Free Sweet Friend of Mine (A Sweet Cove Mystery Book 8) by J A Whiting Page A

times.”
    “What did you think of him?”
    “He was cordial, just said a few words, really.” Darren finished off the chocolate cupcake that he’d taken from the buffet. He made eye contact with the three sisters sitting around the table with him. “Do you think they’re going to find him?”
    “We have to be hopeful.” Ellie nodded.
    “If you don’t mind, I think I’d like to see the rooms now. I’m beat.” Darren pushed his chair back and stood up. “Thank you for the wine and desserts.”
    Ellie led the way up the staircase to the guest rooms.
    Courtney leaned close to Angie and kept her voice quiet. “We have two different stories here. Henry says that Ryan and Darren were only business partners. Darren appears to be very upset over Ryan going missing and he says that Ryan is like a brother to him.”
    Angie looked over at the staircase. “Which one is telling the truth?”

11
    A ngie and her employee , Louisa, worked in the shop brewing coffee and filling the bakery case with the day’s treats. The sun was just beginning its climb over the horizon and was turning the early morning sky from black to brightening blue. Louisa had blue highlights along the ends of her long, straight ebony hair and every morning, Angie smiled to herself thinking how the young woman’s hair colors mimicked the rising of the winter sun. Working closely together every day, the two had become good friends and they chatted amiably as they prepared the bake shop for the morning hustle and bustle that was about to begin.
    A pounding on the locked door caused Angie and Louisa to jump. Betty Hayes stood on the porch, bent forward with her face pressed up to the window glass.
    Louisa went to open the door. “Betty bangs on that door almost every day and I still jump when she does it. You’d think I’d be desensitized to it by now.”
    Angie chuckled. “And you’d think by now, Betty would know what time we actually open.”
    The Realtor bustled into the room shrugging off her black quilted coat. “I don’t know why I live in New England.” She shuddered. “I dislike the cold … and that’s an absolute understatement. I need to retire and move down South.”
    Angie got started preparing Betty’s usual iced mocha latte. “You’d be bored if you retired. If you don’t like the cold weather, why don’t you have a hot beverage in the morning instead of something iced?”
    Betty plopped down at one of the café tables. She waved her hand around as she opened her brown leather folder. “My choices match the weather. In summer, I want something hot and in winter, I like something cold. It’s one of my many quirks.”
    Angie and Louisa smiled at each other as Angie placed the frosty beverage in front of Betty.
    Betty took a sip through the straw and moaned. “Heavenly.” She removed a few papers from her folder. “You don’t want to sell this house do you? You haven’t changed your mind?”
    Angie crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. “We’ve had this conversation many times.” When Angie first inherited the Victorian, Betty had worked hard to convince Angie to sell the place so that she could get the listing.
    “Oh, I know, I know. I have to check every now and then in case you’ve changed your mind.” Betty flipped through the pages that she held in her hand. “I have a new client and I have to find him the perfect house.” She looked up. “Is he staying here? I told him to come to the B and B.”
    “Do you mean, Darren Wilton?” Angie teased. She knew full well who Betty meant.
    Louisa almost dropped the mugs she was placing on the shelf. “Darren Wilton? He’s here?” Looking over her shoulder into the kitchen that was located in the main part of the Victorian, she almost yelped. “He’s staying in the B and B?”
    Angie raised an eyebrow. “What’s this? A fan girl?”
    Louisa made a face. “I admire musical talent. And anyway, I knew him in high school. I was a year ahead of