A Food and Wine Club Mystery Boxset Books 1 through 5

by Cat Chandler

  As Matt quickly gathered everyone together and ushered them toward the elevators, Nicki kept nodding and smiling at whatever Mink was talking about.

  Their coffee cups were half empty before the blond finally wound down. After listening to Mink’s entire dating history with her brand-new fiancé, as well as a lengthy list of her prior boyfriends, Nicki was exhausted. But through it all, she noticed that one name had been missing. Robin Boral.

  “I did want to ask you a couple of things about Robin Boral,” Nicki said once Mink had paused to take a breath.

  “I already told the police chief where I was that morning, and the night before. Danny and I were at a party in Tacoma. It went on until five in the morning, and then we just crashed there.” She flopped back in her chair and stuck her lower lip out. “And I don’t own a gun. I don’t like them at all. Danny doesn’t own one either.” She frowned. “I didn’t tell the chief, ‘cause he didn’t ask, but I don’t think Robin ever owned a gun. He didn’t like them much, even though his dad was in the army and fought in the war and all.” Mink wrinkled her nose. “I’m not sure which war, but Mr. B was pretty old, so it was a long time ago.”

  “World War Two?” Nicki supplied helpfully.

  Mink only shrugged. “Could have been.”

  “I don’t really understand about you and Robin,” Nicki said slowly. “I thought he was your boyfriend. Did Danny know about him?”

  Mink waved that off. “Oh sure. Danny didn’t mind. I mean, Robin wasn’t a real boyfriend.” Her eyes popped wide open, and she gave a quick look around. “I’m not supposed to say that. That was part of the deal.”

  “What deal?”

  “I’m not supposed to talk about it.” The younger woman shook her head.

  Nicki leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Robin’s dead, Mink. It’s all right to talk about it now.”

  “I don’t know.” Mink’s gaze swept around the lobby again. “Maybe it’s okay.”

  “You and Robin had a deal? For you to pretend to be his girlfriend?” Nicki thought she’d probably guessed right when Mink’s head bobbed up and down.

  “He paid me five hundred dollars every month. It’s not that much money, but it helped me out and all I had to do was go out to dinner with him once or twice a month, and tell a couple of little lies here and there. No big deal.”

  Feeling more disappointed than surprised, Nicki let out the breath she’d been holding. “So you didn’t know Robin very well? Just as a casual date?”

  “We talked a lot.” Mink laughed. “I mean, we didn’t have much else to do. I met his dad a couple of times.”

  “Mr. B?” Nicki smiled.

  “Yeah. Nice old guy. Talked a lot about baseball. I guess he was a real fan.” Mink held up a polished nail and studied it for a moment. “I’ve never liked sports much, but Mr. B had lots of baseball stuff in a big cabinet in his living room. Along with that wine.”

  Nicki scooted to the edge of her chair. “Wine? He had a wine bottle in his cabinet?”

  “They all had wine locked away in cabinets. Robin had two or three of them in his house full of wine.” Mink sniffed. “What’s the point of having wine if you aren’t going to drink it?”

  “I only saw one cabinet in Robin’s office.”

  Mink nodded. “Yeah, me too. He said that was a special one where he kept all the expensive stuff because the building had an alarm on it, and a security guard would be there in less than five minutes. There was also a gadget on that cabinet. It took pictures or something.”

  Pictures? Nicki hadn’t noticed a camera on the cabinet, but then she hadn’t been looking for one either. And she didn’t think the forensics team that Clay had brought in had looked at the cabinet at all. She’d have to be sure to put another visit to Robin’s office at the top of her “to-do” list.

  “Do you need to know anything else, ‘cause I should go?” Mink was already gathering up the lime-green purse that matched the bows on her sandals.

  “It’s just a minor thing, but did you ever notice Robin wearing a pin?”

  “A pin?” Mink’s expression went completely blank. “Like a safety pin?”

  Nicki shook her head. “No. More like a piece of jewelry? Maybe he wore it on his shirt, or the lapel of a jacket?”

