Mulled Murder (Pennyfoot Holiday Mysteries) by Kate Kingsbury Read Free Book Online Page B

her own name was beyond her.
    This was a mystery, all right, and one even Madam might not be able to solve.

CHAPTER
4
    “So what is Northcott doing about this chap found on the beach?” Baxter spread a generous coating of marmalade onto his buttered toast, and put down the knife.
    Cecily sent an anxious glance around the dining room. Several of the guests still sat at the breakfast tables, but no one appeared to have overheard her husband’s words. “This isn’t something we should be discussing here, my love,” she murmured.
    Baxter raised his eyebrows. “Why? It has nothing to do with us, does it? I mean, admittedly the poor fellow was staying here, but that doesn’t mean . . .” He paused, his eyes narrowing. “Are you telling me—?”
    Cecily forestalled him with a quick shake of her head. “I’m not saying anything, Bax. We don’t know where he lives, that’s all, and Sam is trying to find out so that we can notify the gentleman’s family.”
    Baxter gave her a hard look, then picked up his toast. After munching for a while in silence, he said quietly, “I sincerely hope you won’t be drawn into another unfortunate situation.”
    “I hope so, too.” Cecily reached for a silver jug and poured a small amount of cream into her cup. “More tea, dear?”
    For answer, Baxter nudged his cup and saucer closer to her. “Thank you.”
    She eyed him warily. “For what?”
    “For the tea, of course. What did you think I meant?”
    She shrugged. “I thought maybe you were thanking me for not getting involved in this unfortunate situation.”
    Baxter’s mouth twitched. “That would be a little premature, I fear.”
    Cecily relaxed her shoulders. “You know me well.”
    “I do, indeed.” Baxter sighed. “You will keep me informed if anything untoward develops?”
    “Of course. Don’t I always?”
    “Usually not until you are in the thick of things. I’d like to be forewarned this time.”
    She passed him his cup of tea. “I don’t like to concern you unless it’s really necessary.”
    “Well, this time it might well be necessary.”
    Puzzled, she filled her own cup with tea. “How so?”
    “Because Samuel isn’t here to protect you.”
    At the sound of her ex–stable manager’s name, Cecily felt another twinge of sorrow. She and Samuel had shared so many adventures together. She had relied upon him so often, and he had never let her down. How she missed him. “I hope I won’t need protecting.”
    “Well, just in case you do, remember I’m here.”
    She smiled. “I never forget that for a moment.”
    Baxter drained his cup and put it back on its saucer. “I’m afraid, my dear wife, that I have to disagree. There have been many times when you have taken on these perilous pursuits without consulting or even notifying me of your intentions. Now that you have lost your protector, so to speak, I must ask you—no, implore you—to keep me informed and ask for my help if needed.”
    Cecily leaned back on her chair. She wasn’t quite sure how to take that. Baxter had always been solidly against her penchant for solving crimes, more out of fear for her safety than for any other reason. He had barely tolerated her absences when on the trail of a criminal and had, at times, become quite incensed on the rare occasion she had put herself in actual danger.
    He had even considered taking a position abroad in an attempt to remove her from all temptation, though he should have known her well enough to realize that even in a foreign country, she might well be tempted to hunt down a killer.
    What he failed to realize was that she usually engaged in these somewhat unbecoming exploits in order to protect the integrity and reputation of the Pennyfoot Country Club and more often than not, the inhabitants therein.
    The local constabulary, led by the befuddled Sam Northcott, had proven incompetent at best and totally dim-witted at times. She was constantly battling the imminent appearance of Inspector