Murder at the Cooking School: Book 7 of the Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series

by Dianne Harman

  “Couldn’t you just tell him the files showed up in our room and leave it at that?”

  “No, Kelly, I won’t lie for you.”

  “Okay, but we both know what a help I am.”

  “Don’t push it, Kelly. Smart money knows when to keep their mouth shut and at the moment, you’re not acting like smart money.”

  “Got it Sheriff. Back in a few. Come on Caesar, time for dinner.”

  CHAPTER 18

  “Kelly, that was a fabulous meal. The lamb was perfect, and everything else was too. I have to tell you that Granny’s Tart was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. It wasn’t too sweet, and it left a wonderful taste in my mouth. I’ll be the first one down to breakfast tomorrow because Chef Bianchi said that the leftover tart was even better the second day, and I intend to have at least one more piece of it. Of course that’s not including the pieces I’m going to have as soon as we’re back home and you make it.”

  “Look around, Mike. You’re not the only one who’s going to be down here early. There’s not a crumb left on any of the dessert plates. Almonds, pine nuts, ricotta cheese – what’s not to like? It’s definitely going on the menu at Kelly’s Koffee Shop when we get home.”

  They were walking down the hall on their way back to their room when Mike’s cell phone rang. He looked at the screen on his phone and said, “It’s Chief Varano.” He gave the room key to Kelly, so she could open the door while he talked to the chief.

  “Chief, I’m just walking into my room. Let me close the door. I don’t know what you’re going to tell me, but it’s been my experience whenever the chief of police calls it’s probably not a call other people should overhear.”

  “Good thinking, Mike,” the chief said. “We got a break in the Nardo murder case. You and I tried every which way today to figure out a way to look at Giovanni Rizzo’s financial records, and we couldn’t come up with anything. After I dropped you off at the castle and went back to the station, ironically enough there were two messages for me from clients of Giovanni. These were from two of the three people who had filed complaints against him with the Bar Association. What they told me was almost identical.”

  “Carlo, just tell me one thing. Did they give you something we can use?”

  “Without a question. Both of them said large sums of money had been drawn out of the trust accounts that were in their names as well as Giovanni’s name. Neither of them had authorized the withdrawals. Both of them had immediately contacted him and questioned the withdrawals. He told them it had been an inadvertent withdrawal, and that he had simply made a mistake and taken the funds from the wrong account. He said it should have come from the account of one of his other clients.”

  “Seems like I’ve heard that before,” Mike said. “I’ve known a few attorneys in the United States who have used the same excuse when they’ve been caught with their hand in the cookie jar, or as you’d probably say, taking money out of one of their client’s accounts.”

  “The timing couldn’t have been better. I have a very good friend who’s a judge and happened to be the one on-call tonight if any search warrants needed to be issued. I called him and told him what had happened with the two clients, and that tomorrow I would like to search Giovanni’s law office as well as the office in his home, if he has one.”

  “Were you able to get a search warrant?”

  “Yes, it went into effect a few minutes ago. I had to go to the judge’s home to get his signature, and I had to get signed statements from the two people who had filed complaints with the Bar Association and called my office. I intend to search Giovanni’s office at 8:00 tomorrow morning. I’d like you to come with me. Two heads are better than one when it comes to something like this, and when we were talking earlier today you mentioned you had conducted a number of searches when warrants had been issued. You’re probably far more qualified to carry this out than my deputies, although I will bring one of them with us.”

  “I’d be happy to accompany you, but I also need to tell you what Kelly found out today. I didn’t want to bother you and figured I’d just tell you when I saw you tomorrow; however, this seems like as good a time as any.” He told Chief Varano what Kelly had overheard at the Rizzo home and what she’d discovered in the files she’d taken from Signora Nardo’s bedroom.

  “You know I could arrest her for breaking and entering, plus stealing. That was not only a dangerous thing for her to do; she also committed an illegal act. I won’t arrest her for it, but she needs to know I could.”

