Evil Éclairs

by Jessica Beck

  “You don’t like your aunt?”

  “She’s not really my aunt; she’s an old family friend. The woman is pushing ninety, and she still drives, though not often, and certainly not well. Even with all that, it’s still better than her cooking. You wouldn’t believe some of the things she’s tried to get me to eat in the past.”

  “Then it’s a good idea to stay out of this,” I said. I was overprotective of Emma, and I tried to keep her involvement in my impromptu investigations to a minimum, though she usually protested the exclusion.

  “There is one thing I can tell you that shouldn’t break his rule,” Emma said.

  “Are you sure?”

  She grinned at me in the near darkness. The only light we had was from the donut shop window behind us, and that was coming through the open kitchen door. “There’s just one way to find out. It’s about Lacy Newman.”

  “What about her?” I asked. So much for not getting her involved.

  “Dad thinks Lacy had plenty of motive to want Lester to come to harm.”

  “Was the editorial he was going to do on Lacy really that bad?”

  Emma nodded. “Evidently. She’s got some secret she’s hiding from the world, and Lester was going to expose it.”

  “Does your dad know what the secret was?”

  Emma shrugged. “It’s got something to do with her late husband. That’s all he knows. Want me to dig into it a little?”

  “No,” I said a little too loudly.

  “I was just asking,” Emma said defensively.

  In a calmer voice, I said, “We don’t want you to go to your aunt’s, do we?”

  “You’re right. Forget I said anything,” Emma said.

  Our break was almost over, and as I led the way back inside, I said, “Thanks for the tip, Emma.”

  “I just wish I could do more.”

  I hugged her. “Just keep helping me make donuts, and we’re good,” I said.

  * * *

  By ten o’clock, we’d had a decent flow of customers, but there was no word from Jake or George yet. I’d hoped to at least see one of them, and if I had to choose, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that I’d pick Jake. Having him in town and not being able to be with him was enough to drive me crazy. Maybe I’d be able to talk him into dinner at Napoli’s in Union Square if I promised not to discuss murder while we were there. It was worth a try, so as soon as there was a lull, I grabbed my cell phone and dialed his number. It went straight to voice mail, so I said, “Hey, it’s me. Let’s have dinner tonight and forget about the outside world. How does Napoli’s sound? Call me. Oh, and this is Suzanne.”

  I don’t know why I added the last bit, but I was pretty sure it would make him smile, and who needed more reason than that?

  I was still feeling good about the invitation when an older woman walked in with a perpetual frown on her face.

  “May I help you?” I asked, doing my best to not let her ruin my good mood.

  “I need to see the owner,” she snapped.

  “I’m Suzanne Hart. What can I do for you?”

  She looked me up and down twice, and then said, “I think it’s disgraceful what you’re doing.”

  What an odd thing to say. “What in particular have I done?”

  Her frown deepened. “Don’t play dumb with me. I know you’re dating a priest. Shame on you.”

  “Pardon me?” I was honestly shocked by her accusation. We got unusual customers from time to time, but this woman went well beyond eccentric. I’d almost rather have had the clown back.

  “You’re dating a priest.”

  Then it dawned on me. “Not priest, Bishop,” I said.

  I was about to explain that it was my boyfriend’s last name and not his job title when she said, “That’s even worse.”

  She stormed off before I even had a chance to explain.

  Life could be interesting dealing with the public; there was no doubt about that.

  * * *

  It was just past eleven and the shop was fairly empty when the mayor came into the donut store, an unexpected visit, since he didn’t normally frequent my place.

  “What can I get you?” I asked.

  He looked at the cases. “I’ll take four dozen donuts, your choice.”

  What had brought that on? I wasn’t sure, but I wasn’t going to protest. I could use the business.

  As I boxed them, I asked, “Any reason in particular?”

  “I’m doing a talk at the senior center, and I thought I’d bring treats with me. I never stop running for reelection. It’s the nature of the beast.”

  “I can imagine,” I said as I boxed the donuts. It put a healthy hole in my inventory, and maybe I wouldn’t have to give any donuts away today. That would be a nice feeling, for a change of pace.

  He handed me a fifty, and as I started to count out what he had coming back to him, Cam smiled at me. “Keep the change.”

