Cream Caramel and Murder

by K E O'Connor

“Are you saying we’re intimidating?” Campbell folded his arms across his broad chest.

  “Of course you are. That’s a part of your job.” I stared right back at him.

  Campbell shook his head. “Tell me everything.”

  “I just told Saracen what happened.”

  “I want to hear it. What time did you find the body?”

  “We’ve been here ten minutes at the most. I met Princess Alice when she was drawing in the garden while I was out with Meatball. She suggested a walk, so we headed into the woods.”

  “Why the woods? Why this area in particular?”

  “No reason. Meatball led the way. He took off, and Princess Alice chased him. I was running to catch up with them when I discovered her passed out.”

  “This is a large area. Why did you lead Princess Alice here?”

  I lifted my chin and glared at him. “I didn’t! It was an accident that we stumbled across the body.”

  Campbell’s eyes narrowed. “Not many people come in this area. It’s not well-maintained.”

  “Which is exactly why I use it. Meatball loves to root around and chase squirrels. This is the perfect place for him.”

  His nostrils flared. “It’s no place for a princess.”

  I lifted a hand. “She’s the boss. Besides, we’re friends. There was no reason to think it strange that she wanted to come this way.”

  “Oh! Where’s Holly?” Alice gasped as she tried to sit up.

  Saracen hovered a hand in front of her, ready to grab her if she fainted again.

  “I’m right here.” I glanced at Campbell before hurrying to her side. “Everything’s okay. Your security team is here now.”

  Her bottom lip trembled and tears fell from her eyes. “Please don’t tell me that was Rupert in the ground. When I saw the hand, I panicked. It’s not my brother, is it?”

  I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “No, I promise you, it’s not him. Rupert’s safe.”

  Campbell loomed over me. “How would you know that? Only the killer would know who that is in the ground.”

  I shook my head. “Not true. The ring on the little finger doesn’t belong to Lord Rupert. He never wears silver rings. And look at those nails. They’re far too tidy to be Rupert’s. He’s always biting his nails.”

  Alice sighed. “You’re right! My brother’s a terrible nail biter. He has been since we were children. Are you sure it’s not him?”

  “As sure as I can be without seeing the face. Unless he’s had a manicure in the last twenty-four hours, that’s not Lord Rupert.”

  She hugged me. “I’m so relieved. But who’s the poor man who’s been buried?”

  Campbell touched the small comms device on his ear. “Alpha one to Beta three, I need a location check on Lord Rupert.”

  I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “I’m telling you, it’s not him.”

  “I believe you,” Alice whispered.

  Campbell remained motionless as he waited for Beta three to respond.

  “Maybe we should see who’s in the ground,” Alice said. “Has anyone checked the person is actually dead?”

  “I can confirm that the individual isn’t alive,” Campbell said. “No pulse.”

  “Oh! How awful.” More tears fell from Alice’s eyes. “I can’t believe it. In my own home. What do you think happened, Holly?”

  I glanced at the hand before looking away. “I have no idea. But if you wanted to hide a body, this isn’t a bad place to do it.”

  “How would you know that?” Campbell asked.

  “You’ve already answered that question for me. Barely anyone comes in here. This is one of the wildlife areas in the grounds. It’s left for nature to enjoy, not people. It’s out of bounds to the public. I only know about it because I work here.”

  Campbell grunted softly. “Which means that whoever put the body in the ground most likely has an association with the castle.”

  Alice’s hand flew to her mouth. “Somebody I know did this?”

  I shook my head. “We don’t know that for certain. Whoever killed this person might have had a lucky break and stumbled on this area. Campbell’s making assumptions.”

  “The right kind of assumptions,” he said sharply. “Beta three, any sign of Lord Rupert?”

  My stomach tightened as Beta three replied with a negative.

  Sweat broke out on my top lip. Where was Rupert? I was certain that wasn’t him in the ground, but if he couldn’t be located, maybe something bad had happened to him as well. Could there be a killer on the loose in the castle grounds and Rupert had gotten in the way? Could he be another victim we’d yet to discover?

