Books by Leslie Meier

Books by Leslie Meier

MISTLETOE MURDER
TIPPY TOE MURDER
TRICK OR TREAT MURDER
BACK TO SCHOOL MURDER
VALENTINE MURDER
CHRISTMAS COOKIE MURDER
TURKEY DAY MURDER
WEDDING DAY MURDER
BIRTHDAY PARTY MURDER
FATHER’S DAY MURDER
STAR SPANGLED MURDER
NEW YEAR’S EVE MURDER
BAKE SALE MURDER
CANDY CANE MURDER
ST. PATRICK’S DAY MURDER
MOTHER’S DAY MURDER
WICKED WITCH MURDER
GINGERBREAD COOKIE MURDER
ENGLISH TEA MURDER
CHOCOLATE COVERED MURDER
EASTER BUNNY MURDER
CHRISTMAS CAROL MURDER
FRENCH PASTRY MURDER

Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation

Title Page

A Lucy Stone Mystery

FRENCH PASTRY MURDER

LESLIE MEIER

KENSINGTON BOOKS

All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

Dedication

For Anne Toole

Chapter One

Chapter One

Lucy Stone shut her eyes tight and rolled over, trying to ignore the ringing phone on her bedside table. When that didn’t work, she wrapped a pillow over her ears and held it tight, but the ringing continued. She knew who was calling, and it was beginning to be a nuisance, these phone calls at five and six in the morning. Sighing, she glanced at the clock, which read 6:30, noting a small improvement in timing. She picked up the handset and pressed it to her ear, bracing for the coming verbal onslaught.

“Mom! It rang and rang. I thought you’d never answer. I thought something had happened. . . .”

If only, thought Lucy, imagining herself someplace far away. A desert island, perhaps. “No. I’m fine. I’m right here, in bed. You woke me up.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t get the hang of this time difference. France doesn’t switch to daylight savings for a couple more weeks. . . .”

Lucy wasn’t up to making complicated time zone calculations, but she knew the clock had sprung forward last week. “It’s six thirty here, in the morning, and I was asleep.”

“I’ll try to remember . . . but it’s just . . . well, I . . . I . . .”

Lucy gritted her teeth, wishing she could avoid hearing the sobs of her oldest daughter, Elizabeth. “There, there,” she murmured. “It’s not so bad. . . .”

“It is! It’s h-o-o-orrible!” exclaimed Elizabeth, her voice wobbling through her sobs. “I ha-a-ate Paris!”

Despite her affection for her oldest daughter, Lucy was finding it hard to sympathize with her constant complaints about her new situation. After working in Palm Beach for the luxurious Cavendish Hotel chain, Elizabeth had recently been promoted to assistant concierge in the Paris hotel. To Lucy, it seemed like a fantastic opportunity, especially since she herself had always dreamed of going to Paris but had never managed to make the trip.

“I know change is never easy,” admitted Lucy, in a consoling tone.

“Everything they say about the French is true,” declared Elizabeth. “They’re rude and bossy, and they talk too fast, and when you ask them politely to ‘Répétez, s’il vous plaît,’ they give you a condescending little smile and switch to English. How am I supposed to improve my French if they always speak to me in English, huh?”

“They probably think they’re being helpful,” said Lucy.