Changing Fortune Cookies

by P. D. Workman

  “Well...” Of course they would have.

  “We don’t know what time this substitution took place. I’d like you to think about whether you can narrow the timeframe down. And whether everybody in your shop had access during that time.”

  “Just the employees.”

  “Right. I didn’t mean the customers. I just want to know if we can eliminate anyone.”

  Erin sighed unhappily. “Okay. I’ll think it over. Thanks.”

  Erin hung up her phone and looked at Vic. “It couldn’t be any of our employees. They’ve all been just fine… there haven’t been any other problems.”

  “Maybe when they investigate further, they’ll find out something that eliminates them. But until then… we’re going to have to be more careful.”

  Erin started making a list in her head of each employee and whether they had a motive to hurt Joshua.

  Or Mary Lou.

  Or Erin.

  Most of the part-time workers at Auntie Clem’s Bakery were students. They were fine with just working when they could and not earning a living wage. Most of them were still at home, so their major expenses were covered. They earned what they could to pay for clothes or classes and were happy for the experience. They had stepped up when Erin and Vic had gone on a cruise to Alaska. And when they had judged the cooking contest in Whitewater.

  Certainly, none of them had any reason to want to hurt Erin. She paid them. It was because of her that they had been able to find work in Bald Eagle Falls. She and Vic couldn’t think of any problem they might have with Joshua, but they didn’t know the school politics, so they asked Bella in to pick her brain. Bella was the one who had referred the majority of them in the first place, so she knew them better.

  She arrived during the quiet period in the afternoon, when they would be able to talk without being overheard. Bella put on her apron and helped tidy up and put in the afternoon baking so that it wouldn’t be obvious that she was only there to talk about the case. And because Bella always helped out. That’s what the employees at Auntie Clem’s were like. They were like family.

  Bella had already heard the basics about the fortune that Mary Lou had found in her fortune cookie, as had everyone else in town. Erin and Vic filled her in on the sheriff’s suggestion that the fortunes had not been swapped at the restaurant, but in Erin’s office.

  Bella shook her head, her big blonde curls bouncing around her face. Her eyes were big and round. “Somebody who worked here? No one would do that!”

  “That’s what I thought too,” Erin agreed. “But… if it was someone who worked here, we need to figure out who it was, or eliminate them, so that the police department doesn’t spend all of their time looking into who had access here. That would be a waste and… we don’t know how much time Joshua might have.”

  Bella’s blue eyes brimmed with tears. “I can’t believe this is happening. I feel so bad for Joshua. I want to find him and bring him home safe. So badly.”

  “Yeah. We all do. Right now… this is all we can do. Try to help the police out so that they can put their resources into the right places. Not tracking down who at Auntie Clem’s could have tampered with those fortunes.”

  “We don’t even know if the fortunes had anything to do with Joshua,” Vic pointed out. “It sounds like they’re talking about Joshua, but what if they’re not? Or what if it is just someone who wants attention, and they’re just pretending that it has something to do with Josh? Anybody could have added a few extra fortunes in there, just to see what would happen.”

  “A prank,” Erin said.

  “Yes. It could be.”

  “That’s what they said about the note that was left for Mary Lou too. But we know it wasn’t a prank. This is serious. We have to assume that the fortunes are serious too. That they are a real clue to… something.”

  “What did Mary Lou’s say?” Bella asked. “I’ve heard a lot of different stories.” She wrinkled her nose. “Some of them pretty nasty.”

  “It said… that she was never going to find him.”

  Bella’s face was pale. “Man. Talk about cruel. I can’t imagine anyone doing that. Especially anyone at Auntie Clem’s.”

  “Everybody has been so good here,” Erin said. “I feel guilty in even looking at anyone and asking the question. Is there anyone who… might have had a problem with Joshua at school?”

  Bella shrugged. “I always liked the Cox boys, Josh especially. Even Campbell was nice to me, though.”

  “Even Campbell?” Vic repeated.

