Free A Deadly Delicious Delivery (A Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery Book 2) by Cindy Bell

though it led to several glares from others in the café.
    “Not well. I had just met her before she passed. My grandmother knew her better.”
    “Your grandmother?”
    “Charlotte Sweet.”
    “Wait. The owner of the chocolate shop?” He asked as his eyes narrowed with anger. Ally could tell that this was not going to go as she had hoped.
    “Yes,” Ally answered cautiously.
    “How dare you sit down with us?” Myrtle’s son glared at her. “We know what you did to our mother!”
    “Now wait, please. We had nothing to do with it. We’re trying to figure out who did.”
    “I’m sure.” Mark shook his head. “It took some nerve to walk in and speak to us.”
    “I only did it because I really want to help. I want to find out what happened to your mother. I was hoping you might know if your mother had any problems with anyone.”
    “Only the people who gave her poisoned candy!” Mark gestured to the waitress. “Bring the check please.”
    “Mark wait, I’m hungry, and you know that Aunt Stephanie can’t cook,” Shirley said.
    “I’ve lost my appetite, I don’t know how you can eat when this woman is here.”
    “Listen, Mom never had anything but good things to say about Charlotte. The police will find out the truth.”
    “Yes, they will,” Ally agreed. She was sure that when she was taken away in handcuffs later that day all of the judgmental stares from around the restaurant would be vindicated. “I’m just trying to understand why anyone would want to hurt your mother. She seemed like such a nice person.”
    “She was a nice person. Not exactly an emotional person, but nice,” Shirley said.
    “So she didn’t have anyone upset with her?” Ally asked.
    “Not that I know about,” Shirley said. “She wasn’t exactly the sharing type though. I know she had some trouble with one of the other residents there. Ruth.”
    “Oh yes.” Ally nodded. “I noticed that there was some tension there. Did your mother ever mention why?”
    “As far as I could tell it was all over her apartment,” Shirley said. “This Ruth wanted the one my mother had. I guess at some point she flat out refused, and from then on Ruth caused her problems. It upset my mother that she spread rumors that she was dying.”
    “I think that would upset anyone,” Ally said.
    Mark seemed to be relaxing in Ally’s presence. “It upset her more because she once had a scare.” He frowned. “Got diagnosed with a terminal illness and they thought she was going to die. It’s why she and our father split up.”
    “Oh?” Ally met his eyes. “He didn’t want to take care of her?”
    “Exactly the opposite. She didn’t want to be taken care of, by anyone. When she was diagnosed the doctor told her she had only months to live. So she wrote out a bucket list and divorced my father. He begged her to stay, to get treatment, to let him take care of her, but she said she could never do that. You know her own parents died when she was young, and she had to take care of her little sister. Maybe that had something to do with it. Anyway, it all turned out to be a misdiagnosis, but by then the divorce was final. I guess it was hard for her when Ruth started spreading those rumors. It probably reminded her of that time in her life.”
    “Plus, it’s just rude.” Shirley shook her head. “I thought people got kinder with age, but I guess not.”
    “Aunt Stephanie certainly hasn’t.” Mark chuckled.
    “Your mother’s sister? Is she not kind to you?”  Ally looked between the two.
    “She’s nice enough to us, but she and my mother didn’t always get along,” Mark said.
    “Really?” Ally raised an eyebrow.
    “Sure. See, my mother’s parents left her a large sum of money that was meant to help her care for Aunt Stephanie. Which she did. But she never shared any of it with Aunt Stephanie.”
    “Oh wow, did they have a falling out about it? I saw her at the open house with your mother,” Ally said.
    “Oh, I’m sure she was