Creamy Casserole Murder: Book 15 in The Darling Deli Series by Patti Benning Page B

take long, will it? We need to have a chat, too.”
    “Just a few minutes,” the director replied with a smile. “Ms. Darling, Reginald, would you please follow me into my office?”
    Moira didn’t move. Her gaze was still locked with David’s willing him to understand her. She tilted her head toward the director again, widened her eyes, and slowly shook her head.
    David frowned. She could tell he was beginning to get it.
    “I don’t have all night,” Alberta said sharply. Moira glanced over and paled to see that her right hand was under her frock, right where the hilt of her knife would be. David was still hesitating, and they were running out of time. At any moment, the director could snap and kill any of them.
    “Okay,” David said suddenly. Moira jumped and turned back to look at him. She wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or Alberta. “I’m just so glad you’re all right. You were in such a hurry to get over here; I was afraid that you had crashed somewhere. I’ve got to hug you before I let you out of my sight again.”
    Alberta was glaring at them, but didn’t say anything as David approached and wrapped his arms around her.
    “It’s her,” Moira whispered, her lips against his ear. “She killed all three of them, and she has a knife.”
    “Are you sure?” he asked, brushing a kiss across her cheek.
    She nodded, hoping that he would trust her without more questions. He pulled away.
    “Eli and I will just take a seat in the dining room, if that’s okay,” he said calmly, facing Alberta. She hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded.
    David gestured to Eli, who was looking very confused, to follow, then walked toward the dining room doors. To get to them, he had to pass by Alberta. When he was a step past her, he spun on his heel and grabbed her by the arm, twisting her hand away from the knife and forcing her to her knees at the same time. She screeched at him to let go, but he was strong enough that she couldn’t squirm out of his grip.
    “Eli, check her belt,” he said. “There should be a knife.”
    By now a crowd had gathered to watch them. Eli, who looked frightened but determined, did as David said. When he withdrew the large, bloodstained kitchen knife, the people gathered around gasped.
    “I’m guessing that’s the knife that was used to kill Danny,” David said grimly as he pulled a pair of handcuffs out of his jacket and snapped them on to Alberta’s wrists. “Planning to pin that murder on Moira?” He shook his head. “Someone call the police and tell them we have the person responsible for all three deaths restrained and waiting for them.”
     

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
    Watching the police arrest Alberta and formally apologize to Reggie put Moira in an ebullient mood. Not only had they caught the killer, but Reggie was now the local hero of Misty Pines. Even David was in a good mood, despite her diving headfirst into danger yet again.
    “We make a good team,” he said with a grin. They were sitting in the common area at the assisted-living home, waiting around for the police to finish questioning the others.
    “Yeah, we do,” the deli owner agreed. “I’m glad you trusted me. For a second there, I thought you didn’t believe me.”
    “I’ll always believe you when it counts,” he said. “I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t and something happened to you.”
    “I’m sorry for taking off like that. I felt terrible for doing it, but I heard you talking to the police, and I just couldn’t leave Reggie here alone with no help.”
    “I was worried about you… very worried,” he admitted. “But you made the right call. He’s lucky to have a friend like you.”
    They both looked over at Reggie, who was still talking animatedly to one of the police officers. He was leaning heavily on his cane, but still seemed to have plenty of energy for the retelling of his story. Eli was just finishing up talking to a detective, and they waved him over when he was