Truffled to Death (A Chocolate Covered Mystery) Read Online Free

along with some salacious headline. My least favorite was “Too Sexy for Sweden.”
    He saw me and all of that evaporated. He looked a little stunned and I realized he’d never seen me in a dress. And then he smiled as if he was really glad to see me. I walked toward him, feeling like I was in a fog. People magically moved out of my way, just like in a really cheesy romantic comedy.
    I was almost close enough to say something when I hearda noise. A low sound hidden by the professor’s words. And then a wail rose and he stopped speaking.
    The expression on Bean’s face turned to concern and I fell out of my hypnotic state. Together we rushed toward the crying as the crowd pushed away from the source.
    Rose Hudson was pointing at the display case, sobbing incoherently. The professor stood holding the microphone, openmouthed with surprise. Adam attempted to calm his grandmother down, but she moaned even louder, “Cursed! Cursed!”

P oor Rose covered her face with her hands, muffling her sobs. Adam got down on one Brooks Brothers–clad knee beside his grandmother. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped her tears. “It’s okay,” he repeated several times in a gentle voice as he rubbed her shoulder. “Do you want to leave now?”
    When she bobbed her head behind her hands, he stood and wheeled her toward the main entrance, nodding at Professor Moody to continue. The limo driver appeared like magic to lift the chair to the sidewalk, ignoring our ramp.
    Vivian made an imperious gesture for the professor to speak, her expression livid.
    The professor stumbled back into his talk, and I followed Adam out. Rose seemed to have shrunk even smaller in her chair. “Is there anything I can do?” I asked.
    Adam frowned as if he couldn’t quite place me. Really? After all we’d done? Then his face cleared. “No, but thank you, Michelle.” He turned to watch the driver lift Rose into the car, and I felt dismissed.
    Which totally made me want to stay. “I could put together a little goodie bag for Ms. Hudson,” I offered a little nonsensically, since the driver was already walking around to get into his seat.
    He ignored me as he watched the limo go, a worried frown between his eyebrows.
    “Does she really think the pottery is cursed?” I asked. No way could that little chocolate bowl hold anything except goodwill and grace.
    “Of course not,” he said, turning to go back to the party. “She’s just confused.”
    Bean came to the entrance and this time I was more prepared.
    “Benjamin Russell!” Adam said heartily. “How are you, you old dog?”
    Old dog? Was he thirty or seventy? “He goes by Bean now,” I said with what I hoped was a saucy smile. It may have quivered a little when Bean grinned at our inside joke.
    “Benjamin is fine,” he said to Adam and shook his hand.
    Adam tried to put his arm around Bean’s shoulder in the timeworn
let’s you and I have a little chat
gesture, and said, “I’d love to hear about your book,” but Bean executed a slick avoidance move that showed a lot of practice.
    “Of course,” Bean said. “I’ll see you inside in a minute.” He stared at me, and my heart started thudding in my chest.
    Adam looked between us, clearly surprised, and then left us alone. Or as alone as we could be right outside a huge party.
    “Erica didn’t tell me you were coming back to town,” I said.
    “I wasn’t sure I could make it.” He took a few steps closer. “You look great.” He winced.
    Professional writers must feel like they should come up with better words than “great.”
    He tried again. “Like a fairy,” he said. “Whimsical.”
    I tilted my head. “Whimsical?”
    “Give me a break.” He grabbed my hand. “I missed you.”
    “You did?” Pure delight danced through my veins.
    “Michelle!” Kayla yelled and then saw who I was talking to. “Never mind!”
    But she’d broken the spell. “I should . . .” I pulled my hand away and waved it