Chocolate-Covered Crime

by Cynthia Hickey

  Who should I visit first? One of the two who had not attended Mae Belle’s funeral? I shook my head. Renee Richards would not be a pleasant visit. She’d be all sugar acting on the outside and acid corroding with her sweet words on the inside. Made me want to gag.

  I also wasn’t comfortable visiting Mountain Shadows’ playboy, Mason White. Not alone anyway. Aunt Eunice already warned me about the type of man Mason was. Maybe she could get away from her sister long enough to go with me.

  The two of them bickered behind the counter. Aunt Claudia insisted on helping pack boxes of assorted chocolates but ate more than she packed. Or else skimped on the candy, leaving the boxes at less than their intended weight. My customers were used to a certain standard of service. We’d hear from them if things weren’t up to par.

  “Just because you’re the oldest doesn’t mean you can boss me around.” Aunt Claudia yanked a box from Aunt Eunice’s hands.

  “It’s my store. That makes me the boss of anyone working here.” Aunt Eunice snatched the box back.

  I raised my eyes at her comment. Actually, I was the boss, considering I owned the place. I’d better go referee what threatened to become a full-scale sibling war.

  “Shouldn’t one of the perks of working in a candy store be sampling the merchandise?” Aunt Claudia plopped on a stool.

  “Yes, but you’ve eaten at least ten pieces, and you don’t technically work here!”

  I removed the box from Aunt Eunice’s clenched fists hoping the chocolates inside weren’t smashed. “Aunt Claudia, we’ll give you this box to take home with you. We don’t expect you to work while you’re grieving. I’ll call Uncle Roy to come and get you.”

  She stomped her foot. “Don’t bother. Seeing as how you’re more interested in making candy than finding out who murdered my baby, I think I’ll hit the pavement. Might scare up some information. You can just bring the stuff home with you.”

  She’d scare up something, all right. However, I doubted it would be clues. She marched out of the store, still wearing one of my red-ruffled aprons over her yellow and green muumuu. With her curls beneath a hairnet, she made a strange picture as she clomped down the sidewalk. I watched until she disappeared into the diner.

  “Will she be all right?” I closed the door behind her.

  Aunt Eunice waved a hand. “She’ll be fine. Maybe she can work off some of that orneriness.” She took the stool her sister had vacated. “Summer, I need to talk to you.”

  “Let me turn off the dipping machine. There’s something I want to talk to you about, too.” I slid the dipped cherries in front of the fan and clicked off the machine before pulling a stool opposite my aunt.

  “Have you noticed anything odd about Claudia?” Aunt Eunice propped her chin in her hand.

  “Like a lack of mourning for her daughter? Or at least real mourning. Yes, I have.” Please don’t yell at me. But you did bring up the subject.

  “What do you make of it? When your parents died, I cried all the time. That was for a nephew. Not my own child. I thought my sister would be a wreck.”

  My shoulders slumped. “I’m not sure. She didn’t kill Mae Belle. Oklahoma may be next door to Arkansas, but it’s still a three-hour drive. You said the two were estranged. Why?”

  “It’s stupid, really. Mae Belle wouldn’t move back home and marry the neighbor boy. Claudia feared she was seeing someone here, but the girl wouldn’t say who.” Aunt Eunice raised her eyes to mine. “I think my sister is up to something, and it ain’t good. Could Mae Belle have had money we don’t know about?”

  I popped a chocolate cream into my mouth and allowed the flavor to melt with a heavenly rich taste before answering. “I don’t think so. She didn’t appear like a flamboyant person. Now, don’t get mad at me, but Aunt Claudia is on my suspect list.”

  A look of resignation came over her face. She was undoubtedly remembering the other time I’d listed her best friends as my number ones. “Who else?”

  The names from Mae Belle’s appointment book rattled across my tongue with the speed of a machine gun. I watched the expressions flitter across my aunt’s face. Her brows furrowed. “Think there’s anything to the names being crossed off ?” I asked.

  “Yeah.” She rose. “They most likely canceled their appointments. Not many people around here had faith in Mae Belle’s ability to run anything efficiently. That girl was a walking disaster.”

