My phone pinged a second later. I washed my hands and then scrolled through the items listed. They were standard ingredients. Salt. Granulated sugar. Confectioners’ sugar. Vegetable oil. Wine, a fairly common ingredient for the shells. I read on. Cinnamon. Shrimp powder—aka, the deadly addition. Several more were listed, since both filling and shells were in the mix. At the bottom of the list were two words that gave me new hope. “Ah. Very interesting.”
“What?” Gabby looked up from studying the list on her phone. “Yeah, I know. Shrimp powder. But how will that lead us to her killer? You can buy it anywhere.”
“Not the shrimp powder. Look at the last item.”
Gabby squinted down at her phone. “It says Valrhona chocolate. That’s quite a tongue twister. I’ve never heard of it.”
“No reason you should have,” I said. “Most people don’t know of it, unless you’re a baker. I used it a few times when I worked at Magnifico’s Restaurant. It’s difficult to find and expensive.” A tingle of excitement ran through me. This was the break I’d hoped for. “If we can find the store that sells the chocolate, it might help us track down who bought it.”
“I’m betting on Sylvia. It would fit,” Gabby declared.
I hurried into my office, which branched off from the kitchen. “We can’t be positive, though. Come on.”
Gabby followed me into the eight-by-ten-foot room. I hadn’t altered much from the original decor. Gabby had given me a name plate for my desk that read “The Chef Is In.” I also had a swivel chair and metal file cabinet. When I had more time and money, I’d do a makeover. The room served its purpose for now, and I preferred doing interviews in the dining area anyway. It was more personable.
I sat down in front of my desktop computer and wiggled the mouse for the screen to light up. Gabby fingered the pile of receipts in the basket on the corner of my desk. “Dang, Tess. Are these all bills from vendors?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” I let out a small sigh. “Also, the sign man, plumber, coffee company, linen service, you name it.” I’d have to sell out every night for the first month to break even. I opened Google and typed in “Valrhona.” Within seconds, I had my answer. “Here we go.”
Gabby peered over my shoulder. “Gourmet Goodies is the closest store. Fifty miles away? No problem. I’ll drive. We’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
“Very funny. How about we go over tomorrow morning? Can you break away from the store?”
She snorted. “Please. Liza will be there, and even if she wasn’t, I don’t think it would be a problem. Something tells me that people aren’t going to come running when they hear it’s reopened.” Gabby hoisted her purse over her shoulder. “Speaking of which, I’d better get over there. Just for giggles, you know.”
“Do you want me to drive you?”
She shook her head. “Nah, it’s not that far. Besides, I need the air.”
I walked with her to the front door. “Call me later, and I’ll pick you up.”
“Thanks, but Lou’s coming to get me. He’s taking me to dinner tonight. At least I have something to look forward to. What about you?”
“I’m going to hang out with Justin for a while. We didn’t get much of a chance to talk last night.”
Gabby frowned. “That’s my fault for interrupting.”
“No, it’s not. I didn’t mean to sound accusatory. Now go to your beloved books. I know they’ve missed you. Then go out and have a great time with your boyfriend, okay? I’ll stop by for you about ten o’clock tomorrow morning. My staff is coming for a quick meeting in the afternoon, and I have some orders to place, so the rest of the day is pretty full.”
She gave me a somber look. “It’s the way you like it. Once the restaurant opens, you’ll be busier than ever. Hey, that’s a good thing, right?” She waved and then disappeared around the corner.
When she was out of sight, I shut the kitchen door and started to clean up. After making sure that the room was spotless, I made a few phone calls to check on Stephanie’s references. They all gave her glowing reviews. What a relief. I immediately dialed the cell number she’d left me but got her voicemail.
“Hi, Stephanie, it’s Tessa Esposito. Could you give me a call when you have a minute?” I recited my number and then clicked off, praying she hadn’t found another job in the meantime. I had no way of knowing if she had interviewed with others, or not. I wasn’t the only restaurant in Harvest Park, although I would have preferred to be.
