Parra - Gluten for Punishment

Nancy J. Parra has whipped up a sweet treat thats sure to delight!

Peg Cochran, national bestselling author of the Gourmet De-Lite Mysteries

A delightful heroine, cherry-filled plot twists, and cream-filled pastries. Could murder be any sweeter?

Connie Archer, national bestselling author of the Soup Lovers Mysteries

A mouthwatering debut with a plucky protagonist. Clever, original, and appealing with gluten-free recipes to die for.

Carolyn Hart, national bestselling author

A lively, sassy heroine and a perceptive and humorous look at small-town Kansas (the Wheat State)!

JoAnna Carl, national bestselling author of the Chocoholic Mysteries

This bakers treat rises to the occasion. Whether you need to eat allergy-free or not, youll devour every morsel.

Avery Aames, Agatha Awardwinning author of the Cheese Shop Mysteries

Stirring Up Trouble

Maybe you should call for backup? I asked.

He shot me a look of disgust. Im a trained officer of the law. I can handle this. Then he hitched his gun belt again and took three steps toward the drunk. All right, he said. Funs over. Get out of the trough.

The wind blew and rustled the guys coat but the drunk didnt move.

Officer Fife, as I thought of him, had red creeping up his thin, pale neck. His giant Adams apple bobbed in his skinny neck. I said, shows over, pal. Get out of the trough. He took out his nightstick and poked the drunk on the back. The guy didnt stir.

I pursed my lips. I could feel the customers behind me staring out the window. Maybe if you remove his Stetson? Sun shining in his eyes might help.

Barney gave me another evil look. But he did what I said. He reached down and took the hat and we both gasped. The drunk was facedown in about an inch of water and the back of his head was covered in blood.

That cant be good, I muttered. I dialed 911 again because Officer Fife stood frozen and stared at the guy.

Nine-one-one dispatch, how can I help you?

Hello, Sarah, this is Toni again down at the bakery. I think you need to send a second squad car and possibly an ambulance. I think the drunk guy might be dead.

Gluten for
Punishment

NANCY J. PARRA

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

USA / Canada / UK / Ireland / Australia / New Zealand / India / South Africa / China

Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

For more information about the Penguin Group, visit penguin.com.

GLUTEN FOR PUNISHMENT

A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author

Copyright 2013 by Nancy J. Parra.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

Berkley Prime Crime Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group.

BERKLEY PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

ISBN: 978-1-101-62229-2

PUBLISHING HISTORY

Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / May 2013

Cover illustration by Patricia Castelao.

Cover design by Rita Frangie.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

PUBLISHERS NOTE: The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book.

If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

This one is for Ashley.
Thank you for putting up with crazy writers your entire life.
Your insight and wit constantly amaze me.
May you find happiness always.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

So many wonderful people have helped me in the making of this and all my books. In particular, Id like to thank Jaci Charbonneau for the best title in the history of cozy mysteries. Jacis brilliant puns light up my life. Next I want to thank Joelle Charbonneau for encouraging me to write cozy mysteries and to write what I knowgluten-free living. Thanks, too, for your top-notch coaching talents and generosity with your time. Thanks to Liz Powell whose encouragement and brilliant mind have lifted me up and helped me to keep going when things felt bleak. For Paige Wheeler, my awesome agent, whose excellent advice and wisdom help me in all aspects of my career. For Faith Black, for loving what I write enough to buy the series and guide me through the entire editorial process. For all the wonderful people at Berkley Prime Crime for your love of books, your vision, and your careful eye in creating the best book possible.

Finally, thank you to all the many friends and familyyou know who you arefor believing in my talent every step of the way. A book is never created in a vacuum. Instead it is born from the generosity, hard work, and helping hands of an entire lifetime of people. I hope I can make you all proud to be a part of it.

CHAPTER

"T urn the house into a bed-and-breakfast. My best friend since grade school, Tasha Wilkes, pursed her lips and eyed the 1970s decor of the rambling, 1885 Victorian house my mom had left me.

No. I shook my head and grabbed my car keys. B&Bs are your thing, not mine. Ive got my hands full with the bakery.

She followed me down the hall, past the formal parlor, the small den, the dining room, the butlers pantry, closet-sized powder room, and into the large kitchen and out the back door. Twenty years before, my dad had replaced the gravel driveway with old brick pavers. Since weeds were hardy in Kansas, I now had to mow the driveway as well as the lawn.

But its perfect, Toni, Tasha muttered as she opened the passenger door of my small white delivery van. You can remodel the carriage house apartment and live there, leaving the main house with all seven bedrooms for guests. The right decor, the right advertising, and youll have a steady incomewhich by the way, might come in handy.