The way he says it clearly infers he thinks I was doing something other than working between eleven and midnight last night. I’m not sure if he’s suggesting I was having an after-hours fling with Armand or if he thinks I was attacking him with a knife. Both options sicken me to my stomach.
“Armand asked me to stay late. He had some new publicity material and menus being designed and he wanted my opinion on them.” I fidget in my seat some more. I just want to get out of here.
Chief Inspector Smith shoots me a look somewhere between amusement and surprise. “He wanted the opinion of a waitress on publicity material?” He chuckles and shakes his head. “Now, why would he want your opinion on something important, Miss Carter?”
“I used to work in publicity and promotions in London,” I answer, not meeting his gaze and staring at my hands instead.
“Really? So why are you now just a waitress in the backwaters of Cumbria? Hmm?”
On behalf of fellow waitresses the world over, I bristle at his implication that waitressing is a lowly occupation for people without any brains or gumption. “It’s a long story.” I don’t want to have to explain what happened with my life in London. I’m trying to forget all about it.
“Then I suggest you tell the story quickly,” he replies. “I don’t have all day.”
I nod and sit up straight. I’ll give him the short version and miss out all the drama and other stuff. “My uncle, Joe Armstrong, sadly passed away, and he left me his farm, Eskdale Top. Well, it’s more of a smallholding really… So, here I am.”
Narrowing his eyes at me, Chief Inspector Smith gets to his feet. “And do you live alone up there?”
I get a brief flashback to London and how things could have been so very different.
“Miss Carter? Please answer the question.”
In a second the flashback is gone and I’m back in the staff room at the Veggies being interviewed as a possible murder suspect. “I live alone.”
“Which means there’s nobody to say if or when you got home last night. Nobody to have seen you wash blood off your hands or clothing. Nobody to provide an alibi.”
Panic bubbles up inside of me and threatens to burst out. What? He’s saying I killed Armand. “I… I didn’t do it,” I stammer, my voice not working properly, tongue-tied and terrified at what he’s now implying.
The Chief Inspector nods and smiles as though I’ve just cracked the most hilarious joke. “Oh well, in that case then, you’re free to go.”
I scramble to my feet. “I am?”
“No!” he shouts, leaning forward and getting in my face so much I can smell the coffee on his breath. “You were the last person to leave here last night at just after midnight. We’ve been told he died between midnight and two in the morning. You have no alibi.” With a malicious gleam in his eyes he adds, “It doesn’t look very good for you, now does it?”
Sweat trickles down my spine and tears prickle at the corners of my eyes, but I blink them back. Yes, I’m terrified I’m going to be arrested for murder but I need to somehow keep myself together and not dissolve into a mess of tears. “Are you arresting me?”
The Chief Inspector doesn’t answer for a few moments; instead he ignores me and reads through his notes. Eventually he looks up and shakes his head. “Not yet, but we will be investigating you further. You can leave, for now.”
Hastily I get to my feet and head for the door, worried he might change his mind and call me back.
“Oh, Miss Carter?”
I freeze.
“Don’t go leaving the county or anything, will you?”
The bright sunlight hurts my eyes as I emerge from the building. Sniffing back tears which seem determined to break free, I march purposefully towards my car. I’m aware of several policemen watching as I cross the car park. I get the distinct impression they’re talking about me – and not in a good way.
Blipping the key fob, I climb into Daisy, eager to escape from their inquisitive gaze.
I’m a murder suspect.
I, Lizzie Carter, am suspected of killing B-list celebrity chef Armand Seville.
Now what do I do?
Grab your copy of Murder On The Menu now to continue Lizzie’s story
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Other Amber Reed Mystery Series books by Zanna Mackenzie:
In The Stars
On Trial – The Case Of The Vanishing Bride – GET THIS BOOK FREE VIA MY WEBSITE!
Precious – The Case Of The Murdered Pop Star
Forever Mine –The Case Of The Movie Star Stalker
Celebrity Mystery Series books by Zanna Mackenzie
Murder On The Menu
Holiday Heist
About the author:
Zanna Mackenzie lives on the Derbyshire / Leicestershire border with her husband, 4 dogs, a vegetable patch that’s home to far too many weeds and an ever expanding library of books waiting to be read.
Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!
Find out more about Zanna on her website or over on Twitter or connect with her on Facebook
Past Perfect: A Fun and Flirty Romantic Mystery (Amber Reed Mystery Book 4) Page 20