  “I can’t keep a tip that’s more than the donuts cost,” I said.

  “I insist. It’s my way of taking care of one of our valuable small businesses in town. The way I see it, helping you is just helping myself.”

  Was he really trying to curry favor with me by bribing me? It would take a great deal more than that to buy my loyalty. He started to take the boxes, but I put one hand on the stack and grabbed his change out of the till with the other. I put the money on top, and then released my grip.

  The mayor frowned. “Are you saying my money’s not good enough for you, Suzanne?”

  “No,” I said evenly. “I’ll take all the money you’re willing to spend, but I won’t take any as a tip for doing my job. You should understand that better than anyone.”

  “What do you mean by that?” he asked pointedly.

  “I’m not accusing you of anything. All I’m saying is that I don’t think it’s my place as the owner to accept gratuities.” At least not from you, I added silently to myself.

  “So that’s the way it’s going to be, is it?” He looked at the donuts, and then said, “You know what? I’ve changed my mind.”

  “Sorry, no refunds,” I said as I tapped the sign on the back of my register. I’d put it there to discourage people trying to get half-donuts from me, and now I was glad I’d done it.

  “Fine,” he said, losing his politician’s cool for a moment before taking the money on top and shoving it in his pocket.

  As he picked up the boxes, I asked, “May I get the door for you?”

  “I’ll manage,” he said as he pushed his way out. I almost wished he’d drop one or two, though I couldn’t stand the thought of wasting any of my donuts.

  I heard laughing when he was gone, and looked over at the only customer left in the shop, Elizabeth Boone. Elizabeth was a sweet older woman who allowed herself one donut a week, and she savored it as though it were made of gold. “I’m afraid he’s not a fan of yours, Suzanne.”

  “Was I too rough on him?” I asked.

  “I think it was perfect. If you ask me, Cam Hamilton always was a little too slick for our little town. After he shakes my hand, I always count my fingers to make sure they add up to five.”

  I laughed in response, and Elizabeth quickly added, “I shouldn’t have said that. It must be the donut talking.”

  “If they ever do that, I’m running for the hills,” I said. “You made my day. Can I get you another donut, on the house?”

  She looked sorely tempted before saying, “I’d love to, but who knows where that might lead? Two today, and then three when I come by next week. After that, I start having some every day, and before I know it, I’ll never fit into the dress I want to wear to my reunion.” Elizabeth paused, then said, “I must sound like a batty old woman.”

  “You make perfect sense. I just wish I had your willpower. I have a hard time not sampling the wares here.”

  Elizabeth smiled. “I don’t know how you do it. I’d weigh five hundred pounds if I had to deal with the temptations you face every day. Thanks f
or the offer, though.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  I was about to close, with still no sign of George or Jake, when Sherry Lance came in the door. What was going on?

  “Can I get you something? If you came to collect on my donut offer, I’m happy to oblige you.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t have time for pleasantries. Did you have a fight with the mayor today?”

  “I wouldn’t exactly call it a fight,” I said. “We had a few words, but neither one of us raised our voice. Why do you ask?”

  “I just found out that he wants the county health inspector to do an emergency inspection here.”

  “I’ve got nothing to hide,” I said, hoping that was true. I prided myself on my cleanliness, but I also knew that if an inspector had a grudge, he could easily find something wrong with any kitchen. “How did you find out?”

  “I was at city hall doing some paperwork when I heard him on the phone. Be careful, Suzanne. I know he strikes a lot of people as a glad-hander, but Cam’s got a bite to go along with his bark.”

  “I’ll watch my back,” I said. “Thanks for the warning.”

  She shrugged as she put a hand on the door. “I just don’t like bullies. I never have. If I can help you in any way, just let me know.”

  “I will.”

  After she was gone, I was a little more shaken than I would have liked to admit. I knew Cam hadn’t been happy with me, but what would make him overreact like that? Had I said something that hit a nerve about taking a gratuity for doing my job? Was it possible he’d once taken a bribe to make something happen, and his guilty conscience had caused him to come after me now? If he was trying to scare me off, he was going to fail. I’d have to mention what happened to Jake and George to get their reactions to his behavior. In the meantime, I needed to make sure the place was as clean as humanly possible. I locked the front door, even though we still had a few minutes, and flipped the sign.

