Brownies, Bodies & Bad Guys

by Leighann Dobbs

  “What are you doing here?” Was it her imagination, or did she hear guilt edge into Jack’s voice?

  Lexy slid her eyes over to meet Jack’s, her heart clenching when she saw how nervous he looked.

  “Sprinkles ran over from my house … I thought you were working?” She glanced from Jack to the woman.

  “Oh, I am. I just came home to pick up these leftovers for supper.” Jack held up a Styrofoam container. Lexy remembered he had said he was going to stop in to pick up his dinner … apparently he had just forgotten to mention it would be with another woman.

  Jack cleared his throat. “Lexy, this is an old friend … Simone.” He gestured to the other woman. “Simone, this is my fiancee, Lexy Baker.”

  The two women narrowed their eyes at each other as they shook hands. Lexy got the distinct impression that Simone was sizing her up much the same way a snake sizes up its prey, right before it attacks.

  “Oh, I didn’t know you were engaged.” Simone snuck a look at Lexy’s ring finger. Lexy wondered if Jack had conveniently forgotten to mention that he had a fiancee or if it simply hadn’t come up in conversation.

  Jack stood off to the side, fidgeting and running his fingers through his hair.

  “Are you working together?” Lexy asked innocently.

  “What? Oh, no. Simone just happened to stop by unexpectedly.”

  “Oh, that was good timing. I mean since you just stopped by the house to pick up your supper.”

  “Actually, I was waiting for Jack,” Simone said. “I’m only in town for a few days and I really wanted to spend some time catching up. I didn’t realize he would be working tonight.”

  You didn’t have enough time the other day? Lexy raised an eyebrow at the other woman but was smart enough not to voice her thoughts.

  Jack came over beside Lexy. He tried to put his arm around her, but she shrugged him off, bending down to pick up Sprinkles instead.

  “Well, I’ll let you two catch up then.” She turned toward the door without even a look at Jack.

  Jack sprinted after her. “Lexy, wait.”

  Her stomach flipped as he grabbed her by her arm and turned her to face him. Looking up into his eyes, she saw a pleading look pass through them. Lexy wrinkled her brow. This was all very confusing … on the one hand, it seemed like Jack was trying to reassure her that everything was fine. But on the other, he had an ex-girlfriend in his kitchen.

  Lexy didn’t know what to think and decided the best course of action was to polish off the bottle of wine she’d left on her kitchen counter before making any rash decisions.

  Jack tried to lean in to kiss her, but she was still holding Sprinkles so he couldn’t get close enough. Which was just fine with Lexy … she wasn’t sure she wanted a kiss from Jack right now.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow,” He said managing to brush his lips against her forehead. “We’re still on for tomorrow night, right?”

  “Sure,” Lexy said, her stomach plummeting as she walked out the door. She wasn’t sure what was going on. She couldn’t say for sure that Jack was cheating on her … it could be all innocent on his part.

  But judging by the looks she was getting from Simone, everything wasn’t all innocent on her part. She could sense a hint of purpose and shrewdness behind those baby blue eyes. Jack might not be doing anything wrong, but Lexy knew one thing for sure … Simone was up to something.

  Chapter Eight

  It was ten minutes till two the next day when Lexy finally managed to get the food for the memorial to the retirement center.

  “I wasn’t sure you were going to make it,” Nans said looking at her watch pointedly.

  “Sorry. I planned on getting here earlier, but I got a late start today.” Mostly due to the bottle of wine I drank last night, Lexy thought.

  Balancing two trays of pastry in her hands, she looked around the room. It was furnished with overstuffed arm chairs and sofas. A comfortable room in hues of blue and green, it had a somber tone to it making it perfect for the occasion.

  Nans and the ladies had brought in a podium, Lexy assumed for some sort of eulogy, as well as some tables. A few of the tables held photographs of Nunzio in various leisure activities at the retirement center—playing bocce, a bingo tournament and a fishing trip some of them had taken in the spring. The pictures made him look like a regular guy. Looking at the photos, Lexy wondered if he really was involved with organized crime.