  Horrible thoughts flew through my head as we waited for confirmation of Rupert’s whereabouts.

  Alice swiped at the tears on her cheeks. Meatball hopped on her knees and helped to lick her cheeks clean.

  She wrapped him in a tight hug as he draped his stubby legs over her shoulder, offering her some much needed comfort.

  “Alpha one, this is Beta three. I have confirmation that Lord Rupert is in the castle.”

  “And he’s safe?” Campbell asked.

  “Affirmative.”

  “Alpha one out.” Campbell lowered his arm. “It looks like you were right, Miss Holmes. Fortunately for you, this isn’t Lord Rupert.”

  I gritted my teeth. “I appreciate your belief in me.”

  “Alpha one, this is Beta three.”

  “Go ahead,” Campbell said.

  “I’ve been informed by Lord Rupert that one of his party is missing.”

  Campbell glanced at me. “Who is it?”

  “Kendal Jakes.”

  “How long has he been missing?”

  There was a moment of silence. “No one’s seen him since last night.”

  “Copy that.” Campbell stared at the hand poking out of the ground.

  I did likewise. Kendal Jakes wasn’t missing anymore. I recalled that when I’d met him in the games room, he’d had silver rings on his fingers. That had to be him.

  When I looked back at Campbell, he was glaring at me. I gulped loudly and focused back on Alice.

  I didn’t like that glare for one single second. Campbell thought I was involved in this murder. I should have kept my mouth shut. My stepmom always said I was too observant for my own good. Now, it had gotten me in real trouble.

  Still, I refused to be cowed by Campbell and let him think I was involved in this. Even if I had to solve this murder myself, I was going to prove my innocence.

  Chapter 8

  “Saracen, escort Princess Alice back to the castle,” Campbell said.

  Saracen nodded and held a hand out for Princess Alice to take.

  She kept a tight grip on my hand as she stood slowly, pulling herself up using Saracen’s not insubstantial muscles. She swayed from side to side as we both held onto her.

  “Promise me you’ll stay with me,” she said. “I can’t bear to be alone right now. I don’t feel safe.”

  “You’re perfectly safe, Princess,” Campbell said. “I’ve alerted the alpha and beta security teams. We’ve doubled the patrols around the castle.”

  “What about in these trees?” she whispered. “What if the killer is watching us right now?”

  “You have nothing to worry about,” Campbell said. “I’ve done a survey of the perimeter. There’s nobody nearby.”

  “What about signs of somebody leaving the area?” I asked. “Any footprints or trails leading out of the woods?”

  Campbell stared at me for a long, uncomfortable second. “There are several tracks. I’m certain that two of them will be yours and Princess Alice’s footprints.”

  “Any others?” I asked.

  “I have a team on the way. We’ll do a complete search.”

  “Oh, of course. Campbell, you’re so good at this sort of thing,” Alice said. “Still, it’s horribly worrying.”

  “Which is why you need to get inside the safety of the castle walls,” Campbell said. “Saracen won
’t leave your side.”

  “Yes, thank you. I appreciate that,” Alice said. “And of course, Holly, you must stay with me as well.”

  Campbell opened his mouth as if to protest but then snapped it shut and nodded. “Whatever you need, Princess.”

  I didn’t miss the sharp glare Campbell gave me. He still thought I was involved. I might have discovered the body and had almost smacked him around the head with a large stick, not that he’d noticed my attack attempt, but it made no sense that I’d lead Alice straight to a body I’d buried in the woods.

  My stomach tightened. Unless he thought I’d lured her here to kill her too.

  I shook my head as I slowly walked beside Alice, Saracen helping to keep her on her feet.

  After the fifth time Alice almost fell, I glanced over her head at Saracen. “Perhaps you should carry the princess back to the castle.”

  “Oh, I don’t want to be a burden,” she said. “I really am feeling so lightheaded though. I’m not sure I can make it another step.”

  Saracen’s eyes widened for a second before he nodded. “I can carry you, Princess. If you’ll permit me to.”

