The Cupcake Capers Box Set

by Polly Holmes

  Alex felt her anger rising. “Your stuff? You need it? I’ll give you the same answer I gave you last night. No. A thousand times no!”

  “But…”

  Alex lost it, her insides burning like a flaming bushfire. “No, the answer will always be no, no, no. Now get away from me or so help me, I swear those bruises and that black eye will be the least of your worries.”

  “You heard her, Marcus. Leave or I’m calling the police,” Clair’s voice snapped as she and Cassidy pulled up either side of Alex.

  His face fell and he eased back, holding his hands up in defence. “Okay, okay, consider me gone. I guess there’s nothing more to say.”

  Cassidy eased her arm around Alex’s waist for support. “You got that right.”

  All three women stood still watching Marcus retreat toward the end of the street and disappear behind the catwalk stage. Alex sucked in deep breaths, her body shaking with irritation. “How dare he rock up and spoil my day.”

  Clair turned to face her square on. “He can only spoil your day if you let him. I vote we forget about him and focus on the task ahead. Kissing as many men as you can in one day, all in the name of charity.”

  Clair always did know how to make her feel as though the world wasn’t exploding around her. Alex took another deep breath and made a conscious effort to push her worries about Marcus aside and enjoy the day.

  ****

  Kayne shoved his hands in his uniform pants, frustrated. He stood by the candy prize wheel with a perfect view of the kissing booth. Mrs Stevenson was right. Judging by the consistent line at Alex’s stall, she would definitely raise the most money today. Kayne’s heart thudded in his chest as six more men, or should he say boys, jumped on the end of her line. The fashion parade and Christmas float had passed and Alex hadn’t given any hint of slowing down.

  “This is ridiculous,” he muttered heading in her direction. “She’s been at it all day. The least I can do is provide a distraction.” Most people walked the other way when they saw a policeman approaching, especially one that has only been in town a month or so. Ashton Point would be no different.

  As he approached, the sweet, sickly scent of fairy floss accosted his nostrils and his stomach revolted. The quick dispersion of men was almost comical. Alex rewarded him with a beaming smile, one that made her hazel green eyes sparkle under the hot rays of the mid-afternoon sun.

  “Oh my goodness. I don’t know how to thank you. If I knew all I had to do to keep them away was have a handsome policeman in uniform stand by my stall, I would have paid you myself,” she said rubbing her cheek muscles.

  “I would have done it for free.” The words escaped his lips before he had a chance to filter them. He cleared his throat. “I mean as part of my duty of course.”

  “Of course,” she said, grabbing her handbag from under the bench. Her cheeks glowed with the cutest blush he’d ever seen. “Thank you again. I think this is the perfect time for a well-deserved break, unless you’re going to start a new line.”

  I wish. “I’m on duty so I don’t think it would be appropriate, do you?”

  She looked up and forced a laugh. “Of course not, I was only making small talk.”

  “But if I weren’t on duty, I would have made sure I was your number one customer,” he said with a cheeky grin she couldn’t mistake.

  “Oh.” The crimson blush returned to her cheeks ten-fold.

  “I’m happy to keep an eye on your stall while you take a break?”

  “Are you sure? That would be wonderful. I won’t be long, I’m just going to get a bite to eat from Margarete at the Tea 4 Two Café.”

  “No problem. Take as long as you need.” He smiled to himself. I’m not going anywhere.

  ****

  Holy moly, did that just happen? My number one customer? Alex’s body hummed with elation as she took a short cut to the café by nicking behind Santa’s village and avoiding the crowded main street.

  “Wait ‘til I tell Clair she’s not going to…” Alex halted shocked and confused at the scene before her. I don’t believe what I’m seeing. Her gaze darted left then right searching for the perfect hiding spot. In lightning speed, she ducked in behind the back of the huge sled of presents, peering in the direction of Marcus and Hannah in the midst of a heated discussion.

  “So, it’s not only my life he’s making hell,” she whispered. Hannah’s dark expression matched her own. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, but there was no mistaking the anger and disdain firing from her lips. Her face was beetroot red and her arms were flailing around as if she were a marionette puppet. Looks like Marcus screwed up again, but how? She didn’t realise he knew Hannah well enough to be having a private discussion out of the public eye.

