A Case for the Cookie Baker
Page 15
“Here, let me help you,” Mike said as he tried to take her from the judge’s arms.
“I’m all right, son. She weighs about as much as a sack of potatoes.”
“Put me in that chair,” she said, as she pointed to a lounger.
Shannon, Lizzie, and I sat down with her.
“Do you know where your brother is?”
I shook my head. “He was supposed to be here but he hasn’t showed up yet.”
“I need you to find him. There’s something he needs to know and I don’t have the energy to tell this story more than once tonight.”
I pulled out my phone and texted my brother 911. We’d promised only to use it for emergencies. That way he’d know it was important.
“I’m here,” he said. He must have been coming up the stairs. “What’s—Gran, what are you doing here?”
“Come here, boy. I have something to tell you.”
She leaned back on the lounger as everyone gathered around her.
“Turn your recorder on—you’re gonna need this.”
She patted Lizzie’s hand. “I’m glad to see you, hon. Are you okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“We’re just happy you’re awake,” Shannon said. “How are you?”
Mrs. Whedon shrugged. She was wearing a track suit in avocado, which was her signature color. Except for the hospital gowns she’d been in, I’d never seen her in any other color.
“I’m all right. A little tired, even though I’ve been sleeping for weeks. That’s why I wanted to talk to you all at once. Did Becky tell you what happened?”
“She…doesn’t remember much,” I said. “Other than the victim touched her.”
Her face fell. “Victim. Why didn’t you tell me?” She glanced up at the judge. “Darn. I didn’t mean to kill him.”
Everyone around us gasped.
Greg cleared his throat. “Maybe start at the beginning,” he said.
“I was walking through the park on my way to see the judge. I guess we’re dating exclusively now, his idea not mine. So, it’s okay for people to know.”
People had known for years.
“You’re not even looking at another man,” the judge grumbled. “And you didn’t technically murder him.”
What did that mean?
“Might as well have. Lizzie, I understand he was a friend of yours, but it didn’t look like it that night. Becky screamed bloody murder. When I walked in, she was fighting for her life. He kept trying to grab her and she was kicking and screaming.
“That’s how I found them. In hindsight, he was probably trying to calm her down, but I yelled. And I guess he reacted by shoving her away.
“She slipped and hit her head on one of the shelves in the freezer.” Gran shivered. “The most blood-curdling sound, I thought he’d killed her. He turned toward me and his eyes were wild, like a crazy man’s. I just reacted. I kicked him in the—well, the last place men like to get kicked. He bent over. And then I gave him an uppercut. I grabbed the heaviest thing I could find. A big old frying pan.”
She frowned, her mouth a tight line. “I must have got him good in the you know whats, because he hit the floor with his knees. That’s when I hit him with everything I had. It was a bone-crunching sound.” She shivered again. “His head spun hard to the right and he tried to stand up. But there was so much blood, his hand slipped and he hit his head again on that steel table.
“He was flat out.
“I opened the freezer door to get Becky out, but I must have slipped on the blood. The last thing I remember is opening that door.”
This time she shuddered. “I’m not usually so klutzy. And I’m sorry for your loss, Lizzie. I promise you, I didn’t mean to kill him. I just needed to get sweet Becky out of that freezer. And I—it looked like he was hurting her.”
Lizzie was sobbing softly, but nodded. “I understand. I do. Anyone would have thought the same thing. I think he thought he was scaring me. He liked to do that, and then Becky—that poor, poor girl. She probably panicked. I would have.”
Gran reached out for Lizzie’s hand. “Hon, the judge told me that he was your ex and a good friend. I just want you to know, there’s no excuse for what happened. I wish—just know that I was trying to protect Becky. That’s all.”
Lizzie took Gran’s hand. “I believe you. It was just a terrible set of circumstances. He was a good man. I want you to know that. More so that you understand he never would have hurt Becky. She had a situation where she was attacked—and she reacted as any of us would. If he was alive, I’d kick him in the nuts. It was a really dumb thing he did.”
Lizzie let go of Gran’s hand. “I need to tell Becky. I think she might still wonder if she killed him.”
“That was my first stop,” Gran said. “I left her crying with relief in her mom and dad’s arms. I just feel so awful about the whole thing.”
Even in the dark, it was evident Gran had grown paler.
“Son, if you’re going to take me to the pokey, I have one favor to ask, even though I don’t have the right to,” she said to Greg.
“No one is going to the pokey,” the judge said angrily and then stared at my brother.
