Free Murder Is a Piece of Cake by Elaine Viets Page B

miles
     away in Florida.”
    “That’s right,” Josie said carefully.
    “You can’t talk, can you?” Alyce said.
    “You know me too well,” Josie said. “I’ll be sure to buy something tomorrow.” She
     clicked off her phone, relieved someone saw the real situation.
    “How bad was your call?” Ted asked her.
    “It was good,” Josie said. “That was Alyce and she didn’t believe Channel Seven’s
     report. Who’d you talk to?”
    “My partner, Chris,” Ted said. “After the judge cut her loose, Molly headed straight
     for the clinic again. She flounced in, still wearing her wedding dress, and demanded
     Bella. Didn’t even say thank you. She picked up her dog and left. Our clients stared
     and a Rottweiler growled at her.”
    “I wish he’d bitten her,” Josie said. “What’s Chris hearing from your clients?”
    “Reaction is mixed so far,” Ted said. “Two women canceled their appointments. They
     said they didn’t want to deal with a hound like me. Six women requested me—and only
     me—to examine their pets at their homes. Chris said I wasn’t making house calls this
     week.”
    “Amelia was right,” Josie said. “The controversy has made you more attractive.”
    “Notorious,” Ted said. “That’s not the same. I don’t like it. I’m an animal doctor,
     not a dog.”
    Amelia giggled.
    “Alyce says the judge is known as Fletch the Lech,” Josie said. “He’s the real hound.”
    “Well, that explains something,” Ted said. “That judge—”
    The rest of his sentence was drowned out by Jane’s shouting. “Ted’s a good man and
     I’m proud to have him as my son-in-law. That’s right, proud! That crazy Molly Deaver
     lied through her teeth. We’re lucky to have him, AND IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE THAT, YOU
     CAN LOSE MY NUMBER, ESTELLE!”
    Jane punched her phone off extra hard. “The nerve of that woman!” she said. “And she
     irons the altar cloths, too!”
    She hugged Ted again. “This will blow over,” Jane said. “Too many people know you’re
     a good man and a good doctor. I hope you’ll stay for dinner.”
    “I should have Josie take me to my car,” Ted said.
    “You should eat,” Jane said. “I’ve got homemade beef stew in the freezer. Dinner will
     be ready as soon as I make a salad. Amelia, set the table for four, please.”
    “Mom’s right,” Josie said. “You need a good meal.”
    “Please stay, Ted,” Amelia said.
    “Well, I can’t refuse three ladies,” he said, and grinned at Amelia.
    At dinner, Jane heaped Ted’s plate with her savory stew, thick with beef, carrots,
     and potatoes. Ted speared a beef chunk and pushed it around his plate. Josie waited
     for him to eat it, but he abandoned it and stuck his fork in a potato hunk.
    Conversations started up suddenly, then quickly died.
    “I got those mums on sale at the garden center,” Jane said. “I’ll plant them after
     dinner.”
    “Need help?” Ted asked.
    “No, you’ve done enough,” Jane said. “I’m so upset, after that show, I’ll feel better
     digging around in the dirt.”
    That killed the conversation for a long minute.
    “While we’re talking dirt,” Josie said, “Alyce’s husband is a lawyer, Ted. He can
     recommend a good attorney if you want to sue Channel Seven.”
    “What’s the use, Josie?” Ted said. “Molly Deaver has been painted as a victim. If
     I sue her, I’ll be the monster who attacked her in court after I abandoned her at
     the altar. I’ll just hope the story dies away soon.”
    Josie didn’t think it would, but if she said so, Ted would feel worse. More silence
     descended while Ted took a carrot on a tour around his plate.
    Amelia tried the next conversation. “Zoe wore the freshest outfit today,” she said.
    Josie braced herself. Zoe was eleven going on forty. She was the first in her class
     to wear makeup, drink beer with older boys, even sext a picture of her budding breasts
     to a boyfriend.
    “She had this leopard blazer over