  “You don’t think one of them might have killed her?” Where would I start if not with this list?

  “Just a guess, but one of them most likely did. Why don’t you start with Mason White?”

  “Why him?”

  “ ’Cause he’s walking through the door.” I swirled on my stool and came face-to-face with the handsome, charming Mason White.

  If I didn’t love my husband-to-be so strongly and had already deemed him the most handsome man on earth, I would have given pause to appreciate Mason’s gifts to women. Hazel eyes sparkled like jewels, thick brown hair swept back from a strong forehead, and a dimple in his chin could pool water. He grinned and leaned across the counter with dentist-whitened teeth. “Ladies.”

  “Mr. White.” Aunt Eunice stepped to the counter. “What can we get for you?”

  “A three-pound box of your finest.”

  Aunt Eunice frowned at me over her shoulder and mouthed for me to get over there. Horror! What would I ask the guy first? I couldn’t just blurt out that I’d seen his name in a dead woman’s appointment book.

  “Why’d you cancel your appointment with Mae Belle?”

  His smile faded. “Excuse me?”

  Aunt Eunice rolled her eyes as she passed to get the assortment and whispered, “and you call yourself a detective. Real subtle.”

  “I managed to get a glimpse of Mae Belle’s appointment book before the police confiscated it. Your name was crossed out.”

  The man chucked me under the chin. “Aren’t you the cutest thing? I’d heard you fancied yourself a pseudodetective of sorts. Rest your pretty little self, Summer. I canceled an arrangement I had with the poor woman. Nothing more.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “What kind of an arrangement?”

  “A dinner party. One of those mystery-murder game nights. Just a small group of friends for a night of revelry. The prude refused to factor in alcohol. She obviously didn’t believe in the saying that the customer is always right.” His eyes roamed over me. “But a looker like you probably knows how to have fun, am I right?”

  Puhleese! He made me want to shower as soon as I got home. “Did you visit her shop on Friday?”

  Aunt Eunice handed him the box and took his money.

  “Now why would I do that after canceling? You don’t think I killed the woman, do you?” He burst into laughter. “Priceless. You are absolutely priceless. I’ve been known to get into a bit of trouble now and then, but murder? I don’t think so. And you were such a quiet little thing in high school.”

  Now I remembered him. I must have chosen to block out his arrogant swagger down the high school halls. Completely unconvinced of his innocence, I locked gazes with him and gnawed at my lower lip. The man was incorrigible. I was tempted to move him to the top of my list simply for being a slimeball.

  “Can we get you anything else?” I folded my arms.

  “This is it.”

  I backed up to take my seat on the stool. It rolled from beneath me, landing me hard on my bottom on the cold tile floor. The breath left me with a grunt. Face burning, I scrambled to my feet and sat with as much dignity as I could muster after sprawling on the floor.

  Mason stopped at the door and turned, his face without expression. He grinned again. “You be careful, little girl. I heard your cousin got it in the back when she wasn’t looking.”

  Aunt Eunice gasped.

  CHAPTER NINE

  He warned me, Ethan. And not in the friendly way of being concerned for my welfare.” The night chill had sent us inside, and we snuggled on the sofa in front of the television. Un
cle Roy stared unblinking at some extreme sports show on cable television.

  “Mae Belle did get it in the back. It was probably Mason’s idea of a joke.” Ethan squeezed my hand.

  “He didn’t look like he was joking.” I entwined my fingers with his, enjoying how his big hand engulfed my smaller one. “Do you want me to talk to him?” Ethan smoothed the hair from my face.

  “Goodness, no. That’ll make me look scared.”

  “You are scared.”

  “Who is?” Uncle Roy tore his attention from the television. “Somebody threatening you, Summer?” He moved to rise from his chair. “I’ll go get my gun.”

  “There’s no need for your gun, Uncle Roy.” He thought that answered everything. I’m surprised Joe hadn’t relieved him of it.

