Free 1 Chocolate Worth Dying For by Pat Amsden Page A

planner."
    "Really?"
    "Really. So – since I've got a little spare time now and some extra truffles I thought this would be a good time to introduce myself to the local community and give out samples."
    "And you are so right. I'll be happy to help out," Ellie said.

Chapter Eight
    They'd decided to make up a tray of fresh fruit with a chocolate fondant dip.
    "People love fresh fruit," Ellie had said cheerfully. "Especially if there's chocolate to dip it in…
    But Maxine couldn't help being a little apprehensive. She'd never had anything but positive comments from people when she'd done tastings. However arrangements were usually made in advance. This would be her first drop in tasting and she wasn't sure how good the reception was going to be.
    It's chocolate she told herself. No one can turn down free chocolate. On the other hand she wasn't sure what she'd do if they did. And considering the number of cancellations she'd had since … she shuddered slightly …the two murders at events she'd catered, people clearly weren't willing to risk death for chocolate. Even really good chocolate. Who could blame them?
    She smiled. "We'll put on our best smiles as we walk in and start offering samples as soon as we walk through the doors. If anyone stops to think about who we are, it'll be too late."
    "Too bad we don't know the layout of city hall better," Ellie said. "One of us could make a beeline for the mayor's office and Kathleen Sullivan while the other stalled. I'd probably be good at that."
    Maxine shot Grandma Ellie a smile. "You're good at all kinds of things but the website didn't have a map of city hall so we're just going to have to wing it." She pulled her little, red smart car into a parking spot.
    Grandma Ellie was in great shape. For someone in their seventies. Maxine gave her a big smile. "Why don't you wait at the top of the stairs and I'll bring the chocolates and fruit tray up?"
    "I'll do no such thing," her grandmother huffed. "I'm not ready for the nursing home yet."
    "I know that," Maxine said. "And I also know I'd never forgive myself if you fell carrying trays of my chocolates up the stairs."
    "Then I'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen," Ellie said smartly.
    At least she wasn't wearing heels. Which was more than Maxine could say, herself. She was used to running around all day in three inch heels so they didn't count. At least that's what she told herself as she deftly removed the chocolate dip from the fruit plate and gave it to her grandma Ellie to carry. She handed over some business cards and brochures for her to carry as well.
    Then stacking the two trays together she stashed her purse in the back where no potential burglars could see it and locked the door.
    "There, all set," she said turning towards the stairs. "Let's go!"
    At the top they stopped to rearrange the trays while Ellie made sure she had some business cards at the ready as well. In a simple spring dress with a flouncy skirt and white top Maxine attracted her share of attention. But it was her grandma Ellie in a bright red pucchi inspired print top and pants to match with ballerina style shoes that really drew peoples' eyes. Upstaged by a seventy year old Maxine thought smiling.
    They sailed straight into the main city hall entrance to see signs directing them to wickets designed to take parking ticket payments and other assorted fines. It didn't look overly busy. But then she, herself, did most business she needed to do with city hall online. She suspected many others did as well.
    Since West Shore had grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade they had a new, modern city hall whose floors gleamed while a tasteful sculpture by a local artist had pride of place in the lobby and photographs from days gone by mixed with more pictures by modern, local artists. An information desk stood off to one side close to a flight of stairs going up to a second level which looked down over the main.
    She stopped there now. "We're from Au