Banana Muffins & Mayhem by Janel Gradowski Read Free Book Online Page A

people." Charlotte sniffed.
    "When the shoe fits…"
    "Hey!" Charlotte frowned at her sister. She plucked a small throw pillow off the chair behind her and threw it at Tommy. It went high and to the right, whizzing by the sister's head like a clunky red missile with a faulty guidance system. "So what did she do to you?"
    "She traipsed into my studio like a spoiled princess and started spouting her unsolicited opinions of the ceramic pieces on display, which neither I nor my other customers appreciated. How very, very rude."
    "And you would definitely know rude when you see it." Charlotte rolled her eyes. "It's like looking into a mirror for you."
    Tommy's studio offered classes in making pottery, but customers also had the option to just paint already-made items. It was the perfect place for Geri to work. While she had lived in New Zealand for the past six years, she supported herself making pottery. At this studio she could sell what she made, but there was also the added fun of helping others. The vibrant artist was thriving.
    "She picked up a platter, wrinkled her nose, and said she would never buy something so ugly. The student who made it heard her!" Tommy pounded her fist on the edge of her pillow. "I didn't ask her to come into my studio, so I have no idea why I got so unlucky to be subjected to her visit. The tables were packed with people working on paint-your-own pieces. Everybody in the studio could hear all of the vile comments she was making. We were all stunned. Nobody said anything for a few minutes after she walked out."
    "I don't understand why she acted so badly," Amy said. "I've heard stars can be demanding, but her show wasn't that well known outside of Michigan. I would think she would've been as nice as possible to build fans to help move the show to a larger television market."
    Geri raised her hand. There were sparkling cocktail rings on every finger. The colorful rhinestones and gems sparkled in the diffused light. "I would say she had delusions of grandeur, and reality didn't live up to her fantasies. I was in the studio on Friday night when she came in. Her hissy fit seemed fake to me. It didn't appear that even she believed what she was saying. I think she missed her true calling. If she wanted to be a star, she would've been better at being a soap opera actress." They all laughed at the observation. Geri leaned forward and squeezed Amy's hand. "Unfortunately, she didn't fake her death, and because of where she was found, I'm sure you're dealing with the aftereffects. Has the publicity from her body being found there affected your husband's business?"
    Amy shook her head. "Not that he's told me, but I know he thinks he needs to protect me sometimes."
    "The old misguided knight in shining armor thing," Tommy said. She placed one of the lemon cookies on her plate then broke it into quarters. "One of the many reasons I will die a spinster."
    Charlotte rolled her eyes in the opposite direction from before. "And you called me a drama queen?"
    "You two are hopeless," Geri said as she unfolded her legs. She stood up. "I'm going to grab some Bordeaux to see if it can counteract the abundance of whining tonight."
    Geri returned with the bottle. She dropped onto the pillow, momentarily producing zero gravity for her hair. The long gray locks poofed out then settled back into their normally chaotic state. The grandma had recently added a couple purple dreadlocks to her impressive mane. She looked at Amy as she refolded her legs. "I told the girls about how you figured out who killed the woman from Clement Street Market. Since this murder is tied to your husband's business, we've decided you could use some help finding the killer." She held her hands out, palms up. "Amy's Angels, at your service. We live and work within sight of Quantum Media, so we'll keep our eyes open for clues and potential suspects."
    "Thank you." Amy giggled. Was it because of the wine or the fact that she apparently was now the head of a