  Aunt Claudia entered the room and squeezed into the armchair next to Uncle Roy’s recliner. She kicked off her flip-flops and used her hands to lift her feet to the coffee table. “Boy, howdy! Nancy Drew, I ain’t. My dogs are killing me. I don’t know how you do it, Summer.”

  I don’t walk aimlessly around town for one thing. If I’m pounding the pavement, I’ve got a purpose. “I didn’t find out much either.”

  “Did you leave that store of yours?”

  “No, but. . .”

  “Well, there’s your problem. How are you going to solve anything stuck between four walls? Do you think that worthless cousin of yours has taken the tape off Mae Belle’s place of business? I’d like to get in there. And what about her apartment? Are the police still searching it? Can we check that out tomorrow and take anything of value? You don’t work on Saturday, do you?”

  The woman’s mouth ran like white water. You could almost raft on her words.

  I interrupted. “I thought I would since I’ve missed so many days this—”

  “Perfect.” She struggled to her feet. “I’m hitting the sack. See you in the morning. Wear something scroungy, and we’ll pack up my daughter’s apartment. Best way to find something. Get rid of everything, piece by piece.”

  Nothing like letting Mae Belle’s body cool. Aunt Claudia was definitely searching for something, and I intended to find out what. Aunt Eunice stood in the doorway, a look of incredulity on her face.

  We sat in silence until we heard the thump of Aunt Claudia’s feet upstairs. Aunt Eunice plopped into the chair her sister had vacated. “Well, she obviously thinks Mae Belle left something behind. Roy, do you think you could get information out of Fred?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t even know what to ask the guy. He doesn’t say much. Talks in grunts. He spoke more to Summer at the viewing than I’ve ever heard him say.”

  “Well, see if he can’t grunt what his wife’s looking for. He’s in the kitchen making a sandwich. Go on and ask him.” Aunt Eunice crossed her arms.

  Uncle Roy heaved himself from his chair and, like a little boy who’d been banished to his room, took his time leaving. Fifteen minutes later, he returned with a grin on his face.

  “I might have to join Summer in her crime solving. That was easy. Fred said Mae Belle had an inheritance left to her by her grandmother. She wouldn’t share the amount or bank information with her mother, and now Claudia is determined to get her hands on it. Seems they’re a bit short of cash, and Claudia doesn’t want to wait until a lawyer tells her whether or not Mae Belle was still angry enough to leave everything to someone else.”

  “You did good.” Aunt Eunice planted a kiss on his cheek. “If there’s money, there’s paperwork. We ought to clear things up tomorrow.”

  “Except for finding her killer. I doubt we’ll find them in Mae Belle’s apartment.” I rose from the sofa and shuddered, taking Ethan’s hand in mine. “I’m walking Ethan out.” He gave me a startled look and allowed me to pull him to his feet.

  We stepped onto the front porch, and I leaned against the banister. “Sorry if I seemed abrupt. I just needed to get out of there. It all seems a bit. . .cold, doesn’t it? I mean we just buried Mae Belle, and her mother is ready to empty her apartment.”

  Ethan wrapped his arms around my waist, warding off the cool air. “Money is a powerful motivator. You know that from the last two mysteries you got involved in. Greed makes people do terrible things.”

  “If Mae Belle had money, she’s hidden away any sign of it very thoroughly.”

  Ethan tilted my face to his and kissed me. “Good night, Tink. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

  I went to bed that night with a troubled spirit. While we searched for information on a phantom bank account, a murderer walked free.

  Dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, I joined my aunts in the kitchen at the awful hour of 6:00 a.m. On a Saturday, no less. Very little coffee remained in the pot, one slice of toast sat cold in the toaster, and we were out of milk for cereal. I glared at Aunt Claudia who sat with a large bowl and three slices of butter-oozing toast. Who knew how much coffee the woman had consumed? The morning did not promise a good day.

  I drank the last of the bitter coffee, wolfed down the piece of dry toast, grabbed my purse, then marched toward the front door. “Let’s go. Daylight’s wasting.”

  My mood had not improved by the time I followed the others to the duplex Mae Belle rented. Sometime earlier, Aunt Eunice had found time to collect boxes, bags, and make signs with the words Keep, Donate, Sell, and Throw Away. Had the woman gone to bed at all last night?

