Strawberry Donuts and Scandal

by Cindy Bell

  “Nothing I couldn’t handle.” Joyce patted her hair back into place, then peered at the phone in Brenda’s hand. “What are we watching?”

  “Alexa’s review of the truck.” Brenda winced as she pressed the play button. “Apparently, it’s not too good.”

  “Let’s see, it can’t be too bad.” Joyce cast a brief glance over her shoulder in the direction of the crime scene. “Or at least let’s hope it’s not, otherwise we might end up on the suspect list.”

  “Don’t even think it.” Brenda’s lips tightened. She couldn’t imagine having to stand up to an interrogation by Detective Crackle. His gruff nature left her pretty intimidated. She shifted her attention to the video on the screen.

  Alexa’s face appeared first, shrouded by trees, sunlight and what appeared to be an expansive, well-tended park. As she rattled on about the magazine, and how several trucks were in competition to get featured in the magazine, Brenda was drawn in by her casual, yet engaging, attitude. She could see why Melissa enjoyed her vlog. Alexa struck her as the type of person that had a knack for making anything interesting.

  When the video shifted from Alexa’s commentary to the footage she had taken at the truck, Brenda’s muscles tensed in reaction to the sight of herself on camera. Yes, she really had put on weight. No, that hairnet wasn’t flattering in the least. Why did her nose keep twitching? With her attention focused on her own looks, she almost missed the verbal exchange. Alexa had included all of her stumbling attempts at speaking, but cut off the video right before she shifted into her more coherent speech. The video cut away to Alexa in the park again. She began to openly mock Brenda for her nervousness.

  “Listen up lads and ladies, image sells just as much as delicious donuts. If you can’t talk a good game about what you’re selling, then many people will never even get to tasting. However, I have to say that I’m glad I did. Although the donut truck left a lot to be desired when it comes to customer service, the donut itself melted in my mouth with a delicious, airy consistency and just enough sweetness to make me want to go back for more. So, according to me, Donuts on the Move is definitely a place to go when you have a sweet tooth that needs to be satisfied. Let’s just hope that by then, the baker has figured out how to put a sentence together.” She laughed then cut off the video feed.

  “Ouch.” Brenda bit into her bottom lip.

  “I know.” Melissa sighed. “That’s why I didn’t want to show it to you.”

  “Well, to be honest, you were acting pretty foolish. You had nothing to be nervous about.” Joyce ducked her head as a smile threatened her lips.

  “Thanks, Joyce.” Brenda rolled her eyes. “Yes, you’re right. And she did actually give a good review of the food. I can see why people loved her, she was very talented.”

  “Was she, though?” Melissa crossed her arms and shook her head. “I used to think that she was very honest, that’s why I liked her. But after watching this, I can’t help but wonder if she was in it just for the shock value.”

  “None of that matters now.” Joyce slipped her hands into the pockets of her jacket. “We need to focus on what happened to Alexa. Whether her reviews are honest or not, she still didn’t deserve to die. I for one, would like to know who did this.”

  “I agree.” Brenda started to close the webpage, then noticed another video posted just a few hours before the video about Donuts on the Move. “Wait, this one looks like it’s about Vanessa’s Veggies. I wonder what she had to say about Vanessa’s truck?” She pressed play on the video. Alexa’s face appeared, but this time she was framed by the town square. She turned the camera to show Vanessa’s truck in front of her.

  “So, I’ve heard a lot of interesting things about this place. The locals promote it as one of the healthiest places to eat, and insist that it is both vegan and organic, completely chemical free. As you might expect, I’m quite excited to try it out. But I’ve heard glowing reviews before that didn’t pan out to be so great. One bite at a time, right?” She grinned into the camera. A second later that grin faded, and her eyes narrowed. “Or, is it possible that Vanessa is hiding something? Keep an eye out for my next vlog about Vanessa’s Veggies, perhaps she’s not as organic or pure as she claims to be!”

  The video cut off. Brenda blinked as she stared at the dark screen.

