Death Before Diamonds (Sky High Pies Cozy Mysteries Book 10) by Mary Maxwell Read Free Book Online

romantic rendezvous?
A tryst with someone famous?”
    “Nothing that exciting,” I said.
“But like your comment about the dog, my stay at the Silver Dollar is something
that isn’t polite to discuss in mixed company.”

CHAPTER
8
     
     
    When I arrived back at Sky High
Pies, I went into the office, checked messages and decided they could wait for
a few minutes. I wanted to call the Silver Dollar Motel in Frisco and investigate
the tip from Homer Figg. After finding the phone number online, I dialed the
digits and sat back in my chair.
    “Motel,” bellowed the man that
answered. “If you’re looking for the Long Horn’s two-for-one steak dinner
special next weekend, we’re completely booked and apologize for any
inconvenience.”
    “Thank you,” I said. “May I please
speak to the manager?”
    “This is Marv. How can I help you,
ma’am?”
    While he listened patiently, I gave
him my name and explained that I was calling from Crescent Creek about a
possible missing person.
    “From where?”
    “Crescent Creek,” I said again.
    “Do you know somebody named Vivian
England?”
    “Well, my neighbor is Viveca England,” I said. “Could that—”
    “Oh, dang!” he exclaimed. “I can
never get that woman’s first name right.”
    “Do you know Viv?”
    “I do,” he said. “But not well. My
wife hired Vivian to…see? Even two seconds later, I fumble it. Anyway, Miss England
is helping my wife with some interior decorating for her office.”
    “Really? That’s fantastic! Viv’s
been pouring her heart and soul into her new business, but I didn’t realize that
she had clients as far away as Frisco.”
    “We’re just down the road a spell,”
he said with a chuckle. “Not on the other side of the planet.”
    “I know, but…well, it’s a small
world,” I said. “I hope Viv does an amazing job for your wife.”
    “They’re off to a great start,” he
said. “My Nancy comes home with updates just about every night, discussing
fabric swatches and paint colors like they’re some kind of miracle
breakthrough.” He laughed again. “But enough about that. What can I help you
with?”
    “As I mentioned, I’m calling about
a missing person,” I said. “Someone told me that the individual in question was
staying at the Silver Dollar. His name is Theo Greer and he’s been in the area
since at least last week.”
    “And who are you?” he asked. “I didn’t
quite catch your name.”
    “I’m Kate Reed,” I answered.
    “Are you with the police up there
in Crescent Creek?”
    “No, sir. Although I have close
ties with them. I run my family’s bakery café, but I previously worked as a
private investigator.”
    “Are you sure the fellow’s gone
missing?” Marv asked.
    “Not really,” I said. “I’m just
going on what his brother told me.”
    “What’s that name again?”
    “Theo Greer,” I said. “He told someone
that he had a room at the Silver Dollar.”
    “He did,” Marv said. “Until some
moron came and kicked in the dang door a couple of nights ago. He’d been with
us for three days or so at that point, but he checked out the next morning even
though I’d moved him to a new room with a door that worked.”
    I was surprised by the man’s
comment, and quickly asked for details.
    “About which?” he said. “The damage
to my door or the jerk that put his boot through it?”
    “I’d like to hear as much as you
can share,” I said. “And, before you get started, I’m sorry to hear about the damage
to the motel.”
    He scoffed. “Not as sorry as I was.
We just had a new paint job done this summer that pretty much drained our
building maintenance fund.”
    “Well, I know how that goes. I’m
the third generation to run our family business. I’ve got one eye on the bottom
line and one on the bank balance at all times.”
    He chuckled. “Then you can
appreciate my fury when the idiot kicked in the door. I called the police, but
he was gone by the time they arrived.