Trouble and Treats (A Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery Book 6)

by Cindy Bell

  “Let’s make it a quiet entry.” Charlotte nodded.

  Ally led her grandmother through the small gate that led to a patch of backyard. She moved up the steps as silently as she could and peeked under a small flower pot. As she suspected the key was there. Her stomach twisted. Did Gary know that, too? Was that how he let himself into the house? She reached into her purse and pulled out a tissue. As she plucked the key from the ground she was careful not to leave any fingerprints on it.

  “He could come home at any time, we need to make this quick.”

  “Yes, we do.” Charlotte glanced over her shoulder. “Hurry.”

  Ally nodded and unlocked the door, then pushed it slowly open. She held her breath as she waited for someone to come charging towards her.

  After no one barreled down the hall Ally took a step inside the house. The stillness of it was unsettling. No one was there to explain why the tile was pried up in the corner of the kitchen. No one pointed out the hall closet where she could hang her jacket or leave her purse. Instead, her muffled footsteps were all that filled her ears. She glanced back as her grandmother started to follow after her.

  “Mee-Maw, don’t you think it would be better if you waited by the door? Then you can tell me if anyone comes.”

  “All right, but be careful, Ally. I don’t want to have to explain any of this to Luke.”

  “Thanks for your concern.” Ally flashed her a smile then shook her head. She continued down the hall out of the kitchen and into the living room. Everything was just as it had been the day before. Not a cushion out of place. Why would anyone want to leave such a beautiful home? Maybe Emma hoped that she would finally be able to evade Gary. Maybe that was enough reason for her to pull up her roots and move on. She paused in the living room and checked under the couch cushions. She looked inside the drawers in the desk in the corner. She opened the doors of a large wooden cabinet and discovered a television, along with other electronics. Nothing out of the ordinary.

  As Ally walked back towards the stairs she tried not to think about what she’d seen that fateful night. She climbed the stairs two at a time and headed for the master bedroom. Once inside she discovered that it was not as tidy. The blanket was crumpled on the floor. Pillows were strewn about. The contents of the closet had been emptied out onto the floor. With everything scattered about it looked similar to the shop. Had someone been searching through Jack’s house, too?

  Ally started to pick through the clothes that were scattered on the floor. It was hard to overlook the fact that she dug through dresses and blouses that Emma once wore. Underneath the clothes were shoe boxes, opened and emptied. On a hunch she walked over to the dresser and checked the jewelry box. There were plenty of necklaces and rings inside. It wasn’t obvious that anything had been taken. Downstairs was immaculate. Why would someone only search the bedroom? She turned towards the bed and decided to look underneath. But as she crouched down to take a look her cell phone rang. She didn’t have to check it to know that it was her grandmother, as she hung up after the first ring. That was the signal for her to get out of the house. Her heart started to race. Was Jack back?

  Ally ran to the bedroom window that overlooked the driveway just in time to see Jack step out of his car and head towards the front door. This was it. She was going to be caught, and Luke would be notified of her arrest. She could only hope that her grandmother was back at the car and driving away. She had to think fast to get out of the bedroom and down the stairs without Jack seeing her.

  Already, she could hear the key in the lock and the sound of the door as it swung open. Then she couldn’t, because her heart pounded so hard in her ears that she couldn’t hear anything else. She heard the stairs creak, one by one, as he ascended them. Minutes, that’s all she had, or mere seconds if she didn’t find a hiding place. The only place she had to go was the bathroom. She jerked the door open and ducked inside. Once inside she ran to the window. When she looked out she realized it was far too high for her to climb down from. She heard Jack in the bedroom. Without a second thought she climbed into the bathtub and pulled the shower curtain enough to hide her frame. If he would just go back downstairs without going into the bathroom, she would be fine. However, as she listened she suspected he headed in her direction. She kept waiting for the moment when he would cry out, or call the police, in reaction to the state of his bedroom. Instead he ventured towards the bathroom door.

