Free A Catered Christmas Killer (A Sinful Sweets Cozy Mystery) by Carol Lee Page A

beginning. I’ve just been having conversations with people to help me clear my own name.”
     
    “Sydney. I’m serious. Stay out of it. This is a big name and the detective running the case isn’t completely trustworthy.”
     
    “You tell me that now?” Knowing this, Sydney never would have revealed the information about her missing knife.
     
    “Detective Moore has a . . . reputation.”
     
    “A reputation?” she repeated.
     
    “For evading honest tactics with interrogations.”
     
    “Well, that would have been useful to know a few hours ago. I told him my knife is missing.”
     
    “Any ideas where it is?”
     
    “Actually, I know exactly where it is. I found it.”
     
    “What do you mean, found it? Like in your bag? Or the dishwasher? Right where you’d left it?” he asked hopefully.
     
    “No. In Marcus’ office. Hidden on top of a filing cabinet out of reach. With some slinky lingerie.”
     
    “What does that have to do with anything? And what were you doing in his office?”
     
    “I followed the maid in there. And I thought maybe he was having an affair, so someone offed his wife so they could be together—you know, a jealous lover or Marcus himself. But the more I talk to people, the less likely that seems or else they’re just really good at covering it up.”
     
    “I thought you were staying out of it.”
     
    “Well, sort of.”
     
    “Okay. I don’t want you talking to the police until I get there.”
     
    “Sure.”
     
    “I’ll see you in half an hour,” he said with urgency, and he quickly hung up.
     
    “This isn’t good, Grace. The police are on their way.”
     
    The two friends looked at each other with fear. Sydney knew exactly what she needed to do, but she had to look innocent doing it.
     
    “I’m going to talk to Maria. She’s hiding something, I know it, and I need to know what it is.”
     
    “I’ll cover for you if they come.”
     
    “What will you tell them?”
     
    “I don’t know yet, but I’ll think of something.”
     
    Sydney hugged Grace on her way out of the kitchen. She was always grateful for the friendship, but even more so today.
     
    She made a beeline for Maria’s chair, but it was empty.

CHAPTER 5
     
    Sydney looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Maria or Eduardo. Instead, she noticed all of the dessert trays that were empty. She hoped Grace would come out to check them sooner rather than later. She didn’t think she’d have time to go back to the kitchen and find Maria.
     
    She headed to the back of the house to use the back stairs and avoid a guest witnessing her going upstairs. Again.
     
    She made it to her room without incident and headed toward Marcus’ office. But before she got there, she heard arguing.
     
    She knew it was at least Maria and Eduardo because it was in Spanish. She chided herself for not reaching fluency in college. She’d even studied abroad in Spain, but hadn’t kept up her skills. She caught only individual words that she understood.
     
    “. . . Mentirosa! . . . Muerta!” Liar. Dead. She knew these were coming from a man, and she suspected it was Eduardo.
     
    “. . . Familia . . . Cuba . . . Amigo.” Family. Cuba. Friend. Was Maria talking about her own family? The Durans? Eduardo’s family? She knew they were friends and from Cuba, but without more clues, she wasn’t sure what they were yelling about.
     
    And she didn’t know where they were. It didn’t sound like they were in Marcus’ office. But Sydney didn’t know the layout of the rest of the upstairs, so she stayed put just at the threshold of the area she’d been permitted access to and the rest of the house.
     
    Then she heard the front door open and the police announce their presence. This isn’t good, she thought to herself and quickly headed back to the kitchen so she wouldn’t be caught upstairs.
     
    “We’re looking for Mr. Marcus Duran,” the police announced just as Sydney reached the bottom of the stairs.