Read Buttercream Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery - Book 7 (Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries) for Free Online Page A

the back of her hand and said that she needed to go upstairs to gather her belongings. Missy watched her go, her heart heavy.

Chapter 9
     
    Chas sat across the table from Missy at Rib City, having ravaged an entire slab of the most succulent and flavorful ribs in the county. Missy picked at a grilled chicken sandwich, trying to make it look as though she had eaten in order to appease her concerned boyfriend.
    “So what did the coroner’s report say?” she asked when she saw that the detective’s ravenous appetite had been sated.
    “Well, it’s rather strange actually. There are so many twists and turns in this case that no one seems to know which end is up,” he said, wiping his hands with a wet-nap.
    “Really? Like what?” Missy leaned forward in anticipation.
    “Well, unfortunately, the cupcake is what poisoned the victim…” he began.
    “What? That’s impossible!” Missy interrupted.
    “There was a fine, white powder on the victim’s upper lip that matched the white powder sprinkled on the top of the cupcake, which turned out to be the substance that poisoned the victim,” Chas explained.
    “But that particular type of Sweet Crème Sandwich doesn’t have powdered sugar on it,” Missy pointed out, puzzled.
    “Even more strange is the fact that the victim’s credit card receipt indicated that she had bought the sandwich at Sweet Love, Echo’s shop, rather than yours.”
    “That makes no sense at all,” Missy shook her head. “The sandwiches are made and sold here. Echo just supplies the ice cream the night before so that we can assemble them.”
    “Now you know what I’m dealing with here. Nothing adds up,” Chas frowned, frustrated.
    “Are there any other clues?” Missy asked, hopeful.
    “Nothing yet except a footprint in the pig’s blood at Sweet Love that we’re trying to match. I’m still looking into any possible connections that Jonathan Michener might have in this area, but so far, that’s a wash too.”
    “I’ll bring Echo up to date. Poor thing is just at her wit’s end,” Missy said sadly.
    “Understandable,” Chas commented, pausing for a moment as though he were going to say something, but remaining silent.
    “Keep me posted?”
    “Of course,” he squeezed her hand.
    Missy decided to drive to Dellville after her lunch with Chas, to tell Echo the latest and ask her over for a movie night. She parked in the drive, noticing that all of the shades were pulled and thinking that her friend must really be depressed if she’d resorted to shutting out all sunlight. The California gal loved nothing better than to bask in the sun, and the sight of the drawn shades filled Missy with trepidation. Hoping that all was well, she tried to open the front door, surprised for a moment to find it locked, but then realizing that Echo was just taking extra precautions.
    “Hey girlfriend!” she called out when she rang the bell. “Come let me in!” She listened intently, surprised that she wasn’t hearing any sounds from inside. Jogging around the side of the house, she tried the back door with the same result. Perplexed, she texted her friend to see if she was home, and became rather alarmed when she received no response.
    “ Okay, Missy girl ,” she chided herself. “ Let’s be reasonable here…Echo could be in the shower, or checking out at the grocery store, or any number of things that would prevent her from answering her phone . Or…she could’ve fallen down the stairs, or been poisoned, or be laying in there suffering and needing my help! ” her brain insisted. Not knowing what to do, and unable to think constructively, Missy reverted to her constant fallback plan and called Chas, who told her to stay put and headed to Dellville immediately.  He alerted Detective Keller, who arrived moments later and rapped firmly on both the front and back doors, just as Missy had. Receiving no response, he walked around the cottage, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Just as