Page 51 of Christmas Mittens Murder

“Okay, I get it. I’m sure your evaluation is a little self-serving, but it matches all the complaint calls and notes I’ve gotten over the past two days.” He held up a pile of comment cards. “And then that guy dies after attending the party. I’m just hoping the coroner’s cause of death isn’t food poisoning. That would be embarrassing. Of course, since we didn’t cook the food, the catering company would be on the hook, not us.”

“Well, that is a bright side of the whole death thing.” Mia leaned back in her chair. Frank was a tool. “I didn’t see you at the party.”

“No, I stayed away. I didn’t want to run into Rebecca. We kind of broke up at the beginning of the month. She asked about exchanging gifts and I told her that me giving her company the staff party contract was her gift. I guess she was expecting more.” He threw the comment cards in the wastebasket. “At least I don’t have to make that mistake again. I have the Lodge’s reputation to uphold.”

“Yes, that’s important.” Mia saw this wasn’t going anywhere. Frank hadn’t been at the party because he was hiding from his ex-girlfriend. Nothing there. She started to stand but thought of one more question Frank might have the answer to. “Hey, do you know why Professor Brewer was even at the event? Was he related to someone who worked here?”

Frank leaned forward, and Mia didn’t like his smile. It was the kind that evil villains wore when they were divulging a secret in a movie. “He wasn’t related to anyone. He was sleeping with one of the cooks on day shift. Tasha Alberts. She’s the blonde.”

Like that would make her stand out. Most of the kitchen staff wore head coverings. At least when Mia saw them. But then she remembered the bombshell from the party that had been talking to the professor before he came over to greet Christina. She’d been in a red dress and looked like one of the Lodge’s guests, not a staff member. “Oh, her?”

“Yeah, I heard she went all out for the party. Marilyn Monroe red dress and all.” Frank leaned back in his chair. “I might have to fire her so I can ask her out on a date. Especially now that Geoffrey’s out of the way.”

“That’s a little self-centered. You need to be careful. People will start thinking you killed Geoffrey if you start dating her too soon.” Mia hoped by pointing this out, Frank wouldn’t go and fire the grieving girlfriend. But he had given her some more information she hadn’t had yesterday. And it matched what Edward had told her—the Brewers had an open marriage. “Hey, was Professor Brewer up for the catering director position when I got it?”

Frank picked up a stack of papers and straightened the stack. He looked a little pale. “He was one of the candidates, yes.”

“So why did you pick me?” Mia leaned forward, wondering if he’d be honest.

Frank shrugged. “Geoffrey came with baggage. I would have had to listen to his stupid stories about his big house and wealthy wife. I had enough of that crap from him when we were in college. It’s hard to be a scholarship kid at an Ivy League school.”

“Okay, then.” Mia thought it was mostly the truth. She also knew that Geoffrey would probably have demanded a higher salary, even though Mia had more experience. “I’ll see you later this week.”

As she went to find Abigail, she wondered which explanation would be more unbelievable to the town’s conservative police chief—the fact that the couple had ties to the witching part of the community or that they weren’t monogamous. Knowing the strength with which Mark loved his wife, Sarah, Mia thought the open marriage might be more unbelievable for him.

But it was a motive that he could understand and prove in a human court of law. Mia walked by the kitchen and wondered if Tasha Alberts was working. She went into the kitchen, and it was nearly deserted.

“You missed the madhouse this place was an hour ago.” James came out of his office and greeted her with a quick hug. “You really should come to the Sunday buffet team breakfast. You’d love hearing the staff talk about the week and its share of weirdness. Did you know there was a couple staying here that only ate raw food? Including fish. Of course, that didn’t stop them from drinking their weight in wine. Sometimes people are strange.”

“Everyone has their own path.” Mia glanced around the empty kitchen. “I was hoping to talk to Tasha Alberts.”

“Well, that’s going to be a problem. She emailed me her resignation this morning. No reason, just an address in Boise to send her final check. I’d heard she was involved with the guy who was killed in the parking lot. Maybe she was just too upset to continue working here.” James held up the printout he had brought out of his office. “I was just heading over to drop this into payroll’s box.”

“Can I look at her address?” Mia got out her phone to take a picture. Thinking quickly, she added, “I’d like to send her a sympathy card.”

“Of course. You’re part of the team now, aren’t you. Sending her a card is a good idea. I’ll have the kitchen staff sign one as well. Unless you think it should be all on one?” James handed over the paper.

“Oh, I think several cards would be nice.” Mia felt bad about lying to him, but now she’d have to go and actually get a sympathy card to mail. “It must have been a huge shock.”

“I hate passing on gossip.” James paused and then laughed. “Okay, that’s not true, I love talking gossip. Anyway, one of my sous chefs told me that Tasha was trying to talk that guy into leaving his wife and running off with her. She was deeply in love. At least, that’s the rumor. And now with her leaving—”

“The story is proving to be true.” Mia finished his story. She pointed to the phone number. “I can reach her there, if I wanted to call and tell her how sorry I was?”

He peered at the number. Then he pulled out his phone. “That’s not the one I have. I’ll write it here on the page and you can take another picture. Payroll might need it as well.” He wrote the number down, then handed back the page.

“Thanks, James. I need to go. Christina isn’t feeling well.” She snapped a picture, then checked it before she left just to make sure she could read it.

“I heard she was under the weather. I hope she didn’t get food poisoning. That caterer Frank hired was the worst. I can’t believe she’s even in the business.” James opened the door to the hallway. “I’ll see you tomorrow for the staff meeting?”

“I’m looking forward to it.” She went through the doorway and paused.

“And you’re a bad liar.” James gave her air kisses and headed away from the lobby.

She watched him for a minute, then headed out to find Abigail. James was good people. He’d come to the job from Arizona, but he loved the four seasons and he’d stayed. Mia hoped that working for Frank wouldn’t run him off. A strong kitchen manager chef like James had his choice of jobs any time he wanted a different one. She couldn’t imagine working for the Lodge without James around. He was her rock here.

Abigail was sitting in the lobby, chatting with a woman Mia didn’t recognize. Abigail stood as soon as she noticed Mia coming toward them. Mia watched as she said a quick goodbye, and Abigail hurried over to meet Mia. “Ready to go then?”

“Sure. So who was that?” She nodded to the woman who was now heading toward the elevators. She wasn’t on staff. At least not anyone whom she knew.

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