A Deadly Delicious Delivery (A Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery Book 2) by Cindy Bell Page A

take a walk. Hmm? Fresh air can make everything better.” Charlotte linked her arm through Ally’s. Ally sighed. She still didn’t think it was a good idea. But her grandmother was right. If she stayed inside all she would do was wallow. That was something that Charlotte never allowed. No matter what difficulty she faced, Ally was always pulled to her feet and forced to deal with it head on. Even as an adult, things were no different.
    “Let’s go, let’s go.” Charlotte patted her arm. “Arnold needs a walk you know.”
    “I know, I know.” When they walked into the kitchen Arnold snorted impatiently. “Don’t worry we didn’t forget about you, Piggie.” Ally patted his head and then clipped the leash onto Arnold’s collar. As they stepped outside it was just dusk.
    “Maybe a walk really isn’t a good idea,” Ally said, still trying to get out of it.
    “Nonsense. We have to keep our health, and that means exercise.”
    Ally nodded and started walking. The further along the sidewalk that they traveled the happier Arnold became. When they neared the shops Arnold really snorted.
    “He must like all the smells in the air.” Charlotte smiled fondly at him. Arnold pulled hard on his leash. Ally tried to pull back, but the pig was determined. One thing Ally learned real fast about Arnold was that when he wanted something, it was best just to let him have it. In the long run the fight was not worth the stress. She let him lead her along to the back of the convenience store. She sighed impatiently when he shoved his snout into a trashcan that had been tipped over, perhaps by other larger animals. He snorted and grunted as he dug deeper into the trash.
    “Arnold, cut it out.” Ally frowned. She still wasn’t in the best mood and Arnold certainly wasn’t making it any better for her. She tried to tug him back, but he refused and snorted louder. Ally dropped down to one knee and tried to guide Arnold away from the trash. As she pushed his kicking and squealing body away from the trash she noticed that something strange clung to his snout. It was an empty package of walnuts. Ally stared at the wrapper.
    “Look at this, Mee-Maw.” She held it out for her grandmother to see.
    “Interesting. They could have been used in the chocolates.”
    “This is it! Stephanie must be the killer.”
    “Slow down, sh.” Charlotte looked around to see if anyone was close enough to hear Ally. “We don’t know that for sure. This is a convenience store maybe she just sells them.”
    “Well, if she does maybe we can find out if she remembers who bought them recently.”
    “It couldn’t hurt to ask.” Charlotte tucked the wrapper into her purse. Ally led Arnold around the corner to the front of the store. Stephanie opened the door with her keys in hand.
    “Sorry ladies, just closing up.”
    “Oh, I just need one thing for a recipe, Stephanie, could I just duck in and get it?” Charlotte said sweetly.
    “What is it?” Stephanie raised an eyebrow.
    Charlotte reached into her purse and pulled out the packaging. “This kind of walnuts.”
    To Ally it seemed that Stephanie’s face paled when she saw the wrapper, but maybe she was just imagining it. “Where did you get that?”
    “Do you carry them? Please, I just need one bag,” Charlotte said.
    “I’m sorry we’re closed. You can come back tomorrow. Or better yet hit the grocery store. It’s still open for an hour and they carry a variety of brands.”
    “We don’t have our car at the moment and I don’t want to walk that far. Maybe I could pick it up in the morning?” Charlotte asked.
    Stephanie locked the door. “You’re better off going to the grocery store. I carry a lot of products, even if that’s one of them, I can’t guarantee that I have it in stock.”
    Arnold snorted and tried to sniff Stephanie’s shoes. The closer he got to them the more excited he became. Ally tried to tug him back.
    “Could you please make him stop?” Stephanie moved her