by C A Phipps
She wiped the corner of her eye. Small towns could be such a blessing.
“You’re not crying, are you?” Violet put an arm loosely over her shoulder.
“No.”
Violet snorted. “You are a terrible liar.”
“Can you believe what’s happening here?”
“It’s a lot to take in. I’m proud of the way you’re handling the en masse approach, though.”
Scarlett sniffed. “It’s not like I had a choice.”
“Olivia is a force to be reckoned with, that’s for sure.” Violet grinned.
Sam coughed behind them. “I hope I’m not interrupting. Daisy is asking for juice.”
“That’s right! I forgot why I’d come inside,” Scarlett admitted.
“I’ll take it,” Violet winked. “You have your moment.”
“What did she mean?” Sam asked.
Violet’s match-making was visible to Scarlett, but she wasn’t likely to admit it to Sam. She shrugged instead. “She could see how overcome I was with people’s generosity.”
He smiled gently. “Cozy Hollow is pretty cool like that.”
Scarlett realized she was watching his mouth and flushed. “You must be tired after painting all morning.”
“Not really. It’s good to do something physical.”
Now her eyes were drawn to his exposed biceps. “I’m sure that being a paramedic includes some physical activity.”
“Not all the time. You’d be surprised how much paperwork is generated, which takes a big lump of time out of a day.”
She screwed up her nose. “Tell me about it. Paperwork is the bane of my existence. Luckily, Ruby is pretty good at it, and she doesn’t mind helping me too much.”
He looked over his shoulder down to where they could see Ruby through the open door handing out cupcakes. “She’s got a degree, hasn’t she?”
Scarlett nodded. Proud of Ruby, she never hesitated to tell people about her sister’s smarts. “Definitely. She passed all her exams with honors.”
“That’s a little wasted in a café, isn’t it?”
Scarlett stiffened. There was no meanness in Sam’s voice, but how many times had she heard those words? And not just from others. “I know, but we need her right now. When the café gets back on its feet, we’ll be in a position for Ruby and Violet to do their own thing.”
She had no idea why she was telling him this. Only Olivia knew how desperate she was to ensure her sisters had the lives they wanted.
He gave her a concerned look, then smiled. “I’m glad you can see the end of the tunnel. It hasn’t been a great week for you. Although I did enjoy dinner last night.”
“Me too. We all did. It was nice to have company.”
“You’re a wonderful cook.”
“Thank you. I have to say all these people eating our food without worry, does make me feel more positive that the café will recover.”
“Of course, it will. According to Nate, it’s all circumstantial evidence connecting you to any of it.”
She heard his sincerity and had to ask, “Have you heard anything about the poison?”
He frowned. “Nate’s the one to ask about that.”
“What do you want to ask?” Nate and Violet came inside together, but Violet veered off down the hall when she saw them.
Scarlett knew it wasn’t a good time to be talking about this, but couldn’t help herself. “I was just wondering if there was any news on the case?”
“I’ve told you all I can for now,” Nate said pleasantly.
“That implies there is more to know.”
“There’s always more until the case is closed, Scarlett. I promise I’ll tell you what I can when I can. I wasn’t going to bring this up now, but I’d appreciate it if you’d keep me up to date with what you know.”
His tone was definitely a little cooler, which surprised her. “What do you mean?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Almost getting run-down?”
Scarlett glared at Sam. “I’m not convinced it was an attempt on my life, and I didn’t tell you because quite frankly, I had no evidence. It happened so fast, plus I couldn’t see the driver or the make of car because of the sun and speed.”
“Nevertheless, I’d like to know in the future. Speeding is also a crime.”
Violet was on her way back, so Scarlett took a deep breath. “I appreciate that. And I know you’re not obliged to share any information.”
Nate saw her glance at Violet and played along. “Hah! I’m pretty sure I’d be hounded out of town if I didn’t tell you anything.”
“Maybe.” She admitted. “I’d like to talk to you about something else when you’ve got a moment.”
Sam moved between them. “Whatever it is can wait. We have a house to finish.”
He was right. Scarlett would have to wait to tell Nate what she’d discovered recently.
“Do you want to see the progress, Nate?” Violet asked.
“Love to.” He followed her into the lounge.
Scarlett was left with Sam, who was studying her way too carefully. “Don’t work all these wonderful people too hard,” she said, before leading him outside.
More than a few sets of eyes watched their progress. Scarlett couldn’t do anything about the gossip, even if something was happening between Sam and herself. Which there wasn’t.
However, the possibility that it could do sent a tingle up her spine.
Chapter Nineteen
The next morning, the sisters were as usual, up early getting bags prepared for the bakery. Actually, there was little to pack since the workers had pretty much gone through all the food they had, plus whatever others had brought.
“I’m so stiff!” Violet stretched and groaned simultaneously.
“My hands look like I’ve had them in an oven,” Ruby held them out to show how red and chapped they were.
“You’d better use gloves today,” Scarlett suggested for hygiene reasons.
Ruby gave her a cool glance. “A little sympathy if you please.”
