t disappear somewhere. The sooner we can get everyone accounted for and make sure no one’s missing, the better. I’ll be right back.”
    She watched him turn and quickly jog off toward the farmhouse where they had parked the car. A giant Crack! brought her attention back to the burning barn. She saw sparks fly up through the window only to fizzle out as they fell through the air. Her gaze went back to the group of people over by the food. Should she join them? David asked me to stay here , she thought. If he turns around and sees that I’m gone, he’ll be worried. But I’m right by the exit to the corn maze. If anyone else comes out, I can warn them to keep back and tell them that David’s going to call for help.
    Her plan seemed sound until she saw, through the open barn door, the figure of a man silhouetted against the flames. No, it was two men—and it looked like they were fighting. Moira inhaled sharply and was about to cry out when the figures disappeared from view behind a plume of smoke. She thought she heard a strangled shout.
    She turned, but no one else had been at the correct angle to see the men. She could see David over by his car, rummaging around inside, but he was too far away to help.
    “Someone’s inside,” she shouted over at the