Hannah processed the information. Her eyes darted around until she admitted, “Yeah, I can see that. He obsessed over Julia. Went for Vera to replace her symbolically and hurt her at the same time. Went for Jazlyn when that didn’t work.”
“Pretty much what they said. In his mind, in killing Julia, he left an unifiable void. Vera reminded him too much of Julia, but Jazlyn was in a position that made her more like his obsession.”
“So, his next mark would have been Asa. Jazlyn would inherit the kingdom. He’d marry the princess. And they would rule together, much like he saw Asa and Julia.”
Hymn grinned. “Exactly. Everyone else he killed, and there were more than just Cranston, was collateral damage. They found out something or got in the way. Hence, his taking a shot at Louie’s house.”
Hannah leaned back in the booth. “Wow, but I still have one question.”
“Of course, you do.”
“The whole toxicology report, how does it fit in?”
Hymn pondered the question for a moment before offering an explanation. “Well, it was the lynch pin. Without it, the story would have never gotten out there.”
“But that means Julia was taking barbiturates.”
“It does.”
Hannah sighed. A sad, disturbed face erupted. “I guess it’s not that surprising. She was quirky, independent, and brilliant, but I get the feeling even those closest to her didn’t know her, not really. She left a lot of unanswered questions.”
“Like?”
Hannah leaned in toward Hymn, placing her elbows on the table. She looked him straight in the eyes. “Like, what did she see in Xabiere? Why’d she leave Louie? Why did she abandon Vera? Why didn’t she tell her at some point? Why didn’t she tell Louie? Why...”
Hymn interrupted. “We don’t always get an answer to everything. Sometimes we just get the story and have to use our imaginations to fill in the blanks.”
“Well, you know what I’m imagining?”
Hymn dipped his head. “I can’t imagine.”
“Something sweet.”
“Hmm, let’s see. How to make an excellent pie. Pecan, apple, lemon, chocolate. What’ll it be?”
“This.” Hannah leaned in and kissed Hymn. With that, she got her just dessert.
Author Letter
Dear Reader,
Our first adventure has come to a close.
The mystery of who killed the ‘Darlin’ of the Kitchen has come to a close and the culprit must now face his just desserts.
But Hannah’s adventures are just beginning. Would you like to join her?
Hannah’s next case will make the last seem like a cake walk by comparison.
In the world of gourmet cooking, there are chefs, restaurateurs, and smugglers. Stir in an old boyfriend, a few expert epicureans, a charming entrepreneur, an ex-football star, and several bad guys and you got yourself a mystery. The trick is knowing who’s who and which are which.
Motivations, like ingredients to an epicurean recipe, are not always clear.
When chefs, gourmets, and foodies descend on an island food festival, the seedy underworld of smuggled truffles takes center stage. Could a rare item be behind the attempted murder of a culinary expert and personal friend?
Hannah believes so. But who can she trust?
She’s going to need help. And help she will get in the form of two feisty grandparents and one potential love.
If you enjoyed the first book in the series, you’ll relish The Chef. More mystery, greater danger, higher stakes and surprising twists.
Continue your journey with Hannah now in...
The Billionaire Chef
Kee Patterbee
The Death of a Celebrity Chef Page 23