Chocolate Crunch Murder Read Online Free Page B

you, Hammond. I like that name. So you don’t have the time? My friends and I have an appointment tonight. A family gathering, actually, and we’d hate to be late.”
    Hammond’s shoulders relaxed, the tension leaked from his body. “Nope. Not got the time. Thank you.” He shuffled back a step, into the shadow of the alleyway.
    “Hey, did you hear about the owner of this place?” Heather pointed at the burger bar.
    But mystery man Hammond didn’t want to talk anymore. He backed off, one step, two steps, the turned and fled into the darkness.
    “Hey!” Heather called out. “Hey, I just wanted to…” She trailed off. What was the point? He was gone, already.
    “Get what you wanted?” Amy jogged up beside her.
    Lilly’s gaze blazed intrigue and admiration.
    “No, I didn’t. And it’s time we get Lilly back to the Foster Folks.”
    Lilly groaned for the second time, and Dave whined in solidarity.
    Still, Heather’s brain whirred with possibilities. She looked up at the restaurant, and shock jolted her spine straight. A light shone from an upstairs window. The grandma, of course.
    Heather wasn’t out of leads yet.

Chapter 7
    Heather squished back in the comfy booth in Dos Chicos and stared at the portraits hanging on the far wall. Each time she’d come to her favorite Mexican restaurant she’d been more focused on the food and mysteries than anything else.
    She narrowed her eyes at the décor.
    “It’s George Clooney,” the waitress said. He readjusted his nametag – which read ‘Seth’ – and leveled a grin at her. “The one next to that is Jonah Hill. And we’ve had Charlize Theron in here too.”
    “You’re kidding,” Heather replied. “How come I’ve never heard anything about this before?”
    “We’re the best kept secret in the state. The celebs come in every now and again, but we seat them in the private section. They don’t like too much attention. You know how it is,” Seth replied.
    Heather shook her head, then slid the plain silver bracelet up her arm.
    “Can I get you another soda?”
    “I think I’ll treat myself to a margarita this time,” Heather replied, then glanced at her watch.
    Ryan was late. They’d agreed to meet at Dos Chicos half an hour ago.
    The waiter disappeared, presumably to get her drink, and Heather focused on the pictures again.
    “Is that Jared Leto?”
    “Looks like it,” Ryan said, appearing at her side.
    Heather heaved a sigh of relief, then rose from her seat and puckered up. She froze. Her eyes widened. “What happened to you?!”
    “Whoa, keep your voice down,” Ryan said.
    A few of the other diners dropped their forks and stared. Restaurant fights were a ‘thing’ in Hillside now.
    Heather dug her fingertips into her husband’s arm. “No, seriously, what happened to you?”
    “Babe, relax. It’s just a black eye. It comes with the territory.” He pecked her on the forehead, then rounded to his side of the table and slipped into his seat. “Any chance the waiter’s getting me a drink?”
    How could he be this serene about it? He’d been punched in the eye and he brushed it off like it was just another day at the office.
    “I’ve never seen you hurt. Not since we met. Never.”
    Ryan shrugged. “It happens from time to time.”
    “I hope you arrested the person for assaulting an officer,” Heather replied. She fiddled her bracelet up and down her wrist. Ryan had given it to her as a congratulations after she’d passed her test a couple weeks ago.
    Ryan waved Seth over and didn’t answer Heather’s question.
    “May I help you, sir?” Seth asked, then placed the margarita in front of Heather.
    “Yeah, could you get me one of those too?” He pointed to the lime colored drink. “And the menu would be great.”
    “Right away!” Seth scooted off again.
    Heather folded her arms and stared at Ryan. “Are you going to tell me who did this to you?”
    “I am,” Ryan said. “But you’ve got to promise to calm down. And