Cupcakes and Killing: A Cozy Mystery (Sweet Shoppe Mysteries - Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

and I looked at each other again.
    “I have an idea,” Kaye said. “Why don’t we go grab some hot chocolates at Jerry’s? You’ve had a bad day, Zara. I think you could use a chat and a warm drink. What do you say?”
    She turned back to us, her face pale. “I suppose that would be nice. Thank you.”
    The sales assistant raised her eyebrows at us as we escorted Zara out of the store, but she said nothing. None of us had bought anything, but our dress shopping would have to wait. Zara had been publicly attacked twice in just a couple of hours, and I felt terrible for her. Sure, she had a reputation, but that didn’t mean she deserved all the hate she was getting.
    We found a booth at Jerry’s café and ordered three large hot chocolates, and Zara was silent for a long time.
    “I barely even know you two,” she finally said, looking up at us. “Why are you being so nice?”
    “Well, that’s not true. We kind of know each other,” Kaye said. “And besides, like I said, you’ve had a rough day. You could use some friends.”
    She gave us a watery smile. “I don’t have many friends around here. Most of the women in this town don’t want much to do with me.”
    Neither Kaye nor I knew exactly how to respond to that, and Zara sighed.
    “It’s okay. I understand why. I’ve dated quite a few men over the years, so I’ve practically been painted with a scarlet A. They all think I’m after their husbands or something. But it’s not true.”
    “So you really didn’t know about Amy’s boyfriend?”
    “Of course not. She was a wonderful worker and I even considered her a friend. I’d never hurt her. I knew she had a new boyfriend, but I’d never met him, and she hadn’t told me his name yet. He’s the one who decided to go out and cheat on her, yet I’m the one who gets all the disgusted looks and rumors spread about me.”
    Kaye reached across and patted her hands. “That’s small town life for you, Zara. People like to gossip, and word gets around in five minutes flat. So if Amy is spreading rumors about you because she’s angry, then every second person is just going to believe it without question.”
    Zara nodded slowly. “Yes, I know. You’d think I’d be used to it by now. I’ve lived here for almost my whole life.”
    We all paused to take a sip of our drinks when they arrived, and Zara furrowed her eyebrows.
    “I know why no one trusts me. It’s because I never married again after Tom and I divorced, and just casually dated instead.”
    “Why is that?” Kaye asked. “If you don’t mind my asking.”
    “Tom wasn’t exactly very nice. He used to hurt me. So I got out of there and took Mia with me, and thankfully he soon moved far away. After that, I just never felt like I could really commit to a man again. I was scared they’d turn out like him. I mean, he seemed nice enough before we got married, but he wasn’t.”
    “I see. That makes a lot of sense,” Kaye said. “But regarding the rumors Amy is spreading about you, don’t worry. If there’s one thing I can guarantee about this town, it’s that people will have something else to gossip about within a month.”
    That was true, but none of us had any idea just how true it would soon turn out to be.
    ***
    The wedding was upon us faster than I’d anticipated, and Kaye, Tori and I had almost run ourselves ragged preparing all the cupcakes in time. Red velvet cupcakes required a lot of red food dye to give them that deep crimson shade, and every time I poured some into the cake batter, I’d feel a little sting of remorse as I thought of Mr. Frobisher. Red food dye had been the cause of his death, and I was glad that Rosie was behind bars now and unable to hurt anyone else.
    First thing on the Saturday morning, we delivered the cupcake tier to the white marquee in the park which had been set up for the reception, and then we went back to my house to get ready. Tori was coming along to the wedding as well, seeing as her mother