Murder in Wonderland Read Online Free

does smell heavenly."
                  "I have scones in the oven."
                  "Do you need help?"
                  Allie sighed. "No. I got them. Thank you."
                  She plated the little cinnamon beauties on a bone china tray along with a stack of cocktail napkins and presented them like a diamond on a pillow to her guests.             
                  "Beautiful," said Tori Cardinal. "How many points?"
                  "Points?"
                  "Weight Watchers, dearie."
                  "Oh, um, gee, I don’t know."
                  Del Collins walked right up and took a scone off the tray. "Give me one. I'll spit out the points."
                  "Maybe, um... I'm sorry."
                  "No matter. There's a teapot there. You'll be making tea?"
                  "I have to. Alice in Wonderland. Of course there'll be tea."
                  "Jasmine?"
                  "It's an herbal blend I got at the Little Tea Shoppe in Burlington."
                  "Should suit the occasion."
                  Tori Cardinal was nothing if not a master of the left-handed compliment.
                  Allie tried to focus. The pot should be pre-warmed with water. Leaves in the infuser. 
                  Tori Cardinal appeared at the entranceway to the kitchen and Allie felt herself flush once again, this time out of a Pavlovian response to the woman's presence.
                  "Darling, there's an empty jar of orange marmalade on your table." She held up the offending item as if it were contraband.
                  "I know," said Allie, barely containing her patience. "It's a reference to the book. Alice comes across a jar of orange marmalade but finds it empty. Remember?"
                  "Oh, of course! Silly me. Would you like me to put it back on your table?"
                  "Yes, please. The tea will be ready in a moment."
                  "Very good, dear. You're doing very well. Except..."
                  Allie turned around with an impatient look. Tori was also holding her teacup.
                  "Please don't be offended, sweetie. I brought my own tea. I've been on a Fujian Jasmine kick lately and I wasn't entirely sure you’d have it. I have nothing against the Little Tea Shoppe. They sell good product. I brought my own infuser too, so it shouldn’t be a bother."
                  "That's fine, Victoria."
                  "Oh, Tori, please."
                  "It's no bother."
                  The kettle began to whistle just as Allie lifted the pot off the grate.
                  "Oh, dearie, don't do that. Water should be boiling when it hits the leaves." She sidled up and put her hand on top of Allie's. "May I? I had to practice this last move a few times before I got it right. Walking the teapot to the stove and tilting the kettle over so that it still touches the electric grates as you pour. Trust me; this will change your life."
                  Tori poured the water into her cup, and Allie noticed it was one of the Tweedledee and Tweedledum cups. This irritated her to no end. Choosing the cups to suit the guests was her little inside joke. Tweedledee and Tweedledum were for the twins. One of them had held onto her cup, so it must have been the other one that had gotten loose. In the dismantling of her tablescape, her little joke was ruined.
                  Tori Cardinal was supposed to get the Red Queen cup. It was only fitting.
                  It was as if Tori Cardinal of Shelburne had done it for the sole purpose of ruffling her host, just to see if she could.
                  Allie decided she just wouldn’t give