  “You have my permission,” she said.

  Without a word, Saracen scooped an arm under Princess Alice’s knees and lifted her as if she weighed nothing more than a bag of sugar.

  “Ooooh! You have strong arms.” Alice swung her legs. “Holly, you must get Campbell to carry you.”

  I glanced over my shoulder to where Campbell was following a few paces behind. “Oh, that’s not necessary. I feel fine.” Even if I was feeling faint, there’d be no way I’d fall into Campbell’s arms. He probably wouldn’t catch me.

  “Are you quite sure?” Alice said. “It’s fun being carried by such a big, strong man.”

  I looked back at Campbell again. For a second, I detected the flicker of a smile crossing his face, but then the usual blank veneer snapped back into place.

  “Campbell has better things to do than carry me. After all, he needs to figure out who killed Kendal,” I said.

  “I can always order him to carry you,” Alice said. “That’s what the security team is here for. To protect me and my friends at all costs.”

  I raised a hand. “Nope. Thanks for the offer though. Maybe another time.”

  That comment earned me a snort from Campbell as he joined us. “Let’s get back to the castle. My team is on its way.”

  We walked the rest of the way in silence. My head was spinning with what I’d just seen. Kendal Jakes had been murdered. And whoever had done it had taken the time to bury him in the castle grounds.

  When I’d met Kendal, he hadn’t made me think warm and friendly thoughts about him, but he must have done something truly shocking to end up murdered and slung in a shallow grave.

  The whole time we walked, Campbell scouted the area as the evening gloom grew around us.

  The tension drifting off him only made me sweat more. I was a bundle of nerves and jumped every time the wind blew.

  I didn’t know much about Campbell’s background, but he’d served in the military. He must be used to seeing dead bodies and dealing with situations like this, but I wasn’t. I wanted to forget all about it, but my mind wouldn’t let it go.

  And if Campbell thought I had anything to do with this, I needed to make sure the killer was caught as quickly as possible.

  “Take me through to the lady’s parlor,” Alice said. “I need a sit down and some strong tea.”

  Saracen nodded and led the way as we entered through a side door in the castle. We strode along several corridors before he pushed open the door and walked into a pastel blue parlor. The room was set up with a number of comfortable armchairs and sofas. There was a round table, several bookcases, and a large ornate fireplace. It was Princess Alice’s favorite room; she could often be found in here.

  Saracen placed her carefully down and helped her into a seat.

  She collapsed with an audible oomph before patting the cushions behind her.

  “I’ll go get some tea,” I said.

  “No! Please don’t leave me,” Alice said.

  “Campbell and Saracen are here,” I said. “You’re perfectly safe. Much safer with two trained killers than you are with little old me and Meatball.”

  “Even so, I don’t want to be on my own.” She held a hand out and her eyes filled with tears.

  Of course I wasn’t going to abandon my friend in her time of need. I hurried to her side, grabbed her hand, and settled in the seat next to her.

  Meatball jumped up on the sofa and snuggled in tight between us.

  “Saracen, be an angel and go to the kitchen. Arrange for us to have some tea,” Alice said. “And you must get some for yourselves too. And some sweet tarts. After a shock like this, everyone needs sugar. Get enough for all of us. You must join me.”

  “That’s very kind of you, Princess,” Campbell said. “We’re trained to deal with this kind of situation. We won’t take tea and cake with you. We have a killer to locate.”

  She smoothed a hand over her muddy dress. “Oh, well, if you’re certain. A brandy, then?”

  He shook his head. “Thank you. We’re fine as we are. We have to keep a clear head. Saracen, make sure Princess Alice gets what she needs.”

  Saracen simply nodded and left the room, returning a moment later.

  It was only a couple of minutes before Sally Elliott bustled in with a tray of china cups and a plate of delicate fancy tarts. I noticed they weren’t ones I’d made. They must be Chef Heston’s creations.

  Sally poured the tea, shooting me a curious glance as Princess Alice passed around the cakes, insisting both Campbell and Saracen have one.

