Tastes Like Murder (Cookies & Chance Mysteries Book 1) (6 page)

My grandmother shook her head. "I never liked that boy. Too shifty. When you said you were going to marry him, I wanted to cry. You should have stayed with Mike."

"Grandma, that's ancient history." I thought of our kiss last night, and my cheeks heated.

Grandma Rosa didn't seem to notice. "He is a nice boy. Always sweet to me when I see him. Listen, my dear, you are a good girl. My old heart aches for what you have been through. I want to see you happy before I die and have great-grandchildren to hold. You are the smartest one in this family. With a little luck, you can really make something of yourself and this business."

I swelled with pride. Her opinion had always mattered so much to me. Sometimes she was the only one who ever actually listened to Gianna and me when we were growing up. "Do you really think so?"

"I know you will. Like I said, you are the smartest one in the family. Well, next to me, that is."

I laughed. "Um, Grandma, you might have forgotten Gianna is going to be a lawyer in the very near future?"

Grandma Rosa shook her head. "Your sister, she is book smart and also a good girl. You, on the other hand, have street smarts. They are more valuable. You have experienced—what do they say, the school of hard rocks?"

"Knocks." I grinned.

She shrugged. "Whatever. My point is, there will be some ugly talk about you soon. Ignore what people say, and rise above it."

"Like Mrs. Gavelli, you mean."

My grandmother made a face. "Nicoletta is a different story. She has her reasons for what she does." She paused. "But she is still a little bit loony tune."

I leaned over to give her a fierce hug. "What would we do without you?"

Grandma patted my cheek gently. "You would all be lost. Remember, though, during this difficult time, not to stoop to other people's levels. You are better than that."

"I'll remember, Grandma, I promise. You really do hold this family together."

My grandmother sighed. "Someone has to. Your mama, she acts like a little girl, and your papa lives like he has one foot in the grave. Imbeciles."

I chuckled, amused as always by her honesty.

"Do not worry, my sweet. I will always watch over you and your sister. If not here," she jerked her finger to the ceiling, "then, God willing, when I am up there."

"Come on, tell me what really happened, Sally. I promise not to tell anyone."

I raised an eyebrow at Wendy O'Brien, one of the most notorious gossips in Colwestern. Josie and I had graduated high school with her only son, Jake. He was my mother's latest attempt at getting me hitched again.

I shook my head as I placed six sugar cookies in a bag for her, along with a fortune cookie. "I already told you what happened. I found her lying on the porch."

Mrs. O'Brien frowned, her gray eyes appraising me with skepticism. "That's not what I heard. Everyone says you two were fighting."

My jaw almost hit the floor. I glanced sideways at Josie, involved in her own battle of wills with elderly Jeannie Peterson. The eccentric woman was quite particular about her cookies. She pointed at the glass, impatience written all over her face. "No, not that one. The one behind it. Can't you see, Josie? That one clearly has more chocolate chips."

Josie cursed under her breath. "Only one cookie, Mrs. Peterson?"

"That's all." She placed her hands on her large girth of a stomach. "And don't forget my fortune cookie either."

Josie gave me a death stare. I flinched as I handed Mrs. O'Brien her change.

"That's it?" Mrs. O'Brien frowned. "You're not going to tell me what the fight was about?"

"There was no fight, Mrs. O'Brien."

She snorted and sat down at a table. Her piercing eyes never left my face as she brought a cookie to her lips, afraid to miss any of the ongoing chatter.

"Yeah, right." Jeannie's loud cackle startled me. "I heard Amanda was taunting you about Colin. Everyone said you were ticked off and tried to rip her hair out of her head, and then you pushed her down on the porch."

I opened my mouth in astonishment. "That's ridiculous. I'd never do something like that."

"It's all over town." Mrs. Peterson nodded, as if that explained everything. She snatched her bag from Josie. "Hey, I'm not blaming you, honey. If you ask me, it's just desserts for that evil thing." She shook the bag and grinned. "No pun intended. Do you know what that rotten little snot did to me? She told me last week I couldn't have a facial at her salon because I might break the chair. Can you believe the gall of some people?"

She turned and fiddled with her umbrella as she waddled out the door, munching away on her cookie.

"Thank God she's gone." Josie slammed the register drawer shut. "Next time you get to wait on her."

Since we were children, Jeannie Peterson had managed to terrify the both of us, but Josie always maintained an extreme dislike for the woman. Jeannie was a widow with no children and mannerisms that resembled those of a witch. Gap-toothed and always dressed in black, rumor had it she also trapped and cooked small animals. As youngsters, we'd avoided her house on Halloween.

