Deadly Sweet Dreams

by Connie Shelton

  “Sorry, Eliza. You have too much class for nicknames, right?”

  “Mrroww.” Eliza sat tall and statuesque.

  Sam turned her attention back to Kelly.

  On the table sat a cinnamon stick, a piece of ginger root, and a bottle of cardamom, alongside a small metal dish and some tea light candles. Sam watched as Kelly consulted the book, then lit the incense and passed each of the utensils and ingredients through the smoke.

  “To cleanse them,” she explained. “Now we heat the metal dish over the candles and start cooking.” She grated a small amount of the ginger into the dish and sprinkled cardamom over it, then stirred the mixture with the cinnamon stick. As the spices began to emit their scent, she took the bottles and uncapped them. “Essence of roses and just one tiny drop of jasmine oil. As I let the drops fall, take the cinnamon stick and stir everything together, counterclockwise.”

  A lovely smell of flowers and spice filled the air as the ingredients blended.

  “Okay, let’s get it off the heat before it burns.” Kelly grabbed a towel to pick up the metal dish, blowing out the candles as she set the bowl aside.

  “Now, the important part of the spell is that this has to be given by the object of the person’s affections. Danny is going to have to give it to her, and he has to say specific words when he does. The love potion is exactly the same ingredients—but the process is different. To make someone fall in love, the spices and oils are blended in water and consumed as a tea. This one is the reverse spell, to make someone fall out of love, and it’s prepared over fire. Opposites—fire and water. Anyway, it made sense to me.”

  Sam nodded and stared at the mix. “Well, it’s all edible stuff. And it smells enticing. I think we can get it into the cupcake icing, no problem.”

  “You said Lila is hooked on your triple chocolate cupcakes. She may notice the difference in taste.”

  “I thought of that,” Sam said. “I’m going to bring home the cupcake and tell Danny it’s for Lila. I’ll say we’re testing a new recipe and want her opinion on it.”

  “Oh, great plan!” Kelly scooped the potion into a small glass jar, capped it, and handed it to Sam.

  “Now I just have to get him to go along with it.” As if there was a logical way to explain all this? Sam had her doubts but Eliza purred approvingly.

  Sam’s chance came sooner than she’d imagined. Beau and Danny were out on the back deck, hammering at the planks, making repairs to a few of the winter-damaged redwood boards. It seemed natural enough to say she had some steaks thawing and to invite Danny to join them for dinner. Both men lit up at the word steak.

  All she had to do now was figure out how to work cupcakes into the conversation. And preferably at a time Beau wasn’t in the room, considering how he’d told her twice to back away and let Danny and Lila solve their own problems.

  Lila herself provided the perfect lead-in to her mission. Beau was outside, turning the steaks, and Danny had offered to carry the large salad bowl and a platter of garlic bread to the table for Sam when the text pinged his phone.

  “I’m reaching my limit,” he muttered, shutting off the sound on his phone.

  “She’s still doing it, huh.”

  “Yeah, nearly nonstop.” A muscle in his jaw twitched and his dark eyes were smoldering. “And, you wouldn’t believe this. She followed my truck when I went to town this morning. People think of men as stalkers, but this girl has all the moves down pat.”

  Sam glanced out the windows at Beau, who still seemed occupied.

  “Would you be willing to try an experiment? I’m not going to say it’s magic or anything …”

  “Is it something a curandera would do? Abuela told me last weekend I should talk to a curandera.”

  “Yes! Exactly. I know someone, and I can probably—”

  Beau opened the back door and stepped inside, balancing a platter of steaks with his right hand. “You guys had better get to the table,” he announced.

  Sam mouthed shh at Danny, and he gave her a subtle wink.

  The steaks were a hit, and Danny’s mood visibly improved during the meal. Sam found herself breathing easier about the plan.

  * * *

  As she’d envisioned, chocolate buttercream frosting was the ideal medium for the potion; it mixed in without a trace. Sam had come into the bakery early, planning to avoid questions from the rest of the staff. Julio was there alone and he kept to himself, wrapped up in his own little world of muffin batter and streusel coffee cake.

