Sugar Coated Murder

by Patti Benning

  “Charlie?” Moira said. She remembered her suspicions about the young man from earlier. “Weren’t he and Bryan good friends?”

  “The best,” Wyatt said. “From what Penny says, they were like brothers.”

  Moira nodded. Maybe her suspicion had been right. If Charlie was the one vandalizing the candy shop and Candice’s car because he blamed her for his friend's death, then that would solve a couple of the crimes, but it still didn't answer the question of who had murdered Bryan.

  Chapter Fifteen

  * * *

  Moira closed the deli early that day, wanting to spend as much time as possible at the farmhouse before it got dark. It had been nice to work with Candice side-by-side for the past few hours, though thoughts about Bryan's murder and the subsequent vandalism kept plaguing her. There were too many questions, and not enough answers. The most difficult thing was the fact that she couldn't think of a single person who would have a good reason to want Candice to stay out of town. Her daughter hadn't even been there for most of the past year.

  “Mom? Are you listening?” The deli owner shook her head, clearing her thoughts, and looked over at her daughter.

  “What is it, sweetie?”

  “What do you want to pick up at the grocery store?”

  “Oh, stuff for potato salad, watermelon, muskmelon, grapes, and strawberries for a fruit salad, and either brownie mix or something else for dessert.”

  “I'll get the fruit if you get the rest,” Candice said. “Let’s meet at the cash register in ten minutes.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Moira said smiling as she got out of the car. Her thoughts would have to wait. Right now, it was Mother's Day, and she was spending time with her daughter.

  After shopping, they went home so that Moira could change and get started on the potato salad and fruit salad. They had picked up a brownie mix, which she planned on making at the farmhouse, and had also grabbed some lemons for lemonade. While Moira got started on the food, Candice went outside to brush the dogs. Thelma enjoyed having the dogs over, but the deli owner always felt bad about the amount of fur they left behind, so a quick brush would do them a lot of good.

  She had just put the finishing touches on the potato salad when her phone rang. She jumped up to grab her cell phone and saw David's number on the caller ID.

  “Hi,” she said, slightly out of breath from her scurry across the kitchen.

  “Where are you two right now?” David asked.

  “We're at home. We're going to head over to the farmhouse in about fifteen minutes. Will you be able to meet us there?”

  “I'm not sure. I found out who Eliza is, and why she might have a motive to try to get Candice to leave town.”

  Moira leaned against the counter, her eyes widening. “What is it?”

  “She owns a business selling homemade chocolate and hard candies out of her home. She has been running it online, and which is why it took me so long to find, but last week she signed a lease on a little building in Lake Marion. I think she's planning on opening her own candy store.”

  The deli owner breathed out slowly. “So, when she heard us talking in the deli about Candice coming back and fixing up the candy shop…”

  “She must have realized that she was going to have more competition than she bargained for.”

  “Did you tell the police?”

  “Detective Jefferson was the first person I called,” her husband said. “He said he would bring her in for questioning, but he hasn't found her yet.”

  “What do you mean he hasn't found her?”

  David sighed. “He just called me a couple of minutes ago. He checked at her house and she wasn't there. Her car is gone. He's going to put a warrant out for her, but I'm worried about the two of you. I want you to get to the farmhouse as soon as possible.”

  “The farmhouse? Why?”

  “Because I don't know where she is or what she's planning. If she has decided to take things to the next level, our home would be the first place she would check when she doesn't find Candice at the candy shop. I'll just feel better knowing that you are at the farmhouse with Thelma and Allison and the dogs.”

  “What about you?”

  “I'm going to drive around a bit and see if I can spot her. I'll check in at home and check the deli.”

  “Do you really think she is a danger to us?” Moira knew that she had been the one telling Candice how careful she needed to be all along, but David was worrying her.

  “I'm not sure. I think it's better to be safe than sorry. It's very possible that she is the one who killed Bryan, and she might not be in her right mind. Just… be careful until she's found.”

  The deli owner nodded, then remembered that she was on the phone. “We will be,” she told David. “Do you think I should tell Candice?”

  “That's up to you. I'm going to go now. I'll call you as soon as I know something else. I want you to have a nice time at the barbecue anyway. Don't worry about it, just keep your eyes open. Enjoy yourself. You deserve it. You are the best mother I know.”

  “Thanks,” the deli owner said, smiling slightly. “I'll call you once we reach the farmhouse.”

  “Good,” David said. “Drive safely. Save some food for me.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  * * *

  Moira made sure that the potato salad and fruit salad were secure in the cooler before shutting the top and shoving it back against the seat. With the dogs in the back with the cooler, she didn't want to chance it getting jostled.

  “When is David going to meet us?” Candice asked as she got into the car.

