Agony of the Leaves: Tea Shop Mystery #13 Read Online Free

it. “So what would prompt… ?”
    “I don’t know,” said Theodosia. Her mind whirred in a million directions. But she knew if she was going to find an answer, Chef Toby was as good a place as any to start. “What was going on in Parker’s life?” Theodosia asked. “Recently.”
    “You mean businesswise?” said Chef Toby. “Or with his personal life?”
    “Let’s start with business,” said Theodosia. She decided that looking in that direction might offer the most possibilities.
    Chef Toby let loose a deep sigh. “Parker was mostly negotiating to buy a second restaurant.”
    “The one in Savannah,” said Theodosia. She was aware that Parker had been working on that for some time.
    Chef Toby shook his head. “No, no, that fell through a while back.”
    “Really?” This was news to Theodosia. “Why?”
    Chef Toby grimaced. “I don’t know the exact details. But I did hear there were some scary guys involved in that deal.”
    That remark sparked Theodosia’s curiosity enough to leadto another impertinent but necessary question, “Scary enough to commit murder?”
    Chef Toby considered her words. “I don’t know. I never met them.”
    “Do you know who they are? Do you know their names?”
    “Yes, but that’s about it. All the negotiating was happening out of town and Parker was planning to hire a different executive chef, so I didn’t pay all that much attention.”
    Theodosia thought for a moment. Was this something she should tell Tidwell? Or would he think she was too emotionally involved and simply trying to send him on a fool’s errand? She let those questions percolate in her brain for a few moments. Finally, an answer bubbled up. Yeah, probably, Tidwell would think she was grasping at straws. Tidwell was a bearish old boy who, like so many men, was a little distrustful of female emotions and intuition. So he’d probably listen politely, then blow her off. So…back to square one. What to do?
    “Can I take a look in Parker’s office?” Theodosia asked.
    Chef Toby stared at her, then said, “You realize, if the police
do
suspect foul play, they’ll probably start combing through his office first thing tomorrow.”
    “That’s why I want to look now. Tonight.”
    “Seriously?”
    Theodosia gave a tight nod.
    Chef Toby gave it about three seconds of consideration. “Okay, but…don’t tell anybody, okay?”
    “My lips are sealed.”
    “Theodosia!” She turned. Drayton was striding down the hall toward them. “You’re ready to leave now?”
    “Yes,” she said. “I’m going to give Chef Toby a ride home and then go home myself.” She offered a thin smile. “You can ride with Haley?”
    “Of course,” said Drayton. He shook hands with ChefToby, then gave him a pat on the back. “Sorry, just so sorry,” he said in a gruff voice.
    “Thank you,” said Chef Toby.
    Drayton focused his gaze on Theodosia. “Just crawl into bed and sip a cup of chamomile tea,” he advised. “Try to soothe your mind.”
    “Good advice,” she told him.
    But when the
two of them tiptoed through the back door of Solstice some twenty minutes later, wild thoughts still whirled in Theodosia’s head.
    “This way,” said Chef Toby. He clicked on a light above the large gas stove and led her through the narrow kitchen. They passed the walk-in cooler and a storage room, then turned into Parker’s small office. Chef Toby shuffled across the carpet, then turned on a light. A puddle of yellow spilled from the small brass lamp that sat on Parker’s desk. “Okay. Here we are.” He sounded a little unsure, as if they were suddenly trespassing.
    Theodosia had been in Parker’s office any number of times. But not for the last couple of months. She stood, hesitant, wondering where to look, trying to figure out what she was looking for. A clue? Something to point her in the right direction, to give her a hint of a possible suspect? Theodosia made a helpless gesture with her hands. “I don’t know