Murder in the Cake: Cozy Murder Mystery (Harley Hill Mysteries Book 4) by Kennedy Chase Page B
Authors: Kennedy Chase
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on her hips. “You may be the NPC, but I’m reporting that dog to the police. It attacked you; it’s dangerous.”
“It really isn’t,” Greg said. “He was just after the ball, weren’t you, boy?”
“It’s a savage brute!”
I looked at Max, who was drooling over the ball in his mouth, his long tail wagging happily. He looked more Scooby Doo than the Hound of the Baskervilles.
Cordi patted Max protectively and glared at the woman. “He! Max is a he and he is a lovely, old boy. Now give me the ball, Max, so we can let these two get on with their game of ‘grown-up let’s pretend’.”
Cordi tried to pull the ball out of his mouth, but he didn’t want to give up his prize. “Max, let go!” Cordi demanded in her stern voice. He let go, surprising Cordi, who overbalanced and stumbled into Claire. The irate larper windmilled her arms as she began to fall backwards, towards the pond. I reached out to try to grab her, as did Greg, but it was too late.
I have to say, she made quite the splash.
After helping the live role player out of the pond, we scarpered with Max. Greg might have been a bit of a prat, but he promised he’d calm his friend down and that he’d talk her out of reporting Max. Cordi and I laughed all the way home and Max got to keep the ball.
Michael was in the kitchen with Maggie when we got back. He was munching happily on a piece of chocolate brownie, and she was reading Hello magazine. There was a box full of the delicious chocolaty goodness on the table.
Maggie smiled. “Ah, there you are. Have you girls had a nice walk?”
“We have.” I snagged a slice of brownie from the box. “You could say it was quite magical.”
“How lovely. Well, I’ve cleared my diary for today so you can stay out investigating as long as you want.”
“Thank you, Aunty.” Cordi was talking to Maggie, but her gaze was fixed on Michael. “Are you sure you don’t mind house-sitting the pets, only Cleo and Monty really aren’t getting on.”
“Of course I don’t mind. I had to shoot a polar bear once when I was up in Alaska; I think I can handle a couple of irate cats.”
Cordi patted a few errant curls back into position. “If you say so. Michael, could you help me? I have some boxes of old books that I’m taking to the charity shop. Could you give me a lift out to the car with them?”
As excuses to sneak off together went, it wasn’t the worst I’d ever heard.
“Certainly, Cordelia,” Michael said and finished scoffing his brownie.
When they’d gone, Maggie patted the chair next to her. “Come, sit down, dear.”
I was more than happy to oblige, it brought me closer to the cake.
“Now, how is your case going?”
“I’m not sure there is a case—yet. I mean, he could have been murdered, or it really might have been suicide, despite what his brother James thinks. We’re going to go see Lady Jana Kessingworth this afternoon. I think speaking to her might shed more light on the matter, or at least rule her out of the equation.”
Maggie nodded thoughtfully. “I see. More cake, dear?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Okay, what do you want, Maggie?”
She looked shocked. “What do you mean, dear? I just wanted to offer you these lovely brownies that I made.”
“I know your MO, Maggie. You want something.”
She gave a sly little smile. “You’re one smart cookie, Harley. But in this case you’re wrong. I don’t want anything from you; I want to give you something.”
“Oh? What’s that?” Now I really was suspicious.
“I’ve been doing a little digging about your parents. I’ve found some interesting things out about them. I wanted you to know.”
“Okay. You can stop there. I’ve lost my appetite.” I got up and made to leave.
“Wait, Harley, please.”
“No, Maggie. Cordi and I have to go.”
“Let me tell you what I found out!” she called after me. By now I was halfway to the front door, where Michael and Cordi were kissing. I didn’t
“It really isn’t,” Greg said. “He was just after the ball, weren’t you, boy?”
“It’s a savage brute!”
I looked at Max, who was drooling over the ball in his mouth, his long tail wagging happily. He looked more Scooby Doo than the Hound of the Baskervilles.
Cordi patted Max protectively and glared at the woman. “He! Max is a he and he is a lovely, old boy. Now give me the ball, Max, so we can let these two get on with their game of ‘grown-up let’s pretend’.”
Cordi tried to pull the ball out of his mouth, but he didn’t want to give up his prize. “Max, let go!” Cordi demanded in her stern voice. He let go, surprising Cordi, who overbalanced and stumbled into Claire. The irate larper windmilled her arms as she began to fall backwards, towards the pond. I reached out to try to grab her, as did Greg, but it was too late.
I have to say, she made quite the splash.
After helping the live role player out of the pond, we scarpered with Max. Greg might have been a bit of a prat, but he promised he’d calm his friend down and that he’d talk her out of reporting Max. Cordi and I laughed all the way home and Max got to keep the ball.
Michael was in the kitchen with Maggie when we got back. He was munching happily on a piece of chocolate brownie, and she was reading Hello magazine. There was a box full of the delicious chocolaty goodness on the table.
Maggie smiled. “Ah, there you are. Have you girls had a nice walk?”
“We have.” I snagged a slice of brownie from the box. “You could say it was quite magical.”
“How lovely. Well, I’ve cleared my diary for today so you can stay out investigating as long as you want.”
“Thank you, Aunty.” Cordi was talking to Maggie, but her gaze was fixed on Michael. “Are you sure you don’t mind house-sitting the pets, only Cleo and Monty really aren’t getting on.”
“Of course I don’t mind. I had to shoot a polar bear once when I was up in Alaska; I think I can handle a couple of irate cats.”
Cordi patted a few errant curls back into position. “If you say so. Michael, could you help me? I have some boxes of old books that I’m taking to the charity shop. Could you give me a lift out to the car with them?”
As excuses to sneak off together went, it wasn’t the worst I’d ever heard.
“Certainly, Cordelia,” Michael said and finished scoffing his brownie.
When they’d gone, Maggie patted the chair next to her. “Come, sit down, dear.”
I was more than happy to oblige, it brought me closer to the cake.
“Now, how is your case going?”
“I’m not sure there is a case—yet. I mean, he could have been murdered, or it really might have been suicide, despite what his brother James thinks. We’re going to go see Lady Jana Kessingworth this afternoon. I think speaking to her might shed more light on the matter, or at least rule her out of the equation.”
Maggie nodded thoughtfully. “I see. More cake, dear?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Okay, what do you want, Maggie?”
She looked shocked. “What do you mean, dear? I just wanted to offer you these lovely brownies that I made.”
“I know your MO, Maggie. You want something.”
She gave a sly little smile. “You’re one smart cookie, Harley. But in this case you’re wrong. I don’t want anything from you; I want to give you something.”
“Oh? What’s that?” Now I really was suspicious.
“I’ve been doing a little digging about your parents. I’ve found some interesting things out about them. I wanted you to know.”
“Okay. You can stop there. I’ve lost my appetite.” I got up and made to leave.
“Wait, Harley, please.”
“No, Maggie. Cordi and I have to go.”
“Let me tell you what I found out!” she called after me. By now I was halfway to the front door, where Michael and Cordi were kissing. I didn’t
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