Death of the Family Recipe (A Scotti Fitzgerald Murder Mystery Book 3) by Anita Rodgers Page A

husband."
     
    "Okay, I’m your almost husband and it’s my job to take care of you and keep you out of harm’s way. An hour ago you made it clear that I belong you. It works both ways, baby — you belong to me, too."
     
    Even though I agreed with him and really didn’t want to meet with Atkinson, the rebel in me couldn’t let it go. "Are you forbidding me?"
     
    Ted fisted his forehead. "If that would work, hell yeah. But I know you’ll do what you want. Fine. Go ahead and do what you want, just don’t expect my blessings." He sighed. "But as the man who loves you and wants what’s best for you and our baby, I’m asking you not to do it."
     
    I sighed. "What if you were in the room with me?"
     
    He shook his head. "I don’t want you working this case at all. I’m sure as hell not working it with you." He crossed his arms over his chest. "No, I won’t be a part of it."
     
    I leaned my head against the headboard and thought about it. I wanted to help Dan — we both owed him a lot. But Ted was so aggravated by the idea that I decided that Dan would have to be disappointed. I shrugged. "Okay."
     
    Ted looked at me skeptically. "Okay?"
     
    "I won’t meet with Atkinson and Dan will have to deal with it."
     
    Ted relaxed and he stroked my cheek. "Really?"
     
    "Really."
     
    He kissed me. "Thank you."
     
    Truthfully, I was relieved. I had doubts about Atkinson’s guilt, but the odds were that he murdered his girlfriend and her baby. The more I thought about it, the less I wanted to be involved in the case at all. How could I, an expectant mother, want to help someone who probably killed a pregnant woman and her baby?
     
    My mind shifted to the search for my mother. Joe hadn’t said a word since I hired him, which meant he’d found nothing yet. I worried that there was nothing to find and my past would always be a mystery. In the end, I might have to accept that the closest thing I’d ever have to a mother was Melinda.

Chapter Eleven
     
    Our joint birthday party was set for Sunday, so pie day was shifted to Saturday. I accepted that Eric was there to stay and I was now the temporary fixture in the house, so I cleared some space in the garden shed for his boxes. After that, giving up my little office in the kitchen nook, including my desk, wasn’t as hard as I thought. My things were moved to the dining table and I did my best to be cheerful about the changes coming. Giving up my little house an inch at a time was easier than surrendering it all at once — but it still gave me aches and pains.
     
    Ted had space in his garage, so while we baked, he and his brothers moved my non-essential items there. I smiled outwardly, but inside I cringed every time I saw them carry another box out to the truck.
     
    We finished the baking by early afternoon and I went down for a nap. I was just over two months pregnant but all the changes in my body made naps necessary. Gone were the days of all-nighters and forgetting to eat. I awoke with Ted lying beside me. "What are you doing?"
     
    "Looking at you."
     
    I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "I can see that, but why?"
     
    Ted smiled and put his hand on my belly. "Because you’re so pretty."
     
    The last rays of daylight angled through the open curtains. I yawned and said, "What time is it?"
     
    "About six."
     
    I gasped and threw back the covers. "I slept for five hours?"
     
    Ted held on to me. "Where are you going?"
     
    I slumped against the headboard. "I don’t know. Where is everybody?"
     
    "Zelda and Melinda are shopping; Eric is at Joe’s; and Boomer is with Daisy."
     
    I twitched. "Zelda and Melinda are shopping?"
     
    Ted nodded. "Emergency dress shopping for the wedding?"
     
    I cringed. "Can’t wait to see how that turns out." I ran my fingers through his hair. "What have you been doing?"
     
    His eyes got that sneaky-pleased look. "This and that."
     
    I jumped out of bed and rushed to the door. "What did you do?"
     
    He followed me. "Don’t freak