  “She had something against Vanessa?”

  “Apparently.” Joyce tapped her fingertips along her chin. “Although I don’t see how anyone could, she’s one of the sweetest people I know.”

  “I agree.” Brenda glanced up at the officers around the crime scene. “I think Detective Crackle should see this video, too.” She shared the video with him, then scrolled through the remaining recent vlogs. “Look, there’s another one from yesterday. Let’s see what it is.” She pressed play without waiting to see if any of the others agreed. Her mind whirled with the possible motives behind Alexa’s death. Had she given a review that stung so much someone decided to attack her? But if so, why had they dumped her body at the town square? Was it someone that had been reviewed by her, and didn’t appreciate her views on things? The thought overwhelmed her. Could they be standing near the killer? She scanned the crowd that continued to grow in the parking lot. A killer might just be hiding in that sea of faces.

  Chapter 5

  Joyce focused on the people in the video and began to lip read right away. It had become a natural instinct for her.

  “Here, let me take a closer look. Maybe I’ll be able to pick up on some conversations.” She peered at the video as it played.

  “Can you tell what anyone’s saying?” Brenda gazed at her, fascinated by her friend’s ability to lip read.

  As a child, Joyce had taught herself to lip read. It was a way to protect herself, as her four older brothers were always plotting against her. They had no idea how she figured out their plans, she never breathed a word about her skill to them. Now, she used it in day-to-day life to give herself a little advantage. The things people said when they assumed only certain people could hear them, could be quite eye-opening.

  “Not much, no. I’m sorry. People are moving around too much. I can catch a few words, but no full conversations.”

  As the video played, Alexa came into view. She spoke directly to the gathered protestors.

  “We can’t stop now. We can’t back down. The latest protests we staged against Garring Farm, and the grocery chain that the farm supplies, had a huge impact on both businesses. Both reported losses. We are making a difference! Now, we are focusing more on Country Grocery Place and its supplier Marbary Produce Farm. We will make a difference!” Alexa thrust her hand into the air. “We can be the change that we talk about, we can make it happen. But we have to be one hundred percent dedicated. Some people will lie to us.” She swept her gaze across the crowd before turning to the camera. “Some people will pretend to be one way in front of the camera, and then turn out to be totally different! Be careful who you support.” She turned back to the crowd and shouted. “We can be the change!”

  As the crowd erupted with cheers, the video cut off.

  “Wow, she isn’t afraid of making enemies, is she?” Joyce frowned.

  “No, she’s not.” Brenda narrowed her eyes. “You know, most of the videos I’ve seen on Alexa’s page have been selfie-style, but clearly this time someone was holding the camera. I wonder who it was?”

  “She has friends film for her sometimes.” Melissa shrugged. “I don’t think it’s always the same person, but then again I’ve never really thought about it.”

  “Those are two big companies she went after. Marbary Produce Farm is one of the largest in the area, and Country Grocery Place is opening new stores all of the time. In fact there’s a new one opening here next week.” Brenda shook her head. “I guess our suspect list isn’t going to be short.”

  “No, it isn’t.” Joyce frowned as her own phone buzzed. When she pulled it out she saw a new text.

  “I just got a text that the magazine’s event coor
dinator, the one that organized the event, is going to make an announcement.” Joyce looked up from her phone, her forehead creased. “I’m betting she’s going to cancel the rest of it.”

  “What a shame.” Melissa looked between the two women. “I guess there’s nothing else she can do, but a lot of people are going to be very disappointed. I wonder if they will still select a winner?”

  “I hadn’t even thought about that.” Brenda tipped her head from side to side. “I suppose they have to since it’s a marketing campaign for the magazine. But we might not find out until all of this settles down.”

  “That’s a good point. They may just reschedule everything. Let’s head over to the main stage so we can hear the announcement. It looks like that’s where everyone is going,” Melissa suggested.