  Lexy made her way over to one of the empty tables and put the trays down, uncovering them and moving the bars and cookies around to her satisfaction.

  “Do you need any help?” Ida asked.

  “I could use an extra hand getting the rest of this stuff from my car.”

  Nans, Ida and Helen followed Lexy out to the car and she handed them the other trays and some napkins and paper plates.

  “I was wondering if Jack has let anything slip about Nunzio’s case,” Nans whispered as they made their way back inside.

  Lexy frowned at the mention of Jack’s name.

  “Not a thing.” Then she thought of Braxton Daniels. Thinking about the muscle bound F.B.I agent erased the frown.

  “But I did find out the F.B.I. is here looking into it.”

  Nans swiveled her head around so fast Lexy wondered if she would get a stiff neck. “Really?”

  “Yep. He said they’re looking into every angle. But he didn’t give me any details or anything.”

  “Oh, darn. You should try to get to know him better to get information out of him. Was he cute?”

  Lexy cocked an eyebrow at Nans. “First of all, I don’t want to get involved in this investigation and second of all I’m engaged. Remember?”

  Lexy watched the tray of brownies Nans was carrying weave and bob as she waved her free hand in the air. “Of course you are. I didn’t mean for you to sleep with him, but a little flirting never hurt anyone.”

  Lexy thought that over as they placed the trays on the tables. She wondered if Jack had the same philosophy. Maybe she should adopt it herself? The thought of getting to know Braxton Daniels a little better wasn’t all that unappealing—just for the sake of getting information, of course.

  Lexy was glad when people started to file in, interrupting Nans from pressing her further. She busied herself with making sure the coffee carafes were working and the tables were setup properly. She was just about to make her getaway, planning to sneak out and come back a few hours later to clean up, when Nans came over with the woman they had seen in the parking lot the day Nunzio’s car got broken into.

  “Lexy, this is Gina Ricci. Nunzio’s daughter.” Nans introduced them and they shook hands.

  “Lexy owns The Cup and Cake Bakery where all these came from.” Nans spread her hands to indicate the pastries stacked on the tables.

  Lexy smiled and nodded, eyeing the door and wondering how long until she could sneak off. She had a pounding headache and needed a nap. Turning back to the woman, she watched the dozens of rings on her stubby fingers glitter as she loaded up a small plate with brownies and cookies.

  “I’m very sorry about your father,” Lexy said.

  Gina turned to her and Lexy was almost blinded by the reflection from the gaudy rhinestone necklaces she had layered around her neck.

  “Thanks.” Gina leaned in towards her and Lexy caught a whiff of stale cigarette smoke and cheap perfume. “Tell ya the truth, I wasn’t that close to my father. He was never there for me when I was a kid … always off doing God knows what. I’m not that upset at his passing; except for the fact that no one can find his will.”

  Lexy heard Nans take in a sharp breath. “I’m sorry, dear. Did you say the will is missing?”

  Gina nodded, shifting her makeup caked eyes left and then right. “Yes, he was working on a new will which is missing. The lawyer has his old one, of course. But the new one had some changes. It’s causing quite a stir in the family.”

  Lexy exchanged eyebrow raised looks with Nans as they watched Gina walk away,
her black sheer jacket billowing out behind her as she waddled off teetering on six inch high stilettos. Could the missing will be the reason Nunzio’s condo and car were searched?

  “Excuse me. Do these have nuts in them?” A voice at Lexy’s elbow tore her attention from Gina and she turned her head coming face to face with a startling pair of gray eyes. The gray eyes were set under manicured brows on a tanned, handsome face attached to a stocky, medium height body and the look they were giving Lexy said they were interested in more than brownies.

  “Huh? Oh, no … they don’t have nuts.”

  “Good, I’m allergic to nuts.” Gray eyes shot his hand out toward her. “I’m Barry DeLuca, Nunzio’s grandson.”

  Lexy shook his hand. “Lexy Baker … I’m just the caterer.” She nodded toward the pastry table. “Sorry about your grandfather.”

  “Thanks,” he said, still holding her hand.

