Chapter 9

Carol hid a smile as she collected her completely empty salad bowl from the cluster of mostly full potato and pasta salads. The green stuff worked every time. 

 

She turned, plotting her excuse to leave, when she saw Jaxson Magillicudy’s mother grab his ear and yank him away from the much-depleted dessert table. 

 

Across the room, Mrs. Gimblestone handed something to Mr. Longfeather. Carol watched the prized wicker plate holder pass from one to the other. She couldn’t see what was on the plate beneath the mound of whipped cream. The sight of the two together brought her suspicious frown right back.

 

Chief Smith stepped up and nodded to the empty bowl tucked under her arm. “Leaving?” 

 

“Gotta work tonight. Need a nap so I don’t snooze off.” 

 

“I’d prefer my dispatchers conscious.” 

 

“Your wife says I need more sun.” 

 

He glanced across the room at Mrs. Smith. “Mm, nothing like a good vampire complexion from night work.”

 

John passed carrying two plates crowded with different slices of pie. 

 

Carol pursed her lips. “Couldn’t decide?”

 

“I did. I decided on all of them.”

 

“Good police work.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Chief Smith glanced toward Brian. “Has anyone offered Scott a booster seat?”

 

“I thought about it.”

 

“Don’t.”

 

“Wasn’t going to.”

 

“You thought about it.”

 

Carol shrugged. “Yeah.”

 

Then it happened. The inevitable argument between church ladies and crockpots. 

 

“Those are my beans.” 

 

“That’s my mother’s crockpot.” 

 

“Because it’s the one that blew the breaker!” 

 

“That was your meatballs!”