Sinister Cinnamon Buns

by J Lee Mitchell

  Q’Bita reached up with a gloved hand and scratched Rolfie between the ears.

  “Hello, beautiful. Sorry if I interrupted your hunt.”

  Rolfie stopped rubbing and moved up her chest so he was looking directly into Q’Bita’s face. He let out a small yowl of forgiveness and hopped off, prancing away to continue his search for a fresh kill.

  Q’Bita was still lying in the warm grass recovering from her encounter with Rolfie when she heard the crunch of gravel as a car entered the driveway. She pushed up on one elbow to see who’d arrived. A rush of excitement flooded through her as she noticed the words Castle Creek Sheriff Department on the side of the SUV.

  Andy Hansen unfolded himself from the driver’s seat and started towards her.

  “Q’Bita, are you okay?”

  She’d been so excited to see him she’d completely forgotten she was still laying in the grass beside the garden. She stood up and tried to brush away the muddy paw prints from the front of her apron.

  “Oh, I’m fine. Just had a small run-in with Beecher and Rene’s cat. I lost, in case you couldn’t tell.”

  Andy laughed. “Yeah, sorry to say but I think he might have gotten the best of you. He’s a big boy, that one. He managed to traipse over to the Pearson place last week, and Connie called us all worked up, claiming a puma was terrorizing her chickens. Can’t say my deputies were all that impressed when they got there and found Rolfie instead of a puma.”

  Q’Bita removed her gardening gloves and stooped to pick her herb basket. Andy bent down and helped her gather the last of the spilled herbs. They were close enough she could smell his musky cologne and see a small bead of sweat snaking its way beneath the collar of his uniform shirt. They locked gazes, and Q’Bita wondered what it would be like to just lay there in the warm grass kissing his neck and being held in his arms.

  A symphony of squawking and the flapping of wings from the edge of the driveway drew her back to reality. Rolfie had evidently found the chickens.

  Andy smiled at her and extended his hand to help her up. Q’Bita took his hand and pulled herself closer to the handsome sheriff.

  “Let’s get you inside before we end up on Rolfie’s menu. I have something I think you might like.”

  “I just bet you do,” Andy said playfully. “Word on the street has it that you might have a fresh lemon cream tart in there.”

  “Word on the street, you say? Just who have you been talking to?”

  “I had the pleasure of running into your nana and Evie Newsome at the diner this morning. Liddy Lou suggested I stop by and offered up the lemon cream tart as bait. Not that I need any extra motivation to stop by and see you, though.”

  “Nice recovery, Sheriff, but just know that if lemon cream tart is what it takes to have you stop by for a visit, I’ll make one seven days a week.”

  Q’Bita threaded her arm through the crook of Andy’s elbow and steered him towards the side door to the kitchen. A small twinge of guilt bubbled to the surface as she turned to glance back at the kitchen herb garden. She had loved Alain, but even in the beginning of their relationship, he never gave her the kind of butterflies she got when she was close to Andy Hansen.

  As they entered the kitchen, the buttery, yeasty smell of baking bread wrapped them in its embrace.

  “Man, I love the way this place smells. How do you keep so slim, Q’Bita? If I lived here I’d look like Rolfie’s twin.”

  A familiar voice from near the walk-in said, “No, you wouldn’t. I’m pretty sure he’d eat you before he accepted you as his equal. It’s survival of the fattest with that one.”

  Tom Block emerged from the walk-in with a tray containing a crock of French butter, four hard-boiled eggs, a stick of Beecher’s homemade salami, and a small assortment of cheeses. He sat the tray down on the counter and shook Andy’s hand.

  “Sheriff Hansen, always nice to see you. Hope this is a social call and not official business.”

  “Semi-official, actually. One of my informants told me that your daughter had a stash of lemon cream tarts and I had to investigate to make sure this wasn’t a case of possession without intent to distribute.”

  The crime writer in Tom appreciated a good legal play on words so he couldn’t help laughing.

  “Well then, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just grab my baguette out of the warming oven and let you get on with your investigation.”

