Free Chocolate-Covered Crime by Cynthia Hickey Page A

often cross. When they did, I wondered why Renee stuck around. A larger city would offer more in the way of entertainment. I tried melting into the seat.
    “Summer.” Jade eyes pierced me with the strength of a warrior’s sword. Every bit as cold and biting.
    “Renee.”
    “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” The smirk on her face said otherwise. “Ruby said, since it was Summer, I could come on in.”
    Joe leaned back in his chair. “No problem. We were just finished.”
    The bum. I’d tattle to April if he didn’t put his eyes back in his head. “Actually, we weren’t finished.” I tried making Renee squirm with my own gaze, but all I got in return was the arching of her finely tweezed eyebrows. “I recently saw your name in Mae Belle’s appointment book. Crossed out.
    You were obviously a client of hers. Why weren’t you at the funeral?”
    “Summer.” Joe leaned forward. “We are finished. Sorry about that, M ^Rd3ngth ofiss Richards.”
    She waved a manicured hand. “No problem, officer. I’d hired Mae Belle to plan my, uh, birthday party and. . .”
    “Your thirtieth birthday.” I smiled in satisfaction as her face flushed.
    Her lips tightened. “Mae Belle made a total sham of the whole thing. So, understandably, I canceled the next appointment with her. I had planned on hiring her for my fiancé’s homecoming until the complete mess she made of my birthday.”
    “A sham? How? Did she put up a banner stating your age?” I giggled at my wittiness then clamped my mouth shut at the look on Renee’s face. I might’ve crossed the line.
    Renee’s eyes narrowed like a feline’s, flashing green. A shiver ran up my spine as she stepped closer and towered over me. I slumped in the chair.
    “Mae Belle made a mess of everything she attempted. Someone apparently got tired of her ineptitude.”
    What happened to Southern charm? We ladies from the South were supposed to be oozing with it. Or at least cover our animosity with sugary words and a “Bless your heart.” I bolted to my feet, sending the chair crashing backward into the wall. “Did you hear that, Joe? A motive for murder. Add Renee to the list of suspects.”
    “Oh please. You’re still as dramatic as you were in high school.” Renee folded her arms. Joe’s gaze flickered across her emphasized chest then back to me. Good for him.
    “Summer, please leave. Miss Richards has business with me, and she can’t accomplish it with you here.”
    “Fine.” I tried to grab the pictures from his desk. I’d get to the bottom of her visit later.
    “Oh no you don’t. These are now evidence.” He slammed his hand down, pinning the photos to his desk.
    Perfect. I should have made copies before bringing them over. I whirled, caught my foot on the rung of the chair, and went to my knees. The impact sent a tremor of pain through my body.
    Renee snickered. “Still graceful, I see.” Joe jumped to his feet and darted around his desk.
    Face red, I got to my feet, shrugging off Joe’s chivalrous offer of help. I waited to rub the aching joint until I hobbled outside where I leaned against the warm brick of the building. Just once, I’d like to make an exit with a statement other than “big klutz exiting.”
    I needed chocolate to make me feel better, or Ethan’s arms around me. Maybe his lips on mine. Or a big fat clue that moved me closer to my goal of finding Mae Belle’s killer. I opted to wait for Renee. To kill time, I pulled my notebook from the tote bag and slid down the wall to rest on the sidewalk. I fished for a pen, opened the notebook, and, with a flourish, wrote fRdbagRenee’s name on my suspect list. Right under Lewis Anderson.
    Sherry Grover because of her lack of remorse when Mae Belle died, Lewis Anderson for lying to me, Renee Richards for her subtle threats, and Mason White because. . .I wasn’t sure about him, but there had to be a reason. My list grew, and I’d definitely be keeping an eye on all of them. I’d have