Death of the Family Recipe (A Scotti Fitzgerald Murder Mystery Book 3) Read Online Free Page A

opened the container, took a deep breath and smiled. "Like heaven in a box." Then he squinted at me. "You in a pickle?"
     
    I shook my head and smiled. "No."
     
    Joe leaned an elbow on the desk and rested his chin on his hand. "Then why are you sitting here with an old man instead of out with handsome Ted?"
     
    I put on my happy face. "I have things two tell you, and two things to ask you."
     
    Joe peeled back the paper on a muffin. "Do tell?"
     
    I raised my hand and pointed to my engagement ring. "First, Ted proposed.
     
    With a mouthful of muffin Joe said, "About time you stopped torturing that boy."
     
    I smirked. "Well congratulations, Scotti. Are you happy? You look mighty happy."
     
    "I am Joe, I’m as happy as a monkey at a banana convention. Well, that’s fine. Mighty fine."
     
    Joe rolled his eyes and waved his muffin at me. "I was getting to that. Can’t a man have a second to catch his breath?"
     
    I stuck my tongue out at him. "Or eat a muffin, right?"
     
    Joe scooched to the edge of his seat and wiggled his fingers. "Let me see that rock." I offered him my hand. He whistled. "Ain’t she a beauty? My, my, my." He looked back to me and grinned. "Well best wishes to the bride to be and the lucky fellow who snagged her." Joe gave me back my hand, grabbed another muffin and leaned back in his chair like the wily investigator he was and said, "What else?"
     
    I cradled my stomach and giggled. "I’m going to have a baby. Can you believe it? Me, a mommy?"
     
    Joe’s mouth dropped open. Then he dropped the muffin and rushed around the desk to me. "Oh my, little girl!" He pulled me to my feet and hugged me. Patting my back he said, "Isn’t that wonderful?" He held me by the shoulders gave me the once over. "You’re glowing like firebug." I got weepy, and Joe offered me a hankie. "Now, now, little girl. Why the tears?"
     
    I laughed. "Hormones — can’t keep the waterworks under control."
     
    Joe patted my hand. "You’ll be a fine, mama. And won’t that baby be prettier than a summer morning on the Delta? Probably win the Gerber baby contest."
     
    I frowned. "The what?"
     
    Joe rolled his eyes. "Oh never mind." He leaned against his desk. "All righty then, by my count, we got two more things to go."
     
    I wiped my face and blew my nose. "Right. I was wondering if you’d…you know, walk me down the aisle?" My voiced cracked. "Because like it or not Gramps, you’re the closest thing I’ve got to a father."
     
    Joe lit up like a fire bug himself and tipped an imaginary hat. "Why Miss Scotti, it would be my honor."
     
    "Really, Joe? Because I don’t want you to feel obligated."
     
    "Oh hush, child. Ain’t nothing make me happier than giving you away to handsome Ted." We shared a moment of true affection and grinned at each other like a couple of goofballs. Then I sighed and fiddled with my engagement ring. "What is it, child?"
     
    Feeling wobbly, I sat down again. "The baby is a secret for now. I told you so you’d understand what I’m about to ask." I squirmed and blushed and had a hard time looking at him. "If I hired you to look into something for me, you couldn’t tell anyone else, right?"
     
    Joe furrowed his brow. "If you were a client, I couldn’t tell anyone without your permission. That’s right." He peered into my face. "What kind of trouble are you in?"
     
    I shook my head. "Not trouble. Need." His blue eyes bore into me and I looked away. "I don’t know how to ask this…"
     
    "You can tell me anything child. No need to fret, just get it off your chest."
     
    I nodded and stared at him for a long moment. "Would you find my mother?"
     
    Joe scratched his chin and studied me. "You sure you wanna open that can of worms? Because if she can be found, I’ll find her. Y’all ready for what that could mean?"
     
    I shuddered and shrugged. "Ready? Who the hell knows? I only know that I need some answers." I blew out a breath. "I thought I could do it myself — even started