“Gran, I’m a man who learns from my mistakes. Last time I took you to the station, I nearly lost my job. I won’t say that there won’t be some sort of hearing. I have a feeling his family will demand it, but for now, we should get you home and in bed,” Greg said.
“Thank goodness. I really wanted to sleep in my own bed one last time.”
I glanced at my brother and the judge worriedly.
The judge closed his eyes and sighed. “I’ll have to recuse myself but it was self-defense. And there’s not a judge in this county who would say otherwise. I’m happy to talk to the family and tell them exactly that.”
“Please forgive me,” she said to Lizzie.
“Oh, Mrs. Whedon, I do. I promise. I appreciate you telling us so soon, but we really should get you home to rest. Your brain and your body have been through a lot.”
“You’re a good one, Lizzie, and one heck of a baker. I actually dreamed about your blueberry scones more than once when I was out.”
Lizzie laughed, and kissed Gran’s forehead. “I will bring you some over tomorrow.”
That my new friend could be so forgiving proved that I had good instincts. Not that I needed that sort of affirmation.
By the time Jake and I made it home with George and Julia Roberts, I was exhausted, and at the same time my brain was still going a thousand miles a minute. I sat down on the couch, and Jake did the same.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, that was a lot to process.”
“I agree. Leave it to Gran to make the whole thing so dramatic.”
I smiled. “Right. She wakes up from a coma. Throws on a green track suit and orders the judge to take her to Becky’s room. And then carry her up two flights of stairs.”
“I think he might be sweet on her,” he joked.
“You think?” I laughed. It felt good. For the first time in weeks, it felt like I could relax. I leaned against his shoulder.
“Do you think she might go to jail? I mean the judge is pretty powerful in these parts, but Mort was a successful businessman, and his family pulls some weight in these parts.”
“True. But think about it. His brother already figured that Mort had scared Becky. He seemed to take it well at the party when we all thought Becky killed him.”
“What I can’t get over is how does she have that kind of arm strength?” Jake said.
I laughed again. “I asked her the same thing. She said it must have been all the weaving yarn and carrying around potting soil. She does love to knit and her garden.”
Jake’s face tightened. His mouth went into a straight line and his eyebrows drew together.
That was his I need to talk to you about something important face.
What now? My brain wasn’t ready for drama. Had I missed something about the case?<
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“Seeing the judge and Gran tonight—there’s been something I’ve been trying to do since before your birthday. I was going to do it on your birthday, but we were worried about George. And then again under the fireworks tonight—but that was sidetracked.”
My heart skipped a beat.
He reached in his pocket and pulled out a velvet box.
“You always say your favorite place is on this couch with me and George, and now Julia Roberts,” Jake said.
“I’d get on one knee, but I’m still having trouble with my ankle.”
“Jake. You—I—”
He held up a hand. “Don’t say anything yet. Just listen. I want to get this out before we’re interrupted again. I love you, Ainsley. Every stinking thing about you. Your beautiful heart and equally gorgeous face. You smell like strawberries, and you have a brain that is so incredible.
“I love George and Julia. I love that you will do anything for your friends. Maybe not the dangerous part of that, but I respect the lengths you’ll go to for them. I know we said we’d wait for this, but I don’t want to. Not anymore. Life is short and I want to marry you, Ainsley McGregor, and you’d better say yes.”
“I should have never told you I liked your bossy side,” I said, and then winked at him.
He smiled back, and my heart tugged in my chest. There was never going to be a man I loved more than Jake. He was everything.
After opening the box, which held the most beautiful diamond, he waited patiently.
“You didn’t actually ask me the question.” I laughed.
His eyes went wide. “Ainsley, will you marry me?”
I started laughing, and he did too.
Our friends busted through the back door of my kitchen carrying champagne and glasses.
Everyone I loved, with the exception of Gran, surrounded us.
George barked.
“So is that a yes?”
I smiled. “Well…”
The End
Want more? Check out Ainsley and George Clooney’s last adventure in A Case for the Candle Maker!
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If you enjoyed A Case for the Cookie Baker, you’ll love the other books in….
The Ainsley McGregor series
Book 1: A Case for the Winemaker
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Book 2: A Case for the Yarn Maker
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Book 3: A Case for the Toy Maker
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Book 4: A Case for the Candle Maker
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Book 5: A Case for the Cookie Baker
View the series here!
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About the Author
Bestselling and award-winning author Candace Havens has had more than thirty novels published. She is one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities from George Clooney to Chris Pratt. She does film reviews on Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3 KSCS.
Visit her website at candacehavens.com
Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @CandaceHavens
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