  There was one way they could know each other and it made Alex sick to her stomach. On an intimate level. She leant back against the sleigh blowing out a rush of air through her pursed lips. She peered around the sleigh once more, just in time to see Hannah storm away in the direction of the face painting stall. Alex felt her face flush with anger. Marcus hadn’t seen her, yet, but she was going to make damn sure he did. “Time to find out just what you’re up to.”

  She eased out and resumed her trek to the Tea 4 Two Café, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She hadn’t gone more than twenty steps when Marcus answered a phone call. What the…

  He was too far away, but spun, searching for someone as if being watched. Alex could have sworn it looked like he saw a ghost before he turned and ran off. She sighed in frustration and threw her arms up in the air. Clair’s voice rung out in her mind once more. No good piece of scum. You got that right. Whatever was going on between Hannah and Marcus, there’d be plenty of time to find out.

  The rest of the day moved at high speed. By the time she’d gotten back to the kissing booth after lunch, Kayne had disappeared. She tried to fake a cold sore, but the line kept steady. Turned out they weren’t just after a kiss, but one of Charlotte’s free cupcakes. Way to deflate a woman’s ego.

  Even though it was semi-light thanks to daylight savings, a shiver danced up her spine as the evening chill set in. “Well, that just about does it,” Alex muttered placing the leftover cupcakes and the days fundraising efforts into her bag to give to Hannah tomorrow. She picked up the empty cupcake boxes, crushing them one by one before placing them in a pile for recycling.

  She looked at the stack of crushed boxes and bit the inside of her lip. “Mmmm, Hannah isn’t going to be happy with me if I leave these boxes here.” She knew the recycling bins were at the opposite end of the main street. They were next to town hall, which housed the pop-up ice skating rink. Exhaustion hung over her like a rain cloud ready to let loose and it was only seven-thirty. “Well, even if my body doesn’t thank me, my waistline could definitely use the exercise.”

  Just as she gathered them in her arms, her backside vibrated with the scintillating sweet voice of Ed Sheeran booming Galway Girl. “Hello.”

  “Alexandra, please don’t hang up,” Marcus said in desperation.

  What is it with this guy? Why can’t he take a hint? “I’m not interested, Marcus.”

  “Alex, why do you have to be so stubborn?”

  Me, stubborn? Alex felt her rage rising like a pot of slow-bubbling hot water.

  Marcus’ tone turned ominous. “Alexandra, I know I lied to you, but I had good reason to. I was protecting you and you’ll thank me one day.”

  “Thank you? Yeah, right. Maybe when Ashton Point gets snow on Christmas day, I’ll think about it,” she snapped, pacing the booth. “I’m serious this time, Marcus. Leave me alone or I’ll report you to the police for stalking.” She slammed the phone down and threw it on the chair. Then she picked up the pile of boxes and stormed off toward the recycling bins.

  Thank him? Thank him? How is lying protecting me? She was so zoned in on the conversation with Marcus that she almost barrelled straight into Kayne as she turned the corner. She staggered backward.

 
Kayne’s arms shot out to steady her. “Easy there, my fault entirely. I should have been paying closer attention.”

  Her skin heated under the soft pressure of his hands. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. It was my fault. I had other things on my mind.”

  He frowned. “Oh, anything I can help you with?”

  She shook her head and continued on her way. “Not unless you can make my ex-boyfriend disappear,” she said under her breath. She said it soft enough that Kayne was none the wiser.

  Kayne fell into step beside her. “Are you sure? You seem a little frazzled.”

  She stopped and smiled. “Thank you for the offer, but no, it’s something I need to deal with myself and believe me I will.”

  “Listen, I wanted to apologise for not being at your stall when you returned from lunch. There was a bit of a kafuffle at the indoor ski slope with some holidaying youths.”

  The weight of the boxes in her arms seemed to get heavier by the second. “Do you mind if we talk and walk? I just want to get these into the recycling before Hannah has a fit,” she said, nodding in the direction of the bins.