  Mike ran his fingers through his graying hair in frustration. “Carlo, you’re not telling me anything I don’t know, but if you knew Kelly, you’d know you wouldn’t get anywhere by trying to tell her not to do something like what she did today. She justifies doing such things by saying she’s helping me solve cases. Believe me, it drives me nuts.”

  “I can only well imagine. If my wife did something like that, I‘d be furious. I think here in Italy we have a little more control over our wives than you Americans do.”

  “You’re probably right, but it’s also what makes her interesting. I really never know what she’s going to do.”

  “Well, maybe it would be a good thing if you got her to promise to stay out of the case from now on. With the information both of us now have, we may be getting close to solving the murder. Anyway, I certainly hope so.”

  “So do I, Carlo. I’ll talk to her. So, you’ll pick me up around 7:45 in the morning?”

  “Yes, see you then. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  Mike ended the call and turned to Kelly. “Did you happen to overhear what Chief Varano said?”

  Kelly had suddenly become very busy examining her wedding ring and answered in a tiny voice, “Of course I heard him. Sounds like he’s a male chauvinist.”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never discussed that subject with him, but at least give lip service to me by promising you won’t do anything more on this case. Can you promise me that?”

  “Of course, sweetheart,” she said, mentally crossing her fingers behind her back. “You have everything you need to solve it. I’ll bet it’s Giovanni, and I wouldn’t want to do anything that might jeopardize your position with the chief, but you have to admit, the information I gave you was pretty good.”

  “Once again, you got lucky, Kelly. It was nothing more than being in the right place at the right time.”

  “Sheriff, as I recall, you’re the one who doesn’t believe in coincidences. Do you think that hearing about Signora Rizzo and finding those files are coincidental? Just answer that,” she said defiantly.

  “Kelly, this conversation is officially over. I am not going to argue with you while we are on our honeymoon in Italy about whether or not your actions today were deliberate or coincidental. Instead, I’d like to invite you to step out on the terrace with me and look at that full moon shining on the vineyards and the olive grove. It’s really beautiful.”

  “It may be beautiful, but does that mean neither one of us will get much sleep tonight? I know I sure don’t sleep very well when there’s a full moon.”

  “With Caesar staying in our room, I don’t think there will be any other reason we won’t get much sleep tonight. Once again, so much for the romantic honeymoon I’d looked forward to.”

  “Mike, when we get to Florence, we’ll have our honeymoon. I’ll have my new gold bracelet that you’re going to buy me from one of the shops on the Ponte Vecchio, and I’ll thank you properly for it then. Caesar will have to stay here. From the looks the staff gives him every time they see him, he’ll have a good home. Oh, one other thing. Does this mean you won’t be talking to Signor Nardo tomorrow?”

  “I have no idea. It probably will depend on what we find out when we search Giovanni’s office. Why?”

  “No reason. Just curious.”

  “Kelly,” Mike started to say, but she leaned over and kissed him.

  “Mike, we’ve talked enough, and we’re both tired. Tomorrow looks like it’s
going to be just as busy as today. We need to get some sleep.”

  “All right, but don’t forget. I want to get up early, so I can have some leftover Granny’s Tart with my cup of coffee in the morning.”

  “No problem. You know how prompt I am. I’m sure we’ll be the first ones to get down there.”

  He raised an eyebrow and looked at her. “Sweetheart, I know how good your intentions are, but if for some strange reason I happen to get ready before you do, I’ll meet you in the dining room.”

  “Okay. Love you. See you in the morning.”

  He glared at Caesar who had opened one large eye as if he were winking at Mike. Mike turned off the lamp on the nightstand. His last thought before falling asleep was how romantic it was with a one hundred fifty pound dog at the foot of the bed. He was sure if he touched Kelly, Caesar would attack him and take his leg off. He hated to admit it, but the dog thoroughly intimidated him.

  CHAPTER 19

  When Kelly stepped out of the bathroom the next morning, she realized Mike had already left for breakfast, so he wouldn’t miss out on getting a piece of Granny’s Tart. She just hoped he’d saved her one.

