Luscious Pastry at a Lethal Party (A Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery Book 5) Read online

  Luscious Pastry at a Lethal Party

  A Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery

  Cindy Bell

  Copyright © 2016 Cindy Bell

  All rights reserved.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and locations portrayed in this book and the names herein are fictitious. Any similarity to or identification with the locations, names, characters or history of any person, product or entity is entirely coincidental and unintentional.

  All trademarks and brands referred to in this book are for illustrative purposes only, are the property of their respective owners and not affiliated with this publication in any way. Any trademarks are being used without permission, and the publication of the trademark is not authorized by, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owner.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  From the Author

  About the Author

  More Books by Cindy Bell

  Chocolate Ganache Tart Recipe

  Chapter One

  The dough against Ally’s fingertips relaxed every muscle in her body. By the time the dough was rolled and she had started pressing it into the tart pans, Ally’s mind shifted into a peaceful place, guided by her grandmother’s subtle humming. That soft repetitive sound was one of the most treasured memories of her childhood. It still brought her a level of comfort that nothing else could. Flour dusted the counter and the sweet scent of the chocolate mixture that would fill the shells wafted through the air. It was a delicious experience for every one of her senses.

  “Ready for the oven.” Charlotte lifted a tray and slid it inside the oven.

  “This one is, too.” Ally pressed the dough into the last tart pan then carried the tray over to the oven as well. Once the tarts were in Ally and Charlotte high-fived.

  “These are going to be delicious, the pastry looks perfect.” Ally smiled. “I wish we made them more often.”

  “We really should. I’m glad the excuse to do this came up. The cocktail party tonight should be fun.”

  “Do you think so?” Ally scrunched up her nose. “I’m not so sure about that.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know, a room full of politicians, I’m not sure that could be considered fun.”

  “Some of those people aren’t so bad. It’s good to make connections with Mayor Malcolm and his associates. I live on the border of Freely now and we have a lot of customers from there so if we ever have a problem it can be beneficial to have a good relationship with those in a position of authority.”

  “Are you talking about corruption, Mee-Maw?”

  “No sweetie, I’m talking about hands washing hands, and what someone in power remembering your name can do for you. The only thing we will ever bribe with, is chocolate.” Charlotte laughed. “I wish I could say that the politicians of Freely are all honest, but that wouldn’t be honest of me.”

  “It makes me uneasy to think of schmoozing for the sake of favor.”

  “It’s not for favor, it’s just for courtesy. It doesn’t hurt to have someone on your side in the event of a disaster. Let’s not pretend that you don’t use a bit of favor when you need Luke’s help.”

  Ally grimaced and laughed. “Okay you got me there. I see what you’re saying.”

  “So tonight we’ll go, we’ll serve our luscious chocolate tarts, we’ll dance, and hopefully if we ever have a parking ticket in Freely that we can’t pay, someone will remember our names.”

  “Okay, I suppose I’ll find a way to enjoy myself then.”

  “I know one way it would be a lot more fun. Couldn’t you get Luke to play hooky?” Charlotte asked.

  “Luke?” Ally laughed. “The only time he ever bends the rules is if I’m in trouble. I don’t think a stuffy party at a country club counts. Besides, he’s excited about this training, it will give him a foot up towards getting a promotion.”

  “Ah well, I guess a week without him will have to be tolerable then.”

  “Ten days actually, and it’s not,” Ally sighed, “at all. I hate to admit it, but I miss him.”

  “You shouldn’t hate to admit it, Ally. It’s a good thing to miss someone.”

  “Is it?” Ally tilted her head from side to side. “Sometimes I’m worried that I’m getting a bit too attached.”

  “You mean that you’re head over heels in love?”

  “Stop.” Ally sighed and picked up a stray chocolate from the counter. “I’ve vowed to be as disconnected from him as possible while he’s away. He needs to focus, and I need to remind myself that I’m not dependent on him, though I may very much enjoy his company.”

  “I guess that makes sense.” Charlotte scrunched up her nose. “Love was much simpler when I was young.”

  “And now?” Ally quirked an eyebrow. “What happened to that man at Freely Lakes you were seeing? I didn’t even get to meet him.”

  “Well, it turns out we don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, and to be honest, I am far too old to argue with anyone other than you.” She winked. “I don’t know, Ally. Sometimes I think it would be nice to connect with someone again, but perhaps I’ve fallen in love with being single. It’s nice not to have any expectations, not to have to worry about someone else’s feelings, or cater my decisions to their whims.”

  “I can agree with that. There’s pluses and minuses to both I suppose.”

  “True. But I can tell you this much, Ally, I might be content on my own right now, but if love presented itself to me, the real kind, I wouldn’t hesitate to jump on it. Missing out on something magical only leads to regret.” She met her eyes.

  “Okay, okay, message received.” Ally grinned. “At least we’ll both be single tonight. I’ll pick you up at six?”

