Pinot Noir and Poison Read online

  Pinot Noir and Poison

  Wine Valley Mystery Book 2

  Sandra Woffington

  Sandra Woffington

  Copyrighted Material

  Pinot Noir & Poison copyright © 2019

  Book design and layout copyright © 2019

  This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are

  either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is strictly coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Sandra Woffington.

  sandrawoffington.com

  1st Edition

  ISBN-13: 978-1-944650-07-0 (ebook)

  ISBN-13: 978-1-944650-08-7 (paperback)

  Books in the Wine Valley Mystery Series

  Titles and Release Dates

  Merlot and Murder: The Beginning (FREE)

  Burgundy and Bodies, Book 1 (May 2, 2019)

  Pinot Noir and Poison, Book 2 (May 9, 2019)

  Syrah and Swingers, Book 3 (May 23, 2019)

  Rose and Rocks, Book 4 (June 27, 2019)

  Grenache and Graves, Book 5 (July 2019)

  Shiraz and Slaughter, Book 6 (Aug. 2019)

  Pinot Grigio and Pesticide, Book 7

  Gamay Noir and Ghouls, Book 8

  Claret and Carnage, Book 9

  Viognier and Venom, Book 10

  More murder, mystery, and mayhem to come . . .

  Other Books By the Author

  WARRIORS & WATCHERS SAGA SERIES

  Epic Mythological Fantasy

  Seven ancient gates of evil will open, unless a quirky group of teens become warriors.

  “Original and consistently entertaining from cover to cover.” Midwest Book Review

  Evil Speaks (Reader’s Favorite 5-Star Review)

  Evil Hears (to be released in 2019)

  Evil Sees

  Evil Touches

  Evil Feeds

  Evil Deeds

  Evil Desires

  ______

  STAND ALONE HISTORICAL ROMANCE

  Unveiling

  What would you sacrifice to fulfill your destiny?

  Stay Up to Date

  In appreciation of each and every reader, I created a Facebook group called Woffington's Reading Warriors: Mystery, Murder, Magic & More specifically for readers to join together and share their interests, discuss books, and to communicate directly with me and fellow Reading Warriors!

  I post updates, previews, new releases, insider information, and awesome offers in this group.

  Visit my website at sandrawoffington.com.

  Follow me on Amazon, Facebook or Instagram.

  Come for the Mystery—Stay for the Magic!

  Acknowledgments

  If you love this series, it is because of my fan ARC Readers and the pros on my team.

  Thanks for your energy, your belief in me, and your support!

  ARC READING WARRIORS

  Lisa Oster

  Julie Bawden-Davis

  Sally Kinsey-Fee

  PROS

  Editor: Beth

  Cover Artist: Judy

  Marketer: Jynafer

  To my sisters, Lisa and Patrice—

  Together, a trinity of magical females.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Author’s Note

  Syrah and Swingers

  Books in the Wine Valley Mystery Series

  Other Books By the Author

  Stay Up to Date

  1

  From the moment Sally Kinsey Fee followed the movements of the trio of guests that had just arrived at her sister’s birthday party, she set her sights on the blond, blue-eyed hunk in a dark suit and bolo tie. His blond hair swept seductively along his temple. Even with the suit, she could see his broad shoulders and muscular physique. He had to be mid-twenties. She liked them young. Elliot, her husband who sat beside her, had aged into an old man the day she married him, but then she married him to put a dagger into Lizzy’s heart, not for love. Mission accomplished.

  It was delicious waiting for him to reach her table, but Alfie stopped to introduce the new arrivals to members of the Wolf family, which Lizzy had married into. “This is Max, Joy, and Reed.”

  It wasn’t fair. She’d no sooner stolen Lizzy’s fiancé out from under her than fate put Danny Wolf, a hot catch, into Lizzy’s arms to heal her wounds.

  People amused Sally. Most silly little humans played by the rules. They could not fathom people who didn’t. Those little glances and grimaces just let her know that her barbs had an effect. How delicious.

  A pang of pain shot through her stomach. What had she eaten that gave her so much grief? She sipped her Pinot Noir, rubbed away the pain, and watched the target of her next conquest.

  Alfie was clearly friends with the blond, Max, but not with his two friends. They’d all stopped at Liam and Logan’s table, where Cathy, a too-pretty, too-fair-haired, and way too-perky former Miss Wine Valley, gushed about meeting him at one of her pageants. Cathy spouted something about the dark-haired girl’s beauty. Joy—her red and black silk dress hugged her slender frame. Her jet-black hair fell to her shoulders. Black crystal clips pulled her hair back to expose delicate ears from which black crystal earrings dangled, drawing attention with every turn of her head. Those brows—how they arched over the girls dark eyes.

  Joy’s date, Reed Steele, wasn’t her type, a scrappy man who’d grown up tough. She could tell, since he’d only half dressed up: a white shirt and dark suit jacket with jeans. His long, rich brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She had to admit, he had a handsome face and killer hazel eyes and broad shoulders. With his hair hanging down over his bare chest, he’d be attractive in a bad-boy kind of way.