  Q’Bita tore a big sheet of bee’s wax parchment paper from the roll hanging beneath the spice cabinet and placed it on the counter. She removed the toasty baguette from the warming drawer, laid it in the center of the parchment, and skillfully wrapped it so just the corner of the loaf was exposed. She handed it to her father and gave him a peck on the cheek.

  “Don’t forget the wine. It wouldn’t be a proper picnic without wine.”

  “Oh, that’s your mother’s job. She’s the wine snob in this marriage. I’m more of a bourbon man myself.”

  Andy’s ears perked up at the mention of bourbon.

  “Heck, Tom, I didn’t know you were a bourbon lover. My pappy makes some of the best bourbon in these parts. He’s just about ready to do a tasting of a new sweet mash he’s been perfecting. If you’re up for it and don’t mind a little cigar smoke, you’d be more than welcome to join us Saturday night. We’re going to do a tasting during our weekly poker game.”

  Tom was grinning like a little kid on Christmas morning. “I’d love to. I haven’t had a guy’s night out in forever.”

  Q’Bita felt another little pang of guilt pass through her. She loved that Andy and her family had a good relationship. Alain had never been close to them. She tried to tell herself it was the distance that kept them at arm’s length, but truth be told, Alain just didn’t have any interest in forming a relationship with them. His interest was Q’Bita, and that was as far as it extended.

  As she stood watching the two of them make their plans, it occurred to her that while she’d loved her time spent living in Europe, she’d never been as content as she was right here, right now, in tiny, rural Castle Creek, West Virginia.

  After her father said his goodbyes and left the kitchen, Andy gave Q’Bita a sheepish look.

  “Sorry. I guess I should have asked first. Are you’re okay with me inviting your dad to hang out?”

  “Oh, absolutely. Beecher is going on a hunting trip this weekend, and if dad is hanging out with you, that gives Mom, Rene, Nana, and I a chance to put together some welcome baskets for the guests. Nana’s been pretty upset about everything going on with the book, and it would do her some good to have a girl’s baking and crafting night.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t want to mention it earlier but when I ran into Liddy Lou and Evie at the diner it looked like your nana was having a pretty heated discussion with Hilde Sanders. I imagine Spenser Penn’s column in today’s paper may have had a thing or two to do with that.”

  “You read the gossip page? I pegged you more as a sports page or comics kind of guy.”

  Andy sat down while Q’Bita poured them each a glass of sweet tea. His hand brushed hers as he reached for the glass. His fingertips gently stroked the back of her hand as she sat the glass down in front of him. He looked at her and smiled. They were both wrapped up in the moment until Q’Bita’s mom entered the kitchen.

  “Sorry to interrupt, kids. I’ll just be a second. Tom forgot the honey and the apricots.”

  Andy stood to greet Kari.

  “Mrs. Block. Always a pleasure to see you. This must be my lucky day, getting to see all three of the lovely ladies in this family.”

  Kari blushed. “That’s sweet of you to say, Andy, but there’s no reason to be so formal. You can call me Kari. And I’d say it’s the ladies of this family that are lucky to see you. So polite and handsome.”

  Kari reached out and squeezed his bicep. Q’Bita turned scarlet with embarrassment.

  “Excuse my mother. She’s a closeted romance writer and hopeless flirt.”

  Kari gave her daughter a hu
g and kissed her cheek.

  “I am not closeted. If anyone were to ever connect me to those books, I’d admit I wrote them even if they are complete smutty drivel. I was young and horny, but at least I had the good sense to act out my fantasies on the page instead of in person. Well, at least until your father came along, that is.”

  “Oh my God, Mom, I can’t believe we’re having this conversation in front of Andy. Why don’t I grab those apricots while you grab the honey, so you can get back to your picnic?”

  Andy had clearly sensed Q’Bita was feeling uncomfortable, and the devil in him couldn’t resist turning up the heat a bit.

  “So, Mrs. Block… I mean, Kari. Those smutty books still in print? I’ve been meaning to expand my reading list.”

  His question had come out so lasciviously that Q’Bita felt flush with heat just thinking about Andy reading her Mother’s books.

  As Kari reached the swinging doors to the dining room, she glanced back at Andy and Q’Bita with a wicked smile.