  She walked downstairs and took Caesar out to his dog run before she went into the dining room. “Aah, Kelly, there you are. I saved you a piece of Granny’s Tart, but when you hadn’t come down for twenty minutes, I thought maybe you were going to skip breakfast this morning, so I ate it.” He smiled and tried to look sorry. He wasn’t able to pull it off.

  “Mike,” she said, “let’s be honest. How long was it before you ate the second piece, my piece, of Granny’s Tart?”

  “I’m going to be just as truthful with you as you oftentimes are with me. I waited twenty minutes.”

  “I seriously doubt that,” she said taking a sip of the coffee she’d gotten from the serving table when she walked into the room. “Mike, I’ve really gotten to like Italian coffee. It’s more like an espresso. We might have to get one of those machines when we get back home.”

  “Okay, your call. I see the chief standing in the reception area. See you whenever. Love you.”

  “Be safe, Mike. You may be helping to solve the murder, but promise me you won’t try to be a hero.”

  “I promise, but then again if my promises are as good as yours, not sure what it’s worth. See you later,” he said grinning. He stood up and gave her a half-salute.

  Kelly walked over to the table where the continental breakfast was laid out. It was hard to decide what to choose with such an array of mouth-watering dishes in front of her. There was a platter with skewers of sweet Italian sausage and peppers, biscotti, croissants, miniature pizzas with bacon and scrambled eggs kept warm in a chafing dish, and a big bowl of fresh fruit with a pitcher of cream. The only thing that kept Kelly from trying one of everything was the knowledge that lunch and dinner would be equally wonderful, and she knew if she ate a large breakfast she wouldn’t be able to do justice to the other two meals. After a lot of mental debating she ended up with a biscotti and a small dish of fresh fruit, so she could enjoy what she’d be making in class that morning.

  When she was finished eating, she walked outside and let Caesar out of the dog run. “Come on, boy. I’ve got a little time before class, and I need to email Julia.”

  Her daughter Julia and her husband Brad, along with his young daughters, had just moved into Mike’s deceased aunt’s home in Calico Gold, California. When Mike married Kelly he’d become an instant stepfather to her two adult children, Julia and Cash. With the marriage of Brad and Julia, Mike’s family had once again increased, as he became a step-grandparent to Brad’s two daughters who were now four and six. Never having had children, he loved every minute of family life, but it certainly was a change from his life as a divorced man of many years.

  I can’t believe this ancient castle has Wi-Fi. It’s almost sacrilegious, but I’m glad I don’t have to go to the village to email Julia, Kelly thought.

  She spent the next half hour telling her daughter about Italy, the castle, and the cooking school. She deliberately left out the part about Signora Nardo being murdered, knowing how worried Julia got about Mike’s cases and her involvement in them. She looked at her watch. “Caesar, it’s time to go to cooking school. You can stay outside the kitchen while I’m in there. Let’s go.”

  “Aah Kelly, there you are,” Chef Bianchi said. “Today I would like you to prepare the stuffed focaccia with grilled zucchini, peppers, pesto, and mozzarella. You’ve made the focaccia before, so go ahead and make it according to the directions. When you finish making it, you will put the stuffing ingredients on it. It’s kind of like a pizza, but there’s one thing to remember, never put the mozzarella on the bottom. It gets really soggy if that’s done.”

  “I thought we were going to change partners every day, but for the last two days I’ve worked with you, and quite frankly, you’ve been busy with the other students. I’m worried I’ll make a mistake. I think I’ve been lucky so far.”

  “The reason I haven’t gotten another partner for you is that you’re very good in the kitchen. You have great instincts, and you really are a seasoned cook. Trust me, you can easily do this. We’ll have it for lunch. When you finish the focaccia, you can prepare the braised artichokes with potatoes, parsley, and garlic we’ll be serving for dinner. It’s served cold, and it’s even better when it’s made a few hours ahead of time. Do you have any questions?”