  “Robin never wore jewelry,” Mink scoffed. “He was always saying that he was a baker and he couldn’t wear anything that might fall into the batters he made.” She rolled her eyes. “He never bought me anything either, not even for Christmas or my birthday, or when I had to put up with his ex-wife, Lydia, the second Mrs. B. Only in her case the ‘B’ didn’t stand for Boral.” Mink winked at Nicki. “If you know what I mean.”

  “I’ve met her,” Nicki said, and not without some sympathy. “But you probably didn’t have to see her often.”

  Mink huffed out a breath. “Are you kidding me? We saw her every time we went out somewhere. Robin made sure of that. He enjoyed making her jealous, and that’s why he paid me to pretend to be his girlfriend. He said it was worth five hundred a month to him, just to see Lydia-the-witch always getting jealous about it.”

  Weird way to go about it, Nicki thought. In her opinion, Lydia was a lot more angry than she was jealous. But the details of Lydia and Robin’s strange relationship wasn’t what Nicki wanted to know. At least not at the moment.

  “So you never saw Robin wear any kind of pin, and he never showed you one? Maybe attached to a wide blue ribbon?”

  “Oh. That.” When Mink stood, Nicki got up right along with her. “The one he hung around that wine bottle he took from his dad’s cabinet after Mr. B died? I mean, I understand why Robin took the wine and all, since he got all of Mr. B’s stuff. But his dad wanted to be buried with that pin. Mr. B told me that himself once, so I don’t think Robin should have taken it.” Mink shook her head. “That doesn’t seem right.”

  “It isn’t,” Nicki agreed. “It must have been pretty special to Mr. B if he wanted to keep it with him forever?”

  Mink started across the lobby with Nicki walking beside her. “Oh, it goes back to that war stuff again. He got that pin for being a veteran. That’s what he always said. It was a veteran’s pin, and he got one for life. I didn’t get it, but I didn’t listen real closely. He talked about it so much, it went in one ear and out the other.” Mink made a motion near her ear, first on one side, and then on the other side of her head. When they were almost to the revolving doors, Mink stopped and faced Nicki.

  “Look, I really do need to go. Danny’s waiting for me. We’re going to go look at dishes and stuff. One of my friends is making plans to give me a bridal shower.”

  “That’s wonderful.” Nicki smiled. “Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, and I wish you and Danny a happy life together.”

  Giggling, Mink threw out one last wave before rushing away. Nicki immediately pulled out her phone and sent a text to Matt.

  Where are you?

  Chapter Ninety-Five

  The rest of the day had been hectic, and all about the wedding. Nicki and Jenna had run between Alex’s suite, where Nancy and Maxie had parked themselves to make sure all the “Welcome Bags” for the soon-to-arrive family and guests were completed, and the lobby bar where the groomsmen had settled in as they watched sports on the big screen TV and discussed the hike they’d be starting out on first thing the following morning.

  By mid-afternoon, the two bridesmaids were just getting back to the hotel after making their second trip into town, this time to collect a large order of burgers and fries from The Sunny Side Up Cafe. Jenna had already dug through the bags and retrieved a paper-wrapped burger for herself, declaring that it would be gone as soon as the guys saw the food, and she’d have to go another “burgerless” day. Which, according to the computer geek, would be a disaster of major proportions. Nicki shook her head at Jenna’s dramatic take on a hamburger as they walked from the parking lot toward the revolving doors.

  “And do not tell one of those eating machines in
the lobby bar that I have a burger in my purse.”

  Nicki shot her friend an exasperated look. “For the fifth time, I won’t say a word. I promise. Now stop worrying about your hamburger fix. I’m sure Goose makes the best ones in the whole state, and no one is going to take it from you.” Nicki peeked into the large brown bag she was carrying. “Maybe we should take out Alex’s salad, too.”

  Jenna laughed. “I think her rabbit food is safe enough.” She reached out a long arm and stopped Nicki from walking through the front doors of the hotel. “How much longer do you think we’ll have to tie those ribbons around the drink bottles for those Welcome Bags Nancy wants done?”

  “Until Nancy tells us we can stop, I guess.” Nicki grinned. “And stop scowling. It’s all part of the bridesmaid code.”

  “So why isn’t Matt helping us? He said he had no objections to the bridesmaid code.”

