Threads of Deceit (Vineyard Quilt Mysteries Book 1) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Mae Fox, Jan Fields
river around here.”
He shook his head. “No diving required. I’m going to be hunting for this steamboat in the middle of a farm field. And if I’m right, I’m going to find a treasure in the process!”
T HREE
L ate in the afternoon, Julie ducked into the brightly lit kitchen to grab a moment’s peace and a cup of coffee. As much as she enjoyed the antiques throughout the inn, she found the kitchen’s gleaming stainless steel counters and high-end appliances soothing. They reminded her of her New York City loft.
All of the countertops matched the stainless steel finish on the fridge and stove—except for a single slab of marble in the baking area. Julie thought it looked odd, but Hannah told her marble was naturally colder, so it made a great surface for rolling out pastry dough.
As Julie crossed the room, Hannah looked up from a recipe book she was reading. “I’m looking for a different recipe for pfeffernüsse ; the one I have doesn’t taste right.”
“I don’t actually know what that is.” Julie opened a cupboard and pulled out her favorite mug. It didn’t match the lovely cream-colored mugs the guests used. This mug had been a gift from the mentor who had taught her all about antiquities recovery—and helped her to become a very successful antiques bounty hunter. The mug was tall and thick with “Never Get Caught” printed in white on the chocolate-brown glaze.
“They look a little like Danish wedding cookies, but they’re spicier. I can’t seem to get them right.”
Julie wrinkled her nose as she turned to the basket that held all the different coffee pods for the shiny single-cup coffee maker. “I don’t like anything covered in powdered sugar—too messy.”
“There is that,” Hannah said. “I doubt Inga would enjoy cleaning powdered sugar off the floor of the tearoom. Maybe I should omit the pfeffernüsse and add Lebkuchen instead.”
Julie put a hand to her hip. “Now you’re just showing off. I assume that’s a cookie?”
Hannah nodded. “Despite your crabby responses to my cookie problem, you look cheerier overall. Did the sisters fall into the Missouri?”
“No,” Julie said as she popped her chosen pod into the coffee maker. The shiny black-and-chrome appliance was the one item they’d saved when they closed the New York office. Hannah had insisted they bring it, and Julie had to admit she would have missed it too. “I’m disappointed that you think seeing those sweet little old ladies fall into the river would make me happy. They’re perfectly nice.” For a moment, she was glad her nose couldn’t actually grow from the whopper she’d just told.
Hannah shoved an envelope into the cookbook for a bookmark and walked over to the counter. “Something has put a spring in your step. Let me see if I can guess. …”
Julie sipped from her steaming cup. “I could just be happy for no particular reason, you know.”
“Right.” Hannah thought for a moment, then smiled mischievously. “I know what’s caused the roses in your cheeks—our newest quilter.”
“He’s not a quilter. He tricked me a little there.”
“Wow, a trickster. He sounds perfect for you.”
“Snarkiness is not one of your more appealing traits.”
Hannah waved off the criticism. “So tell me some more about our sneaky new guest who has you so chipper.”
Julie leaned on the counter, her long fingers wrapped around the warm mug. “He is a historian on a treasure hunt.Apparently he figured out the location of an old steamship wreck, The Grand Adventure .”
“Let me guess—you’re planning to dive on the wreck and beat him to the treasure?”
“No. First, I wouldn’t do that. And second, it’s not under water. At least, Daniel doesn’t think it is. He believes it’s buried on a farm here.”
“‘Daniel’? How quickly we’ve reached a first-name basis.”
Julie shook her head. “Hannah Marks, what has gotten into you? You know I’m not interested in
He shook his head. “No diving required. I’m going to be hunting for this steamboat in the middle of a farm field. And if I’m right, I’m going to find a treasure in the process!”
T HREE
L ate in the afternoon, Julie ducked into the brightly lit kitchen to grab a moment’s peace and a cup of coffee. As much as she enjoyed the antiques throughout the inn, she found the kitchen’s gleaming stainless steel counters and high-end appliances soothing. They reminded her of her New York City loft.
All of the countertops matched the stainless steel finish on the fridge and stove—except for a single slab of marble in the baking area. Julie thought it looked odd, but Hannah told her marble was naturally colder, so it made a great surface for rolling out pastry dough.
As Julie crossed the room, Hannah looked up from a recipe book she was reading. “I’m looking for a different recipe for pfeffernüsse ; the one I have doesn’t taste right.”
“I don’t actually know what that is.” Julie opened a cupboard and pulled out her favorite mug. It didn’t match the lovely cream-colored mugs the guests used. This mug had been a gift from the mentor who had taught her all about antiquities recovery—and helped her to become a very successful antiques bounty hunter. The mug was tall and thick with “Never Get Caught” printed in white on the chocolate-brown glaze.
“They look a little like Danish wedding cookies, but they’re spicier. I can’t seem to get them right.”
Julie wrinkled her nose as she turned to the basket that held all the different coffee pods for the shiny single-cup coffee maker. “I don’t like anything covered in powdered sugar—too messy.”
“There is that,” Hannah said. “I doubt Inga would enjoy cleaning powdered sugar off the floor of the tearoom. Maybe I should omit the pfeffernüsse and add Lebkuchen instead.”
Julie put a hand to her hip. “Now you’re just showing off. I assume that’s a cookie?”
Hannah nodded. “Despite your crabby responses to my cookie problem, you look cheerier overall. Did the sisters fall into the Missouri?”
“No,” Julie said as she popped her chosen pod into the coffee maker. The shiny black-and-chrome appliance was the one item they’d saved when they closed the New York office. Hannah had insisted they bring it, and Julie had to admit she would have missed it too. “I’m disappointed that you think seeing those sweet little old ladies fall into the river would make me happy. They’re perfectly nice.” For a moment, she was glad her nose couldn’t actually grow from the whopper she’d just told.
Hannah shoved an envelope into the cookbook for a bookmark and walked over to the counter. “Something has put a spring in your step. Let me see if I can guess. …”
Julie sipped from her steaming cup. “I could just be happy for no particular reason, you know.”
“Right.” Hannah thought for a moment, then smiled mischievously. “I know what’s caused the roses in your cheeks—our newest quilter.”
“He’s not a quilter. He tricked me a little there.”
“Wow, a trickster. He sounds perfect for you.”
“Snarkiness is not one of your more appealing traits.”
Hannah waved off the criticism. “So tell me some more about our sneaky new guest who has you so chipper.”
Julie leaned on the counter, her long fingers wrapped around the warm mug. “He is a historian on a treasure hunt.Apparently he figured out the location of an old steamship wreck, The Grand Adventure .”
“Let me guess—you’re planning to dive on the wreck and beat him to the treasure?”
“No. First, I wouldn’t do that. And second, it’s not under water. At least, Daniel doesn’t think it is. He believes it’s buried on a farm here.”
“‘Daniel’? How quickly we’ve reached a first-name basis.”
Julie shook her head. “Hannah Marks, what has gotten into you? You know I’m not interested in
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