Mint Chocolate Chip Mysteries, Books 1-3

by Emmie Lyn

  Hitch pulled out a chair at my kitchen table and gestured for me to sit down.

  “Mick doesn’t know a bonsai from bamboo. No, we’re going to sit here like our only concern is getting our business up and running. We have nothing whatsoever to hide, Sunny. Zero. When he finally comes in, we’ll have our business plans spread out here, a pot of tea ready, and a to-do list prepared for the rest of the day.”

  “I don’t know, Hitch.” I was the worst liar in Pineville, and he knew it.

  “You don’t have to lie,” he said, reading my mind. “Well, maybe a little when it comes to Gina’s visit. Just let me handle everything. Mick is after me, not you. As far as Mick is concerned, the sun always shines on your long dark hair.”

  The tea kettle whistled. I jumped. Hitch took my face between his strong hands. “You can do this, Sunny. Remember, our future rides on getting past what looks like a giant frame-up. Gina was right about one thing, but the target wasn’t her. It’s me.”

  I nodded, gritted my teeth, and dug deep within for the strength I’d need.

  Hitch filled my teapot and brought it to the table.

  “One thing, Hitch. How did you know it was Conrad that tried to steal Harry’s bonsai in New York?”

  He sat down opposite me. “The one image that was burned on my brain was that the intruder wore white sneakers. Not just any white sneakers. His had a partial red heart with eyes on the side. Unforgettable. And, do you know where I saw those same sneakers? On Conrad’s feet. At first, I wasn’t positive, but, this morning in the greenhouse, I decided I had nothing to lose by calling him out.”

  “But the intruder had a mask on,” I said. I found it hard to believe that someone I’d sat next to was a potential thief and possibly a murderer.

  Hitch took both my hands in his. “Sunny, Conrad didn’t deny my accusation, did he?"

  I shook my head. Hitch was right about that and all it meant. “So, what are we going to do?” I took a deep breath because I could feel panic rising inside me again.

  Hitch poured me a cup of tea. “Have some. It’s an herbal mixture that’s supposed to calm stress. We’re going to plan our business like nothing’s out of the ordinary. When Mick comes in, we’ll smile and throw a couple of insults like we always do, but we aren’t going to give him any reason to think we know a thing about the missing bonsai tree. He’s got nothing. Remember, we were at the greenhouse, and then we came here. We didn’t have time to steal that plant even if we wanted to.”

  “Okay. That all makes sense. I can do this.” Saying it out loud helped me think it was possible. Wasn’t everything just mind over matter anyway? We didn’t steal the plant, so that’s what I had to focus on. Plus, I didn’t want to rat on Gina and put her in the crosshairs. I felt better already, and I hadn’t even taken a sip of tea.

  Until a loud knock sounded on my front door.

  Hitch put his hand on my knee. “This is it, Sunny. You okay?”

  I nodded and walked to the door. Jasper woofed loud enough to scare the kittens, sending them skittering into a safe hiding spot under the couch. That was normal and comforting. And, Mick was a bully I reminded myself. I stood tall and opened the door.

  “Can I come in, Sunny?”

  I was prepared to see Mick standing there. But, Tilly? I almost cracked up at the sight of her behind him with her palms up and shoulders scrunched. I had to look away.

  “Who’s there, Sunshine?” I felt Hitch behind me and saw a dark cloud pass over Mick’s face. He’d always hated my friendship with Hitch. Hearing that pet nickname probably threw him over the edge with jealousy.

  “Officer Walker, did the state police send you on an errand?” Hitch asked, turning the knife a full twist at Mick’s demotion.

  Mick’s eyes were a glowing pit of fury.

  He smiled, but it certainly didn’t reach those angry eyes.

  “I have my own case, and I have some questions for you, Hitchner. We can do it here, or you can come to the station. Your choice.”

  “What do you think, Sunshine? Do you want to invite Officer Walker inside?” Hitch gently squeezed my shoulder and sent me a shot of courage.

  I held my hand out in welcome to Mick. “Okay. Come on in, Mick.”

  Showtime, I told myself.

  Just remember what’s at stake.