I made a few other calls, then decided to go home. It was six o’clock and my stomach rumbled with hunger. I’d grab a quick shower and then drive over to Justin’s. He wasn’t expecting me until eight but said to come over anytime.
Luigi met me at the bottom of the stairs, blinking in the evaporating sunlight as if I’d interrupted his afternoon slumber. When I reached down to pet him, he turned up his tail at me and hurried back upstairs. I followed. “What’s this, bud? The cold shoulder?”
He leaped onto my bed and settled himself on Dylan’s pillow. It was his favorite place to sleep, and his purrs comforted me throughout the night.
“Hey.” I scratched Luigi behind the ears, and he rewarded me with a little squeak. “I know I haven’t been around much lately. When I get back tonight, we’ll watch some television together. Okay?”
Luigi shut his eyes, and sounds resembling a V8 engine filled the room. I took that as a good sign and went into the bathroom to shower.
I changed into jeans and a black-and-white polka-dotted shirt my mother had bought me for Christmas. As I applied a coat of mascara to my lashes, my dark eyes stared back at me. There were faint circles of weariness underneath them. I’d had a difficult time sleeping since Dylan’s death, but now I had to worry about being a suspect in a murder case as well.
After blow-drying my hair, I started to pull it back into a ponytail but decided to leave it loose around my shoulders. I added a shiny pink coat of lip balm and was ready to leave. I gave Luigi a hug, grabbed my keys, and locked up the house. When I sat down in the driver’s seat, the clock on my dashboard read seven o’clock. I hoped that Justin would open up to me tonight. Plus, it would help take my mind off everything else happening in my own life.
As I turned down Justin’s road, a woman emerged from his front door. Surprised by this unexpected person, I drove past his house and down a side street. I made a U-turn and proceeded slowly back up the road, stopping a couple of houses away. Justin was standing on the front porch in jeans and a striped blue-and-white Oxford talking to the mystery woman. The weather had turned cool, and the hood of her pink sweatshirt was pulled over her head, shielding her face from my view. The jeans on her slim figure and sweatshirt gave no clue as to who she was. She kept touching Justin on the arm, and he didn’t move away. She must have been doing all the talking, because his mouth didn’t move as he watched her.
After a minute, Justin spoke briefly, and then he nodded. A dusky pink twilight had settled, forming a picturesque background behind the two.
The woman reached out and put her arms around Justin. He didn’t move. She ran down the porch steps, turned and waved to him, then let herself into a red convertible. He watched as it pulled out of his driveway, hands thrust deep into his jeans pockets until her car was out of sight.
When Justin finally went inside, I moved the car down the street past his house, praying he wouldn’t look out a window and see me. I took a left onto the next street and pulled into my own driveway.
I didn’t know what to do. Should I go over to his house for dinner as planned? Would he still want company?
My watch read seven fifteen. Justin wasn’t expecting me for at least forty-five minutes. I needed something to settle my stomach. Carlita’s bakery was closed for the night, but Java Time was still open. Archie had amazing cinnamon rolls, and one of those would hit the spot right now.
Once Upon a Bookstore’s lig
hts were off when I passed. I found a parking spot in front of Java Time, locked my car, and went inside.
The place was deserted. The delicious, inviting scents of cinnamon and chocolate wafted through the air, which soothed me. There were a few tables, and a solitary booth in the back. The entire shop was cozy, with dark wood veneer walls and a pine beam ceiling overhead. Framed photographs of the shop over the years decorated the comfortable space, with other memorable pictures of Archie’s deceased wife, Ella, and their kids. Archie’s shop was the longest-running business in Harvest Park and a staple in our community.
Archie was sweeping the floor and glanced up when the door opened. He gave me a megawatt smile that caused his large jowls to droop in the process. Archie’s persona was similar to that of a bartender—serving up specialty drinks while being a sympathetic listener with no judgment. He preferred to hear about you instead of talking about himself.