  Lexy smiled and pulled free from his grasp. She had enough “man” problems without adding this guy to the list.

  Barry shrugged. “I didn’t get to see much of him growing up and I’ve been out in Hollywood most of my adult life so we weren’t close. I’m an actor you know.”

  “Oh, that’s great.” Lexy wondered if he was actually puffing out his chest or if she imagined it. “What have you been in?”

  “Well, mostly commercials. A few bit parts in some of the sitcoms,” he said picking a brownie from the pile and placing it on a small plate. “I only came back for the reunion. Tell you the truth, I can’t wait to get out of here. I forgot how screwed up my family is.”

  “Really?” Lexy asked.

  “Yep.” He leaned in closer to Lexy and lowered his voice. “Most of these people didn’t even like my grandfather. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them killed him.”

  Lexy’s eyes widened and she stared at him, trying to decide if he was joking or not. Barry simply nodded at her, took a bite of his brownie, and sauntered off.

  Lexy elbowed Nans in the ribs. “Did you hear that?”

  Nans turned to her, fiddling with the hearing aid she wore in her right ear. “Sorry dear. I was focused on listening to a conversation over there in the corner.” She nodded toward a well-dressed couple in their mid-forties who had their heads together, apparently whispering about something.

  “How can you hear them?

  “I just turn my hearing aid up … you can hear all sorts of things you shouldn’t with it.” Nans smiled at Lexy. “Now, what were you saying, dear?”

  “Nunzio’s grandson just told me he wouldn’t be surprised if one of his relatives killed the old man.”

  “That’s interesting. The couple in the corner apparently weren’t big fans of Nunzio. The man is Nunzio’s son and the woman his wife. Their conversation made it seem like they were only here to get in his good graces so he wouldn’t cut them out of the will.”

  “You mean the will that no one can find?”

  Nans nodded.

  “Well, if they’re worried about being cut out of the will, maybe some of these others are too?” Lexy scanned the room, wondering if one of them could be the killer.

  “We need to find out if any of his relatives needed money,” Nans said.

  “And which ones hated him enough to kill him.” Ruth, who had just joined them, whispered.

  “Are all of them here?” Lexy asked.

  “Almost. There is one granddaughter—Gina’s daughter, I believe, that isn’t here yet.”

  Lexy’s cell phone vibrated in her apron pocket. She pulled it out and her stomach flipped when she saw the display, it was a text from Jack, the third one today. He seemed to be overly attentive, probably guilt from Lexy finding him in the kitchen with Simone. Lexy figured she’d answer the texts later today. It wouldn't kill Jack to have to wait and wonder. In fact, it might be good for him.

  Lexy slipped the phone back in her pocket with a smile just as she heard a commotion happening over by the door.

  “Hi everyone, I hope I’m not too late for Grampy’s memorial!”

  Lexy glanced over at the singsong voice that cut through the air and her heart froze. Standing in the doorway, in a gorgeous, black designer dress and matching Jimmy Choo rhinestone sandals, was the woman she’d seen in Jack’s kitchen last night—his ex-girlfriend, Simone.

  Chapter Nine

  Lexy was still reeling from seeing Simone at the memorial when she stormed into the kitchen at The Cup and Cake.

  “You won’t believe this!” she sputtered to Cassie who looked up from the task of decorating cupcake tops with one pierced eyebrow raised.

  “What?”

  “Jack’s ex-girlfriend is related to the Mob!”

  “Huh?” Cassie put down the spatula and straightened up from bending over the cupcakes, running her hands through her red tipped blond spiked hairdo.

  “I just saw her at Nunzio’s memorial…she’s his granddaughter!”

  “Are you sure that was his ex?”

  “Yep, I saw her up close at his house last night and then again today. It’s the same girl.”

  “She was at his house?”

  Lexy nodded feeling her stomach clench remembering how she had burst in on them. If Sprinkles hadn’t run over there, she never would have known.

  “That’s weird. You aren’t thinking…?”

  Lexy shrugged. “Well, I really don’t know what to think. I’ve seen them together twice now. If I didn’t know how honest Jack was I’d think he was hiding something from me.”

