Faerie Cake Dead

by Неизвестный

  Luna smirked as she followed him into a lovely room. Wide windows hung with drapes pooling on the floor. Large area rugs adorned polished floors along with fine antique tables and chairs. More flowers decorated tabletops, adding a dramatic flair.

  Mrs. Gregory looked up from the desk in the corner of the room. A smile covered her face as she rose to greet Luna.

  “Come in, my dear.” With a nod, Ida Gregory dismissed the man and rounded the desk, her hands outstretched.

  “What delicious cakes did you bring for my guests today?” Mrs. Gregory gazed at Luna, taking her in from head to toe.

  After she explained the delightful confections, Luna glanced around the room. The desk was a mess of papers, piled high and scattered everywhere. Otherwise, the room lay neat as a pin.

  “How wonderful. Just have Rudy bring them in. He can be quite off-putting, but he’s the best house man I’ve ever come across.”

  “Mmm, yes, I’m sure,” Luna murmured.

  “I hear you have Devin Radford working at your shop. He’s doing some carpentry work for you?” Mrs. Gregory asked.

  “Yes, and fine work it is. He speaks very highly of you.”

  “He is such a dear man. He adored Libby. It’s too bad they didn’t have long together. They would have had a wonderful life.” Her eyes dimmed a bit, but then brightened as she glanced at Luna. “You’re planning to become engaged?”

  Sweat broke out under her armpits and her mouth dried up like a prune. Luna’s breath caught in her throat as she tried to come up with an explanation of why they would do so on such a brief acquaintance. Words tumbled out of order from her mouth as Mrs. Gregory laughed.

  “N-no, y-yes, I mean, well, we’re discussing it. It is early in the relationship, yet.”

  “He told me all about it, my dear. He’s quite taken with you and it’s about time he moved on. One should never live alone forever, it’s unhealthy and you’re both young. Maybe you’ll allow me to host an engagement party when you have made a formal announcement?”

  Aghast at the thought of lying to this gracious woman, Luna simply shook her head and said it would be too much to ask.

  “Pooh, it’s nothing. I would do that and more for Devin, and you are a lovely woman. He’s made a wise decision in asking you to marry him.”

  The phone rang several times. In a mere second, Rudy entered the room to tell Mrs. Gregory she had an important call. He glanced briefly at Luna and waited for his employer to handle the call.

  Luna rose from the chair and said she’d bring the cakes in with Rudy’s help. He hesitated a moment before he glanced at Mrs. Gregory. She gave him a nod and left them to it.

  As Luna drove back to the shop, she wondered why Mrs. Gregory would offer to throw an engagement bash. With a shake of her head, she figured it was time to rattle Devin’s bones and make him keep his mouth shut.

  Chapter 10

  A busload of customers left the parking lot as Luna slipped into her spot. She shut off the engine and locked the vehicle. The lot was empty of cars, except for one lone Mercedes Benz.

  Hustling through the rear door, Luna was met with silence. No clink of cups against saucers, no murmur of voices and no laughter. What she did hear was the sound of Annie and Dilly’s voices as they answered questions asked by a customer who stood before the display cases.

  “This raspberry trifle cupcake is absolutely delicious. You should try one, Mr. Kinney,” Annie suggested.

  Luna grinned and stepped around the corner. “Mr. Kinney will have the passion fruit cake with cream and coconut frosting, won’t you?” She laughed as her old friend gazed at her and smiled.

  Around the counter he strode, his arms open wide. He embraced Luna, deposited a huge kiss on her cheek and laughed out loud.

  “You look absolutely wonderful.” He stood back, his hands grasping hers.

  The grey-haired lawyer had protected Luna, taken care of her assets, and stayed in touch by mail and phone since her parents had passed away and Thomas deserted her. His sixty something years sat on him with grace. Stocky, but healthy, he remained as handsome and caring as he’d always been.

  “You don’t look too shabby yourself, William.” She laughed and hugged him again.

  Her eyes lit on the two women standing behind the case with surprised faces.