  “I’ll be sure to have Q’Bita stop by with a full set of autographed copies. FYI, they’re a very erotic couple’s read if you’re into that kind of thing.”

  Before Q’Bita could scold her, Kari bumped the doors open with her hip and slipped out of the kitchen.

  Andy turned to look at Q’Bita. Her mouth was still hanging open and she was sure she was the color of a boiled lobster. He looked like he felt bad for her, but the twinkle in his eye told her he also enjoyed knowing that the thought of the two of them reading steamy sex scenes evoked such a reaction.

  “I am so sorry,” Q’Bita sputtered. “We were talking about something before my mother came in.”

  “You’re right, we were, but I’d much rather talk about you bringing me those books.”

  Q’Bita let out the breath she’d been holding since her mother had left the kitchen and shook her head.

  “Andy Hansen, you’re as terrible as she is. Now quit distracting me and get back to our conversation about Spenser’s column.”

  “Oh, right. It was the main topic of conversation at the diner thanks to Hilde Sanders, so I doubt Liddy Lou and Evie are going to enjoy their brunch much.”

  A look of concern flashed across Q’Bita’s face.

  “Oh Lord. Well, this isn’t good. Nana has let this whole mess upset her to the point she might just explode if someone pushes the subject with her. I can’t believe the Castle Creek Gazette would even let Spenser publish such lies.”

  Andy nodded in agreement.

  “This is a small town and people here love a good scandal even if it’s not the least bit true. They also love to spread gossip like wild fire, sometimes to the point the situation boils over, which is exactly why I read the gossip column. It comes in handy to know who’s feuding with whom, or is accused of what, if it gets out of hand and my deputies and I need to sort it all out. Spenser’s column is also how I found out my own deputy is planning to run against me the next election.”

  Q’Bita stood up and moved towards the walk-in.

  “Well, now that we’ve established you have a valid reason for reading the gossip page, how about I get you some of that lemon cream tart? And for the record, Chance Holleran can waste his time and money running against you if he wants, but most of the people in this town respect and admire you so there’s no way he’ll win.”

  Andy laughed.

  “I take it I have your vote, at least? Now, enough with the gossip. I want to get back to hearing about your mom’s books.”

  Q’Bita felt the butterflies return, and for just a minute she let herself wonder what it would be like to lay in bed next to Andy and act out some of the steamier scenes from her mother’s books.

  Chapter 11

  Andy was half-way through his second helping of lemon cream tart, and Q’Bita had just put on a fresh pot of coffee, when Andy’s cell phone buzzed with an incoming text.

  “That’s weird. It’s Chance. I wonder why he didn’t just call. Texting isn’t really his thing.”

  Andy swiped a finger across the screen and opened the text. “You alone?”

  Andy tapped in his reply.

  “Depends. If your next question is what I am wearing, I can promise your performance review is going to be pretty awkward this year.”

  Chance replied quickly.

  “You’re not funny, Andy. We have a situation that might be even more awkward than my review. If you’re still with the girlfriend, you might want to find somewhere private and give me a call at the station.”

  Q’Bita had returned to the counter and was waiting for Andy to finish.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Not sure. He needs me to give him a call. I’m just going to step outside and see what’s up.”

  Andy walked to the far end of the driveway before calling the station. Chance picked on the first ring.

  “Hey, Andy. Can any of the Blocks hear you?”

  “No, I’m outside. What’s up?”

  Andy could hear Chance fidgeting in his seat.

  “Well, I just got a call from Red Dixon, and he’s pissing fire. Seems Macie and Liddy Lou Cormier had a minor altercation at the Castle Creek Diner today, and Red claims Miss Liddy Lou assaulted Macie. He’s headed down here with his pack of legal hyenas, and he’s insisting we arrest Miss Liddy Lou and charge her with a whole wheelbarrow of offenses. Thought you might want to get back here and get this mess under control before things blow up any further.”

  Andy kicked at the stones in the driveway.

  “Son of a bitch! You have to be kidding me. Liddy Lou Cormier is almost eighty years old. Does Red Dixon really think she has it in her to assault anyone? This is just asinine.”