  “Yes, good idea.” Brenda started off in that direction, but kept an eye on Joyce to be sure she followed. Joyce had a tendency to do things her own way, and Brenda sensed that she didn’t tell the whole story about her encounter with Detective Crackle. With the possibility of a killer in the crowd with them, she didn’t want to lose track of Joyce, or Melissa.

  As they joined the crowd of people gathered near the stage, tension filled the air. Those who didn’t know exactly what happened were asking questions, others who had been there when Brenda arrived appeared dazed.

  “Hello everyone.” Angela Jacobsons walked to the center of the stage and looked out at the crowd. “I’m sorry to announce that there has been a great tragedy. Alexa Vue has been killed. At this time, I don’t know much more than that. I don’t know the circumstances of her death, or whether anyone else might be in danger. For that reason I think it’s best if we cancel the remainder of the event. We will announce who will be featured in the magazine at a later date. Please, cooperate with the police as best you can. They need our help to figure out what happened to Alexa. Thank you for your understanding, and I hope that we can do another event like this sometime soon.”

  As she left the stage the crowd erupted with questions. However, Angela did not look back. She did not say another word. Instead, she headed straight towards a car that waited for her.

  “I guess the magazine is going to want to distance themselves from this as much as possible.” Brenda watched the car pull away. “I doubt they’re that invested in getting the crime solved.”

  “They say any publicity is good publicity, but I’m not so sure that applies to murder.” Joyce tipped her head towards the stage. “Here comes our favorite detective.”

  “Can I have everyone’s attention please?” He cleared his throat in an attempt to quiet the crowd. Soon, all eyes were on him. “I want to thank everyone for your cooperation so far. My name is Detective Crackle, and I will be investigating this case. I want all of you to know that any small piece of information you may have could prove to be very valuable. If you have not yet given your statement to one of the officers, then please do. Once you have given your statement, please clear the area so that a thorough crime scene investigation can be done. Again, thank you for your cooperation.”

  “He does that fairly well.” Brenda raised an eyebrow. “I’m impressed.”

  “Don’t be.” Joyce rolled her eyes. “I saw him practicing beside the stage. I don’t think he’s used to having all of the attention on him.”

  “Probably not. But I’m glad he’s the one investigating. I’m sure that he’ll get to the bottom of this.” Brenda turned towards the flow of the crowd. At the edge of the town square several officers stood with clipboards.

  “Maybe with a little help.” Joyce nudged her lightly with her elbow. “It never hurts to have extra eyes, right?”

  “That’s true. But I barely knew Alexa, I’m not sure what we can do to help.” Brenda stepped into a line to give her statement to one of the officers. Joyce stepped up behind her, while Melissa headed off to another line.

  “Sometimes not knowing a person allows for a clearer view of who they are and what they are actually like. Maybe Alexa had some secrets from her past that she did a good job of hiding,” Joyce said.

  Those words played through Brenda’s mind as she gave her statement to the officer. He asked for every detail of her morning, from the time she woke up until the time she arrived and saw Alexa’s body. She did her best to recount everything, but her thoughts began to blur after some time.

  “Ma’am, you said you saw the body, did you see anyone in the car or get back into the car?”

  “No, didn’t I already answer that?” Brenda narrowed her eyes as she tried to focus on his face. “I turned when I heard a sound, and the car was already driving away.”

  “So, you’re sure you never saw anyone outside the car?” He held his pen poised above his notepad.

  “Yes, I’m sure. I can’t keep answering the same question, though. I know you’re just doing your job, but no matter how many times you ask, the answer isn’t going to change.” Brenda ran her palm across her forehead in an attempt to clear the fog that had gathered in her mind.

  “I understand. We’ll be in touch.” He stepped aside to allow her to walk past him to the parking lot.