  “Could you brew William some Earl Grey tea and get him that cupcake I mentioned?” Luna asked Dilly. Her gaze turned to Annie and she suggested Annie take a break.

  The woman nodded, but as she walked away, she mentioned Devin had left earlier, saying he’d return this evening. A tiny smile curled the corners of her lips as she uttered the words.

  Luna gazed at her for a second and then turned back to William. They walked toward a table where a black briefcase lay and settled down to chat. Luna wondered why William had chosen this time to visit her.

  “I understand business is abundant and you’re having a great time. Luna, I couldn’t be happier for you.” His brown eyes shown as he spoke.

  “It was rocky in the beginning but I found determination was the key. The two women you just met have been so helpful, along with everyone in town. Even the Chamber of Commerce has stepped up.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. You’ll need all the support you can get right now.”

  Her heart skipped a beat as she viewed the man across from her.

  “Why?”

  “I received a call from the sheriff. In his opinion, you have ‘rounded the bend,’ so to speak. He said you ramble on and on about faeries and the like. It seems he’s been investigating a couple of incidents that have taken place here. I thought I’d better come take a look for myself.”

  Astounded by this new development, Luna slumped back in the chair. Her former excitement at William’s visit vanished. She realized it was more than likely he hadn’t liked what he heard and sought reassurance that Luna hadn’t gone bananas, but still remained in control of her marbles. All of them.

  After she’d explained the upsets, Luna waited in silence until Dilly served their tea and cupcakes. She mentioned Dilly might as well join Annie on the porch.

  In agreement, Dilly scooted down the hallway and Luna heard the door snap shut as she left.

  With a deep breath, Luna leaned toward William.

  “At the risk of sounding paranoid, there are some weird things going on around here that I can’t explain, but I suspect that Thomas is in it up to his eyeballs.”

  “Thomas? Devere? What’s he doing here?” William’s grey-speckled eyebrows hiked a notch as he stared at Luna.

  “He’s shown up a couple times, not welcomed either, but he wants in as a partner to the business.”

  “That’s not a good idea. You know he’s been sued, investigated by the FBI and nearly put on trial for running a pyramid scam. He hid his paper trail well, and they couldn’t prove him guilty, so he walked away. Thomas has bilked several people out of a lot of money. I’ve kept my eye on him as best I could, but I was unaware he’d shown up here. I’m sorry, Luna.”

  Her hand covered his and she gave it a squeeze. “It’s not up to you to keep tabs on people. I will handle him and he won’t get a dime from me or my business.”

  “That’s such a relief to hear. Now, tell me why the sheriff thinks you’re off your rocker.”

  “I made the mistake of mentioning faeries and now he thinks I’m daft. He even pounds his fist on the table at the mention of them, so I manage to stay quiet where they’re concerned.”

  “And, are there faeries here?” William asked in a soft tone.

  “You know there are. If you stay late, you can see for yourself,” Luna said and grinned.

  His laughter bounced around the room as he gazed at her. The family lawyer not only believed in faeries, he also believed in other wee folk. He’d become as fascinated by them as Luna’s father had been.

  The front door opened and Devin strode into the room. His computer bag hung from one hand and his eyes narrowed a tad as he took in the scene
before him.

  “Luna?” His eyes held a question, but he didn’t ask one.

  “Devin, come in and meet my attorney, William Kinney.” She introduced the two men and waited for Devin to join them at the table.

  “Did Luna mention we’re about to become engaged?” Devin asked.

  A questioning stare landed on Luna as William leaned his elbows on the table.

  “No, we hadn’t gotten that far. Would you like to enlighten me, Luna?”

  “It’s a business matter. Nothing more, William. We have concocted this scheme to keep Thomas from interfering with my business. Devin is just as convinced as I am that Thomas and a local realtor are trying to ruin my business and discredit me, so I will have no alternative but to sell out.”

  “So, you’re not in love, then?”

  “N-no, definitely not. At least, I’m not. Are you, Devin?”

  “Mmm, maybe. I’m still trying to decide.” His eyes twinkled and dimples deepened when he smiled.

  A light cough of disbelief and gesturing hands were William’s answer to the couple. His gaze went from one to the other.