  “He'll be along as soon as possible,” the deli owner told her daughter. She hesitated, wondering if she should tell Candice about Eliza, but decided against it for the time being. Her daughter looked so happy and carefree, and she didn't want to wreck the evening. She would have time to talk to her that night.

  “Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I know it's been kind of a crazy weekend, and I'm sorry things haven’t gone more smoothly.”

  “It's not your fault, sweetie,” Moira said. “Even with everything that's happening, I've enjoyed having you around. I'm really looking forward to this barbecue. I'm glad that you planned it.”

  Her daughter grinned. Moira slipped into the driver's seat and buckled her seatbelt, making sure that her phone was within reach. If David called with more news, she wanted to be able to answer.

  It was a beautiful day out, a little bit cooler than it had been on Wednesday, but without the breeze. It would be the perfect evening for a barbecue, and despite everything that was happening, the deli owner found herself looking forward to it. It had been a while since she had just relaxed with her friends and family, and she was looking forward to spending time at the farmhouse. There was something peaceful and calming about being surrounded by so much open space and nature.

  The dogs began to whine with excitement as they turned down the familiar, long dirt driveway. Moira drove carefully, not wanting to jostle the food in the back. She pulled to a stop outside of the microbrewery and got out. She recognized Allison's car; the young woman was already there.

  “I'm going to go say hi,” Candice said. “I'll come back to help you with the food in a second.”

  Her daughter hurried toward the door. Moira stretched, taking her time and enjoying the fresh air and warm sunshine. She walked around to the side door and opened it, letting the two dogs jump out. Even though there was a dairy farm on the property, the barn was far enough away that she wasn't worried about the dogs bothering the cows. The two of them were usually pretty well behaved, and they were used to the trips to the farmhouse, which were less frequent now than they had been last year, but still regular enough that they recognized the place. She smiled as the two of them chased each other around on the grass. She spotted Candice and Allison on the porch, heading toward her, and walked around to the other side of the vehicle to pull out the cooler.

  “We’ll do that, Mom,” Candice called. “You go
inside and say hi to Thelma. She's getting the meat ready to put on the grill.”

  “Okay,” Moira said, giving up on the cooler. “At least let me bring in the bag with the lemons and the brownie mix.”

  The dogs followed her up to the porch, where she told them to stay while she went inside. The farmhouse was almost unrecognizable from the way it had been last year when Candice had first bought it. The old, raggedy wallpaper had been torn down and the walls had been painted. There was new furniture inside, and the house smelled pleasantly of vanilla and food.

  “Hi,” Moira said as she walked into the kitchen. She set the bag on the counter and turned to greet her friend. Thelma was maybe a decade older than her and had lived alone ever since her husband had passed away. She thought that the older woman looked much better now than she had when she had first moved to town. The peace and quiet seemed to be good for her, and Moira felt a twinge of guilt at the thought of how eager she was for the older woman to move out. It's not because of Thelma, she told herself. It's just because I want Candice to move back here.

  “Hi, Moira,” Thelma said. “Allison really outdid herself at the store. I don't think we'll ever eat all of this meat. I'm going to put the ribs on first; I think they will take the longest to cook. We'll do the burgers last. Is David here? I could really use someone to help me with the grill. I'm no expert by any means.”

  “He'll be here later,” Moira said, not wanting to bring up the reason for his absence. “I'll help, if you'd like. Let's bring the meat outside. Have you turned the grill on yet?”

  “No… was I supposed to? Does it need to be preheated like an oven?”

  “Don't worry,” the deli owner said with a chuckle. “It won't take long. I'll just pop out and turn it on, and we can chat while we wait for it to get nice and hot.”

  Helping Thelma with the food was relaxing, and twenty minutes later they were sitting outside on the porch with glasses of ice cold lemonade, watching the two girls play fetch with the dogs in the yard. Moira closed her eyes and leaned her head back. It would have been the perfect day, if she didn't have her worries weighing her down.

  “Thanks for hosting,” she said to Thelma. “This place really is lovely.”

  “I was happy too,” Thelma said. “I don't get the chance to entertain much.” She smiled. “In fact, I've been looking at a couple of places in town, closer to everyone else. I know your daughter is eager for me to move out, so she can come back, she's just too polite to mention it. I'll tell her later, but there is this lovely house for sale on the outskirts of Maple Creek that I'm thinking of putting an offer on. It has three bedrooms, and a small, fenced-in yard. It's walking distance from the deli and has the most beautiful hardwood floors.”

  “Thelma, that's wonderful,” Moira said. “I don't want you to feel like you're being kicked out of here, though.”