  While she waited for Joyce to give her statement, Brenda gazed at the spot that had been roped off in the parking lot. She recalled the moments just before she’d heard the sound and turned to find Alexa’s body. They were such normal moments. She couldn’t remember her thoughts exactly, but none had to do with murder. Despite the reality of the experience, her thoughts shifted to the needs of the truck. With the event canceled, a day of sales would be lost, and the following day was a day off. It would be a financial hit, but she knew that having the time away from the truck would actually be helpful for all three of them. It would be difficult to return without Alexa on her mind. No, she hadn’t been kind to her, and no she didn’t feel any genuine connection to the woman, but the loss of her life was still a blow.

  “He was quite the eager one, huh?” Joyce shook her head as she joined Brenda in the parking lot. “Do they train these youngsters to ask the same question over and over or do you think he just had a memory problem?”

  “I think they probably train them that way.” Brenda sighed as she walked beside Joyce towards her car. “I just wish I had more to tell him. I keep thinking that if I had only turned around faster, I might have seen more. I might have caught a glimpse of the killer.”

  “You did plenty.” Joyce wrapped her in a warm hug. “You called Detective Crackle right away, and you kept the cars from running over evidence. If you weren’t there, the police wouldn’t have had a head start.”

  “I guess.” Brenda bit into her bottom lip. “I just wish none of this happened.”

  “I agree with you there.” Joyce frowned. “It’s a tough thing to handle. But we will get through this. I’m sure that Charlie is worried about you, get home to him.” She opened her car door. “We’ll check in later, okay?”

  “Yes, let’s do that.” Brenda nodded.

  Joyce watched through her rearview mirror as Brenda walked to her car. Despite all the events of the day, Brenda held her head high as she walked. She had a deep strength that Joyce knew she had yet to recognize. She came across as timid, but in the moments that she needed that strength, it was always there.

  Joyce steered out of the parking lot, and did her best not to look back over her shoulder. When she’d first received the texts from Brenda that morning, they had left her shocked. She had hoped that somehow they weren’t true. However, now she knew they were. Not only was the event they had planned for so long canceled, but now they were caught up in the middle of a murder investigation.

  As Joyce drove through town back towards the small house she had once shared with her husband, she noticed signs that word had spread. Neighbors stood in each others’ driveways. Children were kept close, instead of allowed to wander around the block as they usually were. In general, the town was a safe one. However, as a cop’s wife, she knew that no town was ever actually completely safe. It might appear to b
e so on the surface, but there were always dark secrets to be discovered. The illusion of safety was never something she bought into. She also knew that a killer didn’t look a certain way, or act a certain way. A killer could be anyone, from the dog groomer, to the mailman.

  But who had a reason to kill Alexa? Was it the people that she’d attacked through her vlog? Joyce supported the right of free speech, but at times felt that the younger generation misunderstood what that meant. Yes, they had the right to say anything they pleased, but not without consequence. Words, especially recorded ones, were something that could never be taken back.

  Joyce thought about her exchange with Detective Crackle. She didn’t really think he was a buffoon, and regretted calling him that. But the sight of him grilling Brenda had sparked a protective streak within her that she couldn’t ignore. She and Brenda had forged a close friendship, and in some ways the younger woman felt like a daughter to her. She enjoyed being a part of her, and her family’s lives. She missed her children who were now adults and lived on the other side of the country. In just a short time she’d gone from general isolation as she grieved the death of her husband, to being part of a bustling business, and a very loving family. But that wasn’t what Detective Crackle saw when he looked at Brenda. He saw the potential for the clue that might just solve the crime. She’d often seen that gleam in Davey’s eyes when he investigated a crime. She’d have to remind him that this wasn’t just a puzzle to solve, real human lives were involved, and that compassion went a long way.

  He didn’t always listen. Neither did Detective Crackle. She pulled into her driveway and took a moment to close her eyes. After the crazy morning, she wasn’t sure how she would ever settle down. Her mind spun with the possibilities of what might have happened to Alexa. Sure, she may have made some enemies with her vlog, but would that really be enough reason for someone to kill her? She shook her head, then stepped out of the car. Alexa wasn’t scared of scandal. She wasn’t afraid to go after heavy hitters, like grocery chains and large farms. Perhaps she had just pushed it too far.