"Next." Josie motioned to a slender woman with long, dark hair.

The woman was about the same age as Josie and me. She glanced at the two little girls running around her in circles and caught each one by the hand. "Tell the lady what kind of cookies you want. One apiece."

Josie gave me another knowing look. Yes, it wasn't one of our more prosperous days.

The younger child, about age five, wore her hair in two neat blonde pigtails tied with red ribbons. She peered out at me from behind her mother, fingers in mouth. I melted at the sight of her and smiled as her enormous cornflower-blue eyes watched me with interest. She took her fingers out of her mouth and grinned, revealing a huge space where two front teeth used to be.

"Oh, Mommy, sugar cookie." She jumped up and down.

"I want the one with the jelly on top, Mommy." Her older sister had dark hair like the mother. She touched the glass with her fingertips, unable to contain her excitement.

"Paws off," Josie snapped. The little girl looked up at her, startled.

"It's all right," I reassured her while frowning at Josie. I reached for a piece of waxed paper and held out two fortune cookies. "Would you little ladies like one?"

"Yummy." The blonde licked her lips and reached for the cookie while her mother smiled at me.

"I don't know." The dark-haired girl held out her hand, but watched me thoughtfully. "I heard you made some lady eat one, and she choked to death."

"Molly." Her mother's eyes widened in alarm. "That's not true." She turned to me and blushed. "Right?"

What was with these people? "We're not sure what happened to her, but it wasn't from the cookies."

Mrs. O'Brien rose to her feet. "Sally, no one would blame you if you shoved one down her throat. Not after what she did to you."

I was mortified the children were hearing this. "Please, Mrs. O'Brien. I don't think this kind of talk is, um, appropriate right now."

She ignored me and stared down at her fortune cookie. "Well, what the heck."

"What does it say?" Josie asked. "Wait, let me guess. Don't ever assume because you'll make an ass—"

I cleared my throat loudly, and Josie closed her mouth.

Mrs. O'Brien read her fortune aloud. "Your intense personality can leave quite an impression on people."

Josie choked back a laugh then turned it into a cough.

"Well, I never." Mrs. O'Brien made a face. "That's the thanks I get for trying to defend you." She glowered at me. "Nice attitude. By the way, stop calling Jake and asking him to come for dinner."

My mouth opened in surprise. "I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't even seen Jake since I've been back." Recognition slowly dawned on me.
Uh-oh. Dear old Mom.

"Well, then tell your mother to stop calling and pretending she's you." She held the piece of paper up. "And get some real fortunes." She pushed the door open with force, and the bells jingled merrily.

The dark-haired woman handed Josie money. "Come on girls, let's go. What do you say to the nice lady?"

"Thank you," they both chimed together.

Molly glared at Josie. "You're mean."

"I've been called worse, kid." Josie walked into the back room, unperturbed.

Molly watched her retreating figure and looked to me for assistance. "You should fire her, lady."

When I bit my lip to hide a smile, her mother met my gaze and grinned. "How many kids does she have?"

"Four," I said.

She nodded with sudden understanding. "That explains it."

"Bye!" The little blonde danced out the door while I waved at her.

"You come back whenever you want another fortune cookie, okay?" I told them.

"Bye, now!" Josie hollered from behind me.

I put my hands on my hips and turned to face her. "Would it have hurt you to be nice to those sweet, little girls?"

Josie waved a hand dismissively. "Please. The oldest one is in Danny's class at school. She's always kissing the boys on the playground. I don't trust her."

"Why, does she happen to remind you of someone?" I teased.

She tossed her hair in defiance and ignored my comment. "You're such a sucker for kids. Wait till you have some, you'll learn."

My heart ached at the words, but I said nothing. Josie sighed and put her arm around my shoulders. "I'm sorry, Sal. That was stupid of me."

"No worries."

"You never should have married that asshole."

I couldn't argue with that statement. From the beginning, the one thing Colin had always been honest about with me was children. He didn't want them. Ever. Sadly, I had been young and foolish enough to think I could get him to change his mind with time.

"Live and learn, right?" My eyes were growing moist. I blinked a few times and went into the back room to check the inventory.

Josie followed. "Hey, for whatever it's worth, you don't need a husband to have one."

I held back a laugh. "Are you suggesting I visit a sperm bank or something?"

"Why not? Lots of people do it these days."

