Sinister Cinnamon Buns

by J Lee Mitchell

  “Make sure you get this right. I’d hate to be misquoted,” Orvis said.

  Spenser looked about to burst with excitement.

  “Castle Creek Gazette gossip hack Spenser Penn was finally silenced today when Castle Creek coroner Orvis Burr shot him in the balls with a Taser.”

  Andy reached for the Taser at his side and started to pull it from its harness as Spenser Penn sneered at Orvis.

  “For a man in your position, Orvis, you really should have more professionalism.”

  Orvis glared at Spenser and held his hand out towards Andy. “Give me that Taser, Andy.”

  Andy took his hand off the Taser and shook his head.

  “Okay, fellas, this was fun, but we have an issue that needs attention inside. Spenser, get back behind the barricade, and if I so much as hear that you or any of your staff has inched a toe over on this side, or given anyone any further grief, I will not hesitate to haul you down to my office and lock you up for impeding this investigation.”

  Spenser didn’t know when to quit.

  “So you admit this is an investigation?”

  Andy reached for the Taser again and, looking directly at Spenser, said, “Here you go, Orvis. Have some fun.”

  Spenser Penn backed up quickly but still pressed his luck as he ducked back under the barricade.

  “The two of you may think you’re cute but we’ll see how cute the people of Castle Creek think you are when I expose your childishness in print.”

  The photographer was now back on the civilian side of the barrier and Mike Collins seemed to have things under control. Andy nodded at his deputy and said loudly, “Mike, if Spenser slithers back over on this side, you have my permission to shoot him.”

  Deputy Collins smiled.

  “With pleasure, Sheriff.”

  As Orvis and Andy made their way towards the front doors of the studio, Orvis glanced sideways at Andy.

  “I guess we probably shouldn’t rattle his cage too much before the election. You’d think anyone with half a lick of sense wouldn’t vote for Chance Holleran, but people do seem to love every nasty bit of dirt Spenser calls news.”

  Andy bobbed his head in agreement.

  “Yeah, I’d like to think I have a lock on reelection but there’s a lot of people in this town who still feel I had no business running against Rex Holleran. I worry those people might have enough sway for Chance to win.”

  Orvis shook his head.

  “Chance Holleran is a decent deputy but he’s too much like his uncle Rex, if you ask me. He still has a lot to learn about right and wrong before he can climb over you and warm your chair with his ass.”

  Andy laughed and clapped Orvis on the back.

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Orvis. Any chance I can talk you into being my campaign manager?”

  They stepped inside and were enveloped in darkness.

  “Why the hell is everyone working in the dark?”

  Chance Holleran’s voice replied from a few feet away as a flashlight beam cut through the darkness.

  “Power’s out. Looks like someone cut the main line coming into the building from outside.”

  “So what else have we got?” Andy asked his deputy.

  “Honestly, Andy, what we’ve got is a huge barrel of shit. Macie Dixon is dead, and it doesn’t appear to be an accident from what I’ve seen so far. I locked down the main scene and told everyone to stay put and not touch anything until you two got here.”

  “Macie Dixon? Dear God, she’s just a baby. Has the family been notified yet?” Orvis asked.

  “Hell no. I’m not sheriff yet. I do not want to be the one to tell Red Dixon his daughter’s dead. That unpleasant task is all Andy’s.”

  Before Andy could comment, the lights snapped on with a whoosh and he could see Macie Dixon’s body lying on the floor a few feet down the hall.

  “Burl Smith’s on the ambulance crew tonight. His dad is the maintenance guy for the studio. Once EMS determined Macie was gone, I had Burl call his dad in to switch on the secondary power. I figured it would be better for the scene to have people working in the light so they aren’t disturbing potential evidence.”

  “Good call,” Andy said. “Get hold of Billy Jarvis and get him down here to help Mike with crowd control. It’s getting kind of rowdy out there, and I need you in here. Don't tell him about Macie, though. Just tell him it’s crowd control. I don’t want any information getting out until I’ve had a chance to notify the family.”

