I smiled at him. “I think I have everything under control. I’m sorry I’m invading your bailiwick tonight.”
“It is my pleasure,” he said, and pointed to a plastic storage container on the counter. “I took the liberty of making miniature biscotti to accompany your treat.”
“That’s so nice,” I said. “Thank you, Raoul. Biscotti sounds perfect.”
“Raoul!” Colette yelled. “I need you over here.”
He winked at me before rushing off to her side. I figured that famous migraine of hers was back, because she sounded like a cranky bear.
I peeked at Colette whenever I could and noticed her acting peevish, as usual, but she had more of an edge this evening. She continually touched her neck, obviously reaching for the locket that wasn’t there.
A half hour later, I placed the beautifully filled dessert bowls on a large cookie sheet and carefully slid it onto a shelf in the walk-in refrigerator. My cooking was done and now I was ready to make trouble.
Colette had made it easy by banishing Raoul from the kitchen until she was finished preparing the meal. And since Derek’s plan included him keeping an eye on Raoul, he was gone as well. I didn’t expect him to walk into the kitchen anytime soon, either. Colette and I were alone at last.
“Can I help you with anything, Colette?” I asked.
She clutched her neck for the umpteenth time, then squeezed her empty hand in frustration. “No, I doubt you can do anything for me. You should go have a drink until we’re ready to serve.”
“Oh, I just noticed you’re not wearing that pretty locket you always wear,” I said innocently.
“So what?” She took off her chef’s hat and pushed her hair back from her forehead.
“What happened to it?”
She let out an exasperated breath. “If I knew what happened to it, I’d be wearing it.”
“I guess you would.” I leaned against the counter and folded my arms. “So it’s a good thing we found it.”
“You found…” Her eyes widened. “Where?”
“In Peter’s room.”
“Do you have it? I want it back.”
“I’ll bet you do. The thing is, it’s evidence now.” I shrugged. “Derek is giving it to the police.”
“No!” She swore under her breath as she sagged against the counter opposite me, looking defeated for just a moment. But then she rallied. “Look, I really want it back. Can you tell Derek to give it to me? I—it’s very special. A family heirloom. You know how it is.”
“I sure do. I wonder how Peter got hold of it?”
“I don’t care. I just need it back.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to Derek. But he’s going to want to know how you lost it and how Peter found it. See, if it was me, I would just give it back to you, but Derek’s a law-abiding kind of guy. He likes to know all the details.”
A little too late, she tried to turn on the charm. “Derek seems like a great guy. You make a cute couple.”
“Thanks.”
She swallowed nervously. “But if Raoul realizes I’ve lost the locket he gave me, I’m going to be in so much trouble. You understand, right? Can you please get it for me?”
“I’ll try. If you’ll tell me how you lost it, I’ll get it from Derek right away.”
She seemed to be weighing the odds involved in telling me the truth, so I went for broke. “Did Baxter take it from you, Colette? Was he blackmailing you?”
Her eyes widened. “No!”
“Then how did Peter get hold of it?”
“I don’t know!”
“Did you kill Baxter?”
“What? Are you crazy? No!” She seemed genuinely shocked and I began to doubt my theory that she had killed him. But she still seemed nervous. She blinked a few times and her breathing was heavier. “God, no.”
“Okay, just wondering.”
But her face was glowing with sweat. Something had to have occurred between her and Baxter, and I was determined to find out what. “Tell me what happened, Colette, and I’ll get your necklace back.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her voice wavering.
“Okay, then.” I glanced around. “Look, I need to use the ladies’ room so I’ll—”
But she’d been thinking fast. She grabbed the nearest weapon from the counter, a knife, and pointed it at me. “Get it for me now.”
Oh, crap. What was with these chefs and their damn knives? Was I willing to get myself sliced up for a stupid glass locket? No. But I wanted to hear the truth from her. Keep her talking, I thought.
“If you’re willing to use that knife on me,” I said, “I have to believe that you killed Baxter.”
“I didn’t!” she said, practically hissing at me.
“And Montgomery,” I added.
“No!” she insisted. “Why would you think I could kill anyone?”
“Because you’re threatening me with a knife and because…Baxter was blackmailing you for money?”
“That’s ridiculous,” she shouted, but then she hedged. “Well, he tried to, but I told him to shove it.”
“Because whatever he thought he knew wasn’t true?”