  Any second Ally was sure he would discover her. She held her breath, afraid that she would cough or cry out when he walked through the door. Just as he stepped onto the tile floor of the bathroom she heard the doorbell ring. Her eyes squeezed shut as she continued to hold her breath. She didn’t want to suddenly gasp for air as she was sure that would draw his attention. He hesitated as if he might ignore the doorbell. But it rang again. He turned and walked out of the bathroom. She gulped down air, but didn’t give herself time to feel relief. She had to get down the stairs and to the back door without him seeing. When she heard him open the front door she rushed towards the stairs. She paused just out of sight and waited.

  “Jack, I’m so sorry to bother you, I know that you’re going through so much.”

  “It’s no bother. What can I help you with, Charlotte?”

  “It’s Ally’s car. I was just on my way into town, and it just conked out right by your driveway. I would have gone to someone else for help, but I saw you pull in, so I thought I’d take a chance.”

  “I can take a look at it if you want. I don’t know that much about cars, but maybe I can get it running for you.”

  “Oh, thank you so much. It’s not too much trouble?”

  “It’s fine. Let’s just take a look at it.” He followed Charlotte out through the door towards the driveway. Ally seized the opportunity and started to race down the stairs. However, when she got to the third step her shoe tilted forward and she lost her footing. With one hand on the railing she was able to catch herself before she slipped. The shock that rippled through her in reaction to almost falling was so potent that she nearly cried out, which would have surely drawn Jack’s attention. The thought that immediately entered her head was whether they were wrong, had Emma just slipped? She ran to the back door and froze near the hedge when she heard the hood of the car slam shut.

  “I don’t see any problems. Maybe you should try starting it again.”

  “Okay, I’ll do that.” Charlotte looked towards the house then got into the driver’s seat. She turned the keys in the ignition and the engine roared to life. “Wow! You must have done something!” She smiled as she stuck her head out the window.

  “No, I don’t think so. I just looked at it.” He leaned against the window frame. “I guess it’s working now though.”

  Charlotte nodded and smiled. “Thanks so much. I appreciate it.”

  “Sure, I guess.” He smiled in return and waved to her as he walked back towards the house. Ally waited until she heard the front door close, then she ran to the car. She ducked down as she crawled into the passenger side.

  “Go, Mee-Maw, get us out of here.” She had just pulled the door shut as her grandmother pulled away from the curb and began to drive.

  “Are you okay?” Charlotte glanced over at her then looked back through the windshield. “I was so worried about you.”

  “I’m okay thanks to you. If you hadn’t drawn him out he would have caught me. Who knows what would have happened then.”

  “Don’t even think about it. Did you find anything?”

  “Not really. Other than the fact that the bedroom was torn apart. I thought that someone must have ransacked it. But when Jack walked in, he didn’t react to it. It wasn’t a surprise to him.”

  “You think he ransacked his own bedroom?”

  “I think he must have. He didn’t call the police, or question what happened.”

  “Maybe he experienced a surge of grief that drove him to do it. People grieve in different ways. He might have become overwhelmed with the reminders
of Emma hanging in the closet.”

  “Maybe.” Ally sighed and rested her head against the window.

  “Or maybe he already knew it was ransacked so it wasn’t a surprise to him. Maybe he just hasn’t tidied it up, yet.”

  “That’s possible.” Ally nodded. “The rest of the house was immaculate from what I could see. But I didn’t have too much time to look around.”

  “Yes, he pulled into the driveway very fast. I’m sorry that I couldn’t give you more time to get out.”

  “Mee-Maw, don’t be sorry. You protected me.” Ally leaned her head back against the seat and sighed again. “That was way too close. Could you imagine if he’d caught me?” She stared out through the windshield. “Let’s head over to Gary’s and see what we can find out.”

  “I’m already going in that direction. But are you sure that you’re up for it, Ally?”