  “Surely you know whether you’re in love or not?” he asked Devin.

  “Well, the more I come to know Luna, the more she means to me. If that’s love, then yeah, I guess I am smitten with her.” His deep blue gaze held Luna’s own.

  Her face hot, Luna’s embarrassment couldn’t be denied. She could feel the blood course through her veins and the squiggly feelings in her stomach started again, just as they always did in Devin’s presence.

  “I think this conversation has gone on long enough. I need to speak with William alone, if I may.” Luna glanced at Devin, who nodded and left them, giving William a hearty handshake before he moved away from the table.

  “I’m not sure what to make of this news, Luna. You need to be careful you aren’t being duped again. I’m certain you haven’t lost your mind, though, and I will reassure Sheriff Tiddler.”

  “You must make sure everything I own is untouchable. I won’t have Thomas or anyone else take advantage of me again, William. Please attend to that, if nothing else, all right?”

  “Whatever you want.” His eyes warm, William smiled at her. “Congratulations on your engagement, even if it isn’t the real thing. I suspect you’re in denial, but you’ll come around to the truth sooner or later. You always do, and who knows, you might fall in love after all.”

  A snort of laughter mingled with disbelief rushed from Luna. She rose from the chair and asked if he would like a tour of the building. When he agreed, she led the way around the neat, intriguing house. When they reached the lower level, she stood in awe of the work Devin had managed to finish in the brief span of hours he’d been there, and said as much.

  “So you bake down here, Luna?” William asked as he viewed the counters and huge ovens lining one wall. “This is fantastic. You’d never know there was this much space in this building.”

  “I fell in love with the place the moment I saw it. The flower gardens are lovely and the meadow out back is wonderful. The faeries have plenty of room and so do I. We all get along splendidly.”

  William glanced at his watch. “I have an appointment so I must leave, but it was good to see how well you’re doing. I’ll attend those other matters for you and intend to stay in touch.” He kissed Luna’s cheek, shook Devin’s hand and marched up the stairs.

  In his wake, she stood at the front door of the shop and watched as he tossed the briefcase into the Mercedes Benz and drove away from the parking lot. William had been there for her when intense loneliness had overshadowed her life. She realized just how much she had depended on him and still did. With determination, she turned from the door and marched toward the galley where Annie and Dilly were working.

  Luna asked, “Could you hand me the broom? I want to sweep up a bit before we get busy again.”

  “I’ll help you, Luna.” Annie strode forward with the broom and dust pan.

  When Luna turned to pick up the dust pan, Annie leaned down and whispered to her.

  “I’m staying late today. We need to talk.”

  Alerted by the tension in Annie’s voice, Luna asked, “Okay, but you’re not quitting are you?”

  “Not a chance. I wouldn’t abandon you. There’s something else we need to discuss.”

  She glanced toward the kitchen and said in a loud voice, “You go ahead and take care of restocking those shelves Luna, and I’ll do this.”

  With a nod of understanding, Luna left Annie to finish the job and began replenishing the shelves. Sales had been better than ever today, and Luna knew the tour buses caused the increase.

  Finishing the job, she wandered onto the porch to take stock of the tables and chairs.

  With warm weather and sunny days, many patrons to the shop enjoyed their fare outside.

  Though the help worked hard to keep up with all the tables, they were often unable to manage. Fresh air guests, as Luna called them, knew they needed to order and bring their own refreshments outside.

  A large tray sat on top of folding legs. Filled to the brim with cups, saucers and tea pots, it nearly overflowed. Luna grasped the tray from underneath, balancing it on her shoulder, and entered the tearoom to deliver it to the galley for washing. As she returned to close the door, several cars and the sheriff’s cruiser pulled into the parking lot.

  “Here we go again,” Luna called to Annie, who wiped down the front of the glass cases, clearing fingerprints from the surface.

  Sliding the tray onto the counter, Luna left Dilly to load the huge dishwasher. She returned to the tearoom, greeting the customers as they entered the neatly organized and tastefully decorated rooms. The group split off. Several ladies headed toward the gift shop while others seated themselves.