  Chapter 18

  Andy had just finished his examination of television station grounds and was about to go over Hadleigh’s statement with Chance when his radio squelched, and a panicked Mike Collins informed him that Red and Cookie Dixon had pushed past him and were on their way inside.

  “Shit! That’s all I need right now. We’re not even finished processing the damn scene yet.”

  Chance laughed.

  “I bet Red’s going to rip you a new one for not calling him sooner. Remind me to find out who did tell him, so I can thank them in my acceptance speech when I become sheriff.”

  Andy scowled at his deputy.

  “You don’t get to make an acceptance speech, you jackass.”

  Before he could say anything else, Andy heard Red Dixon’s voice carrying all the way down the hall.

  “Where the hell is Sheriff Hansen?”

  Andy carefully stepped past the white sheet covering Macie’s body and quickly moved down the hall in hopes of stopping the Dixons before they saw the body. No one, not even an ass like Red Dixon, should have to see their child like that, Andy thought to himself.

  Andy rounded the corner and almost collided with Red, who looked like he was possessed. Red shoved a finger into Andy’s shoulder so hard Andy felt like it went right through his skin.

  “Where is my daughter? I want to see her right now.”

  Andy raised both hands to calm Red down but Red surprised him by grabbing both his wrists and slamming him against the wall.

  “Take me to my daughter now!”

  Spittle flew from Red’s mouth like the foamy bark of a rabid dog.

  A perfectly manicured hand ending in blood red nails appeared in Andy’s face and then pressed itself into Red’s chest. Cookie Dixon had a high-pitched voice that grated on your nerves like someone snapping their gum in church. “Damn it, Red, you need to calm down. We don’t even know that it’s Macie that’s dead.”

  Cookie’s words seemed to break something in Red. He let go of Andy, leaned back against the opposite wall, and started to sob.

  “I just want to see my princess. Please tell me it isn’t her.”

  Andy had never been a fan of Red Dixon but right now his heart was breaking for the man. He hated this part of his job, but it had to be done. He smoothed his shirt and tucked it back in then ran a hand across his face.

  Andy stooped down and locked eyes with Red. Red looked up at him with tear-soaked cheeks, his face both hopeful and contorted with fear.

  Andy cleared his throat and said softly, “I’m so sorry, Red.”

  Red Dixon made a noise that was part wail and part roar. “Nooooo. Not my baby, not my Macie.”

  He began sobbing again and muttering unintelligibly.

  Andy looked up at Cookie who, to his surprise, looked bored.

  “I know this must be a shock. I’ll give the two of you a few minutes to process all this. When you’re ready, I’ll be out front in the lobby and I can fill you in on what we know so far.”

  “What you know so far? What do you mean, what you know so far? What you’d better know is where Liddy Lou Cormier is and when she is going to be arrested for killing Macie.”

  Cookie’s words took Andy a second to process.

  “Okay, slow down a minute. What does Liddy Lou Cormier have to do with any of this, and why are you assuming Macie’s death was murder? We haven’t established anything yet.”

  Cookie looked at Andy like he was the dumbest man on the planet.

&nb
sp; “Of course it was murder, Sheriff. Macie was a young, healthy female so her death certainly wasn’t natural, and the only person in this town with a reason to want Macie dead is Liddy Lou Cormier.”

  Andy took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  “I’m aware of the bad feelings between Macie and Miss Liddy Lou but it’s way too early to jump to the conclusion that Macie was murdered or that Liddy Lou Cormier killed her. There are no outwardly visible signs of trauma or any immediately identifiable cause of death, but I promise you we will get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.”

  “Will you, Sheriff?” Cookie asked. “Maybe you’re just dragging your heels because you’re sleeping with Liddy Lou Cormier’s granddaughter and arresting Liddy Lou would cause you a whole passel of problems in your love life.”

  Red was now standing up.

  “Stop it, Cookie, just stop. My baby is dead. I don’t want to argue, I just want to see my Macie.”