Next to the dark roast, my personal favorite was his peppermint hot chocolate with homemade whipped cream—a treat only served during the holidays. Archie’s kids were grown and had moved out of state, except for one son, Jake, who also worked in the shop. Customers had become Archie’s extended family over the years.
Archie stuck the broom in a corner, took off his Giants cap, and scratched the top of his balding head thoughtfully. “Well now, this is a nice surprise. I never see you in here this late. How’s everything going with the restaurant, honey?”
“It’s coming along.” I smiled at him fondly. Archie had been a dear friend since I was a child and was like a father figure, especially since my own had died.
“What can I get you?” He moved behind the counter and washed his hands in the sink.
I studied the contents of the case intently. “No cinnamon rolls left?”
“I’m fresh out, but I’ve got some good-looking croissants leftover from Carlita’s bakery. Or do you want your usual dark roast?”
“No, I’m afraid it will keep me up. I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
He nodded in understanding. “I went through that after Ella died, too. For a long time. Some days it felt like it was never going to end. But it will get better, honey. Trust me.”
“I hope so.”
Archie winked. “I know what you’d really like. A cup of my peppermint hot chocolate.”
My jaw dropped. “I’d love one. But it’s not in season.”
He chuckled. “Wrong. I always have a little on hand for special customers. You need to keep it a secret, though.”
“You’re the best.” I placed a five-dollar bill on the counter and stared at the pastries again. Next to the croissants a few of Carlita’s chocolate crème doughnuts remained in the display case. “Since when did you start carrying baked goods from Sweet Treats?”
Archie placed my drink in front of me. “Carlita asked me if I would. Seems her business has dropped off a bit lately, and she thought that if people had easier access it might drive sales back up. I told Carlita maybe she ought to think about extending her hours until six o’clock every evening instead of five. She might get more traffic from people on their way home from work.” He leaned over the counter. “Now tell me what’s really bothering you.”
Where to start? “You know me too well. The grand opening is making me nervous. I need it to be a success, but with everything that’s happened at Gabby’s bookstore and the fact that I made desserts for—well, you know the deal. The new detective in town is taking a hard look at us.”
He stroked his white whiskers thoughtfully. “It’s a lousy rap for you both. Does Gino have any idea who killed her?” Since Daphne, Gabby, and I had gone to school together, Archie knew who she was. His coffee shop had been a favorite hangout for many of us back then. While our lives had changed considerably over the years, Archie’s shop had remained a constant.
I took a long sip of my drink, letting the rich chocolate roll over my tongue. “Oh, so good. I’ve missed this.” There was no reason to keep information from Archie about the murder. He could be trusted, and like me, he had Gabby’s best interest at heart. “Gino’s not allowed to work the case because of his relationship with Gabby. Daphne had a shellfish allergy, and they found shrimp powder in the cannoli.”
Archie’s caterpillar-like white eyebrows rose in alarm. “The cannoli you made?”
“No. That’s the strange part. When Gabby and I locked up, the cannoli weren’t in the store. We took the extras home with us. Whoever met Daphne there must have brought their own cannoli with them. They may have—watched her die.” How horrible was that? To stand and watch her struggle, while making sure that her EpiPen was out of reach. Maybe Daphne had even begged for it. I shivered. “The way I figure, someone at the signing saw her devouring my cannoli and knew about her allergy. And they hoped to either pin it on me or Gabby.”
Archie frowned. “Sounds like you’re on the right track. I remember Daphne coming in here for coffee when you ladies were in high school. She was a pretty little thing but always so uppity. Had a new boyfriend every week, too, if I remember right.”
Oh, if Archie had only known the half of it.
He pursed his lips together. “I haven’t seen her father for a long time but believe he still lives in town somewhere. I know that he’s been in poor health. To her credit, I did hear that Daphne always took good care of her dad.”
