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

“I don’t know,” Prisha shrugged. “How about because you been working non-stop?”

Erin scanned the trays and simmering pans on the hob. “I think everything is ready,” she murmured to herself and quickly checked the pasta sauce. “What about the antipasti? How are we getting on with …”

“All taken care of. The buffet dishes are all laid out and ready for people to help themselves, and the food smells amazing. You have officially excelled yourself this time.”

“With your help,” Erin grinned at Prisha. “I hope they like it.”

“Looks like you going to find out sooner than you think,” Prisha replied and nodded towards the front door of the deli. To Erin’s surprise, Fiona Hanson was standing outside on the pavement and peering in through the windows.

“Please don’t tell me I have the time wrong,” Erin groaned. “It can’t be one already?”

“Nope. Looks like she’s on her own. Why don’t you let her and find out?”

“Good idea,” Erin replied and stripped off the apron, hung it on the hook in the kitchen, and strolled over to open the front door.

“Hi, Fiona,” she smiled. “Do come in and make yourself at home. You are a little early for lunch, but feel free to find a seat. Do you remember Prisha Patel?”

“Of course,” Fiona replied with a faint smile and waved at Prisha. “Zoe has told me so much about you.”

“Really? Well, at least some of it will be true.” Prisha shrugged. “Hi, Fiona. Sorry to hear about your wedding and everything. Can I get you a drink before I go? Wine, water, lemonade, arsenic?”

“Prisha!” Erin laughed.

“Thanks, but I think I’ll wait for the others. Actually, it’s you I have come to see Erin. Zoe told me that you had collected the luggage from my hotel room. Would you mind if I had a quick look for something?”

“No problem,” Erin replied. “All of your bags are upstairs. It’s just this way.”

“I think these are your suitcases,” Erin said and dragged the two largest bags out from the stack in her father’s bedroom. “My neighbour Matt Ridley brought them up from the van for me, in exchange for a late lunch.”

“I never was one for traveling light,” Fiona replied in a thin voice and opened up the first case. “It was crazy really, I could easily have popped back home and collected anything I needed. But somehow, it felt imperative to bring all my summer clothes to the hotel. Work was such a rush last week I suppose I didn’t even have time think about what I was going to wear apart from the big day. My plan was to sort out my honeymoon things when I got here, but then things went spinning out of control and... Well, you know what happened next.”

“I’m so sorry,” Erin whispered and sat down on the bed to watch Fiona rummage about inside her clothing.

“Emma’s mother is flying back from her home in Portugal. She had written me this lovely wedding card and I wanted to show it to my dad. Do you remember if you saw one?”

“Sorry, no. Maya packed your case. I can’t imagine what her mum is going through. That poor woman.” Erin murmured. “Is she staying with you?”

“Mrs. Lucas? No. She has friends in Winchester, so they’re picking her up from the airport, but I plan to meet her tomorrow. She wants to go to Abbotsdown Hall. It’s only right that I go back there with her so that we can get through this together. I only hope that she can forgive me because I still can’t forgive myself.”

Erin took a moment to think through what she has to say before replying.

“There is one thing I don’t understand, Fiona. I hope you don’t mind me asking, but why did you invite Emma to be your bridesmaid? Even I could see that she was difficult.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Fiona replied, her attention totally focused on the contents of the suitcase in front of her. “Emma was very stressed about the wedding planning. That’s all.”

“I know that you want to remember the best about your friend, but please don’t try to deny it. I saw it for myself. You were fighting at the hotel on Friday when I delivered your wedding cakes.  It looked to me as though Emma was threatening you.  What was that all about?”

Erin could hear Fiona’s breathing grow faster and her shoulders hunched up in distress. Instinctively Erin slid off the bed, took both of Fiona’s hands in hers and looked up into her face.

“Please. You can tell me the truth. I promise that whatever you say will never leave this room unless you want it to.”

Fiona’s gaze locked onto Erin’s face and she slowly raised her head.

“I know that Zoe trusts you, Erin. So, I am going to hold you to that promise. You can never tell anyone.”

Erin replied with a slow nod of her head and waited in silence for Fiona to make the next move.

“Emma,” Fiona started to say, then she faltered and sucked in a couple of deep breaths as though steadying herself before carrying on. Erin desperately wanted to tell her to hurry up and get it over with, but she dared not interrupt this moment.

Fiona sat down on the bed next to Erin and bent over so that she could rest her elbows on her knees, unable to look Erin in the face as she spluttered out the words that were caught in her throat.

“Emma Wilson was my half-sister. That’s why I invited her to my wedding. Emma was the sister I always wanted.”

Chapter Fourteen

Erin shuffled up the bed and leaned against the headboard so that she could give her full attention to what Fiona