  Everything.

  17

  Tilly made herself comfortable in my chair that faced the window. She insisted on having an outside view at all times to prepare for the unexpected. She said that strategy had saved her life more than once. Maybe, but she also liked to exaggerate.

  Hitch and I sat on the couch, which left my wobbly-legged chair for Mick.

  With great fanfare, Mick set a recorder on his thigh. “Do I have your permission to record this conversation, Mr. Hitchner?” Now that he was doing official business, he’d added the formal title.

  “Yes,” Hitch said.

  Mick hit a button and recorded his name, date, location, and the names of everyone present.

  “Mr. Hitchner,” Mick said, “where were you this morning?”

  I wondered if this was some kind of trick question because Mick had seen us at the greenhouse.

  Hitch crossed his legs and gave Mick that laid-back easy smile. “Well, I spoke to you at the new business property Sunny and I bought yesterday, Mick. So, that’s where I was.”

  He looked at me and rolled his eyes. In a whisper the recorder wouldn’t pick up, he added. “At the rate we’re going, this is going to be a long interview.”

  “And, before that?” Mick asked.

  “My house.”

  “Can anyone verify that?”

  “I can,” Tilly said with her hand raised. “I took Hitch some muffins first thing like I do on most mornings. Otherwise, I’m afraid he won’t get enough to eat. And, you know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Do you eat in the morning, Mick?” She cocked her head and waited for an answer.

  Hitch jabbed me in the side with his elbow, which set off a giggle.

  “Tilly,” Mick said. “Please keep your comments to yourself. All these questions are for Mr. Hitchner.”

  “But, Mick,” she whined, “you asked if anyone could verify that he was at his house. I’m that anyone who just verified his whereabouts.”

  “I was asking Mr. Hitchner if he knew of anyone who could verify that he was home. If there are any more outbursts, I’ll have to ask you to leave. Understand?”

  “I was only trying to help.” She stuck her bottom lip out and crossed her arms. The chance that Tilly could keep quiet was about the same chance that I’d ever learn to fly.

  “Tilly was right,” Hitch said. “She brought me muffins. Delicious raspberry cream cheese muffins. Did you make them, Tilly?” Hitch asked.

  She guffawed. “You know I don’t go near the kitchen, Hitch. Except for food that doesn’t need to go on the stove or in the oven.”

  “I’m asking the questions!” Mick said. From his tone of voice, he was getting frustrated and having trouble keeping his cool. This was all on tape, and I was positive he didn’t want his superiors to hear him lose control in front of a potential witness.

  I leaned back, enjoying the show immensely.

  “Mr. Hitchner, did you go to Maxine Salter’s home yesterday?” Again, that infuriating smile, this time directed at me.

  “Yes.”

  “Did you take any pictures?”

  “Yesterday? Yes.”

  “Of what?”

  “I took lots of pictures of our new business property as a before memory to show customers for after we get all the renovations done.”

  “I meant when you were at Maxine’s house. Did you take any photos when you were in her house?”

  “I did.”

  “And, what did you take a picture of?”

  “Actually, I took several. Mostly photos of Sunny in Maxine’s beautiful conservatory. The light was perfect to accentuate her flawless skin and shiny hair.” He pulled hi
s phone out of his pocket. “Would you like to see them?”

  Mick took the phone and scrolled through the photos. “Maxine said you took a picture of her bonsai tree?”

  “Her bonsai tree?” Hitch looked at me with his eyebrows raised. “What’s he talking about?”

  I shrugged and squeaked all innocent like, “I don’t know,” hoping Mick didn’t catch the nervous twitch starting in my eye.

  Mick leaned forward and the chair wobbled, somehow reducing his authority. He sat up straighter but didn’t quite recover his superior attitude. “Oh, come on, you two,” he said. “Quit playing around. Maxine has a collection of plants from Harry Jenson, and she said you took a picture of the bonsai tree.”

  Hitch shook his head, a picture of confusion pasted on his handsome face. “Huh. I’m not sure why Maxine would have those valuable plants. Do you know how much Harry’s bonsai tree is worth?” He whistled, the way men do when they’re talking about something important, like cars or fish they’ve caught. “More than you’ll make in a lifetime, Mick. Isn’t it odd that those plants are in Maxine’s conservatory and Harry is dead now?”