“Pardon?” She saw Violet’s nod at Ruby and realized that a little compassion might actually go a long way. She was used to working with her hands for hours a day. Ruby did a variety of tasks, but none of them came close to stripping wallpaper. It was decidedly Scarlett’s least favorite thing too, but the sisters had pitched in after the lunch with their fellow workers.
“I have some aloe cream. Why don’t we put some on now and then after you’ve finished work? If you wear cotton gloves inside the plastic ones, it will have time to work, and we’ll have them looking great in no time.”
Mollified Ruby nodded in relief. “Shall I get it?”
“Yes, it’s in my room on the dresser.”
Without a car, they were like packhorses, and the load needed to be shared. Ensuring that they had everything they needed like clean aprons and tea towels each day, plus returning anything they’d borrowed from the café for use at home over the weekend, took some organizing. Scarlett placed the bags by the front door, where George waited. They’d tried to stop him from following them to town, but he wasn’t to be dissuaded, and Ruby wouldn’t shut him up in the house.
A scream from the direction of the bedrooms made her drop a bag. She hoped there was nothing breakable inside as Violet wheeled from the sink, and they ran down the hall together. Ruby stood in the middle of Scarlett’s room, her eyes wide in horror, a hand across her mouth.
It had been their mom’s room, and nothing much had changed. From what Scarlett could tell, it still hadn’t. “What is it?” Since Ruby didn’t look injured, Scarlett looked around for the culprit of this anguish. A spider?
Ruby pointed. Laying on the dresser was a dark shape. Scarlett took a few steps closer to find a huge and hopefully dead rat.
“George!” Violet yelled.
The large cat sauntered into the room and looked at them as though he expected a treat.
“Naughty boy! We don’t want dead things in the house. O
kay?” Scarlett pointed at the body.
George sniffed disdainfully and walked over to the dresser. He jumped onto the fragile rocking chair beside it and then onto the dresser. With a terrible meow, he bounced back to the floor and skittered out the door.
Scarlett shook her head. “What do you make of that? It’s like he had no idea the thing was there and certainly wasn’t happy about seeing it.”
“But he must have put it there,” Violet insisted. “He’s always bringing us dead things.”
Scarlett’s eyes narrowed. “He leaves them at the door and has never dragged home anything that size before.”
Ruby backed further away from the carcass. “If he didn’t, then how would it have gotten inside and, more importantly, up there?”
“Maybe. . .” Scarlett wasn’t sure about how to phrase her next words, but Violet crossed her arms, commanding her to finish. “We know someone out there doesn’t like us.”
“Who dislikes us this much?”
Ruby still had an innocence about her, which Scarlett admired and worried over in equal measure.
“Now that Mable’s gone, I can only think of the mayor. But he’s hardly going to break into the house when we’re all here, is he?” Violet pointed out.
“Oh, yes.” Ruby sounded relieved. “You’d have noticed the creature already this morning if it was there. So, it can only be George.”
Scarlett frowned. “He’s an outstanding actor if it is him.”
Violet paced the bedroom. “I can’t see how it could be anything else. The three of us have been in and out of our rooms all morning.”
Scarlett chewed her lip for a moment. “Not necessarily.”
“Go on.” Violet stopped in front of the dresser.
“You were in the shower when I went down to the chicken house to collect the eggs, and Ruby was collecting herbs for the café.”
“Arrgh! Don’t tell me that. The thought that someone walked in and touched our stuff while I’m in the shower makes me feel ill.” Violet put a hand to her mouth.
“Look, this is only conjecture, and I’m still not ruling out George.” Scarlett didn’t want to alarm them, but too many things had happened lately, which couldn’t be explained. Maybe she was being overly sensitive about this latest event, but she didn’t think so. “Let’s make sure we lock up properly, and I’ll call Nate a little later. He’s probably still asleep.”
“Most sane people are. It’s only bakers or shift workers who are awake at this time of day.” Violet made to leave the room.
“There’s the little matter of a dead thing,” Scarlett pointed out.
“Don’t look at me.” Ruby backed out the door.
Scarlett raised an eyebrow. “I guess it’s one of us.”
“Fine! I’ll get rid of it.” Violet fetched an old newspaper from the kitchen and opened it. Placing it lengthways over the dead animal, she picked it up and ran outside.
Ruby and Scarlett followed at a healthy distance.
“Well done, and thanks.” Scarlett was immensely grateful as Violet threw the package into the garbage bin.
“You two are pathetic,” Violet sniffed while looking pleased with herself.
Ruby smiled sweetly. “We have other attributes, but you are so brave.”
Violet poked out her tongue with ill grace while Scarlett dropped a kiss on her cheek.
“You’re the best.”
“You know it.” Violet gave into a grin and sauntered up the path.
After her hands and the dresser was scrubbed, Scarlett checked every door and window was locked. Then she rechecked all of them. Maybe more than twice. Finally, they slipped on their backpacks and walked the quiet, dark streets, arriving at the café a little later than the typical 5 am.
With only a little conversation, they attended to their specific jobs, and soon the café was filled with the smells of fresh bread and cupcakes. These were their biggest sellers, along with pies. If they had the shelves stocked with these items before they opened, they knew the day was set up for a win. All they needed were customers, and Scarlett had high hopes after chatting with the people who’d so generously helped her.