  The neighbor, who also happened to be the manager, let us into the apartment. I gasped. Our job would take forever. Mae Belle’s home was as crowded and gaudy as her wedding shop. By her wardrobe and out-of-date hairstyle, along with the fifteen-year-old car she’d driven, I assumed she had no money. By the looks of the first room, she had cash once upon a time, and had spent every penny.

  “Goodness!” Aunt Eunice clutched a hand to her bosom. “Where do we start?”

  I grabbed a box. “We each take a room. I’ll start with the bedroom and bath, you take the kitchen, and Aunt Claudia can have this room.”

  I loved taking charge. Very few events in my life left me feeling like I knew what I was doing. Cleaning out closets and purging drawers was a pleasure. Most of the time, I got a little carried away and, to Aunt Eunice’s dismay, threw out more than I should. I looked forward to tossing the majority of Mae Belle’s garish belongings.

  Clothes went straight into the donation box. Bedding and decorations into the boxes for a garage sale. Aunt Claudia ought to be happy about that. Whatever cash we made would go to her, being Mae Belle’s closest living relative other than quiet Uncle Fred. There was very little to throw away. With my first boxes full, I hefted one and headed to the living room.

  “Hey!”

  I dropped the box I carried and ducked as a book sailed toward me.

  “What are you doing?”

  It looked as if a hurricane had blown through. Aunt Claudia had done everything except sort and pack. I’d had enough.

  “Stop. We know you’re looking for something you think Mae Belle possessed. Don’t you think it would be easier to find something if you went through her belongings with care and precision? She was your daughter, after all.” So much for maternal instincts. “Show some respect.”

  “Don’t talk to me in that tone of voice, young lady.” She held up a hand. “Help me up.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but. . .” Yes, I did. Forgive me, Lord. “You’re making more work for us instead of helping.”

  I planted my feet and tugged. The nerve of the woman.

  “You just want it for yourself.” She glared at me.

  “Want what?” The beginning of a headache knocked between my eyes.

  Aunt Claudia fell onto the sofa. The springs protested beneath the sudden onslaught of her weight. “When my mama died last year, she left Mae Belle ten thousand dollars. I need that money. Fred and I are barely scraping by. It should have been mine anyway. She was my mama, and Mae Belle had been nothing but an ungrateful little twit.”

  It took all
my willpower, and a sharp bite to my tongue, to hold back the ranting I wanted to release on the woman. I dug my fingernails into the palms of my hands.

  “Then Aunt Eunice and I will help you look. But from all the things crowded in here, I doubt there’s any money left.” I shoved an empty box into her hands. “Sort through this room, and maybe we’ll get lucky.”

  Good grief. I retrieved my dropped carton and stacked it in a corner. Why couldn’t I be at Summer Confections drowning in chocolate?

  With a deep sigh, I moved back to the bedroom and resumed my search. In a shoe box on the top shelf of the closet, I discovered Mae Belle’s bank statements and an envelope of photos. I was right. Mae Belle had spent all but a few hundred dollars. I’d let Aunt Eunice be the one to spill that particular bit of news to her sister.

  I flipped through the photos. In every snapshot, Mae Belle posed with Lewis Anderson, the funeral director. And from the way they had their arms wrapped around each other, they were not strangers. Oh what tangled webs we weave.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Leaning back on my haunches, I studied the photos further. Why would Lewis lie about knowing Mae Belle? I’d have to do a little more searching into the man. With Mae Belle dead, the man’s lies could hide a sinister motive for denying that he knew her. Maybe Aunt Eunice could tell me something about him. She knew almost everything about everyone in Mountain Shadows. I stuffed the photos in my pocket and the papers back in the shoe box.

  Why wait for Aunt Eunice to spill the beans when my tongue ran like a raging fire? “Aunt Claudia?” I marched into the living room. “Here’s Mae Belle’s bank statements. There’s only a few hundred dollars left. Apparently she used the money to start her business and furnish this apartment. Once her belongings are sold, you should get a couple hundred more.”