  Cassie bit her bottom lip. “No. Jack would never cheat on you if that’s what you’re thinking. John said he wasn’t very happy that the ex showed up in town at all.”

  Lexy pressed her lips together. She didn’t want to think the worst of Jack, but she couldn’t forget that she’d seen him with Simone … twice. And those were only the times she’d actually seen them. How many other times were there she didn’t know about? Her cell phone vibrating in her pocket stole her attention. She pulled it out to look at the display. Another text from Jack. She probably should text him back, but making him wait another couple of hours couldn’t hurt.

  She turned with a sigh. “Well, I better get some baking done. Nans and the girls are bringing my trays back after the memorial and I need to get some brownies made before they show up.”

  Lexy peeked out into the front room of the bakery. Her part time helper, Haley was busy cleaning off the self-serve coffee station. It was their slow time of day and Haley could handle the customers, giving her and Cassie some time to get the baking done in the kitchen.

  She grabbed a large stainless steel bowl from the counter, then assembled the ingredients on the table; butter, cocoa powder, flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla, espresso and salt.

  “I still can’t picture Jack dating anyone that had ties to organized crime,” Lexy said as she melted the butter in a small pan on the gas stove.

  “He might not have known she was related. That was a long time ago…before he was even on the police force. You know how it is when you are young. You don’t ask a lot of questions.” Cassie squinted at the batch of cupcakes in front of her trying to place the silver sugar balls she was decorating them with at precise distances from each other.

  Lexy poured the melted butter into the bowl she had on the counter. She supposed that was true.

  Was Simone Jack’s first love?

  Lexy’s heart plummeted down to her stomach. No one ever forgot their first love.

  “I doubt he still has feelings for her,” Cassie said, as if reading her mind. “I mean, how could he possibly be interested in her when he has you?”

  Lexy’s heart warmed and she smiled at her friend. Leave it to Cassie to try to make her feel good. She thought about what Cassie had said as she blended the sugar into the butter.

  The truth was that Jack hadn’t given her any indication that he did have feelings for Simone. In fact, he’d gone out of his way to show her that he didn’t. And he did make a point of letting Simone know he
was engaged to her when he introduced them last night.

  She dumped the rest of the ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture working them together with a spatula.

  And Jack did keep texting her today, which, at least meant he was thinking about her. She was probably reading too much into the whole thing. Lexy resolved to keep an open mind tonight when she went over to his place to grill out.

  Lexy looked down at the rich, dark brown mixture in the bowl, and grabbed her secret ingredient … a bottle of Kahlua. She measured about a quarter cup into the bowl and mixed it in, then took a tasting spoon and scooped up a spoonful.

  The brownie mix melted in her mouth, the chocolate was velvety smooth and the espresso and Kahlua gave it a deep, rich taste. Perfect! She put down the spoon and scraped the batter into a pan.

  “Yoo-hoo, Lexy! We brought back your trays.” Nans appeared in the kitchen doorway, holding her empty serving trays along with a few napkins and plates they apparently hadn’t used at the memorial.

  “Thanks. You can throw them on the counter,” Lexy said over her shoulder as she shoved the brownie pan into the oven.

  “Do you have time to take a break, dear? We have a lot to talk about from everything we learned at the memorial, and you have to tell us more about that blonde girl … Simone, was it?”

  Lexy rolled her eyes. She could see what Nans was up to. Nans knew she couldn’t resist trying to figure things out. Lexy figured the older woman’s plan was to keep Lexy in the loop about the investigation thinking that eventually her curiosity would take over and she’d be in the thick of it with them.

  But Lexy had other, more important things on her mind right now—like a wedding to plan and an ex-girlfriend to fend off. The problem was that she could never refuse Nans, so she pushed off the counter she was leaning on and followed her out to the front.

  ###

  Lexy poured an extra strong coffee for herself and plopped down in one of the cafe chairs, wishing she’d gone home for a nap instead of coming to the bakery.

  “Everyone loved your pastries at the memorial,” Ruth said.