SLAY PAIRS WITH ROSE (The Kelly's Deli Cozy Murder Mysteries Book 3) by Sophie Brent (phonics reading books .txt) 📕

some vacancies and could fit her in. Judging by the empty pool and reception area, she guessed that Emma’s death had been a disaster for the hotel as well as the wedding party.

The water was silky smooth against her skin.  Instincts honed by years of training told her when she reached the end and with one twist she kicked off with her right leg and glided forwards into a slick arrowed profile.

The early morning August sunshine streamed through the glass roof of the pool room and felt warm on her shoulders. She switched effortlessly into a gentle breaststroke so that the water flowed past her on each side, her legs swaying rather than punching through the water.

She needed that buzz that came with feeling the sun on her skin while her muscles and body glowed from the inner endorphin and adrenaline rush from diving into a pool and chasing down a few laps to get the body working.

Erin glided towards the shallow end of the pool but instead of getting out she stretched out her arms and grabbed hold of the edge.  She ran the water back through her hair with her fingertips then dropped her head back and took a couple of cleansing breaths.

With the sun on her face, she slowly closed her eyes, dropped her shoulders and revelled in the moment of being suspended in the warm water.

She felt so free! Here in the hotel pool, she felt hidden away, invisible, in a private world where she could escape the clamour of the world outside and the pressure of the deli which threatened to overwhelm her.

She was exhausted, but she desperately needed to calm down and think clearly. Her mind was still a constant turmoil of information and facts and places and names.

A sudden sound from the changing rooms flicked her out of her thoughts and Erin brought her hand up to shade her eyes.  Perhaps one of the girls had come back?

She turned around from the waist at the same moment as a familiar pair of shiny black shoes stepped forwards onto the patio tiles.

Matt smiled and strolled slowly towards her, looking ridiculously smart in his suit and slick sunglasses.  Clean, neat, professional.  Orderly and calm.

She looked up at him and rested her elbows on the curved tiles next to the steps and waited for him to speak.  But as he came closer, she noticed something different about his expression as he gazed at the mosaic tiles with such fascination.

Erin flashed him a smirk of a smile and pointed to his face.  “You’re blushing.  I’m flattered.  But if you pass me that bath robe over there, I shall save your delicate sensibilities.  It wouldn’t do for the morals of a private investigator to be corrupted by several pieces of mocha lycra held up by willpower and under-wiring.”

Matt blustered with a cough but picked up the robe and draped it over the lounger next to the pool steps.

“I was not gawping.  Simply waiting for you to take a break before interrupting.”

He frowned.  “This hotel is the last place I thought I’d find you.  Not after the trauma of your last visit.  That’s gutsy.”

Erin shook her head slowly from side to side as she wrapped the thick white towelling robe around her body.  “I’ll take that as a compliment.  This is a lovely local hotel, Matt, and I offered to come and pack up Emma’s things. Fiona and the girls don’t feel up to it. And maybe have a little chat with the kitchen staff about what happened that night.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you are far too impatient for your own good?”

“Frequently.  Strike hard.  Strike first.  That’s me.”

“Fast being the operative word.” Matt coughed.  “I can hardly believe that you could get here so fast when the police released Emma’s room. I only picked up your text message half an hour ago.”

“Ah,” Erin nodded and stretched out on a lounger next to the pool.  “You are clearly unaware of the fact that I have an open pass from the hotel manager to enjoy the hotel facilities. I think he felt a bit guilty that my lovely wedding cake burnt to a crisp on his premises.”

“So,” Matt cleared his throat as he watched Erin meticulously dry her toes.  “Did you find, um, anything during your little chat?”

“Yes, actually, I did. But I’d rather not talk about it here.”

Erin slid her legs off the lounger and padded over to the mule sandals she had abandoned just outside the changing room.

Rolling her stiff neck from side to side, Erin stretched up for a few seconds then pulled her robe tighter.

“Ready to pack up Emma’s room? I’ll need five minutes to shower and get changed. See you on the other side.”

Emma’s suite was a nightmare.

Her clothes, underwear, and laundry were scattered all over the un-made bed, chair, and sofa.

A large grey suitcase was open on the floor in the bedroom and judging from what Erin saw, the contents had been thrown in at random. The only decent outfits Emma had, were hanging in the wardrobe inside suit carriers.

This had nothing to do with the police and everything to do with Emma Wilson.

But it was the state of the living room area in the suite that stunned Erin when she walked in.

“Blimey. Emma took wedding planning even more seriously than I thought, poor girl.  Zoe is interested in any of the outstanding bills and invoices that you can find, but I don’t know where to start.”

Erin made her way across the cluttered bedroom suite. Six large plastic packaging crates were stacked along one wall, with large labels taped to the sides. She peeled back the lid from the closest crate marked ‘RECEPTION’ and peeked inside. A blue envelope contained hand-written card place settings with the names written in italic dark