As Arianta entered the dining room the next morning, she anticipated the mystery woman joining them for breakfast. Katherine's solitary figure and a plate of eggs with a slice of pork waited at her place setting. Sitting down, Arianta alluded to her knowledge of Katherine's nocturnal exploits, just as she had done to her. “Good morning, Ms. Bishop. Did you have a satisfying evening?”
However, the attempt at humor was met with a cold shoulder. Katherine replied, “I promised to take you to town. After my morning chores. You can have the day off.”
The idea of a day free from work was tempting, but Arianta yearned for their previous camaraderie. “I don't mind taking more notes. I did fix the story last night, even though you said I didn't have to rewrite it. You were right; it's your book.”
“Fair enough.” Katherine took a few bites before adding, “Bring your notebook. The town will play a crucial role in the story's development.”
As they stepped out onto the farm, Katherine tended to the garden, and Arianta leaned against the little footbridge to watch her boss dig in the dirt, pulling some carrots from the bed.
“After Victoria's death, the farm became quiet. The victim's healthy physique provided them with enough lean meat for at least a month. She and her handmaid wouldn't need to kill again for a while. They could handpick their next victim with care.”
Arianta raised an eyebrow and asked, “Maybe this was covered in another book, but does the victim need to be skinny?”
“Muscle is too tough,” Katherine replied matter-of-factly. “It's like a lot of gristle on beef. If a person is too fat, the meat is fatty too. You'd have to trim a lot off, leaving less meat.”
“That makes sense for a cannibal. But does she really care? Isn't it more about the kill than who the villain is killing?”
“Not at all.” Katherine stood, bringing the basket of carrots with her. “The killer cares about what she puts in her body. Healthy. Organic. Lean. She isn't someone who will go into town and shove a Big Mac down her throat. She curates her food for a quality life. Plus, lean meats just taste better.”
“Everything I have read, fat equals flavor,” Arianta laughed.
“I disagree. Think about the diet we have here on the ranch. The food is low-fat and great. Besides, doesn't it feel much better with those extra pounds gone?” Katherine said with a raised eyebrow.
As they began to walk back to the house, Arianta laughed. “I hope you're not leaning me up just to eat me.”
Katherine turned her head toward Arianta, her expression one of surprise before breaking into a seductive grin. “That does sound quite satisfying.”
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