  “Because they’re all, including Matt, watching the game,” Nicki said.

  “What game? There’s a couple on today.”

  “I don’t have any idea at all.” Nicki pushed on the glass door so it would start revolving and let her into the lobby. Once she was free of its little compartment, she waited until Jenna stepped up beside her. “And I am not wading into their fist-pumping, high-fiving, yelling-at-the-officials midst to find out who’s playing who, or even what they’re playing.”

  “The guys aren’t as bad as all that,” Jenna said just as a burst of noise, coming from somewhere in the bar, rolled across the lobby.

  “I guess someone scored a point.” Nicki was resigned to the fact that she’d have to face all those sports-crazy men to deliver their food.

  “Or maybe a goal.”

  “Even I know that football isn’t played in June.” At least, I’m pretty sure it isn’t. Nicki eyed the iron gates that framed the doorway into the lounge. That might not be a bad place to just leave the food and run.

  “Football isn’t the only sport where you score goals, Nicki,” Jenna stated. “The ice hockey teams are playing right now for the national championship.”

  “Great,” Nicki muttered. Seriously, she could leave the food and then text Matt and let him know it was there.

  Reading her expression perfectly, Jenna gave Nicki a small shove with her elbow. “Go on in and get it over with. And don’t worry. I’ll pull you out if the ravenous wolves attack.”

  “Ha, ha,” Nicki said, bracing herself when she heard Ty call out, “food’s here.”

  “Hang on.” Matt’s long-legged stride stayed ahead of the pack enough that he managed to take both bags out of Nicki’s hands and place them on the nearest table before backing away, taking Nicki with him.

  She laughed at the deft maneuver and wound her arms around his waist as Jenna simply tossed her bags in the general direction of the table and fled out the door. Luckily, one landed on the table and Ty caught the other one in midair. The fireman spun around and neatly lifted a flat Styrofoam container right out of Nate’s hands.

  “Hey,” Nate said, making a grab for the container that Ty quickly held out of his reach.

  Ty protected it from Nate’s grappling for it by turning his body. “Hey, nothing. This might be Alex’s salad.”

  “Salad?” Nate immediately backed away. “No problem.”

  Nicki grinned at Ty’s fierce defense of his fiancée’s lunch. She held out her hand. “I’ll take it up to her, Ty. You sit and enjoy your food.” She raised her voice. “If there’s anything left.”

  “I think there’s still a French fry in one of the bags,” Joshua said.

  Unwinding the other arm that was still wrapped around Matt, she smiled at him. “You too. I know you’re starving by now.”

  “I’d bet Jenna stashed a burger in that giant tote she calls a purse,” Matt said. He put his hands on his hips and stared at Nicki. “And where’s your food?”

  “I’m not hungry at the moment.” She stretched up and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth. “I’ll get something a little later at the cafe, or from room service.”

  “Uh huh.”

  Backing away, Nicki lifted her hand in a cheerful wave. She wanted to get out of there before Matt stood over her until she ate one of those absurdly giant hamburgers. Successfully making her escape, Nicki fled to one of the upper floors and knocked on the door to Maxie’s suite.

  It opened a crack and an eyeball, that she recognized as belonging to Jenna, appeared. The door opened just enough for her to squeeze through and was promptly shut behind her. She thought maybe Jenna was being a little paranoid about hamburger thieves when she not only locked the door, but put the chain in place as well.

  When Jenna turned around and saw Nicki staring at her, she shrugged. “You can’t be too careful. Nancy has dragged Alex off to look at what she called ‘adorable flutes’ in a shop in town. Alex sent a message to ‘save ourselves’, so we’ve locked the door to stay true to the bridesmaid code by doing what the bride said to do.”

  “I’m simply eating a salad, dear,” Maxie called out.

  Nicki shook her head at Jenna and went to give Maxie a hug. “I’m glad we’re all here. I wanted to update the murder board.”

  “You mean the murder paper, don’t you?” Jenna said around a big bite of her hamburger. She closed her eyes as she stuck one thumb up into the air. “Goose makes a great burger.”

  “Board, paper, whatever works,” Nicki said.