  Jack, also part of the Wolf brood that were the famous owners of the first winery in Wine Valley—the Raedwald Wolf Estate Winery, owned by red-haired Scotts, Raedwald and Kate—grabbed a chair and joined their group at the next table over.

  Matteo, the hottest Italian gay man she’d ever met, insisted that Cathy take a breath—amen to that! Logan Wolf had found Matteo in Italy while studying wine-making, brought him home, and married him.

  Cathy laughed it off.

  Finally, Alfie brought Max to her table. She licked her lips in anticipation.

  Lizzy jumped up to greet him. “Hi, Max. How have you been?”

  Lizzy had lost weight. Too much. Her clothes hung off of her, and she barely wore any makeup. Her hair, a dirty blond, was dull, and the slight wave in it came from drying naturally, not from curling irons or primping. Her skin was tanned, despite the sun hats she wore when digging in her stupid little garden.

  Sally finished off her Pinot Noir and imagined the hunk’s arms wrapped around her. The evening might not be such a dull bore after all. She set a hand to her garnet-red, spiked hair. The move caught the blond’s attention. He glanced in her direction. S
he straightened her spine and pulled her shoulders back to accentuate her cleavage, which protruded from her black dress.

  A pain assailed her stomach. She turned to Elliot, who seemed concerned. She hadn’t felt right since lunch, and she’d thrown up just before the party. She’d thought of staying home. It wasn’t like she wanted to celebrate Lizzy’s birthday. Lizzy was seventeen years her junior, so they hadn’t grown up as sisters at all. But being here was better than staying home with mealy-mouthed Elliot. And she liked Lizzy’s in-laws as much as she liked anybody. Being vintners, they always served the best wines and, since Kate was a chef, they served good food too.

  “Probably the same as you, Lizzy. Just okay,” said Max. “How’s it going for you?” Sally had heard Lizzy mention earlier that Max had lost his father recently. Lizzy had lost her husband, Danny.

  “It goes. Day-by-day.” Lizzy stepped aside. “These are my sons Rio and Oliver. Rio just finished his bachelors in biochemistry and came on board with Kinsey.”

  Max shook hands with them. “Good to see you again. This is Joy Burton and Reed Steele.”

  “Nice to meet you,” said the boys.

  Joy cast her eyes on Sally and smiled. Sally didn’t smile back.

  Lizzy finally turned to Sally. “And this is my sister, Sally, and her husband Elliot.”

  Sally shot Max a voracious smile.

  “Nice to meet you,” said the hunk.

  Alfie interjected, “These folks are part of our wonderful Wine Valley police force, Sally.”

  Sally caught his tone of warning, and it amused her. So many others had tried and failed.

  “Even better. I like policemen.” Sally could hear her words slur, but she’d only had one drink. Lizzy shot Max an apologetic glance, to which Sally waved her red nails to dismiss it and introduced her guests. “This is Todd Barr, my fabulous attorney.” Sally waved toward a man, mid-fifties, sitting next to her. He had salt-and-pepper hair and wore wire-rimmed glasses. “And this is Alice Worth, my mediocre assistant.” Her young assistant wore chic glasses and had her chestnut hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her gray pantsuit and pin-striped blouse gave her a masculine look, but she had quiet beauty.

  Sally’s joke fell flat, so she jumped in to save the moment. “I’m just joking, people. Alice, you’re fabulous too.”

  As Sally said it, she noticed how much Todd had aged. The affair with him had begun quickly, due to the excessive time they spent together after her and Lizzy’s father died suddenly, leaving Kinsey Pharmaceuticals in the lurch. As CEO, Sally knew how to control men—promise them partnerships and a piece of the pie, and they’d follow her around like a lap dog.

  Todd reached over and squeezed Alice’s hand, but he quickly let go.

  Sally smirked. She knew about their tryst. She had had numerous affairs, but she would not tolerate his cheating on her. He had a little surprise coming. A little firing squad, and she’d pull the trigger.

  Elliot caught her off guard. “She’s lasted two months working for you, dear. Don’t blow it now.”

  So he had a pair after all, thought Sally. A few restrained giggles leaked out, but Sally brushed them away as easily as she dismissed her lovers once she had taken what she wanted.

  Kate, who had her long waves of red hair pulled back, rose to leave. “Max, Reed, Joy—take our seats. Red and I have to check on the kitchen staff. Sally, Elliot, thanks for sending Maria over to help out.”

  Sally nodded. “Of course; she’s happy to make some extra income.”

  Red polished off his whiskey, smoothed his beard, grabbed his pint, and followed his wife.

  Another sharp pain stabbed Sally’s stomach. She shifted her weight and rubbed it out.

  “Are you all right?” asked Todd.

