*
“Kevin’s story is essentially true,” Derek said as we drove home an hour later. “Montgomery did call in. Unfortunately, though, he never got the chance to speak to either of the inspectors. The dispatcher’s message didn’t show up on either of their phones until early this morning.”
“That’s downright tragic,” Savannah said.
“Yes, it is,” he said, clearly disgusted. “Obviously there’s a breakdown in their system somewhere. They’re investigating that side issue, as well.”
I turned in my seat to face him. “Do they think the killer overheard Montgomery’s phone call?”
“That seems the only plausible scenario,” Derek admitted.
So the police would be tracking down which of the chefs had been at the restaurant at the same time that Monty made his fateful phone call. I wondered if we could find out that information as well.
We were mostly silent the rest of the way back to my place. Derek pulled up in front of our building and after a quick discussion about alternative dinner plans, Savannah, Dalton, and I climbed out of the car and Derek took off for his office.
Two hours later he returned home unexpectedly.
“This is a nice surprise,” I said, greeting him with a kiss.
“I’m afraid it’s not as pleasant a reason to come home as we’d like it to be.”
“What’s wrong?”
His expression was grim. “The police are right behind me.”
*
My two favorite detectives showed up ten minutes later. They’d come to talk to Savannah, who, in case we’d all forgotten, was still the prime suspect in the murder of Baxter Cromwell.
Derek, Dalton, and I lurked in the kitchen as Savannah was being interviewed in my studio.
“Why couldn’t they do this at the restaurant?” I grumbled, although I was just as glad to be home rather than still sitting in Baxter’s gloomy dining room. Still, I was scared to death that my sister might be led out of my house in handcuffs any minute now.
“They might not want the other chefs to know they’re talking to Savannah,” Derek said.
“I’m going to take that to mean that they’re trying to protect her from anyone who might try to hurt her.”
“Yes,” Derek said, reaching for my hand. “That’s exactly how I meant you to take it.”
“I’m not sure if I should be more worried or less.”
“Go sit at the table,” Dalton said. “I’m making tea.”
I stared at him in surprise as Derek led me over to the dining room table. We sat next to each other at the far end and he took my hand. “Savannah will be fine,” he said.
A few minutes later, Dalton walked over with a tray on which he’d placed the teapot, four mugs, and a plate of cookies.
“That’s so sweet of you,” I said, giving him a grateful smile.
“Sometimes one simply needs a cup of tea,” Dalton said.
He was right. We sipped our tea, and after a while the two cops and Savannah walked into the room.
“Would you care for a cup of tea?” Dalton asked.
Inspector Lee stared at him, then looked at Derek. “Whoa. There’s two of you?”
“Didn’t you meet Derek’s brother at the restaurant earlier?” I asked.
Lee frowned at me. “I must’ve thought he was Derek.”
“Understandable.” I introduced her to Dalton and we all talked for another few minutes. The inspectors refused the offer of tea and finally took off. Derek walked them to the door.
Savannah sat at the table and Dalton poured her a cup of tea.
“How are you doing?” I asked her.
“Fine. She’s so nice and pretty.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Inspector Lee.”
“Oh. Yeah, she is. Pretty, I mean. Nice? Not always.”
“She was nice to me,” Savannah said.
“Figures,” I muttered. “So what did they ask you?”
“They went over some of the stuff I told them last time and then they asked me about Margot.”
I frowned. “Margot?”
“I couldn’t believe it, either,” Savannah said. “I assured them she wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. “What did you tell them?”
“Well, they knew I used to be involved with Baxter, so they—”
“Where’d they hear that?” I interrupted, even though I knew it was that big-mouth Colette, who’d told Jaglom a bunch of lies that first night.
“They heard it from me,” Savannah said. “I told them all about our relationship when they first interviewed me.”
“You did?”
“Well, sure. Don’t you remember? I told them everything. That’s what you’re supposed to do, right? Tell the truth.”
I smiled. “I love you, sis.”
“I…love you, too?” she said warily.
With a laugh, I gestured for her to continue.
“So they’d heard a rumor that Margot had carried on affairs with both Raoul and Baxter and they wanted to ask me about all three of them. Can you imagine? I assured them they were way off base.”
“Off base about whom?” I said cautiously.