I opened the freezer to check on the pre-made dough. "Hel-lo, have you met my family? That is so not happening. My father would have a stroke."

"Oh, you Italians." Josie chuckled. "Always so old-fashioned."

The bells on the door announced we had another customer. We walked back into the storefront together, curious as to whom our next patron might be.

Josie let out a sigh. "I swear, if one more person asks about Amanda—"

"What about Amanda?" a woman asked.

My jaw dropped. Standing there, in an expensive, beige raincoat, was Amanda's mother, Kate Gregorio.

Josie's face was frozen, her eyes bugging out of her head.

"Oh, dear, look what I've done." Kate stared at the puddle on the floor and shuffled her feet. "I'm sorry to have made such a mess."

I walked toward her. "That's okay, Mrs. Gregorio. Don't worry about it." I hesitated for a minute. "What can I do for you?"

Her amber-colored eyes were full of pain. "I'd like to talk to you if you have a moment."

Oh, boy.
"Of course. Please sit down." I pulled out a chair for her and sat down in one next to her.

"Thank you." She placed her Louis Vuitton handbag on the empty chair between us and removed her coat. I didn't know Mrs. Gregorio well, but from what I'd been told, she wasn't like her daughter. A wealthy woman, whose husband had died two years ago, she was always willing to lend a hand when it came time for a donation or anything else to help the town.

Josie reached for her coat. "Let me hang that up for you. Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"That would be lovely. Do you have decaf?" Kate sat down.

I turned to my friend. "I picked up a huge box of K-cups the other day. They're in the back room, top shelf."

Josie nodded and disappeared with Kate's coat.

My hands shook so hard in my lap that I prayed she wouldn't notice. I lifted my head to meet Kate's gaze. Her black hair was perfectly coiffed and pulled back from her gaunt face. Dark circles of weariness shone under her eyes.

She sat there, her mournful face watching me until I couldn't stand it anymore. "I'm really sorry about Amanda, Mrs. Gregorio."

A lone tear rolled down her cheek. "Please call me Kate. And thank you."

Another awkward silence. I kept praying Josie would return and hoped she wasn't staying away on purpose.

Kate cleared her throat. "Sally, I know you and Amanda weren't friends. I also know about the incident with your husband. I mean, ex-husband."

"Mrs. Gregorio, er, Kate." I clasped my hands together. "I didn't have anything to do with Amanda's death. I hope you'll believe me."

She reached out to grab my hand in between her two fragile, ice cold ones. "I didn't come here to accuse you. I thought maybe you might remember something about that night. Anything at all would help."

I was ashamed my first thought had been about protecting my own hide. "I don't know what would help. Amanda came in, bought some cookies, then went outside to eat them. I closed the shop, went upstairs for a few minutes, came downstairs, and found—her."

Kate sighed. "Yes. Officer Jenkins has been to my house twice already about the investigation. I hoped there was something you might have forgotten. You know, that might help the police catch the person."

I looked up to see Josie standing beside Kate, placing coffee and a small pitcher of cream in front of her. Alarm registered in her blue eyes.

Confused, I stared at Kate. "Catch them? I don't understand. Do you know what caused her death?"

"Amanda was highly allergic to bees. Her lips and eyes were swollen, along with her tongue. The doctor said all signs of death pointed to an anaphylactic reaction." She hesitated. "But—"

Josie's nostrils flared. "You think it was something else?"

Kate exhaled sharply. "A lot of things just don't add up. They could find no visible signs of a bee sting on Amanda. Also, she carried an EpiPen everywhere she went, but there wasn't one in her purse. The police said the contents were spilled out all over your porch, as if she might have been searching for it."

I nodded. "I noticed that too."

Her mouth tightened into a thin, hard line. "I believe someone is responsible for my daughter's death."

Sheer panic spread through my body. "I swear to you, there was nothing wrong with the cookies she ate."

Kate's eyes filled with unshed tears, and she dabbed at them with her napkin. "I'm sorry. I didn't come here to upset you."

"So if it wasn't an actual bee sting, how did she die?' Josie asked.

Kate twisted her napkin between her hands. "The doctor said it's possible she ingested bee venom somehow."

"Do you know what else she had to eat before she came here?" I asked.

Amanda's mother released my hand and reached into the center of the table for a packet of Equal. She poured it into her cup and added a drop of cream. "That's the strange part. Amanda had an upset stomach earlier that day and told me she hadn't eaten anything. When I spoke to her on the phone, she said she had a craving for cookies and was going to stop by your shop."