  Sam confiscated two cupcakes from the tray that would soon be on its way to the sales room, one triple-chocolate, one apple spice. She left the apple one alone; for the chocolate one, she scraped off the existing icing and picked up the small bowl in which she’d mixed the separate batch of special buttercream. Quickly filling a pastry bag, she piped an elaborate swirl on the cupcake. A deft sprinkling of tiny chocolate chips denoted this as the custom-made dessert.

  She picked up the gift box she had set aside, fitted the two cupcakes into the slots that would keep them from touching, and closed the lid.

  “Woo-hoo, anyone here?” came a voice from the back door.

  “Rupert! What a surprise. You aren’t normally such an early riser.”

  Her purple-clad friend stepped in and closed the door. “Once in awhile I even surprise myself,” he said. “Actually, I’m having breakfast with someone special, and I thought I’d see if there were any extra fantastic goodies baked already, something I can take along as a little gift.”

  His eyes fell on the gift box. “Ooh, what’s this? It looks perfect.”

  “Ahh—no, no. Sorry, this one is spoken for.” She grabbed the box and carried it to the safety of her desk. Close call!

  She studied the cooling racks for ideas. Something ready to go, something quick. “How about an assortment of muffins—I can make up a basket, add a packet of my signature coffee?”

  “Umm, normally I’m not big on chocolate in the morning, but this is to die for,” said Rupert.

  Sam turned and saw him swiping his finger inside the frosting bowl for a second taste.

  “Whoa! Wait!” Sam felt her eyes go wide.

  “What? It’s marvelous.”

  “What if I told you that one contains a secret love potion formula?” she said, reaching for the bowl and getting it out of his grasp.

  “All the better. The man I’m meeting for breakfast—well, I’d be fine with it if he turns out to be the one. Wait—you’re not saying this is going to make me fall for you?”

  “No, no. It only takes effect if you’re with your intended.” Sam felt her palms go sweaty. Would the small amount of the potion be enough to wreck Rupert’s chances?

  Well, it was a done deed now.

  Chapter 13

  Sam ran through Kelly’s instructions in her head as she approached the casita. This felt so sneaky, starting with the fact that she’d waited until Beau got in the shower so he wouldn’t know what she was up to. Through the window she could see Danny pacing the floor, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. She clutched the bakery box in one hand and tapped on the door with the other.

  It flew open with a vengeance.

  “Oh, Sam. I’m so glad it’s you.” He stepped aside and ushered her in. Before she got the chance to speak, his phone pinged from the dining table. He rolled his eyes and turned his back on it. “Again!”

  She held the box out to him. “This is what we talked about …”

  “From your curandera friend.”

  That works. “Yes. Now there are specific instructions, and I need to be quick. Inside are two cupcakes. You need to get together with Lila at a time when you’ll both eat them together. Hers is the chocolate one, yours is the apple spice. If she says anything about hers tasting different than usual, it’s because I’ve asked you both to be part of a customer survey about a new flavor we’re trying out. Got it?”

  “I need to see her eat the cupcake; it’s a new flavor you’re testing.�
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  “Right. And … this part is very important. The moment she finishes her chocolate cupcake you have to look her in the eyes and say ‘Lila, you don’t love me.’ Exactly those words at exactly that time. Repeat it back?”

  “Lila, you don’t love me. Right when she’s eaten the cupcake.”

  “Exactly. Any questions?”

  “What do I do next, run for my life?” His mouth twisted in a wonky grin.

  “That might not be a bad idea.” She reached out to pat his shoulder, and her phone buzzed down inside her pocket.

  “Go ahead,” Danny said. “I got this. Lila wants to meet in an hour for a drink. I’m going to suggest coffee instead and tell her I’m bringing dessert.”

  Another buzz from Sam’s phone.

  “Sounds good. Let me know how it goes.” She pulled the phone from her pocket and saw that it was Rupert.

  She tapped the phone and headed down the path toward the house.

  “Sam, what the hell?”