  “Perfect. I left you a list on the front counter of things that you should bring to the dinner tonight.”

  “You should stay with me tonight after the party. The shop is closed tomorrow, we only have some baking to do. We can have a sleepover.” Ally leaned close. “I rented that new movie you wanted to see and I’ve got plenty of popcorn.”

  “Oh, the one with all of the dancing?” Charlotte wiggled her eyebrows.

  “That’s the one.” Ally grinned. “What do you say?”

  “I say, a sleepover is long overdue, and I’d love to.”

  “Great. I’ll make sure that we have plenty of snacks.”

  “See you tonight.” Charlotte kissed her cheek then left through the back door of the chocolate shop. Ally glanced at her phone. No texts, no calls. She took a deep breath and reminded herself that Luke was occupied. Maybe her grandmother was right, being single seemed a whole lot less complicated.

&
nbsp; ***

  When Ally arrived at the cottage a very hungry pot-bellied pig greeted her at the door with a loud snort.

  “Oh dear, you are hungry, little piggie.” Ally frowned and shuffled him away from the door. “Sorry I’m a bit late, I got caught up with baking.” She walked over to the cabinet and pulled out his food. The moment she filled his bowl, Peaches pranced her way into the kitchen. She sat down in front of Ally’s feet and meowed repetitively.

  “Oh, you think just because I’m feeding Arnold, I have to feed you too, hm?” She put some food in Peaches’ bowl and gave the cat a scratch behind the ear. “I missed you today, my friend.”

  Ally stretched her arms above her head. It had already been a long day, and she had a long evening ahead of her. What she really wanted was a nap, but there was no way of getting out of the party. She had already committed to it. Just as she settled down on the edge of the couch to gather her thoughts, her cell phone rang. She answered it right away.

  “Hey Luke. How’s the training?”

  “It’s pretty brutal.” He yawned. “How are things in your neck of the woods?”

  “Pretty quiet. Oh you know, except for the cocktail party I have to go to tonight.”

  “You have a date?”

  “Nope. Not unless you count Mee-Maw.”

  “I wish I could be there to go with you.”

  “Don’t worry about that. I’m going to be working most of the night anyway, I’m sure you would have just been a distraction.”

  “I’m sure I would have been, too. In fact, I try my hardest to make sure that I am.”

  “Oh trust me, you are usually very successful at that.” Ally laughed.

  “I’m glad that you think so. I wasn’t sure if you even noticed my efforts.”

  “Oh, I noticed all right. I think when you get back we need to have a long conversation about your distracting behavior.”

  “Okay. But I can’t promise not to distract you.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  Luke laughed. “I’m glad things are okay. The training is interesting, I have to admit, but I had no idea it was going to be this physical, I might be a few pounds lighter by the time I get back.”

  “Hm, maybe I need to try that training out.”

  “Absolutely not. You’re perfect, just the way you are.”

  “Aw, that’s sweet.”

  “I mean it. And, I do wish that I could be there.”

  “Me too, Luke. Have a good night.”

  “I’m going straight to bed.” He yawned again.

  Ally hung up the phone and headed for her room to dress. After choosing a simple multi-colored dress that fitted loosely, she tugged a brush through her hair and applied a sparse amount of make-up. Her main intention was not to be noticed. If she could pull that off, it would be a successful night.

  The gleam of a barrette that her grandmother had given her drew her attention. She hadn’t worn it yet and it would go perfect with the dress. Maybe a little bit of sparkle wouldn’t be so bad. She slipped the barrette into her thick, brown hair and looked in the mirror. The silver surface caught the bathroom light and sparkled a little. Satisfied, Ally left the bathroom and gathered her purse. In her mind she ran through the list of things she needed to remember. Pick up the tarts, pick up extra menus, pick up raspberries, pick up Mee-Maw.

  “I’d better not forget her.” She laughed and reached down to stroke Peaches’ back. She paused in the kitchen and added a bit more food to Arnold’s bowl, just in case the evening went late. Then she headed out the door. Freely was a town full of people that she knew from a distance. She remembered faces, and names, from when she grew up in the small, neighboring town of Blue River, but some people had very little idea of who she was as an adult. An event like the cocktail party, was an opportunity to reconnect with people who she had fallen out of touch with. However, she wasn’t sure that she could bring herself to be very social. Despite the fact that she took off on her own to college at eighteen, she hadn’t overcome a sense of shyness that prevented her from being the life of the party.

  Ally parked outside Charlotte’s Chocolate Heaven. The wide front window was filled with an assortment of chocolates as well as chocolate cakes, tarts and muffins. Happiness filled Ally’s heart as she walked up to the door. Never did she predict that her life would take this turn, but there she was back home, and running the chocolate shop for her grandmother. Inside she gathered the things she needed under the watchful eyes of an assortment of statues and carvings created by local artists. On her way back out the door she double-checked the lock and mentally checked off things on her list.

