Cold Turkey by Shelley Freydont Read Free Book Online

about what they can get out of it. At the town’s expense. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t kill the man themselves, the way they’re carrying on.”
    Raucous laughter erupted from the bar, punctuating her statement.
    Liv hadn’t even thought about the motives the partners might have for wanting Max out of the picture. He was obviously a gambler and unreliable. What had Pudge said?
Liability
. If Max was really the weak link, they might have wanted to get rid of him, though murder seemed a bit extreme. On the other hand, who else would be able to lure him into the woods?
    Liv took a calming breath. She didn’t know why she was nervous. She’d stood behind many a door or potted palm while clients talked about things they shouldn’t talk about even in front of the help. It was all in a day’s work for a successful event planner.
    Trying to trap a killer wasn’t that far from running an event when you thought about it. Only this event had already occurred; now it was time to go after payment.
    She turned to BeBe. “Ready?”
    BeBe’s eyes were bright with anticipation. She nodded vigorously. “This is so exciting.”
    Liv smiled through gritted teeth. “This is just a fact-finding dinner. Do not engage.”
    BeBe looked mildly disappointed. “Okay.”
    “Good luck.” Corinne led them through a door on the left of the entrance and into the dark wainscoted bar.
    Corinne led them to a table close to the booth where the three men sat, Joe and Eric on one side, Pudge on the other. Joe was slouched in the corner, either extremely relaxed or a bit drunk. “Yeah, but what’s in it for us?”
    Eric was sitting bolt upright. “We can’t do anything until Eileen gets here.”
    Corinne set two menus on a table close to but mostly out of sight of the men in the booth. She pulled out a seat facing the men and motioned Liv to sit down.
    Liv smiled reassuringly and sat. Liv had easily heard Eric’s statement about Eileen, who Liv surmised was Max’s wife, now widow.
    They had just ordered two pinot noirs when Eric called out, “Hey, miss, three more of the same over here.”
    Corinne jumped. “I can’t wait until they’re out of here,” she whispered. “I’ll be back in a minute to take your order,” Corinne said stiffly and hurried over to replenish the men’s order.
    BeBe leaned across the table. “She sure seems upset.”
    Liv nodded. She would be too if she had to put up with those three. The only thing that could be worse was having to put up with Max, too, and now his wife. She changed the subject. “So how was work today?”
    BeBe looked confused for a second, then dawning awareness took over. She winked. “Oh, you know, about the usual. Well, there was this one lady who wanted . . .” She started on a convoluted story while Liv checked out the other patrons.
    There were a few occupied tables and booths, though most of the Inn diners would be in the main dining room. Several young couples sat at one end of the long wooden bar that ran parallel to the booths. Two men sat with a bar stool between them, talking with the bartender.
    At the far end one man sat alone, staring at the bottles lined up against the wall behind the bar. Liv stopped. Squinted in the low light. Groaned inwardly.
    “What’s he doing here?” She lifted her chin to the far end of the bar.
    “Who?” BeBe turned around in her chair. Her head swiveled back and forth, then landed on the last person Liv wanted to see here or anywhere.
    BeBe snapped back around in her seat. “Chaz Bristow. Do you think he’s on a case?”
    “A case of beer, maybe,” Liv said. Surely it was a coincidence that he was here at the same time as the developers. He ate here often. Liv knew this because he’d brought her to the bar for dinner once. All the waitresses and barmaids knew him—and made it clear they were glad to see him. He was probably just having dinner tonight. But what rotten luck.
    “I wonder if he gets bored running a