instinct. Even though my son is an adult, I'm not going to sit back while he's being bullied."
At least Pitts's tactics were consistent. It wouldn't make Carla feel any better, but Pitts apparently enjoyed playing bad cop all the time. The worm liked to see others squirm. "So Pitts is looking into Preston being involved in the murder?"
"I admit, if I were in the detective's shoes, I would be checking Preston out too." Holly swiped her index finger through the coffee buttercream and licked off the sweet icing. "Good frosting. I'm not sure if you know it, but Preston used to work for Chet. He worked his way up from dishwasher to running Cornerstone's kitchen when Chet wasn't around, which was a lot. Then Chet decided he wanted to open a new restaurant with Preston as the head chef. The restaurant was built and set to open. But it didn't. Something went wrong with the financial backing, but he wouldn't tell Preston what happened. Their relationship deteriorated. Chet fired Preston from Cornerstone. Preston filed a lawsuit against Chet's corporation for breach of contract and lost." She tucked a piece of pewter-colored hair, which had loosened from the hair clip, behind her ear. "He lost his job, the lawsuit, his apartment, and his girlfriend. He's so depressed he can barely move. Sometimes I'm afraid to go to work and leave him here alone."
"That's horrible. I haven't heard a single good thing about Britton."
Holly took a bite of the cupcake and wrinkled her nose. That gesture said a lot, but about Britton or the cake? She turned the cupcake so she could take a bite of the dried-cherry-studded cake without the frosting. "Chet was a high-class slimeball. He didn't care about anybody but himself. I won't go so far as saying anybody deserves to die, but I do think what goes around comes around. Considering Chet's shady business deals, it wouldn't surprise me if he pissed off a loan shark or some kind of mafia person. Personally, I would rather have seen him go through a slow financial death and end up living at the trailer park on the north end of town."
Britton was definitely not loved by the Neale family. Who could blame them after what Chet did to Preston? Holly set the cupcake down carefully on top of its splayed-out wrapper. "As far as your cupcake goes, I like the frosting and the cake, but not together. I would suggest using a vanilla or maybe maple-flavored icing on the cherry cake."
"That's a great idea. I knew there was something wrong but couldn't quite put my finger on it." That's what happened when you only put five minutes of thought into planning a recipe. "Thank you."
Holly nodded. She opened the dishwasher and pulled out an empty rack. "You're welcome," she said as she transferred a batter-covered bowl from the sink to the dishwasher. "Sorry, but I can't stand to see these dirty dishes in the sink. I clean when I get upset."
"No need to apologize. I like a clean kitchen too. I'm sorry if I upset you by bringing up Britton." Amy took a step closer so she could see into the sink. There was only another bowl and spatula in the basin. Nothing other than the bowl was in the dishwasher. She glanced around the kitchen as Holly positioned the second bowl on the dishwasher rack. The counter and table were clear except for the mixer and a few canisters. No cutting board or knife in sight. Amy turned and looked closer at the knife block beside her. One wide slot was empty. The cutlery was mismatched with handles ranging from solid metal to several different kinds of wood. Was the chef knife-sized slot empty because Holly didn't own a knife that fit or because the one that had been there was currently in the evidence room at the police station?
During the entire drive home, Amy couldn't stop thinking about the knife. Holly looked like a sweet cupcake-baking Mrs. Santa Claus impersonator. That didn't mean there wasn't a dark side hiding under the dusting of confectioners' sugar. And Preston. It didn't even take a leap
At least Pitts's tactics were consistent. It wouldn't make Carla feel any better, but Pitts apparently enjoyed playing bad cop all the time. The worm liked to see others squirm. "So Pitts is looking into Preston being involved in the murder?"
"I admit, if I were in the detective's shoes, I would be checking Preston out too." Holly swiped her index finger through the coffee buttercream and licked off the sweet icing. "Good frosting. I'm not sure if you know it, but Preston used to work for Chet. He worked his way up from dishwasher to running Cornerstone's kitchen when Chet wasn't around, which was a lot. Then Chet decided he wanted to open a new restaurant with Preston as the head chef. The restaurant was built and set to open. But it didn't. Something went wrong with the financial backing, but he wouldn't tell Preston what happened. Their relationship deteriorated. Chet fired Preston from Cornerstone. Preston filed a lawsuit against Chet's corporation for breach of contract and lost." She tucked a piece of pewter-colored hair, which had loosened from the hair clip, behind her ear. "He lost his job, the lawsuit, his apartment, and his girlfriend. He's so depressed he can barely move. Sometimes I'm afraid to go to work and leave him here alone."
"That's horrible. I haven't heard a single good thing about Britton."
Holly took a bite of the cupcake and wrinkled her nose. That gesture said a lot, but about Britton or the cake? She turned the cupcake so she could take a bite of the dried-cherry-studded cake without the frosting. "Chet was a high-class slimeball. He didn't care about anybody but himself. I won't go so far as saying anybody deserves to die, but I do think what goes around comes around. Considering Chet's shady business deals, it wouldn't surprise me if he pissed off a loan shark or some kind of mafia person. Personally, I would rather have seen him go through a slow financial death and end up living at the trailer park on the north end of town."
Britton was definitely not loved by the Neale family. Who could blame them after what Chet did to Preston? Holly set the cupcake down carefully on top of its splayed-out wrapper. "As far as your cupcake goes, I like the frosting and the cake, but not together. I would suggest using a vanilla or maybe maple-flavored icing on the cherry cake."
"That's a great idea. I knew there was something wrong but couldn't quite put my finger on it." That's what happened when you only put five minutes of thought into planning a recipe. "Thank you."
Holly nodded. She opened the dishwasher and pulled out an empty rack. "You're welcome," she said as she transferred a batter-covered bowl from the sink to the dishwasher. "Sorry, but I can't stand to see these dirty dishes in the sink. I clean when I get upset."
"No need to apologize. I like a clean kitchen too. I'm sorry if I upset you by bringing up Britton." Amy took a step closer so she could see into the sink. There was only another bowl and spatula in the basin. Nothing other than the bowl was in the dishwasher. She glanced around the kitchen as Holly positioned the second bowl on the dishwasher rack. The counter and table were clear except for the mixer and a few canisters. No cutting board or knife in sight. Amy turned and looked closer at the knife block beside her. One wide slot was empty. The cutlery was mismatched with handles ranging from solid metal to several different kinds of wood. Was the chef knife-sized slot empty because Holly didn't own a knife that fit or because the one that had been there was currently in the evidence room at the police station?
During the entire drive home, Amy couldn't stop thinking about the knife. Holly looked like a sweet cupcake-baking Mrs. Santa Claus impersonator. That didn't mean there wasn't a dark side hiding under the dusting of confectioners' sugar. And Preston. It didn't even take a leap
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