The first of them, shift workers at a small furniture factory, came by at 6am.
At 8am, Scarlett phoned Nate and explained about the dead rat. He was already out on a call and promised to come by as soon as he was done. She’d tell him about the car too since Sam had cut her off yesterday.
It was close to lunchtime when he arrived with Sam by his side. They looked far more relaxed with each other than they had recently, which was nice.
“Are you two working together these days?” Violet teased. “Or do you just enjoy each other’s company so much?”
“Working together has been known to happen, but I think Sam’s here for some of Scarlett’s wonderful baking.”
“You know we all bake, right?” Violet skulked out to the café.
Nate smiled at Scarlett. “So, what’s this about a dead rat?”
“You shouldn’t tease her,” she scolded then told him all about finding the rodent.
“That doesn’t sound feasible,” Sam said. “George looks like a strong cat, but if you’re saying the creature was as long as your forearm, it would be pretty heavy for him to move.”
“And place on the dresser,” Scarlett agreed. “It’s six drawers high.”
“Scarlett thinks someone came in while we were busy and put it there.” Ruby sounded unconvinced.
“I’m not saying that’s the only answer. It’s simply the most logical one, bearing in mind all that’s happened.”
Nate raised an eyebrow. “Let me get this straight. You think the rat is connected to Mable’s poisoning?”
“Well, it’s dead, and so is she. Then there’s Olivia.” Scarlett thought she sounded very reasonable.
Only, Nate didn’t agree. “I’m not convinced that George isn’t the culprit. You surely can see it as a possibility?”
She pressed her thumb to her forefinger. “A small one. As I said, he’s never brought in anything that size before.”
Nate tilted his head. “You don’t know that. He may have given Mable that kind of treat plenty of times. He’s only been with you a week or so.”
“You call that a treat?” Ruby shuddered.
Nate hid a smile. “Did you keep the evidence?”
Scarlett nodded. “It’s in the garbage at home, and that wouldn’t have been collected today.”
“Good I’ll stop by when I leave here and check it out.”
“You’re going to look at a dead rat?” Sam asked him.
Nate nodded. “All evidence is good as long as it’s not tampered with.” He gave Scarlett a pointed glance.
“But what do you hope to find out from looking at the rat,” Ruby asked wide-eyed.
Nate didn’t mince his words. “We can ascertain if it was poisoned or died some other way.”
“Poisoned like Mable and Olivia?” Scarlett reminded him.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. A trace could mean an accidental tainting occurred,” Nate said as his gaze wandered. “Those cupcakes look particularly good today.”
“They’re a new recipe we made initially for the parade. There’s ganache in the middle,” Scarlett explained.
“Ganache? What’s that?” he asked suspiciously
Violet gave him a haughty look. “It’s a sweet mousse-like filling. Although, it’s often used as a frosting.”
“Sounds rich.”
“Oh, it is.”
Violet’s voice lowered a little, and Nate gulped.
“I’ll take one.”
Violet packaged it up and handed it to him. “No charge.”
With mock horror, Nate pulled out his wallet. “I can’t accept bribes.”
“You helped so much with the painting. Let’s just say that this is thanks for the off-duty sheriff.”
“In that case, maybe I should save it for when I’m out of uniform?”
Violet winked. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”
“What about me?” Sam inquired, hopefully. “I’m prepared to pay.”
“Don’t be silly. You both get treated the same. Which flavor would you like?” Scarlett picked up the tongs.
“You’d better make it the same as Nate’s. Otherwise, I’ll have cupcake envy.” He grinned, taking the bag from her as if were a treasure.
When the men left, Scarlett turned to find her sisters laughing at her.
“What?”
Ruby checked that the men had gone far enough from the door before sighing theatrically. “You are adorable.”
“Yep. So cute,” Violet snickered.
“Actually, I meant all four of you,” Ruby giggled.
Violet pushed Ruby through the opening into the kitchen. “Shush. We are nothing of the kind. In fact, we aren’t anything but friends.”
“Just like Sam and me,” Scarlett assured Ruby, who wasn’t to be distracted.
“Seriously, Violet, you go from being the staunch baker to a girly-girl.”
“Like you both were this morning with the rat?” Violet smirked.
“Don’t get me started on you with the batting eyelashes, Violet Finch.”
“Get back to work, trouble-maker,” Scarlett told Ruby, barely holding back laughter so as not to encourage her.
The door opened, and Arthur Tully entered, ensuring the fun atmosphere evaporated. Scarlett stepped through the doorway in front of her sisters, as if she might protect them from anything this horrible man might throw their way.
“Good morning, what can we do for you, Mr. Tully.”
“I see Olivia is out of the hospital, so she must be okay.”
“Yes, thank you for asking.” Scarlett barely managed to conceal her sarcasm since Arthur hadn’t asked at all, and gave no indication that he cared one way or the other. Politeness was something her mom had drilled into all three daughters. Unfortunately, Arthur Tully appeared not to have had the same level of education.
He stiffened. “I stopped by your house this morning. It’s looking a great deal better than it did.”
He’d been at their house. When? Scarlett only just managed to keep her face deadpan.