  Chance let out a chuckle.

  “I wouldn’t be so sure of yourself, Andy. Rumor has it Miss Liddy Lou got the best of Macie. Man, I wish I’d been there to see it go down.”

  “For God’s sake, Chance, grow up. I’ll be there in ten minutes, and no one is to go near Liddy Lou Cormier until I get to the bottom of this, you hear me?”

  Andy ended his call and looked back at the Red Herring Inn trying to decide what if anything he should tell Q’Bita. He couldn’t just leave without saying anything, but he also didn’t want to get her or her family all upset until he knew for sure what was going on.

  Before he could decide, Q’Bita opened the kitchen door and came outside. She was scattering hunks a bread around the driveway when she caught sight of Andy.

  “Oh, you’re done. Everything okay?”

  Andy massaged the skin just above his eyebrows and then rubbed his hand down his face while he pondered what to say. He crossed the driveway, closing the distance between them.

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but something’s come up and I’m afraid I’m gonna have to take a raincheck on that coffee.”

  He hesitated and Q’Bita asked, “Nothing serious, I hope?”

  Andy kicked at the stones on the driveway with the toe of his boot, and it made a crunching sound. He glanced up at Q’Bita, who was now standing with both hands on her hips, giving him a look that said she wasn’t going to just let this drop.

  “Okay. Out with it, mister. What aren’t you telling me?”

  Andy moved a few steps closer and put his hands on Q’Bita’s shoulders.

  “I’ll tell you what’s up, but you have to promise to just stay calm and let me do my job. You have my word I’ll get to the bottom of this as quick as possible.”

  Q’Bita made an audible gulping noise and looked up at Andy. “If you have to ask me to stay calm, then we both know that there is very little likelihood I will. If there’s something wrong, you need to tell me straight out.”

  Andy removed his hands, shoving them in his pockets, and took a step back.

  “It appears your nana and Macie Dixon may have had a bit of a row at the diner, and now Red Dixon has his boxer shorts all in a bunch about it. Chance says he’s on his way to the station with his legal guys and wants to press charges.”
>
  Q’Bita’s rosy glow from earlier had now changed to a ghostly pale, and her voice cracked with emotion when she spoke.

  “Charges? Against my nana? But Andy, can they even do that for some silly bickering back and forth?”

  Andy felt the skin on the back of his neck and ears starting to burn. He hated seeing Q’Bita upset.

  “According to what Red said when he spoke to Chance, it sounds like things might have gotten physical between them.”

  Q’Bita’s fear was instantly replaced with anger.

  “Physical? You mean to tell me Macie Dixon put her hands on my nana? My nana wouldn’t hurt a fly. If that wretched brat did anything to hurt my nana the Dixons had better hope they have the best lawyers in all of West Virginia, because I’ve had enough of those people to last me a lifetime, and I’ll make sure Nana sues them for every penny they’ve got.”

  Andy ran his hand down the length of his face again and rubbed at the rough stubble on his chin.

  “Actually, Q’Bita, as much as I can’t believe it, it sounds like Liddy Lou may have been the aggressor. I wasn’t there, so right now all I have is one set of people’s words against another. You know I care about you and I adore your nana, but I have an obligation as sheriff to hear everyone out and to get to the bottom of what really happened. I promise you I’ll keep an open mind and won’t let anyone press charges until I find out what really happened.”

  Andy felt a tightness in his chest as he saw a tear roll down Q’Bita’s cheek. There was a tiny tremble in her lower lip, and she bit down hard to try and hide it.

  “Andy, promise me you’ll handle this, not your deputies. Most people in this town are afraid of upsetting Red and let the Dixons do their thinking for them, and it’s not fair. They’ve done enough damage to Nana already. They shouldn’t get away with anything more.”

  “You have my word. I’d better get down there before Red Dixon has my whole station riled up.”

  Andy reached out and pulled Q’Bita close. She sunk into his chest and hugged him tightly. He could feel her tiny frame shaking and it was melting his resolve. He knew he shouldn’t let his personal relationships impact his work, but he had feelings for Q’Bita he’d never had for any other woman, and he couldn’t help himself.