A Date With Death: Cozy Private Investigator Series (Flora Lively Mysteries Book 2) Read Online Free

same room?’
    ‘Well, it’s not a room, exactly …’
    ‘And it’s not in the main house? What is it, some kind of annexe?’
    Celeste gave her shoulders a tiny, uninterested shrug. ‘Hanley Manor isn’t a proper hotel. They do weddings, and they put up film crews, natch. But there are only a few guest rooms in the main house because it’s still used as a family home for some of the year. Vinny’s staying in the grounds too.’
    ‘In the grounds?’ Flora was standing now, holding a limp sandwich in her hand. ‘And who the hell is Vinny? Is he sleeping with Marshall and me as well?’
    ‘You wish.’ Celeste threw herself back on the bed, laughing delightedly. ‘Vinny is pretty hot, but I think you’d have competition from Alberto’s wife.’
    ‘Alberto’s wife …?’ Flora put down her sandwich. ‘Celeste, I’m not sure it’s a good idea for me and Marshall to stay in the same room. I can commute from Shrewsbury, you know. It’s under an hour. I told you on the phone, there’s really no reason for us to stay here.’
    Celeste stopped laughing. She wound her fingers in her hair and looked up at Flora with a hurt expression. ‘But you promised,’ she said. For a moment or two she looked much younger than her thirty years. Her eyes were pink in the corners, her skin was pale, and there was a slight rash under her jaw line that the heavy make-up couldn’t quite conceal. Flora thought back to the scene in the garden. Celeste still hadn’t explained what had been going on out there between her and the director.
    ‘Look,’ she said, her tone mollifying but firm. ‘I can still be here early every morning. You know I won’t let you down. And it won’t hold up the filming if I’m not on site twenty-four hours a day, will it?’
    It had been a sticking point with Marshall, staying away for an entire week. But Celeste had made it a condition, and as Flora had pointed out repeatedly, they really, desperately needed the work. Not that moving a film crew around the south Shropshire countryside, ferrying them from location to location and erecting scenery, was in Shakers’ usual remit. It would be a new direction, Flora had asserted. It might even lead to other contracts. Marshall had remained non-committal, but at least he’d agreed to give it a go.
    Celeste got up and walked over to the window, rubbing her hair distractedly. Then she swirled around and faced Flora, planting her hands on her hips. ‘You promised, Flora. You said you’d stay here with me so that’s what you should do. I need you to be here, all the time.’
    ‘Why? I don’t understand what difference it makes.’
    ‘I just do!’ Celeste’s voice had progressed from whiny to irritated in a matter of seconds. In a minute, Flora thought, she’ll be stamping her foot. ‘Okay, look, it’s Alberto. He’s … he’s been making a nuisance of himself. That’s what you saw earlier. In the gardens.’
    ‘You mean, coming on to you?’
    Celeste nodded.
    ‘Yuk.’ Flora made a disgusted face.
    ‘Right. So, I need you around to watch my back. And, in case you’ve forgotten, you did agree – it’s part of your contract to be here twenty-four-seven.’
    ‘I haven’t forgotten.’
    ‘So you’ll stay?’
    ‘Doesn’t look like I have much choice, does it?’ Flora picked up her holdall. ‘Won’t you tell me what this Nook is like? Just so I’m prepared?’
    Celeste laughed, clearly more relaxed now she’d got her own way. ‘Oh, you’ll soon see. And don’t worry – it’s cute.’ She eyed Flora speculatively. ‘It’s very “you”, actually.’
    There was a knock at the door. Celeste skipped across the thick carpet, smiling.
    ‘Eduardo!’ she said, throwing her arms around a tall, broad-shouldered man and dragging him into the room. ‘Come and meet Flora.’
    Celeste’s boyfriend had wide brown eyes and white, even teeth. His hair was light brown, thick and curly but cut fairly short, and he wore a denim shirt over