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

foot as if she might kick Arnold. Ally moved fast to lean down and shield him. Her hand brushed across Stephanie’s shoe as she reached for the pig. Ally pulled him away.
    “Sorry,” she said, but she shot a glare of warning at Stephanie. The very idea that someone might try to hurt Arnold made her very angry.
    “Just keep control of him. Who has a pig for a pet, anyway?” She shook her head and turned to walk away. Ally tried to peer through the front window to see if the brand of walnuts was on the shelf. When she brushed her hand across the window she noticed that she left a dark smudge behind. After all the trouble she had with keeping the front window clean she was sensitive to smudged windows.
    “Ugh, she must have had dirt on her shoe.” Ally turned her hand to the side and saw a large smear of brown across the side of her hand.
    “Oh gross, is that mud or something worse?”
    Charlotte leaned close and sniffed. “Relax, it’s chocolate.”
    “No wonder Arnold was going nuts. He must have smelled the chocolate.”
    “Here.” Charlotte handed her a tissue to clean her hand with. “What would Stephanie be doing with chocolate on her shoes?”
    “I don’t know, but between the walnuts and the chocolate, I’m starting to think that she had something to do with her sister’s death.”
    “Maybe, but it doesn’t prove anything. Let’s follow her a bit and see where she ends up. It’ll be fun.” Charlotte winked at Ally. Ally grinned.
    “Mee-Maw, we have to talk about your version of fun.”
    “Sh. Look, she’s going away from the parking lot.” Charlotte pointed out Stephanie’s bright red jacket. She was walking towards the small patch of woods.
    “What is she going back there for?” Ally frowned.
    “We’re going to find out.”
    Ally and Charlotte walked across the parking lot to the other side. Then they followed Stephanie into the trees. Stephanie was still several feet ahead of them when they heard a male voice.
    “We shouldn’t be meeting like this. Not with the kids in town.”
    “I had to see you. What are we going to do?” Stephanie asked.
    “The same thing I told you to do. We just need time for things to die down.”
    “I don’t know, Nate, I just want to move on with our lives.” Ally and Charlotte looked at each other when they heard his name. Was this Myrtle’s ex-husband?
    “Relax, the process takes time. We don’t want to make a mistake and be caught.”
    “I know, but I just want to have Myrtle’s murder behind us?”
    “It will be soon enough.”
    “What happens if the kids figure us out?” Stephanie asked.
    “It’s okay we’ll just tell them the truth.”
    Ally held her breath. She wanted to hear a full confession. Instead she heard the unmistakable sound of lips smacking in a kiss. Her mouth fell open in shock. Stephanie and her sister’s ex-husband? It made her feel uncomfortable to even consider it.
    “Nate, I wish we didn’t have to wait so long.”
    “Me too, Stephanie, but they just lost their mother.”
    “Some mother.”
    “She was a hard woman, but she was their mother. They don’t need anything else to shake up their lives right now. They will find out eventually, and as much as they love you, I’m sure they will find a way to accept it.”
    “I hope so.” Stephanie sniffled.
    “Don’t cry my love. It’s all right. Everything is falling into place now, hmm?”
    “You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s just that I feel like I’m being followed, or watched, or something.”
    Ally and Charlotte exchanged a glance. Suddenly a little mouse raced by Arnold. Arnold let out a loud snort and tried to chase after it. Ally did her best to hold onto his leash, but she wasn’t expecting him to bolt and didn’t have a good grip. He rushed off through the woods after the mouse.
    “Arnold!” Ally tried to cry out, but Charlotte put a hand over her mouth to quiet her.
    “Who’s there?” Nate shouted. Then there was a rustling of leaves as the two