  “Rupe? What’s the matter?”

  “I cannot believe what I just did. You must help me.”

  “Slow down a second. What’s the matter?”

  She could hear him take a deep breath. “Jimmy and I were supposed to have breakfast this morning, but he called to cancel. So, okay, it didn’t matter to me—we could get together any time, but I didn’t say that. What I said—well, I’m not going to repeat it. Bottom line is that I started a stupid argument over a stupid subject. I’m not sure he’ll ever talk to me again.”

  “And …”

  “And your stupid love potion icing completely backfired. I thought I would have my mojo completely together after I ate it. But no … Now my budding relationship is probably toast.”

  Sam pulled a Yes! with a fist. The anti-love potion had worked.

  “Rupe, I didn’t want you to eat that stuff, if you’ll recall.”

  “You didn’t stop me.”

  I had my back turned when you stuck your greedy finger in the bowl. But arguing with a friend wasn’t solving anything for either of them.

  “I have an idea. Call me in the morning and we’ll see what we can do.”

  “Sam … this had better be good.”

  “Just get some rest tonight. Things will look better in the morning.” She hung up before he could respond, then she dialed Kelly.

  “Small tragedy. We have to brew up some of the real love potion as an antidote,” she said, explaining how Rupert had helped himself to the icing.

  “I can do that,” Kelly said, not sounding the least bit worried.

  “I’ll pick it up on my way to the bakery in the morning.”

  “This is so exciting!” Kelly’s voice changed timbre. She must have walked into another room, away from Scott and Ana. “It worked! Our first potion really worked!”

  Through the windows, Sam could see Beau coming down the stairs, looking around the living room for her.

  “Congratulations, fledgling magician. You did it!” She said goodbye and walked into the house.

  Now it was all up to Danny. It would be nice to see him without that harried look on his face.

  * * *

  Kelly stepped out her kitchen door and handed Sam a pint jar of pale brown liquid. “The turn-on version of the spell. Tell Rupert he can drink this tea hot or cold, it doesn’t matter.”

  Sam laughed. “Luckily, you found the love potion right away.”

  “Remember, the two were side by side in the book. I suppose even the old Romanian witches wanted to be sure they could reverse something they’d set in motion.” She pulled her thin sweater more tightly around herself as a breeze channeled under the portico.

  “Get inside where it’s warm. I’ll call Rupert.”

  They met at the plaza, near the gazebo, where no one would overhear their conversation. Sam pulled the tea jar from her large coat pocket and relayed Kelly’s instructions.

  “Pour the tea in a cup and get in a comfortable place. Envision the person you want to attract and hold that picture firmly in your mind as you say the words ‘Love, come to me’ as you drink the tea. Keep loving thoughts toward that person, and he will call you.” She raised her eyebrows. “Or so they say.”

  Rupert stared at the liquid in the jar. “Well, if it works anything like the other one did, we’ll be together before nightfall.”

  “Oh—one other thing. The instructions caution against envisioning a love that lasts forever. If you ever want to break it off, you’ll never be able to get rid of him. You’ll be calling me in a panic to get more of the first version. I’m not sure we can just make these turn-on, turn-off potions on a whim.”

  He reached an arm around her shoulders and squeezed hard. “Thanks, Samantha. I owe you.”

  “Just be careful.”

  “One of these days, this will very likely end up in a book.”

  “So long as you don’t name names, okay? Beau doesn’t exactly know about all of what he would call my shenanigans.”

  Rupert gave her a thumbs-up and headed for his car. Sam sighed, hoping this would straighten out the mess for him. All in all, it had been a fairly harmless experiment.

  She headed to Sweet’s Sweets to settle in for a routine day of cupcake-making—the regular kind.

  Chapter 14

  Two days passed and Sam hadn’t had the chance to talk to Danny. When she’d casually asked Beau how things were, she got an oblivious “fine.” She started watching for the ranch hand and finally caught up with him late that afternoon as she was getting home from the bakery.

  Danny was carrying a saddle toward the barn and Sam called out a hello. He paused for her to catch up and they walked along together.