  “Oh, sure,” he said, moving off beside her. “I’d like to make it up to you for skipping out this afternoon. How about dinner? It’s the least I could do after your efforts today. Unless you feel it’s too late.”

  Alex’s pulse raced and she felt a blush work its way up her neck. Dinner with Kayne Pendleton? Definitely.

  He said, “If you’re busy, that’s okay.”

  She stopped mid-step, the boxes in her arms suddenly no heavier than a bunch of feathers. “No, no I’m not busy. I’d love to have dinner with you.”

  “Great, my shift doesn’t end for another half hour, how about we meet at The Boathouse about eight-thirty? Would that work for you?” he asked.

  I’ll make it work. “Sure, sounds perfect.” The sudden cramping pain in her cheeks reminded her of a school girl with her first crush grinning like a Cheshire Cat. “See you then,” she said, clearing her throat as she moved off. A date with Kayne Pendleton. She wanted to jump up and high five the air. She may have, if her arms weren’t overladen with boxes.

  Alex finally disposed of the boxes in the recycling and cleaned up outside the Town Hall. She started back toward her stall, mentally making a to-do list for the night ahead. One, have a shower. Two, wash the sweet smell of cupcakes from my hair. Three, borrow Clair’s gorgeous pink chiffon top which will match my faded blue jeans perfectly.

  “Tonight is a night you won’t forget in a hurry, Alexandra Cohen.”

  Alex rounded the corner of her booth and froze, her gaze fixed to the man lying face down, motionless on the ground in her booth, his upper torso shielded by the counter. Her heart pounded inside her ribcage and her breathing speed up.

  Santa?

  “Oh no, Mr Stevenson. …George?” Alex leant over the counter and yelled at the top of her lungs. “Somebody help! Anybody.”

  “Mr Stevenson, Mr Stevenson, can you hear me?” Alex asked racing back to the motionless figure. She rolled him over, ready to give CPR, and the world started spinning around her as if she was about to faint. No, it can’t be. She was staring into the cold dead eyes of Marcus. Blood coated his head.

  “Alexandra?” Her head snapped up and her eyes locked on Kayne’s troubled gaze, the hint of suspicion deep in his eyes. “Step away from the body, Alexandra.”

  Chapter Three

  KAYNE’S HEART PLUMMETED as the distressed voice of Alexandra rang out across the street. His protective instincts kicked in and his legs bolted toward her stall.

  “Alexandra?” His chest seized, and he struggled to process the scene before him. The last thing he expected to find was Alex crouched over the dead body of her ex-boyfriend. “Step away from the body, Alexandra.”

  The horrific expression on her face told him she knew exactly what he was thinking.

  “I didn’t do this,” she said in a quivery voice. “I thought it was Mr Stevenson and that he’d had a heart attack or something. I turned him over, that’s all. I didn’t know it was Marcus. I swear.”

  “Please, Alex, you’ll have plenty of time to explain. For now, I just need you to step away from the body,” he said again, his tone more forceful than he expected.

  She nodded and stood, backing away, her gaze rooted to the lifeless body. Keeping Alex within his sight, he placed his fingers on Marcus’ neck and his blood ran cold. No pulse. He grabbed his radio and called it in. This wasn’t exactly the end to the day he was hoping for.

  The murmur of voices picked up and it appeared Alex’s cry for help had been heard by several locals clearing away the remnants of their stalls. Kayne turned to the gathering crowd and held up his hands. “Everything is okay, people, nothing to worry about. Thank you for your attentiveness, but it’s all under control.” He spun and caught Alex’s dropped jaw.

  “Under control? I hardly call this under control,” Alex said pointing at the body. She turned her pleading eyes on him and his heart broke in two. “Kayne, you have to believe me, I did not do this. I could never hurt anyone, let alone do something so violent to anyone.”

  You have no idea how much I want to believe you. “Do you know what happened?”

