Chicken Caccia-Killer (A Jordan McAllister Mystery) by Liz Lipperman
Authors: Liz Lipperman
Ads: Link
narrowed her eyes, tilting her head that way.
“Georgette Calabrese. She’s married to Emilio and is the mother of Petrone’s fiancée.” She lowered her voice and looked over her shoulder to make sure no one else was close enough to overhear. “Rumor has it she was one of Marco’s throwaways.”
C HAPTER N INE
Natalie grabbed Jordan’s arm and nudged her toward Georgette Calabrese and the man she was arguing with. Jordan had just enough time to tell Carlita she’d be back later for the recipe.
“What about my story?” Carlita asked.
“As soon as I get the recipe, I’ll write a review of you and your cake pops with the interview. Then I’ll follow-up next week with the recipe, but I do need it now,” she said right before Natalie propelled her away from the booth. There was no way Carlita was getting her name in the Kitchen Kupboard without giving up that recipe.
“I should’ve known Emilio would go for someone like this,” Natalie said as they approached the two people who were obviously still in a heated discussion.
“You need to stand up for yourself, Frankie. Now’s the perfect chance to show him you can step up and take charge if something happens to him. Convince him you’re not a screw-up.” The woman stopped talking when she noticed Natalie and Jordan closing in. The irritated look on her face left no doubt she wasn’t happy about being interrupted.
“Can I help you?” she asked, not even attempting to hide the annoyance in her voice.
Jordan held out her hand. “I’m Jordan McAllister from the Ranchero Globe , and this is Natalie Moreland.”
At the mention of Natalie’s name, Georgette jerked her head around to make eye contact before focusing back on Jordan and shaking her hand. “I’m sorry you came all the way out here today, Ms. McAllister, but I have no desire to be interviewed. I have a lot of work to do before the festival opens, so if you’ll excuse me.” She dismissed the two women and turned back to the young man beside her.
“I’m not here just to interview you, Mrs. Calabrese,” Jordan said, a little louder than before. “I was told I’d have access to the planners the week before the festival opens. I’m sorry to have bothered you. I’ll let my editor know his information was incorrect.” Jordan paused to see if Georgette was buying her story.
The old ‘if looks could kill’ adage popped into Jordan’s head as the woman glared at her. “I misunderstood. I have a lot of people vying for my attention today, most of them reporters. I just spoke to someone else from your newspaper—a Loretta something or other.”
Jordan mentally kicked herself for letting Loretta get one step ahead of her. “I’d like to report on what it takes to pull off a big event like this. I’ve been told you play a big part in it, and—”
“Who told you that, Ms. McAllister?” Georgette interrupted.
“Please call me Jordan. And I’ve already interviewed several other people who indicated that you’re the one I needed to speak with about what goes on behind the scene leading up to opening day.”
Just then a delivery man walked over and stood behind the younger man who had been arguing with Georgette, tapping a pen on a clipboard until she noticed him. When he announced he had a large shipment of game prizes and concession supplies waiting to be offloaded, she turned to the man beside her. “Frankie, go with him and make sure everything arrived in good condition.”
Waving a hand in the air—one that sported a diamond the size of a cherry—Georgette barked out a few more commands to both the delivery man and the one she called Frankie. Jordan used that short time to check out the woman Emilio Calabrese had married after Natalie had rejected him.
Wearing a pale green sundress that showed off a tiny waist and a perfect tan, Georgette Calabrese had pulled her long blond hair off her face into a ponytail, making her appear to be in her late thirties. Jordan stole a
“Georgette Calabrese. She’s married to Emilio and is the mother of Petrone’s fiancée.” She lowered her voice and looked over her shoulder to make sure no one else was close enough to overhear. “Rumor has it she was one of Marco’s throwaways.”
C HAPTER N INE
Natalie grabbed Jordan’s arm and nudged her toward Georgette Calabrese and the man she was arguing with. Jordan had just enough time to tell Carlita she’d be back later for the recipe.
“What about my story?” Carlita asked.
“As soon as I get the recipe, I’ll write a review of you and your cake pops with the interview. Then I’ll follow-up next week with the recipe, but I do need it now,” she said right before Natalie propelled her away from the booth. There was no way Carlita was getting her name in the Kitchen Kupboard without giving up that recipe.
“I should’ve known Emilio would go for someone like this,” Natalie said as they approached the two people who were obviously still in a heated discussion.
“You need to stand up for yourself, Frankie. Now’s the perfect chance to show him you can step up and take charge if something happens to him. Convince him you’re not a screw-up.” The woman stopped talking when she noticed Natalie and Jordan closing in. The irritated look on her face left no doubt she wasn’t happy about being interrupted.
“Can I help you?” she asked, not even attempting to hide the annoyance in her voice.
Jordan held out her hand. “I’m Jordan McAllister from the Ranchero Globe , and this is Natalie Moreland.”
At the mention of Natalie’s name, Georgette jerked her head around to make eye contact before focusing back on Jordan and shaking her hand. “I’m sorry you came all the way out here today, Ms. McAllister, but I have no desire to be interviewed. I have a lot of work to do before the festival opens, so if you’ll excuse me.” She dismissed the two women and turned back to the young man beside her.
“I’m not here just to interview you, Mrs. Calabrese,” Jordan said, a little louder than before. “I was told I’d have access to the planners the week before the festival opens. I’m sorry to have bothered you. I’ll let my editor know his information was incorrect.” Jordan paused to see if Georgette was buying her story.
The old ‘if looks could kill’ adage popped into Jordan’s head as the woman glared at her. “I misunderstood. I have a lot of people vying for my attention today, most of them reporters. I just spoke to someone else from your newspaper—a Loretta something or other.”
Jordan mentally kicked herself for letting Loretta get one step ahead of her. “I’d like to report on what it takes to pull off a big event like this. I’ve been told you play a big part in it, and—”
“Who told you that, Ms. McAllister?” Georgette interrupted.
“Please call me Jordan. And I’ve already interviewed several other people who indicated that you’re the one I needed to speak with about what goes on behind the scene leading up to opening day.”
Just then a delivery man walked over and stood behind the younger man who had been arguing with Georgette, tapping a pen on a clipboard until she noticed him. When he announced he had a large shipment of game prizes and concession supplies waiting to be offloaded, she turned to the man beside her. “Frankie, go with him and make sure everything arrived in good condition.”
Waving a hand in the air—one that sported a diamond the size of a cherry—Georgette barked out a few more commands to both the delivery man and the one she called Frankie. Jordan used that short time to check out the woman Emilio Calabrese had married after Natalie had rejected him.
Wearing a pale green sundress that showed off a tiny waist and a perfect tan, Georgette Calabrese had pulled her long blond hair off her face into a ponytail, making her appear to be in her late thirties. Jordan stole a
Similar Books