  “So? How’s it going? I have to admit I’m dying of curiosity about how Lila liked the cupcake.”

  “Yeah, she raved about it. She didn’t stop by and give her report?” he asked. “I did like you said and told her it was a new recipe and you wanted feedback.”

  “We haven’t seen her, and I’m pretty sure Jen would have mentioned something.”

  “Hm.”

  “And what about your situation? The calls, the texts?”

  “You know … I haven’t heard a word. Beau’s kept me busy around here, and I guess I didn’t realize. It’s been the longest quiet spell since I met her.” He hefted the saddle over the fence rail, to take the load off.

  Sam smiled. “Then it worked. The, um, curandera’s cure.”

  A grin spread across his face. “It did! Wow. Thanks, Sam.”

  “Well, keep your guard up for awhile. Hopefully, she just gave up on you and went back home, but it could be that she’s lying low and planning something.” Why did I have to say that? “Let’s just stick with the positive. She’s gone once and for all.”

  “Let’s hope so. My family will be happy to hear it.” His expression changed. “But don’t worry. I’m not quitting the ranch to go back to the city. I really like it here.”

  “Beau is happy to have your help. And don’t worry—some day you’ll meet the right girl and things will work out great for you.”

  He gave a glance toward the barn, eager to get back to work.

  Sam hitched her pack onto her shoulder and walked toward the ranch house. Beau was in the kitchen, staring into the fridge, finally choosing a beer before turning to give her a kiss.

  “You have a good day?” he asked.

  “Yeah, very.” She scooped kibble into two bowls for the dogs, who were dancing around in anticipation. “I was thinking of warming up that chicken casserole we had yesterday, making a salad to go along with it.”

  “Sounds great. I’m taking my beer and settling in with the paper I picked up in town today.”

  Sam turned on the oven, placed the casserole inside, and set a timer. The salad came together quickly and she still had time to sit down. With a glass of water in hand, she joined Beau in the living room. He held the sports section of the Taos News and the front page lay draped over the sofa arm.

&nbs
p; When Sam saw the headline below the fold, she nearly dropped her glass.

  Texas Woman Dies, Police Investigate as Homicide

  The body of a young woman was found yesterday afternoon in a local hotel room. The Taos visitor, whose name is being withheld until notification of next of kin, was identified only as a 25-year-old from San Antonio, Texas. She was the lone registered occupant of the room at the historic Fernandez Inn, and the Taos County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the death as a homicide. No further information has been released, but Sheriff Evan Richards has promised to pursue every lead and seek a quick arrest in the case.

  Holy crap! Sam felt panic rise in her chest. What if the cupcake had poisoned her?

  She bolted from the couch and dashed to the coat rack, where she’d left her phone in her coat pocket. Punching a number, she walked into the kitchen and let the door swing shut behind her.

  “Kelly! Have you seen the newspaper?”

  “Um, no, Mom … I rarely get one. Why? What’s up?”

  Sam relayed what she had read.

  “Oh shit! Do you think—”

  “It has to be Lila. Twenty-five years old, from San Antonio, staying at the Fernandez Inn.” Sam had paced the width of the room three times. “Kel, what if we poisoned her!”

  There was a long beat of silence. “Okay, let’s think a minute. Does the report say it was poison? No, wait, what am I saying. It can’t be. Everything we put in there was stuff right out of anyone’s kitchen. I mean, unless she had a severe allergy to ginger or cinnamon or—”

  “Maybe she got too much of it, ate it too fast … I don’t know.” Sam bumped into one of the chairs and it toppled over with a crash.

  “Everything okay in there?” Beau called out.

  “Yeah, fine,” she shouted.

  “Mom? What should we do?”

  “We need to find out for sure. But I don’t want to just call Evan and ask straight out. He’ll ask, and then he’ll find out Danny gave her the cupcake. Let me think.” With a calm she didn’t feel, she opened the oven door and looked at the casserole. It was looking nice and bubbly so she switched off the oven. “I can get into the department offices and find the autopsy report. That’ll tell us something.”