  That statement hung in the air for Mick to consider. It was masterful how Hitch had twisted the whole bit about the tree away from himself and right back where it belonged—on Maxine.

  Mick pushed a button on the recorder with a disgusted snap. “That’s all for today.” He stood up. “I’ll let myself out.” I didn’t think that was for our convenience.

  Maybe Mick’s petulance was making a point. Maybe it was because things didn’t go the way he had planned. Maybe Maxine had gotten his hopes up after she’d planted some concocted version of her story in his head. At any rate, I felt a teensy tiny bit sorry for him until he turned around at the door.

  “Whatever you did with that plant, you won’t get away with it,” he snarled.

  I mean, that bit of nastiness was uncalled for.

  “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Tilly said. She was never one to let a golden opportunity slip by. She watched through my front window and said, “The coast is clear,” when he drove off.

  “Now, tell me what’s going on.” She pointed at my rock garden. “Oh, nice new little tree you have out there, Sunny. Where’d you get it? I want one just like that.”

  Hitch and I both cracked up.

  “That, Tilly,” I said, “is the bonsai tree that poor Officer Walker is looking for. Straight out of Maxine’s conservatory.”

  She looked at me, then at Hitch. Her mouth opened but nothing came out. I savored this rare moment when Tilly Morris’s tongue was silent.

  Finally, she managed to utter, “How?”

  “Gina said someone planted it in her car. She didn’t want anything to do with it, so she brought it here,” I explained. “And now, she’s gone into hiding.”

  “I suppose that’s smart on her part,” Tilly said. “The way Maxine operates, Gina is a disposable item in her tool kit. If Maxine killed Harry after that argument I witnessed, she’ll do anything to divert attention to someone else. Poor Gina.”

  “And get Mick to do her dirty work,” Hitch added.

  I laughed. “She needs someone smarter than Officer Walker if she plans to take you down, Hitch. He didn’t know if he was coming or going by the time he left.”

  “Do you think Maxine offered him a reward to find the bonsai?” Hitch asked. “That would be a clever way to get him running around looking for a needle in a haystack for her.”

  “Or, a tree in a garden,” I said.

  From Tilly’s chuckle, I knew she had mischief on her mind.

  “Only Maxine and Conrad would notice that bonsai for what it is, Sunny. How about we camouflage it with some pink flamingoes. If Maxine did a drive by, that sight would be too horrible for her to notice. She’d turned up her nose at the tacky pink birds.”

  I high-fived Tilly and she clapped her hands with delight. “I can see her face now, all puckery like an old dried apple.” Tilly sucked her lips together and crossed her eyes to give me a preview. “It’s a perfect idea and the best part?” Her gleeful expression was exactly Tilly at her happiest. “I have a flock of pink flamingoes in my garage.”

  Of course, she did. I hoped it worked because having that bonsai out in the open was asking for trouble.

  The tree was the reason Hitch got shot in the arm.

  The next time, the shooter might aim to kill.

  This was getting too dangerous for my liking.

  How would we stay safe and get our business going?

  18

  Tilly took great pleasure in creating an artistic arrangement of her flamingo flock around the stolen bonsai tree. When she finished, the tree branches wove in and out of stick-like flamingo legs as if the flock was clustered at the water’s edge. I admired her handiwork and crossed my fingers that this small effort might conceal our problem for now before I went inside.

  Hitch sat at the table hovered over his tablet.

  “I want to go check on the kittens and take them food, Hitch. Will you come with me?” I didn’t want to admit to him that going by myself, after everything that had happened, was all a bit much for my nerves.

  “I’ll meet you there, okay?” he said. “Take Jasper if you’re feeling a little vulnerable.

  I stared at him in disbelief. “How do you do that? You always know what I’m thinking. It’s not fair, Hitch. And you walk around with your stone face expression like nothing ever bothers you.”