  Andy placed a hand on Red’s shoulder.

  “Red, you have my word. As soon as Orvis is finished I’ll make arrangements for you to see Macie.”

  Red stifled back a sob.

  “Be honest with me, Andy, did she suffer?”

  “It doesn’t appear that way.”

  Cookie snorted.

  “Oh yes, I’m sure Liddy Lou Cormier weighed all her options and then chose to kill Macie with kindness.”

  Andy was losing his patience with Cookie Dixon, but he reminded himself the Dixons had just lost a child and he needed to cut them some slack.

  “Cookie, I promise you we’re going to look into every lead regardless of where it takes us.”

  Cookie rolled her eyes and was about to say something else when Red held up a hand and just said, “Stop, please.”

  Andy seized the opportunity to walk Red and Cookie to the lobby and asked Deputy Collins to keep anyone else out of the building unless they were with law enforcement or EMS. As he made his way back towards the crime scene, he saw Cookie was making a halfhearted attempt to comfort Red. It struck Andy as odd that she seemed more annoyed than distraught.

  Chapter 19

  Orvis was writing up his report when Andy returned. He looked up from his tablet. “How’s Red?”

  “He’s a mess, but I would be, too, if this was my child. I promised him we’d let him see Macie before you take her. Hope that isn’t going to be too much of an issue.”

  Orvis nodded.

  “I need an official ID, so I can let him view the body.”

  “What is your best guess as to COD at this point?” Andy asked.

  “Well, I don’t think you’re going to like this much but based on what I’ve seen so far I’d say she was poisoned. I won’t know for sure until I do the autopsy and we get some tox results back.”

  “Poison? Could it have been accidental?”

  Orvis shook his head.

  “I doubt it but I’m not ruling anything out for now. Chance found something inside I think you should see.”

  Andy carefully stepped around the sheet-covered body still lying in the doorway. Chance Holleran was photographing the room. He looked up as Andy entered.

  “You look pretty intact. Guess old Red must have gone easy on you.”

  “For God’s sake, Chance, the man just found out his only child is gone. I’d have let him deck me if it would have helped. He’s completely devastated, and broken people can’t always control themselves. Dealing with this kind of thing comes with the job, so you’d better right yourself with it if you want my badge or you sure won’t be able to keep hold of it for long. Now quit your yapping and tell me what you found.”

  Chance crossed the room to a small table in the corner where a gift basket was sitting. The basket was full of cookies, homemade jam, and a plate of plump, gooey cinnamon buns. A bun with several bites missing was bagged separately and tagged as evidence, as was a note card Andy assumed had come with the basket.

  His chest started to tighten when he saw the bright red ribbon with gold embossed lettering lying next to the basket. He’d seen Q’Bita making up similar baskets for the guest rooms at the Red Herring Inn.

  Andy tugged on a pair of gloves, picked up the ribbon, and started to pull it through his fingers. The tightness in his chest quickly became a stabbing pain as the words Welcome and Red Herring Inn unwound before his eyes.

  Behind him Chance cleared his throat.

  “Um, you might want to look at that note.”

  Andy placed the ribbon back on the table next to the basket and picked up the evidence bag containing the note. He gently removed the note from the bag and saw the gold embossed RHI on the front of the card. Dread coursed through his veins as he read the note.

  “Macie, I hope you’ll accept this small token of peace. I feel just terrible about how I’ve behaved recently and want to apologize. I hope we can put the events of the last few months behind us and move on. I know cinnamon buns are your favorite, so I made these especially for you. Hope you enjoy them. Sincerely, Liddy Lou Cormier.”

  Andy’s hand was trembling as he finished reading the note, and he could feel Chance’s eyes on the back of his neck watching for a reaction. He took a deep breath and carefully placed the note back in the evidence bag and sealed it. He turned to face his deputy hoping his face didn’t show the thousand emotions bubbling up inside him. “Got anything else you want to show me?”

