Fudge-Laced Felonies Read Online Free Page A

keeping secrets from her. With much protesting, they situated themselves around the table. Once everyone was seated, I jumped to my feet to grab the pan of corn bread. My sandal caught on the chair rung, and I fell into Ethan.
    His big hands encircled my waist. Positive I’d now break out in hives, I froze. “Summer? You okay?”
    Just fine. My heart beat so fast my chest hurt, and I couldn’t breathe from the humiliation. But other than that, things were just peachy. “I’m fine. Sorry.”
    April snorted behind her hand, and I shot her the frostiest look I could muster. Ethan glanced between the two of us. I held my breath, fearful of April spilling my secret.
    Joe rose from his chair. “Can’t stay for more than a drink of your fine tea, Eunice.” He lifted a glass to her. “I need to get this evidence back to the office.”
    “Even policemen have to eat, Joe.”
    He shook his head and slapped his hat on his head. “The scene’s been contaminated enough already. Best I get people working on where these diamonds came from.”
    “Don’t forget the bloody glove.” Aunt Eunice placed a bowl of spaghetti on the table.
    I stared at the red sauce poured over noodles. My stomach churned, and my breathing resembled that of a woman in Lamaze class. If I were going to solve this case, I’d need to be made of stronger stuff. I doubted Miss Marple got queasy at the thought of blood.
    I placed a bowl of warm bread on the table, spreading a tantalizing aroma through the kitchen. I counted off what I knew about the crime, which wasn’t much.
    One, there are diamonds. Lots of the little beauties. Two, cash. I didn’t know how much because I hadn’t counted it, but I planned on finding out. Third, the bloody glove. Saturated glove, really. Way too much for a simple gardening injury. My traitorous stomach soured. Did someone lie dead, brutally murdered, waiting to be discovered? The thought made my skin crawl.
    I left the dining area and followed Joe out the front door, skipping to keep up with his long stride. “Joe. How much cash was in the can?”
    He stopped, turned, and studied me with his brown eyes. “Why do you want to know, Summer?”
    “Just curious.” I flashed him what I hoped was a beguiling dimple. “I could ask my uncle. I know he counted, but he tends to exaggerate.”
    “Around one thousand dollars, according to Roy.” He spun on his heel and marched toward his squad car. “Save the coyness for Ethan. And don’t get in my way.”
    One thousand dollars! Plus the diamonds. As best I could figure at this point, someone wore the gardening gloves while they fought over the diamonds and money. And, very possibly, someone had died. Goose bumps rose on my arms.
    My gaze fell on the Sunday morning newspaper still lying in the driveway. Having missed the gift of patience, I needed to start somewhere. If there wasn’t a story on the front page about a murder, reading the obituaries seemed a logical choice. There was bound to be somebody listed who’d died of unnatural causes. Maybe even on the front page!
    By the time I reentered the room, Uncle Roy had joined the group. The talking and laughter grew loud. I paused in the doorway, soaking in the scene. Gathered around the table, enjoying each other’s company, sat the people I loved most in the world. The verse in the Bible about breaking bread and sharing fellowship took on a whole new meaning for me. A lump rose in my throat, and I blinked away tears.
    “Ain’t ya going to eat, Summer?” Aunt Eunice asked, her fork suspended halfway between her mouth and the plate. “Is something ailing you?”
    “I brought in the paper.” I tossed it on the counter and sat down. April raised her eyebrows and shoveled a forkful of spaghetti into her mouth. Fine. I usually didn’t bring in the paper, and I never read it, but there’s always a first time. I shrugged at my friend.
    “Aunt Eunice, I was thinking about that gardening glove.”
    “Uh-oh, here we