  He gave my shoulder an affectionate tweak. “You just answered your own question, Sunshine. All your emotions light up your face like fireworks. That’s one of your qualities that I find hard to resist.”

  Really? I felt my face warming. Maybe being expressive had its perks.

  “All I do is hide stuff.” Hitch said. “If I let one speck of concern or indecision show when I’m working as a security guard, I lose the upper hand. That could mean my life, or this.”

  He held up his injured arm. My stomach curled at the thought of Hitch taking a bullet.

  But he just grimaced and told his story. “I should have known that Harry had a gun that night, but I let my guard down thinking I had every angle covered. Why he decided to take a shot, though, is still something I haven’t figured out. If you don’t want to be an open book, work on a good poker face.”

  “I can do that,” I said, even though I knew it was a lie.

  “Sunny? Say it like you mean it, even if you don’t.” He grinned that dimple-filled grin, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

  Maybe I could learn to fool some of the people some of the time, but I’d probably never fool Hitch. He knew me too well.

  I broke away from his gaze and called my favorite companion. “Come on Jasper. We’ve got kitties to feed.”

  Armed with kitty crunchies, bowls, fleece blankets, and the best nanny dog around, we drove toward my new dream. Sure, I had my doubts about making the Shakes and Cakes Shop come to life, but it was time to put Tilly’s nonstop advice into action: give it your best shot and see what happens.

  At least the location was perfect. After renovations, the building would buzz with customers. I was sure of that. And best of all—I had plenty of ideas.

  I turned into the parking lot, happy to see I had the place to myself. The police must have bagged and tagged all the evidence they could find. Now they faced the tedious task of following the clues to find Harry’s murderer.

  I hoped they didn’t find a link to Hitch. Deep in my gut, I knew he didn’t kill Harry. An excellent shot, if he’d wanted to, he could have picked Harry off the night of the shooting, claiming self-defense. No, one thing we’ve learned from Harry’s appearance here at the auction in Pineville, other people wanted him dead. Maxine and Conrad immediately came to mind.

  Jasper jumped out as soon as I opened my car and made a beeline for the door. She whined and scratched to get in.

  “What’s the matter?” I asked, suddenly less confident about being here alone. The quie
t rustle of leaves in the surrounding trees and cawing of crows overhead should have made me feel at peace. Instead, hairs prickled on my neck.

  I opened the door, letting Jasper lead the way.

  Of course, she went straight to the greenhouse and the corner where we’d left Mama Cat and her kittens.

  No mews met my ears, only Jasper’s nails clicking on the cement floor.

  I moved the old boxes hiding her spot and peeked into an empty basket.

  “Oh no, Jasper! Where did they go?”

  Did Mama Cat move her family thinking we were the enemy? Jasper poked her nose around until we heard a faint mew coming from the hole. I stood breathless as a little tabby face peeked out. One kitten after another pushed through the opening and batted Jasper’s nose. Mama Cat had hidden her babies while she scouted up a meal and now she returned to her charges. What a smart mama.

  I crouched and gave her several strokes along the length of her body, and she rewarded me with a purr. At least, she wasn’t skittish. After filling the bowls with dry food and fresh water, I sat on the floor and watched the family chow down.

  “You’re gonna love the new garden we’ve got planned for you,” I said to Mama Cat. I pictured the kittens in our man-made forest instead of this dirty corner.

  A man croaked, “Sunny?” breaking into my reverie. I turned to the door on a stab of fear at the sound of Conrad’s voice behind me. Here I was, alone, lost in my daydream, and caught by one of the people I suspected might have killed Harry.

  I gulped instead of greeting him, and instinctively reached for Jasper. I pulled her close to me, my eyes wide with questions for the intruder. Jasper hadn’t growled, which made me feel slightly safer. Wouldn’t she sense if Conrad planned to harm me?

  “Sorry,” Conrad said, coming toward me. “I didn’t mean to surprise you, but I saw your car and…”

  I stood up feeling less vulnerable on my feet instead of at his feet. “And what, Conrad?” Jasper leaned into my leg. At least she wasn’t lapping at the intruder’s hand. “Didn’t Hitch make it clear that you aren’t welcome here?”