Free Kee Patterbee - Hannah Starvling 01 - The Chef at the Water's Edge by Kee Patterbee Page A

what she already knew. It did seem odd that Julia, a woman who had a fear of open water and was blind in the dark, would wander to the water’s edge. “Hmm,” she pondered, before asking. “What about moonlight?”
    Louie indicated no. “As I’ve said before, it was a new moon. Pitch black.”
    “No other light sources?”
    “None.”
    Hannah leaned back in her chair, a deep furrow in her brow twitching. The information intrigued the amateur investigator. The case had a slew of things for her to rummage around in. A beloved victim. Questionable circumstances. An obsessed and devoted friend. Controlling husband. Manipulative niece. Unusual manager. And a protégé with a curious relationship to the deceased. Any reservations Hannah harbored were now dismissed. She was now in full investigative mode.
God help whoever did this
, she thought.
They don’t know the beehive they’ve just stirred
.
    Working on the puzzle that lay before her, Hannah became lost in thought. At several points, Louie started to say something but Cate waved him off. She then assured him that Hannah would have something to say soon enough. Still, his anxiousness showed. He had invited Cate and Buster down for the festival as a friend. But Hannah’s presence offered him the opportunity to justify his feeling. Vera’s feelings further vindicated his own. When Hannah readjusted herself and looked around the room, Louie jumped at the chance to ask, “So what are you thinking?”
    “I’m hungry,” Hannah said with a blunt tone.
    “Wha…What?”
    “I’m hungry.” Hannah looked over at Buster. “Orange beef. Hot and sour soup. Egg roll. Crab Rangoon. Tea with lemon.”
    Buster listened and nodded. As he rose, he mumbled, “Talk about your hollow leg.” He grabbed a pen and small note pad from Louie’s desk and asked, “Anyone else?”
    Louie’s face was a mixture of uncertainty and questioning. Hannah measured his expression and explained. “I don’t think well when I’m hungry. I need to think.” She then went back into silent thought. Cate stood and put her hand on Louie’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. She’s just working on the puzzle in her head. She’ll be back in a moment.” Looking at Buster, she added, “Pea pods and egg drop soup. Diet soda.”
    Once the meal had arrived and been consumed, Hannah once again returned to her inquiries. Now, she wanted details. The reported news accounts that Louie collected were sparse. It was Hannah’s supposition that someone who had personal knowledge of Julia’s life could fill in the blanks. What Vera told her interested her even more. On the day of Julia’s purported accident, she had heard a volatile confrontation between Julia and Asa. Accusations came forth that he had had an affair.
    “It was at the studio. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop. I was just in the room next door. They were shouting quite loudly. It wasn’t hard to hear them. Asa flat-out denied it. But from what I heard, Julia did not believe him.”
    “Did you hear whom she said the other person was?” Hannah asked in a low, serious tone?”
    Vera affirmed, as a flash of distaste rolled across her face. “Jazlyn.” The statement made everyone sit up straighter.
    “That dirty son of a …” Louie exclaimed as he slammed his clenched fist down on the table top.
    “Louie,” Hannah said in a terse and stern voice.
    “I know, but … It’s just that ….”
    Cate reached over and put her hand over Louie’s. He acknowledged the gesture and settled back down. “Sorry. Please continue,” he apologized.
    Hannah turned to Vera. “Please continue.”
    “They argued for over an hour, then I heard the door open, footsteps, and the door slam. I went to check on her. She was in her dressing room, crying. She said it was just a silly argument and that everything would be fine.” Vera frowned. “But it wasn’t. The last time I saw her was around five-thirty, when she was leaving for home. She seemed to have gotten