Murder in Jamaica: An Anna Winters Cozy Mystery (Murder in Paradise Book 3) by Penelope Sotheby
Authors: Penelope Sotheby
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Chapter 1
Anna Winters looked out over the people coming into the banquet room for the wedding reception. Even though she loved weddings and the celebrations that followed, there was a looming sense of dread that hung over these events. The last couple of celebrations she had planned and supervised had been surrounded by death.
A chill crawled down her spine and she shook it off. Running her hands through her red hair, she turned and noticed Pierre Bellerose across the way. Looking at him longingly with her cool blue eyes, she wondered if their relationship would ever get beyond the bumps and detours it seemed to keep taking.
On occasion, he would joke with her that, one day, she’d be Mrs. Anna Bellerose and they’d ride off into a golden sunset on a white horse. Today, he was intent on everything else and it gave Anna mixed messages. She tried to just focus on the event at hand. His five o’clock shadow still made her heart flutter though, making her wish things would eventually work out between the two of them.
Turning her attention away from him, she noticed Cassandra Wilson in the back of the room, flirting relentlessly with some of the male guests. Anna let out a loud sigh. Over the last few weeks, Cassandra has been going down a dark path and wasn’t the mousey and friendly girl she was when she first started working for the Grand Palatial. She was becoming more overtly flirtatious with men and shorter with Pauline and Anna.
“Cassandra, we have a job to do.” Anna signalled across the room.
She watched as Cassandra turned her head and gave her an icy glare from across the room. She could feel the soulless blue eyes piercing through her. Cassandra flipped her black hair and stiffly made her way toward Anna.
“I wouldn’t want to be you right now.” Pauline laughed from behind her.
Anna turned her gaze to her trusted friend, Pauline Baker. Her stern military look always made her hard for people to open up to, but Anna knew that underneath the rough exterior was a woman who was friendly and smarter than most people. In a way, Anna thought she could be a very pretty woman if she would let her blonde hair grow out from its short-cropped cut, especially because she’s seen several men over the years get lost in Pauline’s smoky green eyes.
“She’ll be fine. She knows we are here to work.” Anna replied with a smile.
“What?” Cassandra demanded as she approached Anna. “I didn’t think I was bothering anyone talking to those guys.”
“We are here to work right now.” Anna said. “After the reception, if you want to meet up with them, it won't be a problem. But right now, you’re on my time and we have a show to run.”
“You’re worried someone else is going to die.” Cassandra sneered. “So you are keeping us all on a tight leash in the hopes no one does.”
“Well, I’d be very concerned eating anything you served me.” Pauline shrugged.
“Knock it off, you two.” Anna warned. “We are here to run the show, not to fight with each other and cause a scene. No one is going to die today. I won’t allow it. Now, let’s get the ackee and salt fish starters out. Okay?”
Like a finely tuned engine, the four arranged the wait staff to deliver the meals. For the 68 guests in attendance, the hotel had 34 staff members on hand to create an elaborate presentation for the guests. Each carried a set of fine white plates with painted rose petals under sterling silver cloche domes. The group marched and swirled among the tables with perfection and Anna watched carefully to be sure no one was out of time or made a misstep along the way. The swirls and pivots were precise and on cue.
With each individual in place, the team set the dishes in front of their respective people. Anna watched intently and counted to three and watched as the cloches were removed from the plates. Everyone in the room thundered in applause and the staff left the banquet hall and returned to the kitchen to
Anna Winters looked out over the people coming into the banquet room for the wedding reception. Even though she loved weddings and the celebrations that followed, there was a looming sense of dread that hung over these events. The last couple of celebrations she had planned and supervised had been surrounded by death.
A chill crawled down her spine and she shook it off. Running her hands through her red hair, she turned and noticed Pierre Bellerose across the way. Looking at him longingly with her cool blue eyes, she wondered if their relationship would ever get beyond the bumps and detours it seemed to keep taking.
On occasion, he would joke with her that, one day, she’d be Mrs. Anna Bellerose and they’d ride off into a golden sunset on a white horse. Today, he was intent on everything else and it gave Anna mixed messages. She tried to just focus on the event at hand. His five o’clock shadow still made her heart flutter though, making her wish things would eventually work out between the two of them.
Turning her attention away from him, she noticed Cassandra Wilson in the back of the room, flirting relentlessly with some of the male guests. Anna let out a loud sigh. Over the last few weeks, Cassandra has been going down a dark path and wasn’t the mousey and friendly girl she was when she first started working for the Grand Palatial. She was becoming more overtly flirtatious with men and shorter with Pauline and Anna.
“Cassandra, we have a job to do.” Anna signalled across the room.
She watched as Cassandra turned her head and gave her an icy glare from across the room. She could feel the soulless blue eyes piercing through her. Cassandra flipped her black hair and stiffly made her way toward Anna.
“I wouldn’t want to be you right now.” Pauline laughed from behind her.
Anna turned her gaze to her trusted friend, Pauline Baker. Her stern military look always made her hard for people to open up to, but Anna knew that underneath the rough exterior was a woman who was friendly and smarter than most people. In a way, Anna thought she could be a very pretty woman if she would let her blonde hair grow out from its short-cropped cut, especially because she’s seen several men over the years get lost in Pauline’s smoky green eyes.
“She’ll be fine. She knows we are here to work.” Anna replied with a smile.
“What?” Cassandra demanded as she approached Anna. “I didn’t think I was bothering anyone talking to those guys.”
“We are here to work right now.” Anna said. “After the reception, if you want to meet up with them, it won't be a problem. But right now, you’re on my time and we have a show to run.”
“You’re worried someone else is going to die.” Cassandra sneered. “So you are keeping us all on a tight leash in the hopes no one does.”
“Well, I’d be very concerned eating anything you served me.” Pauline shrugged.
“Knock it off, you two.” Anna warned. “We are here to run the show, not to fight with each other and cause a scene. No one is going to die today. I won’t allow it. Now, let’s get the ackee and salt fish starters out. Okay?”
Like a finely tuned engine, the four arranged the wait staff to deliver the meals. For the 68 guests in attendance, the hotel had 34 staff members on hand to create an elaborate presentation for the guests. Each carried a set of fine white plates with painted rose petals under sterling silver cloche domes. The group marched and swirled among the tables with perfection and Anna watched carefully to be sure no one was out of time or made a misstep along the way. The swirls and pivots were precise and on cue.
With each individual in place, the team set the dishes in front of their respective people. Anna watched intently and counted to three and watched as the cloches were removed from the plates. Everyone in the room thundered in applause and the staff left the banquet hall and returned to the kitchen to
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