Murder at the Cooking School: Book 7 of the Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series by Dianne Harman

office
at 8:00 tomorrow morning. I’d like you to come with me. Two heads are better
than one when it comes to something like this, and when we were talking earlier
today you mentioned you had conducted a number of searches when warrants had
been issued. You’re probably far more qualified to carry this out than my
deputies, although I will bring one of them with us.”
    “I’d be happy to accompany
you, but I also need to tell you what Kelly found out today. I didn’t want to
bother you and figured I’d just tell you when I saw you tomorrow; however, this
seems like as good a time as any.” He told Chief Varano what Kelly had
overheard at the Rizzo home and what she’d discovered in the files she’d taken
from Signora Nardo’s bedroom.
    “You know I could arrest
her for breaking and entering, plus stealing. That was not only a dangerous
thing for her to do; she also committed an illegal act. I won’t arrest her for
it, but she needs to know I could.”
    Mike ran his fingers
through his graying hair in frustration. “Carlo, you’re not telling me anything
I don’t know, but if you knew Kelly, you’d know you wouldn’t get anywhere by
trying to tell her not to do something like what she did today. She justifies
doing such things by saying she’s helping me solve cases. Believe me, it drives
me nuts.”
    “I can only well imagine.
If my wife did something like that, I‘d be furious. I think here in Italy we
have a little more control over our wives than you Americans do.”
    “You’re probably right,
but it’s also what makes her interesting. I really never know what she’s going
to do.”
    “Well, maybe it would be a
good thing if you got her to promise to stay out of the case from now on. With
the information both of us now have, we may be getting close to solving the
murder. Anyway, I certainly hope so.”
    “So do I, Carlo. I’ll talk
to her. So, you’ll pick me up around 7:45 in the morning?”
    “Yes, see you then. Enjoy
the rest of your evening.”
    Mike ended the call and
turned to Kelly. “Did you happen to overhear what Chief Varano said?”
    Kelly had suddenly become
very busy examining her wedding ring and answered in a tiny voice, “Of course I
heard him. Sounds like he’s a male chauvinist.”
    “I don’t know. I’ve never
discussed that subject with him, but at least give lip service to me by
promising you won’t do anything more on this case. Can you promise me that?”
    “Of course, sweetheart,”
she said, mentally crossing her fingers behind her back. “You have everything
you need to solve it. I’ll bet it’s Giovanni, and I wouldn’t want to do
anything that might jeopardize your position with the chief, but you have to
admit, the information I gave you was pretty good.”
    “Once again, you got
lucky, Kelly. It was nothing more than being in the right place at the right
time.”
    “Sheriff, as I recall,
you’re the one who doesn’t believe in coincidences. Do you think that hearing
about Signora Rizzo and finding those files are coincidental? Just
answer that,” she said defiantly.
    “Kelly, this conversation
is officially over. I am not going to argue with you while we are on our honeymoon
in Italy about whether or not your actions today were deliberate or
coincidental. Instead, I’d like to invite you to step out on the terrace with
me and look at that full moon shining on the vineyards and the olive grove.
It’s really beautiful.”
    “It may be beautiful, but
does that mean neither one of us will get much sleep tonight? I know I sure
don’t sleep very well when there’s a full moon.”
    “With Caesar staying in
our room, I don’t think there will be any other reason we won’t get much sleep
tonight. Once again, so much for the romantic honeymoon I’d looked forward to.”
    “Mike, when we get to
Florence, we’ll have our honeymoon. I’ll have my new gold bracelet that you’re
going to buy me from one of the shops on the Ponte Vecchio , and