Read Ganache with Panache: Book 2 in The Chocolate Cafe Series for Free Online Page B

but to Mac Zach’s body looked like the result of pure, unadulterated rage.
    What was even more horrific was the look on Zachary’s sister’s face in the few shots of her at the scene that made their way online. According to the press, she had also been staying at the hotel to help her brother with some of the technical aspects of his two bridal gowns. She had been his constant companion for years, second only to his partner. The look in her eyes in those few candid shots was hard to forget. She looked broken.
    “It was the sister. Obviously.” Brie was trying to drum up some enthusiasm from Mac. She was used to seeing her friend burst into flame when any kind of mystery came to town. This time, however, she was strangely sedate. Almost calm.
    “Nope. She was with his partner that night in the city. They have witnesses and everything. Do you have the camera with you?”
    Mac, Brie, and Vanessa were driving up the coastline to Amelia Moore’s house to get a close look at the backyard venue. Vanessa had decided to tag along as an excuse to get away from the press heyday that had taken over downtown. Like the other two, dealing with all the speculation and intrusiveness of the scoop-hungry reporters had utterly exhausted her.
    The three of them were more than happy to put up their respective closed signs and enjoy a short road trip. They had passed all of the monster homes a while back and were now making their way to the winding, narrow streets of what the locals referred to as the character neighborhood.
    Wind ravaged and full of personality, these homes were some of the oldest in Mackenzie Bay, and certainly contained the most character. Windsocks fluttered from each one and the front doors were painted various bright, cheery shades.
    In time they arrived at Amelia’s house—a modest arts and crafts home with a lush summer garden out the front. Two lazy, ginger cats blinked at the girls as they opened the warped gate to make their way to the front door.
    “Don’t her parents have a ton of money? Her dad invented some software thing, right?” Mac whispered to Brie.
    “They live in the next town over. Or two. Apparently sending her big fat checks every month is easier than admitting they’re too lame to look after their own son.” Brie whispered back.
    Mac grunted her disapproval and knocked on the door. The ginger cats immediately wound themselves around the three women’s legs. There was no answer, so she tried again.
    “We’re back here!” Amelia’s voice called out from the side of the house. Brie, Mac, and Vanessa picked their way past the affectionate kitties and made their way along the twisting stone pathway and through a thick hedge arc.
    The backyard was magical. There was no better word for it. At first glance it looked as if nature had simply exploded in a riot of summer joy: butterflies, bumblebees, hanging vines, any number of flowers, all piled up and intertwined together. Of course, at second glance it was easy to see how much work had gone into making that way. It reminded Mac of the storybooks she had devoured as a child. She was immediately enchanted.
    In the shade of a red maple, Amelia sat on a high-back wicker chair, her radiant hair spilling down over her shoulders. She stood up as soon as she saw them.
    “Thank you for coming,” she said, embracing them briefly. She smelled of lilacs and sunscreen. “What a terrible couple of days.”
    “I’m so sorry, you must be so disappointed.” Vanessa said. Amelia looked puzzled. Vanessa blushed. “I apologize. I’m Vanessa. Nice to meet you.”
    “Disappointed?” Amelia asked, her blue eyes round and puzzled.
    “Your dress?” Mac asked, a little surprised that a bride would forget such a typically important part of her wedding.
    “Oh! Oh, no,” Amelia said. “Come see.” She beckoned them over to the table where she had been sitting. She picked up three pieces of paper and passed them to Mac. “Zach’s sister Kyra has come to