  Alex shook her head, tears threatening to break. “I have no idea. I was with you down at the other end of the street, on the way to the recycling bin. Then I was walking back here thinking about everything I needed to do before dinner. I stepped into the booth and saw Santa, I mean Marcus, lying face down. I didn’t even know it was Marcus, I thought it was George Stevenson. I couldn’t see his upper body because it was hidden by the counter. I rolled him to give CPR. You do believe me, don’t you?”

  Did he? Every police-trained bone in his body screamed follow the evidence, but his heart had other ideas. “If you didn’t do it, then the evidence will say so, but for what it’s worth, no, I don’t believe you killed him.”

  Alex breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

  His brow creased. “Although for the time being, I think it would be wise to postpone our dinner date, don’t you?”

  She nodded, her hands twisted at her waist. A police car pulled up and Kayne filled Robert and his offsider, Clint, in on the situation. Robert Loughlin had shown him the ropes when he’d moved to Ashton Point not so long ago after he and his girlfriend separated. It had been time for a sea change and Kayne had left his ex-girlfriend and her obsession with her career behind. It was a tough initiation into the coastal community. The murder of a prominent local businesswoman and busting of a corrupt detective, all in his first month.

  “I’m sorry, Alex, but you’re going to have to go with Kayne to the station,” Robert said stone-faced.

  She gasped. “Am I under arrest?”

  Kayne heard an edge of anxiety creep into her voice. “No, it’s just routine. We need to get your statement.”

  “Oh. Okay,” she said moving toward the exit of the booth.

  Kayne drove and glanced in the rear-view mirror. His brows creased as Alex’s scrutinising gaze scanned the interior of the police car. “Are you okay?”

  She shrugged. “I guess. It’s a lot of firsts for me this evening. First time I’ve found a dead body, first time I’ve ever been in the back of a police car. I’m surprised how clean it is. I thought it would be different, like the movies. You know, dirty and grungy.”

  Dirty and grungy?

  She continued barely taking a breath between sentences. “In all the shows I’ve seen they have been pretty… Yuck. But I suppose that’s what the movies are all about, giving the viewer a false sense of reality.”

  Kayne’s stomach rolled as he watched her lips move continuously. A way of covering her nerves, he assumed. He’d seen his fair share of dead bodies, each one harder than the last, but for Alex, it must be frightening.

  “Do I get a phone call?” she asked, her green eyes shimmering with moisture under the soft rays of the street lights.

  “Phone call?”

&nb
sp; “Like in the movies. When someone gets taken to the station, they always get a phone call.”

  His gaze caught hers and his heart clenched at the look of hope beaming in her eyes. “I think you watch way too much television. You’re not under arrest so there’s no need for a phone call. I just need to get your statement down and then you’re free to go.”

  She paled, jaw dropped, and he could see her shoulders start to heave. The tension in his body seemed to fire up. “But if you really want to call someone that can be arranged.”

  “Thank you.”

  ****

  Pick up…come on, Clair, pick up. She’d rung her parents first and when that failed, dialled Clair. Now she knew what Clair felt like when she stumbled across the dead body of James Hapworth. If it weren’t for Kayne, she probably would be a walking zombie by now.

  “Hello.”

  Alex’s heart almost catapulted out of her chest at the sound of Clair’s voice. “Clair, its Alex. I was just wondering, if you weren’t too busy, would you mind coming in and picking me up from the police station?”

  Alex cringed at the shock and concern that flooded Clair’s voice. “What are you talking about? What are you doing at the police station?”

  “Well, it’s a funny story, really.” She sucked in a deep breath, her head pounding from the stuffy interrogation room. “You see, I was closing up my stall at the Christmas Fair and I happened to find Marcus’ body on the ground when I returned after taking the empty cupcake boxes to the recycling bins.”

  “Marcus’ body? As in dead body?” Clair asked.

  Clair’s words ran her blood cold. “Yes, and it looked like he’d been hit over the head. Oh, Clair, I can’t believe someone would do that to him.”

  “Are you sure it wasn’t an accident?”

  She shook her head. The horrible bloodied image of the huge gouge out of the side of his head would forever be stuck in her mind. Oh Marcus, what did you do? “No, I can’t see how it would have been an accident. There was blood all around his head wound.”

  “Then it was murder.”