  “Well, he was kind of a jock, you know? Involved in all of the teams? But I never got any grief from him.” Bella ducked her head. “He was never one of the ones who would… make fun of me for my weight or anything like that. And Josh wasn’t so big on sports, he was more… bookish. More my speed, I guess. We were never that close, but I knew who he was, and he was always nice.”

  “Maybe he wasn’t nice to everyone?” Erin suggested. “Was there anyone he didn’t get along with? Or maybe… an ex-girlfriend who might have a beef with him. Anything like that. Maybe a rival. Someone trying to get higher marks than him in school. I know it sounds stupid, but sometimes people do get upset about the littlest things.”

  Bella pressed her lips together, thinking. She sighed. “We weren’t in many classes together. He did good, but I don’t remember him competing for top marks.”

  “And no girlfriend?” Vic prompted.

  “No. I don’t know if he went out with anyone. There’s kind of a core group of kids at the school who date… but Joshua wasn’t one of them. Might have taken a girl out for ice cream one day, but… no serious relationships that I know about.”

  “Someone who wanted to be a girlfriend?” Erin suggested.

  “Like a stalker?” Bella asked.

  Vic gave Erin a sharp look.

  “No. None that I know about,” Bella admitted. “I guess I’m not much help here. But Joshua was really pretty quiet. I think he got along good with everyone. I can’t think of what anyone would have against him.”

  “Then maybe he’s not the one,” Erin said. “Maybe it’s Mary Lou.” She looked at Vic and Bella, seeking their input.

  “Mary Lou.” Bella rubbed her face, looking uncomfortable. “I gotta say… I’ve always been a little bit scared of her.”

  Erin laughed. “Yeah, I can see that.”

  “Whenever I talk to her, I feel like she’s remembering back when I was four or five and wet my pants at a town picnic. Like she still can’t believe that I would have the nerve…”

  Vic giggled. Bella glared at her.

  “It wasn’t supposed to be funny.”

  “No… but it kind of is. I know exactly the expression you’re talking about.”

  “What does she have on you? I bet you never peed your pants at the picnic.”

  “Uh… there’s the whole transgender thing,” Vic pointed out. “I don’t suppose you’ve ever heard her lecture on how being trans is an offense to God.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Bella’s face flushed pink. “I didn’t even think of that. I’m sorry—I forget sometimes.”

  Vic grinned. “That suits me just fine. I don’t need to be the transgender girl who works at the bakery. I’d rather just be a girl who works at the bakery.”

  Bella nodded shyly.

  “So, Mary Lou,” Erin said, trying to bring them back on point. “Do you think it’s someone she’s hurt or offended? I hate to say it, but I can see her making somebody mad more than Joshua. You don’t think that someone is doing this to get back at her, do you?”

  “I don’t know,” Bella said. “I don’t think anyone would go from Mary Lou giving her that look to deciding to kidnap Joshua. Especially not anyone at Auntie Clem’s.”

  Erin had to admit that was true. She had seen a lot of things since she had come to Bald Eagle Falls, but as a motive for kidnapping, that sounded pretty weak. Especially someone who had kept Joshua for several days now. Kidnapping was something that needed lots of
planning, energy, and follow up. Unless the kidnapper had already gone further than kidnapping and no longer had anyone to look after. Erin didn’t want to think about that. Whoever had taken Joshua had to be taking care of him, looking after his daily needs.

  “If someone took Joshua… then where is he?” Erin mused. “He would have to be somewhere close by, or someone would notice the kidnapper following a different routine. Right? Everyone knows now about Joshua being missing, and wouldn’t someone notice if they were going out of town every day or disappearing for long periods…?”

  Vic considered this, nodding. “I guess… but there are lots of places close by that you could keep someone. Old farms, moonshine shacks, caves, mines…”

  Erin tried to focus on Bella’s face rather than thinking of her own experiences. Bella had been kidnapped and held in a mine, so she knew what that was like, even if it had only been for less than a day. Bella gave a little nod, her expression not changing, but Erin thought she looked a little green.