  “Well, you’ll have to wait a couple of minutes. I want to enjoy every morsel of this burger. Then I’ll have enough energy to write on the board.” Jenna frowned. “Does this have anything to do with the girlfriend?”

  “Mink? It does.” Nicki looked at the long row of bags with the colorful midnight-blue and yellow ribbons tying the handles together. She was eager to get everything onto their makeshift murder board, but loyalty to Alex came first. “Are all the gift bags done? We should finish those first.”

  “Oh, they’re all done,” Jenna said. “I got a first-hand show of why Nancy is such a great party planner. When she mentioned to the guys they’d be decorating seven hundred cupcakes, they were pretty vocal in their objections. Until she told them it was either that, or they had to put together the gag gifts for the bachelorette party, which involved several feminine products. Suddenly icing cupcakes didn’t seem so bad.” Jenna grinned as Nicki and Maxie broke into laughter.

  “Everything is well under control,” Maxie said. “The wine has been approved and delivery confirmed. The hotel has agreed to serve it. The flowers, caterer, photographer, minister, band, and several others I can’t recall, have all been contacted and they are all ready. Once the cupcakes are decorated and ready to assemble into the beautiful display Nicki designed, everything will be perfect.”

  Nicki tapped her index finger against her lower lip. “I didn’t do that design. Kylie did. That’s why Jenna and I left early to go pick up the food, so we could drop in on Kylie and make sure she was doing okay.”

  “Nice person,” Jenna said, waving a thick-cut French fry in the air. “Makes great cupcakes. Nicki told her she should make cupcake wedding cakes her signature dish, so to speak. I thought the poor girl was going to faint from the shock.”

  “I don’t think she got a lot of encouragement from Robin, and certainly not from Andrew.” Nicki’s eyes got misty just remembering how grateful the assistant baker had been over a few kind words. “She has almost all the cupcakes baked and ready to frost, and all the support pieces for the structure that really was her own design. So Alex and Ty will definitely have a cake to be proud of at their wedding.”

  “Which beats three hundred cups filled with carrots and celery,” Jenna declared.

  “And undoubtedly decorated with midnight-blue and yellow ribbons.” Maxie smiled at both the young women, then reached over and picked up a marker. “It looks like you managed to finish your lunch, and Nicki will order from room service when she’s hungry.”

  Just then there was a discreet knock on the door. Her eyes narrowi
ng, Jenna marched over and looked through the peephole.

  “It looks like the bellhop from downstairs.” She didn’t release the chain when she opened the door a crack. “Yes?”

  Nicki couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but looked over when Jenna came back into the room. She was carrying a plate covered with a linen napkin, and gave Nicki a smirk as she held it out.

  “This is for you.”

  When Jenna handed over the plate, Nicki peeked under the cloth. It was actually a wide, shallow bowl of steaming pasta with broccoli and a light sauce. Nicki took an appreciative sniff. It looked great and smelled even better.

  Jenna held out her other hand with a folded piece of paper. “It came with this.” She opened the note with a flourish and read the contents out loud. “It says, ‘You’re hungry. Love, Matt’. Care to explain, Miss Connors?”

  Nicki looked down at the bowl of pasta in her hand and then back up at Jenna. “It’s pasta. I’ve made it for you before, but since it’s not made with any sort of hamburger, you might not recognize it.”

  “Uh huh. I’m talking about the ‘love, Matt’ part on this note.”

  “Did it come with any silverware?”

  Jenna produced a napkin with a fork and knife wrapped inside. “The bellman said Matt paid him twenty dollars to bring this right upstairs and give it to you.”

  “Okay.” Nicki didn’t even bother to sit down before she dug into the pasta. It was good. Really good. She must have been hungrier than she realized.

  “He paid twenty dollars,” Jenna went on. “And signed the note, ‘love, Matt’.”

  “It’s just an expression when someone puts it on a note like that. It doesn’t mean anything.” Nicki smacked her lips and twirled more pasta around her fork.

  “I think we need to have a discussion about this,” Jenna said.

  “Fine. And then I’d like to get into the details of your dinner-that-wasn’t-a-date with Jeff from Trident Industries.”