  Several women stood before the cupcake cases staring at the offerings. Three dozen cupcakes remained from the days baking.

  A well-dressed woman whose hat was layered with colorful feathers stepped up to Luna.

  “Aren’t you the faerie cake lady?” she asked.

  “I sure am. How can I help you?” Luna said mustering a warm smile.

  “I just left Ida Gregory’s house and she raved about your shop. I have to say, the cupcakes were splendid.”

  “Why, thank you. Can I get you something to eat or drink?” she asked. From the corner of her eye she saw the sheriff approach the counter.

  “I’ll have a raspberry trifle, if you will. Also, a pot of Lady Grey tea at my table will do nicely.” She gestured to the table she’d selected and turned to walk away.

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. Vale. How are you today?” The sheriff dipped his hat to her.

  “Why Sheriff Tiddler, I didn’t see you come in.” The woman gushed. Luna wanted to throw up.

  “Just making my rounds,” he said. “Keeping the peace and all.” A smile brightened his usual grumpy expression and Luna stared at him in surprise.

  Sheriff Tiddler had always been plain-spoken when he’d visited Luna’s shop. Her surprise didn’t end there either, as she watched the lawman in action.

  “Would you care to join me at my table, Sheriff?” Mrs. Vale asked.

  “Why, I would if you don’t mind,” he responded. “Luna, I’ll have what Mrs. Vale is having, if you would be so kind.”

  The change in the sheriff’s attitude shocked and worried Luna. Fearing he may have an ulterior motive, she nodded, pasted a smile on her lips and began the serving process. She watched as the couple walked across the floor, the sheriff’s hand cupping Mrs. Vale’s elbow.

  Behind her, Luna heard mumbling from the galley. She glanced over her shoulder and realized the entire scene hadn’t been lost on Dilly, who had finished loading the dishwasher and now prepared tea for Mrs. Vale and the sheriff.

  As she handed the loaded tray to Luna through the opening, her eyes sparkled with anger while her mouth held a grim slant. Luna thanked her, added the cupcakes and scooted toward the table.

  “Here you
are, enjoy the fare,” she said with a smile.

  Sheriff Tiddler’s stare broke away from Mrs. Vale and lit upon Luna. He nodded and she backed away from the table.

  Curious about the sheriff’s bizarre behavior, Luna lingered nearby in hope of hearing their conversation. When she was approached by customers, Luna knew the opportunity was lost. She answered questions about the shop and offered information on the cupcakes and tea offered.

  Managing to get away from the crowd, Luna glanced around the room and realized Mrs. Vale had wandered into the gift shop. The sheriff stood in the hallway near the galley kitchen.

  He gestured wildly as he leaned toward Dilly. She appeared unhappy and Luna made a beeline toward the couple, lest there be an outbreak of war between them.

  “Dilly, could you clear the tables, please?” Luna asked as she took the sheriff by the arm and led him toward the rear door of the building.

  “Sure thing, Luna,” Dilly sulked and shot Sheriff Tiddler a look that meant things weren’t settled yet.

  On the porch, Luna stared out over the flowerbeds toward the meadow. The sheriff stood beside her and heaved a heavy sigh.

  “I guess I owe you some thanks,” he murmured.

  “The chances of a full blown argument seemed imminent. Something I wanted to avoid at all costs. You sure got Dilly fired up with all the attention you paid to Mrs. Vale. I can’t have any disruption in the shop. I’ve got enough going on.”

  “You’re right Luna. Sorry.” His gaze wandered the brick walkway as he viewed the blossoms lining it.

  “Who takes care of all this? Surely you don’t have time?” Sheriff Tiddler’s brows rose.

  “A couple of high school kids have a small yard care business going and I hired them. They’re quite good entrepreneurs.” Luna smiled and turned toward the sheriff. “So, what brings you here?”

  “I’ve been checking into Thomas Devere’s business. You were right, he is a pauper and has joined forces with Arvi on some property deals. There isn’t any evidence yet that they’re behind your problems, but I’m trying to keep an open mind.”