Football is Murder (Bee's Bakehouse Cozy Mysteries Book 4) (Bee's Bakehouse Mysteries) Read Online Free

banter.”
    “How long is she here for?” Tania asked, wriggling out of her apron.
    Bee shook her head. “I don’t know. However long she could take off work, I expect.”
    “That’s a shame,” Tania said, making her way to the door. “Because she could take over here after I’m gone.”
    Jessie stared after her. She hadn’t thought of that. What a dream it would be: working all day with two of her favorite people in the world. She missed Melanie so much—they were more like sisters than cousins.
    But she knew she needed to get real. Melanie wasn’t going to give up her high-flying job and come live in Springdale. There was no way she’d be subject to the same kind of mid-life crisis that Jessie had gone through.
    Bee seemed to read her mind. “It’s a nice fantasy, all the same. Isn’t it?”
    Jessie nodded wistfully. “It is. Imagine the fun we’d have? It’d be like being kids again.”
    * * *
    Jessie opened the door of her new home and guided Toby inside. She was exhausted and giving serious thought to going to bed just as soon as she had fed Toby.
    “Come on, boy,” she whispered, closing the door.
    She happened to glance across the street as it closed and something caught her eye. Something orange and black. She wandered into the kitchen and began to rummage in the boxes that were still stacked on the counter. They had unpacked most of her utensils, but she still had to find a place for everything and unpack the boxes of food.
    To her relief, she found one last tin of dog food, which meant she wouldn’t have to go back to the store that day. She opened it and tipped the contents into Toby’s bowl. Then she filled his water bowl and went to her bedroom to kick off her shoes and change into her sweats.
    She shrugged off her clothes with a sense of relief. It had been a long time since she’d had a night out that ended after ten even though she was only thirty-seven, but that’s what this felt like—like she’d been out dancing until the early hours.
    Something else was playing on her mind too. That flash of black and orange in the distance. It was like there was an association to be made, but her exhausted mind was failing to make the connection. What was it? She went back to the kitchen and rummaged in the boxes for something she could eat herself. She tried to steer clear of junk food, but the only other option was to go hungry. She shuffled to the couch with a box of crackers and sat down, hand hovering over the TV remote.
    “What is it?” she whispered.
    It was driving her crazy, the thought that there was something she should know.
    Maybe it’s the fact that I’m exhausted , she thought, flicking on the TV.
    A moment later, it was all clear. The news report was leading with the story of Johnny Cooper’s murder. Unfortunately, the media had gotten hold of the story just as Chief Daly had feared they would. She turned up the volume and stared open-mouthed.
    To the right of the anchor, a photograph had appeared. Jessie had recognized the name, but seeing his face brought it all back. She had spent many evenings listening to her ex-husband, Roger, and his drunken friends chanting Johnny’s name. His striking green eyes and blond hair were incredibly familiar now she looked at them.
    So was his uniform. The team logo was just visible in the photo—the unmistakable black raven. As were the team colors. Orange and black. Just like she’d seen in the flesh not so long ago.
    She shook her head. That didn’t mean anything, of course. Roger and all his friends had Ravens shirts. They’d worn them for every game even when they were watching at home. She was sure there were thousands of supporters with shirts just like Johnny’s. That might not even have been what she’d seen. After all, she’d been several feet away. It could have been a different black and orange shirt. But that didn’t matter.
    She had recognized him in the same vague way she’d recognized Johnny Cooper’s name. And