  “Yeah. I guess. Maybe we should ask, though. Whether anyone has gone on vacation or been taking time off work that they normally wouldn’t…”

  Vic looked in Erin’s direction, and she knew that Vic would also be going over their staff list in her head. Was there anyone who had stopped taking shifts recently? Or changed which shifts she was taking. Erin didn’t come up with anyone, and Vic must not have either, because she didn’t offer anyone.

  “I guess we can’t exactly ask Mary Lou if she had a problem with anyone in town,” Bella said.

  “I’m sure the police will have asked her whether she has any enemies. Or whether Joshua does.” Erin’s chest hurt as she said it. If Mary Lou had given a list of enemies to the police, had Erin headed the list?

  Chapter 27

  It had been a long day. Erin had hoped to get somewhere in her discussion with Vic and Bella. She had hoped that they could identify the kidnapper’s motive and point the police department in the right direction, not just to tell them that they were looking in the wrong direction. Erin was sure it could not have been any of her employees, even though the changed fortunes had been found in the bag that she had there. There had to be some other explanation.

  As far as they could tell, none of the part-time employees would have any reason to do something to hurt Joshua. And it wasn’t for gain since there had been no ransom note. Erin didn’t want to believe that something had happened to Joshua to prevent the kidnapper from making a ransom demand.

  There was, of course, still Charley. She was Erin’s partner in the bakery, and she put in her time too. She had worked several shifts around the right time. It would have been perfectly natural for her to put her purse and other personal items in Erin’s office, just like any of the other employees. And if she had been caught going through the fortunes or files or computer in Erin’s office, she might be accused of being snoopy, but she had the right to look at any of the financial or electronic records for Auntie Clem’s.

  But Erin couldn’t think of any reason Charley would have for wanting to hurt Joshua or Mary Lou. Or Erin. They were sisters and partners in Auntie Clem’s Bakery. It would make no sense for Charley to do anything to jeopardize their relationship. Charley might not get along with Mary Lou. They were both a little prickly and hard to get close to. But Erin hadn’t noticed any major issues between the two of them. And Erin couldn’t think of whether Charley and Joshua had even met.

  She had some fresh, warm cookies that she had made for Stayner. Despite all that she’d had to do that day, she had still held back one tray of cookies and had put it in the oven just before closing so that they would be cooled just enough to transport when she was finished. Willie was picking Vic up, but Erin declined a ride.

  “I’m just going to walk over to the police department. I’ll give these to Officer Stayner and see whether they’ve made any progress today.”

  “We can wait for you,” Vic offered.

  “No. I don’t know how long I’ll be. I’ll just walk home after.”

  “Not if it’s dark. If it’s dark, you call me, okay?”

  Erin nodded. It wouldn’t be dark for a couple more hours, and she wouldn’t be that long. “Sure. Thanks.”

  “We can drop you at the police department on the way home.”

  “I’m just going to walk,” Erin insisted.

  Vic shrugged, giving in. “Guess it won’t hurt you to walk a couple of blocks.”

  Erin waved goodbye and headed out. She was glad for the fresh air and exercise after being at the bakery all day. She didn’t get enough exercise, even though she was on her feet all day at the bakery, back and forth between the kitchen and the front counter. It felt good to stretch her legs and feel the sun on her skin.

  The police department was tucked away into a suite of offices at the town hall; it didn’t have its own building like they did in Whitewater Junction. Erin had not liked the police station at Whitewater, with its glass walls that made her feel like she was in an aquarium.

  Clara Jones was still on reception at the front desk. She would be going home before too long. She gave Erin a measuring look over the top of her rectangular glasses. She pushed back a few strands of reddish, thinning hair. Clara had allowed Erin too many liberties in the office previously and had been reprimanded, so she wasn’t about to let Erin just waltz in because she had a box of cookies.

  “How may I help you, Miss Price?” she asked crisply.