  “What else do you need? Macie obviously opened the basket, started to eat one of those cinnamon buns, and died from some type of poison before she could even finish it. The part that gets me is why Liddy Lou Cormier would be so dumb as to use a gift basket from her own inn and then further implicate herself by including a signed note.”

  Andy’s first reaction was to defend Liddy Lou but given the circumstances he wasn’t sure what to think.

  “I just cannot believe Liddy Lou Cormier has it in her to commit murder. The whole thing seems too staged to me. I understand Macie’s assistant found the body. What does she have to say about all this?”

  Chance pulled out a notebook and flipped through the pages. “Well, Miss Banks says they wrapped early today so the crew could attend the film festival in Charleston. Macie wasn’t feeling well and decided to stay here. I asked her about the gift basket and she stated it wasn’t here when she left so it must have arrived sometime after 4:45 PM.

  She tried calling Macie on her way back from Charleston and became concerned when Macie wasn’t picking up so decided to come here to check on her.

  Probably the most useful thing she gave us was that the front doors are locked after 5:30 PM and only accessible by pass key. When she got here the doors were open a crack and the power was already out.”

  “That’s it?” Andy asked.

  “Yep. Not much useful there.”

  “Well, maybe, maybe not. Track down the station manager or security folks and see if they have cameras or door access reports that might tell us who was coming and going today.”

  “How come I’m doing grunt work? Thought that’s why we had Mike.”

  Andy could feel the back of his neck starting to get warm, and his jaw was twitching. It took all his self-control sometimes to not lose his temper with Chance.

  “Because Mike is busy dealing with crowd control. If you want, I can switch you two out, and you can stand outside in front of half the town with your thumb up your ass. I hear Spenser Penn is out there; might make for a few good promo pictures for your campaign.”

  Chance rolled his eyes at Andy and flipped him the bird on the way out the door.

  Orvis Burr popped his head in the doorway and let Andy know they were going to move the body to a gurney in the hallway so the Dixons could have a few minutes before EMS left for the morgue.

  “Okay. Once you’re done I’m going to close this door. There’s a few things Chance documented that I want to look over before we seal up the scene.”

  “Anything telling?” asked Orvis.

  Andy sighed, thinking b
ack to the conversation he’d had with Q’Bita about Liddy Lou being close to exploding.

  “Yeah, plenty. I’m just not convinced they’re telling me what they appear to be, or at least I hope they aren’t.”

  Chapter 20

  They had all gathered in the Library. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and lilacs perfumed the room. Liddy Lou folded the morning paper and sat it on the table. Macie Dixon’s death was splashed all over the front page of the Castle Creek Gazette. Her shoulders slumped as she heaved a loud sigh and glanced about at her family.

  “Well, this certainly wasn’t how I expected my morning to start.”

  “I’m sorry to spring this on you first thing in the morning. Andy called late last night with the news, but I didn’t want to wake you,” Q’Bita said as she refilled her grandmother’s coffee cup.

  As she topped off her brother’s cup, Beecher asked, “Did he give any indication about what happened?”

  Before Q’Bita could answer, Rene chimed in, “Am I the only one who thinks it’s absurd and unconscionable that Spenser Penn can make it sound like Liddy Lou is a suspect? God forbid he’d wait to see what really happened and report the facts, but no, spitting venom sells more papers.”

  Q’Bita finished topping off everyone’s coffee and waited for her brother-in-law’s tirade to end.

  “Andy couldn’t say much because it’s an active investigation, but he felt that based on recent events some people might speculate Nana was somehow responsible for Macie’s death.”

  Beecher placed his hand on his grandmother’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

  “Nana, I don’t want you worrying yourself about any of this. We all know you had nothing to do with this, and I’m sure Sheriff Hansen and his people will have this all cleared up by the end of the day.”

  “And what happens if he doesn’t?” asked Rene. “Are we just going to sit back and let Spenser Penn tarnish Liddy Lou’s good name like some hand-me-down silver-plated serving tray? I say we make Kent Haskell earn his retainer for once and have him sue the dockers off that hack for slander and defamation of character.”