  I took several deep breaths. I couldn’t fight the worry building inside me. As much as I tried to keep calm, I was freaking out. I was a new face in the castle. I’d been here less than three months. People were still getting to know me, and although I made friends easily, what if the finger of suspicion remained pointed at me?

  Kendal had been a bit handsy with me when we’d met. I’d done my best to brush him off and be polite about doing it, but if Campbell found out about that, it would look suspicious. Maybe he’d think I’d taken offense at Kendal’s behavior and done something about it.

  I bit my lip and concentrated on my tea, trying to keep my hand steady as I took a sip.

  The door burst open, and I jumped. Rupert raced into the room, his frantic gaze darting around. He ran to his sister and engulfed her in a huge hug.

  “I just heard what happened. You really found Kendal in the woods?”

  Alice patted his back. “I did! It was terrible. Meatball led us straight to him. He was trying to dig your friend up. I think he was trying to save him.”

  I wasn’t so sure about that. Meatball had a thing for pungent smells, and there wasn’t much more pungent than a body slowly rotting in the ground.

  Rupert pulled back and turned to me. He opened his arms as if to hug me too but then froze. His cheeks flushed bright pink, and he lowered his arms.

  “Holly! This must be such a shock for you as well.” He awkwardly patted my head several times. “How are you?”

  “Okay. Much like your sister, still a bit stunned by what we discovered.”

  He stopped patting my head and stood. “You must be. What on earth happened? What did you see in the woods?”

  Campbell cleared his throat. “Sir, I will be questioning all the witnesses individually. Most likely a murder has been committed.”

  “When are the police getting here?” I asked. “I was about to call them after we discovered the body, but then I heard you in the woods.”

  “And decided to attack me with a branch, instead of getting help?” Campbell asked.

  “I didn’t know it was you. I thought the killer had come back. I was protecting Princess Alice.”

  “Perhaps I should recruit you to my security team, since you seem so intent on keeping the household safe,” Campbell said.


  I lifted my chin and met his gaze directly, not missing his sarcasm. “I might not be trained like your team, but I wasn’t going to let some evil ne’er-do-well harm either of us.”

  “That was so brave of you, Holly,” Alice said. “I was such a ninny and fainted. I’d have been completely vulnerable if you hadn’t been there.”

  “Yes! You’re a hero, Holly,” Rupert said. “Protecting my sister like that. You should get a medal.”

  I glanced at Campbell and couldn’t help but feel a little smug. “A medal won’t be necessary. I’m so sorry about what happened to your friend.”

  “As am I,” Rupert said with a shake of his head. “We all thought it was strange when he didn’t show for the shooting this morning. He drank a lot last night. I knocked on his door several times but got no reply. I figured he was sleeping it off.”

  Campbell cleared his throat again. “We’ll take things from here, sir.”

  I tilted my head. “What do you mean? Why aren’t the police coming to interview us?”

  “Because we’re taking the lead,” Campbell said. “We have full jurisdiction here.”

  That didn’t sound right to me. “I don’t get it. A crime’s been committed. Surely the police have to be involved.”

  “Oh, don’t worry, Holly,” Alice said. “They will be. Campbell knows what he’s doing.”

  “Thank you,” he said. “And yes, I have informed the police as to what’s occurred, but my private security team is taking the lead on this.”

  “Campbell’s incredible at this sort of thing.” Alice smiled and fluttered her lashes at him. “He’s a highly trained former agent. Campbell’s been all over the world on secret missions for the government. Of course, he’ll tell you he hasn’t, but I’ve seen his file. Mommy only employs the best agents to protect us. I’m sure if you gave him a plastic spoon, he could kill you with it in a dozen ways. Isn’t that right, Campbell?”

  He let out a quiet sigh. “I am trained in all forms of defense and attack. I’m sure I could figure out how to do something with a plastic spoon.”

  I regarded him with interest. “And you’re really taking the lead on this investigation?”

  “I’ll be working alongside the local police,” he said. “We have an agreement in place. They’re kept informed of all pertinent information. They have no problems with this.”