  “I wondered if Officer Stayner is in.” Erin displayed the cookie box. “I have something for him.”

  Clara looked at Erin for a minute before moving. Then she pressed a few keys on her phone and picked up the receiver. “Erin Price here to see you.”

  Erin took a half-step toward the office. Previously Terry’s dedicated office, it was now shared between the two of them. She raised her brows at Clara.

  “Just wait here until he’s ready for you,” Clara said as she firmly placed the receiver back in the cradle.

  Erin stayed where she was, looking around the reception area. It wasn’t like a doctor’s office with inspirational posters or artwork, and magazines to read. There were a couple of hard plastic chairs for visitors, but they were stacked with paper files. Erin didn’t want to stare at Clara, but there wasn’t really anything else for her to do while she was waiting.

  It wasn’t long before Stayner came out to see Erin. A young officer, well-built, intimidating when he wanted to be.

  “Miss Price. If you’ll follow me.”

  Erin had been expecting to just hand over the cookies and thank him, but she obediently followed him back to the office. He sat at his desk—Terry’s desk—and motioned her into the visitor chair.

  Erin sat down. She held up the box of cookies. “I brought you some cookies. I wanted to thank you for everything. For the way that you cleaned everything up at Auntie Clem’s. That was so considerate of you.”

  He looked at the box. “I’m sure you know that law enforcement officers can’t take anything that might be perceived as a bribe.”

  “A bribe?” Erin looked down at it. “It’s just cookies. I’m not asking you to do something, I’m thanking you for what you’ve already done.”

  “You can understand how it looks.”

  “It’s not a bribe. I bring muffins and other treats to the police department all the time.”

  “But that’s to the whole department, and not for one particular thing. This is different.”

  Erin thought it through. “Well, I can just give it to the police department, then. To everyone. Because you guys are always working so hard.”

  He nodded. He still didn’t take the box from her.

  “I’ll give it to Clara on the way out.”

  “Yes, that would be good,” Stayner agreed stiffly.

  “They’re still warm. You should grab one while they’re still all melty.”

  He wiped his mouth. “I will.” He allowed a tiny smile, making his face suddenly boyish instead of so stiff. He quickl
y wiped the expression from his face. Erin put her hands on the arms of her chair to push herself to standing.

  “I wanted to talk to you about the fortunes,” Stayner said, making a motion for her to stay where she was.

  “Oh. I already talked to Sheriff Wilmot about them. He told me that they were substituted at the bakery. I’ve been talking to Vic, but neither of us can figure out why any employee would do that, or who could have a motive to do something to hurt Joshua or Mary Lou. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Actually…”

  Erin’s blood turned icy in her veins. She didn’t want him to tell her that they had a suspect. They thought one of her employees had cold-bloodedly kidnapped Joshua Cox. She couldn’t even wrap her brain around the idea. Who would do anything to hurt Joshua?

  Stayner leaned forward slightly. His eyes were intense, drilling into her. “Our investigation has shown that the fortunes were substituted even before they reached the bakery.”

  “What?” Erin stared at him. “How could that be?”

  “Because you changed your order at the printer. You asked them to add some additional fortunes.”

  “I did?” Erin felt the blood drain from her face. She was glad she was already sitting down. “I didn’t do that.”

  “That’s what Matt Chatman at the Quiki says. You called in with changes after you had sent in the original order.”

  “No. I didn’t do that. Is he sure it was me?”

  Erin knew that he couldn’t be sure because it hadn’t been her.

  Someone had called the Quiki and told them that she wanted different fortunes? She should have checked them when she got the order. She should have checked all of the fortunes, not just a few of them and made sure that they all said what they were supposed to. But that would have been a huge job. How was she to know that they had been changed to something other than what she had ordered?

  “He thought it was,” Stayner admitted. “He said it sounded like you. More or less.”

  “Well, he’s mistaken. It wasn’t me. I don’t know who would have done that. Aren’t there phone records? Can’t you look back to see who it was?”