“Really?” This surprised me, but it was nice to know Daphne had been human after all.
Archie went on. “As a matter of fact, I saw her in here about a week before the book signing. I tried to ask her how he was, but she pretended she didn’t know me.”
That sounded more like the Daphne I’d known. Archie would give you the shirt off his back, and it annoyed me she’d behaved that way toward him. “Was she alone?”
Archie hesitated. “Ah, no. She was with a man.”
“It was Lorenzo, wasn’t it?”
Archie’s mouth dropped open in surprise, and he looked slightly disappointed. Like Carlita, he enjoyed being the first one in town to deliver the news. “That’s right. What made you think of him?”
I took another sip of my drink. “Because he’s a suspect in her murder. They were involved, Arch.”
“Yeah, I guessed that,” he said grimly. “Lorenzo kissed her as soon as she sat down and she acted upset about it. Then Daphne stared around the room, as if afraid someone had seen them. After a couple of minutes, she got up and left, and he looked like he’d lost his best friend.” Archie shook his head. “That kid never had much sense. Don’t get me wrong. I think the world of Carlita and her family—but that one, he’s always been a problem.”
“Lorenzo’s not a bad person,” I protested. “Sure, he likes to have a good time, and the women flock around him. He’s not overly interested in working for a living, either.”
“That’s only the start.” Archie placed his hands flat on the counter’s surface. “This has to stay between the two of us, okay?”
Uh-oh. Hairs rose on the back of my neck. “You’re scaring me. What else do you know?”
Archie leaned over the counter. “Look, I don’t think Lorenzo’s a terrible person and want to believe that he was telling the truth, but I can’t be sure. Maybe he’s changed, but the kid did have some serious issues once upon a time.”
I didn’t like the sound of this. “Why, what else has he done?”
Archie’s jaw tightened. “Lorenzo had quite an angry streak back in high school. He’s the same age as my Jake, remember? He was a hothead—always picking fights with other kids, skipping classes, and smoking cigarettes on school property. One time, Jake spotted him and a few of his friends joyriding through the school’s baseball field late at night. They did some serious damage to the field, and their parents ended up footing the bill for repairs. He’s given Carlita and Giuseppe a lot of headaches over the years.”
“I had no idea he�
�d been in so much trouble.”
“No reason you would,” Archie said simply. “I believe you and Dylan had just gotten married when this all went down. Besides, Carlita and the other parents hoped to keep it under wraps. That was back when I was serving on the town board. A lot of people wanted those kids to do community service or spend a month in jail, but they got off with a slap on the wrist and a small fine.”
“Well, he was a kid. People make mistakes, and you learn from them.” Why did I insist on defending Lorenzo? I didn’t know him that well, and my own suspicions were already present. But Carlita had asked me to help him. Her children were everything to her, and I didn’t want to see her hurt.
I threw my cup in the trash. “Thanks for the hot chocolate. I need to get going. I’m meeting Justin for dinner.”
Archie looked surprised. “Really? I didn’t even know he was back in town until about an hour ago.”
“Justin was here?”
“No, but his ex-wife was. She said she was on her way to see him. Natalie, right? Beautiful lady. I never saw much of her when they were married, but she seemed friendly enough tonight. We chatted for a bit.”
My stomach twisted at his words. So, it had been Natalie I’d seen Justin with. Why was she back, after all this time? “What was she was going to see him about?”
“No idea. Natalie only said that there was something she needed to take care of, and that she regretted not doing it long ago.” Archie studied my face. “Everything all right? You look a little pale.”
“No, I’m fine. It’s been a rough couple of days, that’s all.” My chest tightened when I remembered Natalie putting her arms around Justin. Hadn’t she caused him enough pain? One thing was for certain—Natalie was back because she clearly wanted something, and I suspected it was Justin. “Thanks again for the hot chocolate. It was amazing.”
He winked. “Anytime. Have a good night, honey. Sleep well.”
It Cannoli Be Murder Page 12