  “Don't worry, I don't,” the older woman said. “I love this place, but I've always known that it wouldn’t be mine forever. I can't wait to finally have my own house again. Thinking of owning a home without my husband is hard, but I think it's something I need to do. I've never liked renting, anyway, though of course, your daughter is a lovely landlord.”

  “I know what you mean,” Moira said. “Owning your own home definitely feels different from renting. I'm glad that you've decided to stay in town, though. I know Allison's mother isn't around much, and you really seem to mean a lot to her.”

  “It's nice to spend some more time with her,” Thelma said. “And Candice too, of course. She's practically family as well.”

  Moira smiled. Allison was Candice's half-sister, but they had only discovered that fact a little while ago. The two girls had already been friends for years, and the discovery had just brought them closer. It was still odd to Moira to think that her husband had had another child without her knowledge, but she would never hold that against Allison in the slightest.

  “Hey, Mom,” Candice said, walking onto the porch. “I've got to run to town.”

  “I don't think it's a good idea,” Moira said, sitting up as her daughter approached them. “What about the barbecue?”

  “It will only take a few minutes, and I figured we probably won't start without David, anyway. It's Mr. Litchfield. I think he's at the candy shop, and I really want to see him before I have to leave.”

  “What do you mean you think he's at the candy shop?”

  “Well, I asked the nice lady who runs the coffee shop across the street to keep an eye on it just in case someone comes back to vandalize it again, and she told me that the lights are on inside. Mr. Litchfield is the only one with a key, other than me, so it must be him.”

  Moira bit her lip. If her daughter was going, then she was going, too.

  “Sorry, Thelma,” she said. “We'll be back in about twenty minutes. I think I should go with Candice into town, what with everything that has been happening.”

  “Of course,” Thelma said. “I'll finish the meat. It should be done just as you’re getting back.”

  “We’ll hurry,” Moira said. “It won’t be long, I promise.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  * * *

  “You don't need to come with me,” Candice said as they got into the SUV together.

  “Yes, I do,” Moira said.

  “Why? I can take care of myself.”

  “I'm just worried,” Moira said. “David called me earlier and said that he found out that Eliza has been trying to build a business selling candy, just like you were. He thinks that gives her motive to try to get you out of town.”

  “He did? Why didn't you tell me?”

  “You looked so happy, and I didn't want to wreck the day,” the deli owner said.

  Candice frowned, buckling herself in. “You should have told me.”

  “I know,” Moira said. “I probably should have.”

  “Well, she doesn't have a key, anyway, so it can’t be her in the candy shop. I just want to make sure that we are still going to be on schedule to have the construction completed this summer, and Mr. Litchfield hasn't been returning my calls. I know his nephew passed away, so I haven't been wanting to bother him too much, but I do need to talk to him before I go back home.”

  “We'll just stop in and see if he's there,” Moira said. “If he's not, we'll go right back to the farmhouse and finish the barbecue.”

  “Deal,” Candice said.

  Neither of them talked much during the drive to the candy shop in Lake Marion. Moira pulled out her cell phone to text David, letting him know that they were heading into town really quickly. She wished that he or Detective Jefferson would find Eliza soon. She didn't like having to worry about the young woman.

  She parked along the road in front of the candy shop and they approached the building, where they found the door unlocked and, just as the woman in the coffee shop had told Candice, the lights on inside. Moira shivered as she stepped into the building. It still smelled like smoke, and there was scaffolding and equipment everywhere. It was hardly recognizable as the candy shop.

  “Mr. Litchfield?” Candice said. They both fell silent, listening, but didn't hear his response.

  “Mr. Litchfield?” This time Candice called out more loudly. When they fell silent, they heard the murmur of voices above them.

  “He must be upstairs,” Candice said.

  “Let's go find him,” Moira said. Candice went up the stairs first, and Moira trailed behind her, looking around at the building. She hadn't realized just how bad it was inside. She was about to follow her daughter upstairs when she heard something that stopped her in her tracks. It was a muffled thumping coming from the back of the building. Hesitating, Moira shot a glance up the stairs, then turned to follow the sound. The back half of the building had hardly been touched, and there was still caution tape up. She moved carefully, not daring to touch anything in case the building wasn't safe. The foundation must be good, or else they would be able to do construction on it, she told herself.

  The nois
e was getting louder, and she found herself staring down a hallway that was nearly blocked with wreckage. She realized that the other end of the hallway was the back door that led to the rear parking lot. Someone was trying to get in. Frowning, Moira turned and hurried out the front door, gripping her cell phone in her hand. She ran around the side of the building, only slowing down when she reached the corner. She inched along the bricks and peered around the edge. Standing by the back door was a woman with spiky black hair. Eliza. She was trying to get inside. Beside her was a plastic bag, and in her hand was a crowbar.