  “I am. I’ll be fine by the time we get there.”

  Ally did her best to settle her nerves on the drive to Gary’s house. However, the more she thought about Jack’s room being a mess, and him not even reacting, the more it bothered her. Why would he tear apart the closet and throw his wife’s clothes on the floor? It didn’t seem like a normal reaction of grief to her. Maybe he was looking for something. But even if he was it seemed odd to her that he would make such a mess and not clean it up after.

  Chapter Nine

  Ally sighed as Charlotte turned the car down the road that led to Gary’s apartment.

  “Do you think he’ll be home?” Ally asked.

  “Maybe. I don’t know. Do you remember what he drove?”

  “A white truck.”

  “Okay, we can keep our eyes peeled for it. Here we are.” Charlotte turned into the parking lot of the apartment complex and parked a few spaces away from the space assigned to Gary’s apartment. It was empty, but Ally knew better than to believe that meant it was safe. Jack’s driveway had been empty, too.

  “Let’s wait a few minutes and make sure he hasn’t just run to the store.”

  “Good idea. Are you sure you want to do this? We can always come back tomorrow,” Charlotte suggested.

  “No, I want to do it now. I want to find out if he’s the one that made the shop into such a mess. The thing that I don’t understand is, how did he get a key? I know I didn’t leave that door unlocked.”

  “I’ll have to check for my keys when we are done here. We can go to my place and I’ll make sure I have mine,” Charlotte said.

  “You’re always so careful, I’m sure that you have them.”

  “Everyone makes mistakes now and then. You let me into my apartment yesterday. Remember?”

  “Yes,” Ally said.

  “And I don’t use the key to lock my front door, I press the button so it’s locked from the inside then pull it closed.” Charlotte glanced in the rearview mirror. “I don’t see anyone coming this way.”

  “All right, let’s go ahead and take a look.” Ally stepped out of the car. She slid sunglasses on in an attempt to hide her features. Charlotte stepped out of the car and joined her. She was wearing a large sunhat. If someone spotted them they didn’t want them to be able to give a good description.

  “Let’s take those stairs.” She pointed to the stairs that would lead to the second floor. Ally climbed the stairs behind her grandmother and paid attention to each concrete step. “This place looks rather seedy. Let’s stay close together.”

  When they got to the door Ally knocked. When there was no reply she knocked again. Again there was no reply. Both she and her grandmother put on gloves.

  Charlotte reached into her purse and pulled out a small nail file. “Keep a lookout.”

  Ally nodded and watched for anyone approaching the apartment. Every shadow, every car that drove past, made her heartbeat quicken.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m picking the lock. I saw it on TV.” Charlotte smiled. Ally’s mouth fell open as she looked at her grandmother.

  “It’s clear. Take your time, Mee-Maw,” Ally said as she looked up and down the corridor again.

  “I don’t need it, we’re in.” Charlotte tucked the file back into her purse.

  “That was fast! How did you manage that?”

  “I’m just that good.” Charlotte winked at her, then shrugged. “Actually, it’s open.” She pushed the door open. “I didn’t have to pick the lock.”

  “I wonder why he would leave his door open. It could be a trap. Let me go in first.”

  “Actually, I don’t think so.” Charlotte pointed to the empty apartment. “I think he left it open because he’s not intending to come back.”

  “Well, what’s a clearer sign of guilt than running?” Ally inched past her grandmother to step inside. “If he left in such a hurry he might have left something behind. We should still take a look around.”

  “Good idea. I’m right behind you.”

  Ally looked through the living room and the kitchen. Every drawer, every shelf, was completely empty. Gary might have left in a rush, but he had taken the time to make sure that he didn’t leave anything behind.

  “I don’t think that we’re going to find anything. It looks like he tried not to leave a trace behind.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure. I’ve never known a man to be spotless.”

  “Mee-Maw, that’s sexist.”

