Black and Blueberry Die (A Fresh-Baked Mystery Book 11) by Livia J. Washburn Page A

don’t know.” Phyllis’s hair was mostly gray but retained some of its natural brown color. She wore it in a fairly short and simple style that was easy to take care of. But maybe one of the stylists at Paul’s could do something with it, she thought. It didn’t hurt anything to have a new look every once in a while.
    Phyllis heard the front door open and close and wondered if Sam was going somewhere. But then she heard a familiar voice call, “I’m back!” and knew someone had come in, not gone out.
    “That’s Eve,” Carolyn said with a look of pleased surprise on her face. “I didn’t think she was supposed to be back until tomorrow.”
    “You know how those show business types are,” Phyllis said with a smile as she and Carolyn started toward the living room. “Unpredictable!”
    When they came into the room, Sam was hugging Eve Turner. She turned to Phyllis and Carolyn and swept toward them like a force of nature. They welcomed her home with a group hug, including even the usually reserved Carolyn.
    “Did you meet a bunch of movie stars?” Sam asked.
    “Not really,” Eve said. “But I did see Channing Tatum in the same restaurant where I was eating one night.”
    “I don’t know who that is,” Carolyn said.
    “An absolutely gorgeous young man, dear. He was in those movies about the male dancers—Never mind, you wouldn’t have seen those.” Eve smiled. “But I own the Blu-Rays, if you’d like to watch them sometime.”
    “Where are your bags?” Phyllis asked.
    “The taxi driver put them on the porch. I’d better get them—”
    “I’ll handle that,” Sam said. “You ladies just go on with your visitin’. I know you’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
    “I want to hear all about Hollywood,” Phyllis said. She wasn’t obsessed with celebrities like so many people seemed to be, but she did think the entertainment business was interesting, in a way.
    Carolyn said, “And Phyllis can tell you about the murder she’s trying to solve.”
    Eve’s eyes opened wider as she looked at Phyllis. “Another murder? Really? That’s perfect!”
    “Well...not for the victim.”
    “No, no, of course not, but it’ll keep interest in the property up.”
    “The property?”
    “My book. The intellectual property.”
    “Of course,” Phyllis said, nodding.
    “Are they still making a movie out of it?” Carolyn asked as Sam carried in a couple of Eve’s bags and started up the stairs with them.
    Eve sank down on the sofa and sighed. “The producer who took the option on it wasn’t able to get it greenlit at the studio he’s associated with. It’s stuck in development hell.”
    Carolyn slowly shook her head and said, “I don’t know what that means.”
    “But he’s talking about trying to sell it to one of the cable channels as a TV series,” Eve said, brightening.
    “Like HBO?”
    “Not HBO.” Eve waved a hand in dismissal of that idea. “It doesn’t skew gritty enough. There’s not enough sex and violence.”
    “Well, I should hope not,” Phyllis said. “We’re retired teachers.”
    “Yes, dear, but you keep getting involved in all those murders, and some of us...Well, never mind. Let’s just say that right now, we’re not sure what’s going to happen. Something will happen, though, sooner or later. I’m sure of it. In the meantime, the book comes out this winter, and once it takes off, that will jump-start those people in Hollywood.”
    “I hope so,” Phyllis said. She knew how excited Eve was about everything that was going on, and she didn’t want to see her old friend disappointed.
    “In the meantime, tell me about this murder you’re mixed up in,” Eve said, leaning forward. “Wait, don’t tell me. You’ve figured out who the killer is, right?”
    “Not yet,” Phyllis said. “There are a lot of strands to this case, but so far none of them have led anywhere.”
    “They will. I have complete faith in you. You saved me from a murder charge,