Murder Has a Sweet Tooth - By Miranda Bliss Page 0,84

wasn’t true, and spun around.

Michael was standing not five feet behind me.

Even before I looked, I knew Scott and Chip would have my other opportunities for escape blocked. Scott was on my left, Chip on my right.

I was hemmed in and alone, and my only hope was to find a weak link and take advantage of it. This was no time to beat around the bush. “You knew your wives were stepping out on you. All of you knew.” I looked from one man to the others. “You can’t deny it. Not when you each have Sonny’s cooking class schedule in your possession. You knew there were no cooking classes on Tuesday nights.”

“Edward!” Chip stepped forward, but whatever protest he was going to offer was cut short by Edward’s scorching look.

Weak link noted, and it was exactly where I thought it would be. I took a step in Chip’s direction. “Just like your wives, you were all best friends, and best friends stick up for each other. That’s why you all agreed to the plan, though Edward . . .” I looked back his way. “I’m pretty sure you were the mastermind. It has your cold, calculated sort of stamp on it.”

“Really?” He folded his arms over his chest. “How cold and calculating is that?”

“Cold and calculating enough that you all agreed to kill each other’s wives.”

Talk about touching a nerve! Edward’s nostrils flared. Michael fumed. Scott, who I’d probably never said more than a few words to, just about blew a gasket. As I expected, Chip dissolved into a quivering mound of mush.

“I told you!” Chip blubbered. Tears streamed down his cheeks. “I told you somebody was going to find out. I told you it was a bad idea, Edward. There was no way we could plan four murders and not think we’d get caught.”

“Shut up.” Edward’s snarl stopped him in his tracks. “She doesn’t know anything. She’s bluffing. There’s no way she knows. It’s all just a crazy theory, so keep your mouth shut.”

I made it look as casual as I could when I took another step in Chip’s direction, and because I was hoping to catch them all off guard, I kept right on talking.

“Poor Beth, as soon as she told Edward what was going on with Vickie on Tuesday nights, she signed her own death warrant. She was the only one who could prove you knew what Vickie was up to, Edward. That’s why she had to die. But then Michael . . .” I looked his way while I stepped toward Chip. “That’s what you were talking about when you said Beth wasn’t supposed to die yet. Your plan called for each of you to do a favor for a best friend. You were each going to murder one wife, but not your own. That explains Edward’s alibi for the night Vickie was killed. They all had to die, but my guess is you were going to drag it out over the course of a year or so. Some of the deaths would look like accidents, like Beth’s was supposed to. And poor Beth, she thought she’d be safe by blackmailing Edward. Little did she know she didn’t have to. Right?” I didn’t wait for Edward to answer; I breezed right on. “Jeremy playing soccer and Michael, you getting a promotion you obviously hadn’t earned . . . that was Edward’s payment to you, wasn’t it? That was your reward for killing Vickie. And you knew exactly where to find her. Edward had probably been following her. He brought you a coaster so you could easily find the place.”

“Shut up!” Edward was done talking. He closed in on me and my gut reaction told me to run. When I made a move to take off in Chip’s direction, Michael came up from behind and his hand went around my arm like a vise.

“Toss her in that open grave,” Edward growled. “You didn’t get it right with the sauna or that bus. Maybe this will work better. We’ll cover her up and they won’t find her until it’s too late.”

Michael and Scott didn’t hesitate. Chip was another story. He was as pale as the ghost I would be if I didn’t do something and didn’t do it fast. Michael had my right arm in a death grip. Scott had my left. I locked my legs and refused to move, and when they tried to drag me, I kicked and screamed. Even all the noise I was