Even with the door to the room open and the venting fan on, Bernie could still smell the faint odor of gas lingering in the air.
“It’s off,” Eric Royal said to her. “I already checked.”
Bernie nodded absentmindedly. She’d figured as much. Otherwise they wouldn’t be in here now. They’d be outside in the fresh air waiting for the emergency crews to come. She was suddenly aware that Libby was standing right next to her and that her complexion was a definite shade of lime green.
Her sister pointed to Hortense’s body splayed out on the floor. Bernie studied Hortense for a moment. She was wearing a Santa Claus suit just like she said she would. Silk, Bernie judged, and tailored to within an inch of its life.
“That could have been me,” Libby said.
Bernie turned and looked at her. Libby was wringing her hands.
“How do you figure that?”
“I almost opened the oven,” Libby explained. “I wanted to.”
It wasn’t the explosion that had killed Hortense, Bernie reflected. Or at least not directly. No. The coup de grâce had been the piece of glass that was currently sticking out of Hortense’s throat …
A CATERED MURDER
A CATERED WEDDING
A CATERED CHRISTMAS
A CATERED VALENTINE’S DAY
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation
A Mystery with Recipes
A CATERED
CHRISTMAS
ISIS CRAWFORD
Longely is an imaginary community, as are all its inhabitants. Any resemblance to people either living or dead is pure coincidence.
KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
850 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Copyright © 2005 by Isis Crawford
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
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First Hardcover Printing: October 2005
First Paperback Printing: October 2006
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Printed in the United States of America
Contents
AS DEAD AS A CHRISTMAS GOOSE
Books by Isis Crawford
Christmas Eve Menu
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 1
For Sarah and Peter Saulson, for being good friends.
Pumpkin bisque
Freshly baked Parker House rolls
Capon with apple and apricot stuffing
Brussels sprouts with chestnuts
Green beans with toasted pine nuts
Potatoes lyonnaise
Buche de noel
Assorted cookies
Coconut and peppermint ice cream with
chocolate sauce
Irish coffee
Libby looked around the TV studio. She just knew she was going to hate being on TV; she was going to hate being on the Hortense Calabash Show; she was going to hate being in this stupid contest; but most of all, she was going to hate being away from the store at Christmas time.
“I think I’m going to throw up,” she blurted.
Bernie considered the remark for a second. Then she pointed to her pink suede wedges. “Well, don’t do it on these. I just got them.”
“You’re a veritable fountain of compassion,” Libby told her sister as she gestured toward one of the