  “Excuse me?” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m just speaking from my own limited experience. I don’t think it would hurt to scour every corner.”

  “I’ll check the bedroom.” Ally left her grandmother and walked into the bedroom. It was not much bigger than a closet, and there was a stripped-down bed against the wall in the corner. Ally crouched down and looked under the bed. She found nothing but dust. She lifted the mattress off the frame and peered under it. There wasn’t anything to find but an old coffee stain. She set the mattress back down and looked around. A wire stuck out of the wall in the opposite corner. The small window had the shade pulled down. As she walked towards it the shade rolled up with a loud snap. She jumped at the sound and a cry escaped her lips.

  “Ally? Are you okay?” Charlotte burst through the door into the room. “I heard you scream.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. The shade rolled up and it startled me.” She walked towards the window to pull the shade back down. When she reached for it she noticed a piece of paper on the windowsill. She picked it up. “She was mine first.” Her eyes widened as she read the words out loud.

  “Let me see that.” Charlotte held out her hand. Ally placed the note in her grandmother’s hand. “As I said, they always leave something behind. I wonder if he meant to leave this behind in Emma’s house.”

  “Why else would he write a note like this? It seems like a threat to me.” Ally peered at it. “It is torn, like part of it is missing. There’s nothing else on the windowsill.”

  “Maybe he thought he grabbed the whole note, but a piece of it was stuck in the screen.”

  “I wish we had the whole thing, but this is a lot. We can take it to Luke.”

  “Or, you can show it to me now.” Ally jumped again at the sound of a voice behind her. She turned to see Luke in the doorway of the bedroom.

  “Luke? What are you doing here?”

  “What am I doing here?” He held out his hand for the piece of paper. Charlotte handed it over to him. “I was wondering what you’re doing here. I overheard a call to the station from the next door neighbor that someone was lurking around a vacant apartment. When I heard the address I suspected it might be you two, so I told the patrol officer I would check it out for him, and here I am.” He glanced down at the note in his hand. “This does seem pretty threatening, but we’re not going to be able to use it.”

  “What? Why not?” Ally asked. “It has to show motive.”

  “It might, if this apartment was still rented to Gary. It’s not. That’s why it’s empty. He broke his lease and moved out. Which means anyone could have been in here, and
anyone could have left that note. Besides that, we don’t have the whole thing.”

  “You don’t think you can find Gary’s fingerprints on it?” Charlotte peered at the note.

  “No, I don’t. Even if we did, it wouldn’t be enough. Maybe it’s from his diary, maybe it’s from something unrelated to Emma. Even if we could prove that it was about Emma, that doesn’t mean that her death wasn’t an accident. Did you find anything else?” He met Ally’s eyes. “Since I’m sure you’ve scoured the place.”

  “I haven’t checked the bathroom, yet. Or the closet.” Ally walked towards it, but Luke stepped in front of it.

  “Let me. At least I can’t be arrested for being here.”

  “Good point.” Ally smiled at him as he opened the door to the closet. Bare wire hangers hung from the metal pole stretched across the closet. Layers of dust covered the closet floor.

  “Nothing here.” Luke shook his head.

  “Wait, what’s that?” Ally pointed to a small shelf on the side wall of the closet. “It seems out of place here. Anything to it?”

  Luke looked at the shelf. “Nothing but dust.” He started to pull his hand away, then stopped. “Hm, something’s not right.” He pulled a glove out of his pocket, he put it on and tugged on the shelf and it came right off the wall. Behind it was a small hole in the closet about the width of the shelf. He reached inside and pulled out a stack of photographs.

  “Well, now this is interesting.” He held them carefully with one hand and thumbed through them with the gloved hand. “It looks to me like Gary had quite an obsession.”

  “That’s Emma and Jack.” Ally stared at the pictures.

  “Some are. But there’s at least ten here of Jack by himself.”

  “Why would he be taking pictures of Jack?” Charlotte squinted at the pictures.