Read Muffins & Murder (Sweet Bites Book 3) (Sweet Bites Mysteries) for Free Online Page A

Murders While Whipping up Delicious Delicacies had brought me a lot of attention, and increased traffic in my shop, but I didn’t want to be famous for solving murders. For my cakes, yeah, but that was another issue.
    “That’s me,” I said. “I was hoping to assist the detective by checking on some other angles and that you could help me. You knew Francine better than anyone.” I didn’t know if I was going to share anything else with Tingey, since he was being so stingy on the details, but it was a good excuse.
    Ali’s smile was half-hearted. “I’m not sure I did, but I’m happy to help if I can.”
    I considered the angles I could pursue and decided to start with Cole. “I’ve spoken with Cole Taylor. He said he and Francine were dating and getting serious, but—”
    “No, way.” Ali interrupted me. “He was stalking her. She didn’t like him and he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He would show up on her doorstep with flowers or find her if she went out to dinner. I swear he either had a GPS tracker on her car, or he spent all of his time off from work following her around. It was creepy. And he can’t seem to get over himself or his high school days. Who really cares about the winning touchdown he made ten years ago?”
    I was taken aback by the flow of information. So Jerry had been spot on. And Cole only had a fishing boat for an alibi. Interesting. “Was she scared of him?”
    Her brow furrowed. “Not scared, really. Irritated, wished he’d back off and leave her alone. She did look over her shoulder a lot.” She picked up a marker from the desk beside her and started flipping it end over end, as if she needed something to do with her hands so she could think more clearly. “Something bothered her; like she worried someone was following her. I always figured it was Cole, but he didn’t freak her out—but something did.” She tipped her head. “How come I just realized that?”
    “That’s good. That’s important.” I touched her arm briefly to encourage her. “Can you think of anything specific?”
    She pursed her lips, then shook her head. “No. Nothing specific. I wish she had talked to me more, told me what she was so scared of. Maybe I could have helped her and she’d still be alive.”
    “Me too. But what about Connie Larabee? I understand she was giving Francine trouble about her daughter not being cast in the lead for the pageant.”
    Ali chuckled lightly. “Yes, lucky me, I got the assignment and Connie has already been here today, trying to convince me to change things around, even though the principal told her no. I refused; the casting is fine as it is. Her daughter is a sweetheart, but she’s not the only one in the group who can recite a few lines.” She brushed the hair back from her face. “It’s mothers like her who make teachers not want to be in charge of pageants.” She blew out a deep breath.
    “Did she seem mad, or just disappointed?” I asked. I would find out for myself in about an hour, but Ali’s perspective could help me decide how to approach Connie.
    “She seemed... affronted, as if it offended her that I wouldn’t see her daughter as the best choice. Not mad, really.” She gave me a piercing look. “Do you think she killed Franny?”
    “No,” I rushed to say, took a breath, and continued on as calmly as I could. “I’m just checking angles, but I don’t know of any reason to believe it was her.” She was on the suspect list for now, but no need to admit it to Ali. Another thought came to me. “How about Connie’s husband, have you ever met him?” No one had mentioned anything about him, beyond the fact that there was one, but I didn’t want to wipe him off the list until I knew more.
    “I’ve never met him.” Ali shrugged. “But I do know there was a quilting scuffle over some of Franny’s designs.”
    “Mary Ellen Perkins,” I confirmed, nodding. “I haven’t spoken with her yet, but I know Detective Tingey is looking at