dinner together?”
What was this? An interrogation? “This morning. That was Holly’s big problem she was so freaked about.”
“When were you going to tell me?”
Had I forgotten to mention it to him? Now that I thought about it, I had. “I’m sorry, things have been a little off today, what with someone dying in the backyard and all. It slipped my mind.”
I’d had a trying day. I was a bit crabby, too. Where had our total bliss gone? Was I supposed to tell him every little move I made? And apologize for every little thing that bugged him? Okay, I had to calm down. Right this minute, I couldn’t stand being around myself. Time to readjust my attitude.
“Come over. We’re having steaks,” I said, shaking off my mood.
“Steak?” he said. I could hear his tone lightening already.
“And Milly’s making popovers. They’ll be hot out of the oven soon.”
“I’ll be right there then.” Which reassured me. If Hunter wasn’t worried about poisoned food, I wasn’t going to worry, either.
I hung up and turned to find myself almost nose to nose with Patti.
“I found out all about the ‘big secret’ they’re working on,” she stage whispered, finger quoting the big secret part.
“Tell me, what is it? Did you find secret papers up-stairs?”
“No, I found out from that guy Gil. He’s drinking some million-year-old Scotch, and it’s really loosening his lips. You aren’t going to believe this.”
Patti went on to describe what she’d gotten out of the drunk flavorist. Apparently, the team had stumbled upon something amazing during their mixing and matching.
“What they discovered was on the lines of miracle fruit,” Patti said. “Those little red berries that make sour things taste sweet? Vinegar, pickles, stuff like that, they actually taste sweet when they’re combined with the berries. Gil said protein binds with taste buds and acts as a sweetness inducer when it comes into contact with acids. It tricks the tongue.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“It’s true. Look it up on the Internet. Search for miracle fruit and it comes right up.”
“Okay, so? That’s already been discovered.”
“Yes, but get this.” Patti’s eyes were shining orbs. “This group has figured out how to make vegetables taste like candy!”
I contemplated what I’d just been told. “Wow,” I said.
Patti’s head bounced up and down, reminding me of a bobble doll. “Just imagine kids begging for more broccoli. It could taste just like chocolate or cake frosting.”
Could chocolate veggies tie in with Nova Campbell’s death? “Maybe a taste test did in Nova,” I suggested. “What if she whipped up a combination and tried it out on herself?”
“It’s possible,” Patti said.
Yes! That would mean the carrot juice from my store had nothing to do with her death. Nothing at all. Unless she used it in her experiment, but that wouldn’t count, because it would’ve been her actions, not mine. I really liked this theory best so far.
“Or,” Patti said, “the competition could have murdered her.”
“What competition?”
Patti’s eyes slid left, then right, like we were high-powered corporate spies. Next, she’d be talking out of the corner of her mouth. “You know,” she said, “all the big corporations are cutting each other’s throats to end up on top. If word got out that the team was on the verge of a big discovery, someone might be eliminating them one by one.”
I hated that idea. “But then wouldn’t Max have been the important target?” I reasoned. “He’s higher up. Not only that, do you see any strangers around here? I mean other than the team members? Anybody hiding in the bushes?”
Luckily, just then I heard the familiar sound of Hunter’s Harley coming up the drive. Patti slunk away to do God only knew what.
I watched with admiration as Hunter parked and approached. He looked great in a cotton button-down, chinos, a navy blue blazer and brown
What was this? An interrogation? “This morning. That was Holly’s big problem she was so freaked about.”
“When were you going to tell me?”
Had I forgotten to mention it to him? Now that I thought about it, I had. “I’m sorry, things have been a little off today, what with someone dying in the backyard and all. It slipped my mind.”
I’d had a trying day. I was a bit crabby, too. Where had our total bliss gone? Was I supposed to tell him every little move I made? And apologize for every little thing that bugged him? Okay, I had to calm down. Right this minute, I couldn’t stand being around myself. Time to readjust my attitude.
“Come over. We’re having steaks,” I said, shaking off my mood.
“Steak?” he said. I could hear his tone lightening already.
“And Milly’s making popovers. They’ll be hot out of the oven soon.”
“I’ll be right there then.” Which reassured me. If Hunter wasn’t worried about poisoned food, I wasn’t going to worry, either.
I hung up and turned to find myself almost nose to nose with Patti.
“I found out all about the ‘big secret’ they’re working on,” she stage whispered, finger quoting the big secret part.
“Tell me, what is it? Did you find secret papers up-stairs?”
“No, I found out from that guy Gil. He’s drinking some million-year-old Scotch, and it’s really loosening his lips. You aren’t going to believe this.”
Patti went on to describe what she’d gotten out of the drunk flavorist. Apparently, the team had stumbled upon something amazing during their mixing and matching.
“What they discovered was on the lines of miracle fruit,” Patti said. “Those little red berries that make sour things taste sweet? Vinegar, pickles, stuff like that, they actually taste sweet when they’re combined with the berries. Gil said protein binds with taste buds and acts as a sweetness inducer when it comes into contact with acids. It tricks the tongue.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“It’s true. Look it up on the Internet. Search for miracle fruit and it comes right up.”
“Okay, so? That’s already been discovered.”
“Yes, but get this.” Patti’s eyes were shining orbs. “This group has figured out how to make vegetables taste like candy!”
I contemplated what I’d just been told. “Wow,” I said.
Patti’s head bounced up and down, reminding me of a bobble doll. “Just imagine kids begging for more broccoli. It could taste just like chocolate or cake frosting.”
Could chocolate veggies tie in with Nova Campbell’s death? “Maybe a taste test did in Nova,” I suggested. “What if she whipped up a combination and tried it out on herself?”
“It’s possible,” Patti said.
Yes! That would mean the carrot juice from my store had nothing to do with her death. Nothing at all. Unless she used it in her experiment, but that wouldn’t count, because it would’ve been her actions, not mine. I really liked this theory best so far.
“Or,” Patti said, “the competition could have murdered her.”
“What competition?”
Patti’s eyes slid left, then right, like we were high-powered corporate spies. Next, she’d be talking out of the corner of her mouth. “You know,” she said, “all the big corporations are cutting each other’s throats to end up on top. If word got out that the team was on the verge of a big discovery, someone might be eliminating them one by one.”
I hated that idea. “But then wouldn’t Max have been the important target?” I reasoned. “He’s higher up. Not only that, do you see any strangers around here? I mean other than the team members? Anybody hiding in the bushes?”
Luckily, just then I heard the familiar sound of Hunter’s Harley coming up the drive. Patti slunk away to do God only knew what.
I watched with admiration as Hunter parked and approached. He looked great in a cotton button-down, chinos, a navy blue blazer and brown
Similar Books