  “Not sure,” she said. “Upset stomach.” Her words came out more like upshet shtomach.

  Oliver, standing behind her, reached over to take her wine glass. “I’ll get you some water, Aunt Sally.”

  “Wine,” she ordered.

  Alice rose to her feet. “And I need to get back to work and help out so you will all have a fabulous dinner.”

  At that, Jack, Logan, and Matteo rose and pushed the two tables together.

  By the time they’d finished, Oliver had set a glass of Pinot Noir before her. She grabbed the glass and swigged.

  Cathy jumped in as if someone had appointed her ambassador. She bobbed her perfect face and short blond hair, turned up her delicate nose, widened her sky-blue eyes, and shot the guests a perky, white-toothed smile, then asked Joy how she had become a police officer. Cathy added, “At the sight of blood or a gun, I’d surely pass out.”

  Sally weighed Cathy’s attributes and dismissed them. She might have nice breasts, but she has no butt, just a tiny tube of a body with boobs. Her baby blue dress is ridiculously skin-tight!

  Joy answered, “I am what I am, Cathy. The job chose me. I’m new in town. I joined the force as a consultant, a forensic psychologist.”

  Sally could not contain herself. She broke out in a paroxysm of laughter and waved her dragon nails. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I have this picture in my head of you analyzing a bank robber or maybe a shoplifter. He’s stretched out on the couch.” Her voice sank to a low, mocking tone. “You ask, ‘What made you do it?’”

  Sally had miscalculated. Usually, people just ignored her. Not this woman.

  Joy leaned in. “My specialty is psychoanalyzing murderers, Sally. So if you ever kill anyone, I’d be the person sitting across from you, like now, and I’d peel you like an onion.” The woman held up her clawed hand, like it held an invisible ball. She made the motions of peeling it. “Until I reached the rotten core.” She squished the invisible onion.

  No one spoke to her like that! Sally rose to her feet. “Elliot, Todd, we’re going inside.”

  Elliot picked up Sally’s wine glass and led her by the arm. “Let’s get you some water, dear.” Todd attempted to take her other arm, but she wrenched herself free from them both and walked ahead.

  Once inside, Sally made a bee-line for the bathroom, stepped inside, closed the door, hiked her dress, and sat down. She felt flushed. Her vision blurred for a moment. And the lights bothered her eyes. She needed to pull herself together. Even the hunk was less on her mind right now, the way her stomach cramped.

  Several minutes later, she felt a little better. She flushed, lowered her dress, washed her hands, and checked herself in the mirror. Her right eye drooped more than her left. That bitch botched the injection. I’ll get her fired. Otherwise, her red lipstick and black mascara gave her the sexy, dark impression she wanted. “You’re a better lay than those young things out there.” She laughed to herself, picturing the beauty queen with her husband. “Not now; you’ll mess my hairdo, silly boy.” And what about Joy? “She’s good—I can tell. Aggressive, like me. But not as good as me.” Sally grabbed the water glass, filled it, and gulped it down.

  By the time she emerged from the bathroom, Joy stood waiting outside. Oliver too. He had tilted his head back. A drop squeezed out of a small bottle and plopped into his eyes. He held up the bottle to see if Sally or Joy wanted any.

  Sally brushed past them with a scowl on her face and her nose in the air. She put a hand on the wall to steady herself.

  “Are you all right?” asked Joy.

  “I’m better than all right, dear. I’m the best.”

  The mahogany table in the formal dining room was laid out to seat seventeen: seven on one side, eight on the other, and Red and Kate on either end. Everyone found the place card with a grape motif and their name and sat down.

  Sally sat on Red’s end, flanked by Max to her right, and Elliot, Alfie, and Oliver to her left. Across from her, Lizzy sat to Red’s immediate right in the place of honor, and down the line from Lizzy were Steele, Joy, and Rio.

  Kate bustled in the kitchen still, but when she would take her place, Liam, Jack, and Logan would be to her right and Cathy, Todd, and Mateo to her left.

 
Sally would not tolerate giving her assistant Alice a place at the table. The help was the help.

  As Sally took her seat, the décor of heavy carved wood and oriental carpets closed in on her. The knight in armor, holding a lance and standing guard at the end of the room, didn’t help matters. Red and Kate Wolf had built themselves a Scottish manor house fit for royalty.

  Kate, Alice, and the maids swept into the room and offered each guest champagne for a toast. Sally nodded approval to fill her glass.

  Red raised his glass and toasted Lizzy. The room spun. Red’s words swirled. She heard snippets: “Lizzy, the day you came into our family, you blessed…with love…blessed our hearts with joy….The good Lord needed Danny sooner than we expected…here for you…are your family…happy birthday!”

  Sally did not clink glasses, but she took a swig.

  Kate, Alice, and the maids ducked out again, then back into the room, holding two plates each, and they set them before the guests, females first. Sally could never understand why Kate wanted to serve the plates before taking her seat. She had maids to do the labor.