  Once Ally was back in the car she only had one more thing to pick up, her grandmother. Leaves scattered across the sweeping drive that led into Freely Lakes. She continued to drive towards the main apartment building where her grandmother lived. It was under protest that Ally had agreed to the transition, and she still missed having Charlotte living with her. She believed her grandmother wanted her to have the space so that she could explore her own life with a bit more freedom. But it was hard for Ally to think of her grandmother as a woman, who had her own life to explore. That doubt was wiped out the moment that her grandmother stepped out of the apartment. Ally’s words caught in her throat at the sight of the figure-hugging dress that her grandmother wore.

  “Mee-Maw, you look amazing,” Ally said as Charlotte opened the car door.

  Charlotte laughed as she settled in the passenger seat. “I’m sure you say that to all the gals you pick up.”

  “I mean it, you are stunning in that dress.”

  “Well, thank you. I know it may be a bit much, but it is supposed to be quite formal. I had a lot of fun shopping for this little number.” She eyed the colorful frock Ally wore. “That’s a nice dress, too.”

  “Thanks, I wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t get too hot.”

  “Did you remember the tarts? The extra menus? The raspberries?”

  “Yes.” Ally laughed. “I remembered all of it. I even gave Arnold a little extra food. We’re good to go.”

  “Great. I don’t want to worry about anything tonight, other than our tarts being a big hit.”

  “I don’t think we’re going to have to worry about that. People love everything we make.”

  “Most people. But people in high positions can sometimes be more critical because they have access to so much.”

  “I’m sure the tarts will go over well. I can’t wait to eat one myself.”

  “None of that!” Charlotte laughed. “We have to make sure that as many people as possible get to taste one tonight. And have more than one if they desire.”

  “I’m a person.” Ally frowned and then winked at her grandmother.

  “I promise that if they’re all gone we’ll spend some time tomorrow making more, just for us. I have a chocolate, peanut butter tart I want to try out.”

  “Okay, good deal.” Ally grinned and turned down the long driveway that led to the country club. It wasn’t often that they attended events at the country club, though on occasion they had catered there for dessert. Now that Ally saw the parade of expensive cars and well-dressed people that gathered at the semicircle entrance she swallowed hard. Was she underdressed? Her grandmother’s outfit seemed to fit in better than the sundress she wore.

  “Ready for this?” Charlotte reached over and patted the back of her hand.

  “As ready as I can be.” Ally nodded.

  “You head in first, I’ll meet you there. I just want to freshen up in the bathroom.”

  “Okay.”

  Chapter Two

  Ally carried the tarts through the doors into the main room of the country club. The interior was packed with colorful decorations, an assortment of tables, and was back to back with influential residents of Freely and the surrounding areas.

  Ally was greeted by the head of catering, Elisa, who showed her over to one of the catering tables. When Ally set the tray of small tarts down on one of
the tables she noticed that there were several other trays of savory finger food lined up beside it. The food smelled amazing. At the very least she would leave with a full belly. While she prepared the table she noticed her grandmother enter the room. She waved and smiled to several people. Her connections ran much deeper in the community than Ally’s did. As she liked to mention as often as possible she had once babysat many of the people in town. Ally waved her over to the table.

  “Oh, this is a nice spot.” Charlotte smiled. “Lots of people will notice us here.”

  “If they don’t, the smell will draw them. I can’t wait to dig in.”

  “The food and drinks will be available before the speeches. I guess the mayor wants everyone to be liquored up before he breaks the bad news about the state of the budget.”

  “Maybe it will be better news than you think.” Ally shrugged. “From what I’ve heard about him he seems like a smart man.”

  “He is quite smart. Smart enough to end up with the position of mayor.” Her voice grew strained. “Though it was quite a scandal when he was elected.”

  “Really? Why?”

  “He has a bit of a mafia mentality. Not that he’s part of the mafia, I’m not saying that. He just has that type of brusque, authoritative nature. Not too many people that work under him take kindly to it.”

  “I wouldn’t either.” Ally narrowed her eyes. “That’s such an out of date way to handle politics.”

  “I personally haven’t had any problems with him, but if the rumors are true, he’s not the kind of man you want to cross. Do you need any help here?”

  “No, I can handle it. Why don’t you go mingle? You look too beautiful to hide behind a table.”

  “You are too kind.” Charlotte grinned, but didn’t hesitate to join a group of women a few feet away.

  Charlotte mastered the skill of socializing, while Ally straightened the tablecloth. She put on gloves and then she set out the tarts carefully on some platters on the table. She decorated each one with a few raspberries. The raspberries cut through the richness of the tarts. Although the tarts were fine straight from the fridge, having them at room temperature, so the filling melted slightly, transformed them to something beyond just tasty. The way they were displayed made them look even more attractive. A rush of pride coursed through her as she looked at the tarts. It wasn’t so much pride in the product, as it was pride in the fact that she and her grandmother had created them together.