  “Not now, but I probably will once I get into the recipes.”

  Chef Bianchi patted Kelly’s arm and said, “You’ll do just fine. I have no doubt. Oh, by the way, how are your husband and the chief doing with solving Signora Nardo’s murder?”

  “There was a breakthrough last night. I think they’re getting very close to solving it.”

  “Who do they think committed such a horrible crime?” the chef asked.

  “The one thing I’ve learned as a sheriff’s wife is that it’s not my case. It’s my husband’s, and believe me he tells me often that it’s not my case. You better ask him.”

  “Do you think he’ll be back in time for dinner?”

  “I really don’t know. He enjoys law enforcement work, but he’s loved the food here and has really been sorry that he couldn’t attend class. Between you and me, I think what he’s sorriest about is that he isn’t here to enjoy the fabulous meals.”

  Two hours later, tired and hoping she hadn’t disappointed the chef, Kelly joined the other students as they made their way to the porch for the luncheon they had just prepared. Kelly looked at the table and wished she’d brought her phone with her so she could take a picture of it and send it to Julia. The luncheon meal was served family style with large bowls and platters of the food they’d prepared set on the long table. Today they were having spinach gnocchi, the stuffed focaccia Kelly had made, a fennel salad with lemon and mint, and for dessert, panne cotta, which was a light pudding-like dish sweetened with vanilla. The colors and textures made her mouth water.

  The wine steward told them about the wines he’d selected for the meal, and soon everyone was happily eating and drinking. Kelly had noticed during the morning class that Chef Bianchi seemed very nervous, and when she looked across the table at the chef, she noticed what appeared to be lines of tension around her eyes and mouth.

  I wonder what she’s worried about. Well, you never know what’s going on in someone’s personal life. I really don’t know anything about her other than she’s married to Signora Nardo’s brother, and I’m not supposed to even know that.

  When everyone had finished eating lunch, Chef Bianchi stood up and tapped her knife against her water glass. “Students, I want to remind you that this afternoon we will take an excursion to the Mercato Centrale in Florence. It’s well worth seeing, and I hope all of you will join me. Since it is a one hour trip each way, our last dinner of the cooking school will be later than usual. Wine will be served at 7:30 in the library and dinner will be 8:30. Those of you who are going on the excursion meet me at
one-thirty in the hotel entrance, and we will board the van.”

  This is one thing I definitely want to do, Kelly thought as she walked to the hotel entrance with Caesar by her side. “Caesar, you stay here and I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” She got on the van with the other students, looking forward to visiting the world famous Mercato Centrale in Florence.

  CHAPTER 20

  Kelly thoroughly enjoyed the drive into Florence. It was like a step back in time. The driver told the students he was taking the old road into Florence since it was more scenic and provided many interesting things to see. He said they’d come back on the newer highway, but he thought they’d enjoy the quaint views the old road provided. He was absolutely right. They passed through numerous little villages with old churches and stone castles visible in the distance and miles of vineyards and olive groves. At one point the van stopped to let a shepherd and his sheep cross the road. Kelly watched the sheepdog herd his charges as they crossed the road. The dog looked in both directions first, and only when he was sure no cars were coming would he allow them to cross the road.

  Everywhere they looked another jewel was unearthed such as villages with walls that had been there for centuries. Sunflower fields in full golden bloom were next to green vineyards and olive groves. Beech and chestnut trees dotted the landscape. Kelly understood why chestnut soup had been served the other night. Evidently the nut was very abundant in the area, and the chef had mentioned that Italians like to use what they grow. In the distance she saw medieval towers that looked like sentinels protecting what was in the realm below them.

  Dramatic, she thought. There is no other word that can do justice to what I’m seeing. It is just unbelievably dramatic.

  The closer they got to Florence the heavier the traffic became, and once they were in Florence it was like being in every other large city in the world. Too many cars trying to fit into streets that had never been designed for them.