Ellen McKenzie and her fiance, Chief of Police Dan Dunham, are on their way to the very upscale Harvest Festival Dinner, hosted by Ellen's niece, Sabrina, and her husband, Mark Tortelli. New to Silver Springs Winery, the Tortellis kw their jobs depend on the success of this event; the reputation of the guest chef hasn't helped calm their nerves. Otto Messinger is ted for his temper tantrums. Tonight's guest list seems to include everyone who has ever had a feud with Otto, a fact the little chef is thoroughly enjoying. The dinner progresses, a little shaky but without disaster. Then it's time for dessert. But where is Otto? It is Sabrina who finds him, quite dead, in a wine fermenting tank.
Kathleen Delaney is a recently retired real estate broker. The mother of five grown children and grandmother of eight, she has also bred and shown national-award-winning Arabian and Half-Arabian horses. She recently left California for South Carolina where she now lives and writes.