She thought she heard the elevator open again. And close. Was it possible the bellhop had come up looking for her, seen the presents and just assumed shed left already?
She glanced at her watch again. She still had time to get out of here without being caught by Mitzy. Without upsetting Oliver. If she left right now.
She crept soundlessly over the thick, plush carpet, peering in doorways as she went, trying to convince herself she really was alone in the apartment. She could smell Mitzys perfume. And Olivers cologne. The mingling of the two made her sick to her stomach.
The presents were where shed left them on the table, the lovebirds cuddling and cooing. Everything looked just as shed left it, except....
The bow on the candy box had fallen to the floor.
She stepped closer, counting off the gifts, almost afraid shed find one missing. Birds, flowers, perfume, champagne, jewelry, candy That was odd. The lid on the heart-shaped box of chocolates!
Someone had opened the box and left the lid half off, probably in a hurry to get out of the penthouse.
Her heart lurched at a sudden thought. Surely the bellhop wouldnt have taken a piece of the chocolate. No! Panic filled her, making her grab the edge of the table for support. Oliver had
been very specific about how everything had to be. It had to be perfect.
Hed think she took the candy! That she hadnt overcome her problem with food. That it was just a matter of time before she became Piggy Kane again. He would never believe the bellhop had taken the candy even if Peggy got the chance to explain. Not that she could admit shed been in the bedroom snooping around and heard the bellhop come in.
She felt sicker. How much had he taken? Maybe none. Maybe hed just looked into the box. Her fingers trembled as she slowly lifted the lid all the way off, praying all of the chocolate would be nestled in their little red foil cups.
One was missing!
Peggy had watched the woman at the candy shop place the chocolate in an intricate heart pattern. The air thick with the smell of chocolate, shed watched each specially made morsel go in, right up until the last piecea perfect heart of milk chocolate drizzled with semi-sweet chocolate.
And now it was gone, leaving only an empty bright red foil hole gaping at the center of the design and all of the pieces askew and no longer resembling a heart at all as if the box had been dropped!
In horror, Peggy realized Mitzy would notice immediately and call it to her husbands attention. Oliver would have to confess that Peggy had picked up the presents. Had to have been Peggy whod taken the piece of candy.
Mitzy would make a big deal out of it. Peggy could just hear her, Poor Piggy Kane, had to steal Valentines Day chocolate because it wasnt like anyone was going to give her chocolate. That would be like giving tequila to an alcoholic.
But that wasnt the worst part. Mitzy wouldnt want the chocolates, not after Piggy Kane had been in them. Oliver would be furious. Didnt Peggy know how important it was for tonight to be perfect?
She stared down at the box of candy. Smooth pale milk chocolates. Dark rich bittersweet chocolates. All filled with heavenly cremes, mouth-melting caramels and buttery nuts.
She watched her hand as if seeing it from a great distance away. Watched her finger and thumb gently lift one of the milk chocolate cremes from its foil nest as if lifting out a priceless jewel. Watched the chocolate approach her mouth, the sight of it making her dizzy, the intoxicating scent of it making her weak with anticipation.
The forbidden chocolate brushed her lips as lightly as a kiss and then it was on her tongue. She closed her warm mouth around it, sucking it in, lips parting slightly as she released a cocoa-scented sigh. Her breath caught in her throat as the chocolate slowly, achingly began to melt.
She had never tasted anything so smooth, so rich. She deserved this. She deserved so...much...more. Then the warm chocolate seemed to burst and the sweet, incredible creme oozed out, filling her mouth. She groaned from the pleasure of it, licking her lips as she closed her eyes, willing herself to fight the urge and hold it in her mouth as long as she could, knowing how quickly the sensation would be gone once she swallowed.
This was heaven. Unfortunately, she knew from experience, it never lasted long enough.
Her hand was already reaching for another chocolate, her mind already crumpling the empty incriminating red foil into her coat pocket and rearranging the chocolates, already convincing herself that no one would ever have to know, especially Oliver. That was when the poison hit.
She had only enough time to pull the Valentine from her pocket before she hit the floor.
CHAPTER TWO
WHO FOUND THE BODY? Sheriff Jack McAllister asked the deputy as he rode up the elevator to The Riverside penthouse. He couldnt believe it. Hed been sheriff for less than twenty-four hours and he already had a dead body on his hands. Just his luck, since hed come home to Rivers Edge to get away from this very thing.