  Emma was doing the last batch of dishes in back when I joined her. Her iPod must have been turned up high, because when I tapped her shoulder, she nearly jumped out of her shoes. “Don’t sneak up on me like that,” she said.

  “Turn it down and I won’t be able to. We need to stay a little late today.”

  She looked crestfallen. “Today? Really? We didn’t get any special orders, did we?”

  “No, but it’s time for a thorough cleaning. Did you have plans?”

  “Nothing set in stone,” she said.

  “If you have a date for lunch, you don’t have to stay.”

  “No, I’ll help.”

  I smiled at her. “Good. I’ll pay you time and a half, and you can afford to take him out to dinner instead.”

  “I’ll do it. He’ll like that.”

  That was news, since I’d been kidding. “I didn’t realize you had anybody in your life at the moment.”

  Emma grinned at me. “You know me. I love falling in love.”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Does it matter?” she asked with a smile. “I don’t think he’ll last long, but for now, we’re having fun together, and that’s all that counts.”

  “Just be careful,” I said.

  “Yes, Mom,” she replied with a smile. “Why the rush cleaning job?”

  “Let’s just say I want to be prepared for anything that might happen.”

  We were still cleaning when I heard a knock on the front door. If it was the health inspector, we were in trouble. Emma and I needed another hour before the place would be pristine, and I wasn’t sure how I could talk my way out of this one.

  Thankfully, when I peeked around the corner, I saw Grace standing there trying to look inside.

  I unlocked the door. “Come on in.”

  “Are you ready to go?”

  “No, we’re cleaning. Want to lend a hand?”

  “Why not?” she asked, surprising me. Grace was many things, but a thorough cleaner was not one of them. “What can I do to help?”

  I still had two dozen donuts left I had to get rid of. “If you could give these away, I’d appreciate it.”

  “Should I take them to the church?”

  “No,” I said, “they asked me to take a little break. I’ve had so many left lately, they’re getting tired of them. Be creative.”

  “I can do that,” she said.

  I let her out, then rejoined Emma. “Let’s shift into turbo,” I said.

  “I’m game if you are.”

  As we cleaned, I kept trying to think of things that Grace could do once she got back, but the longer we worked, the less of an issue it became. A part of me wondered what she could possibly be doing, but I was also glad that Emma and I weren’t interrupted anymore. By the time we finished, Donut Hearts was ready for a white-glove inspection.

  I let Emma go, and then locked the door. Grace was twenty feet away, with one empty box at her feet and the other open. “What exactly are you doing?”

  “I’m giving away samples. It’s not as easy as you’d think.”

  I laughed as I looked into the box and found a few old-fashioned inside. “I think it’s safe to throw those away. You didn’t have to do that.”

  “It was fun,” she said. “What was the big cleaning rush?”

  “I had a run-in with the mayor. I didn’t think much about it, but Sherry came by and warned me that he was trying to get me shut down with a health inspection.”

  “Wow, what did you say to him?”

  “I implied that you shouldn’t take a gift for doing your job.”

  Grace laughed. “When you stir the pot, you really put some muscle into it, don’t you?”

  “You know me. I don’t do anything halfway.”

  “Any donuts left in there?” a voice said behind me.

  I turned around and said, “Where have you been all day? I’ve been waiting for you.”

  CHAPTER 12

  George smiled as he took one of the last donuts and ate it. “Investigating is hard work. It’s easy to build up an appetite,” he said with a smile. “Besides, I didn’t say when I’d check in with you. What’s going on?”

  I brought him up to speed, and when I told him about Cam’s overreaction, he said, “I’ve heard rumors about him, but I didn’t think there was anything to it. How does it tie into Lester, though?”

  “Could Cam have been afraid that Lester was about to expose him for the library property sale?”

  George frowned. “If Lester had had the slightest shred of proof, he’d have gone after Cam instead of airing a donut diatribe the night he died.”

  “I don’t know, but I must have put some kind of fear into him,” I said.

  “Watch your back, Suzanne.”

  “You’re the second person who’s told me to do that today.”

  “It makes sense that Jake would want you to be careful,” he said.

  “Not Jake. It was Sherry Lance.”

  George whistled as he retrieved the last donut. “It sounds like you’re making a lot more headway than I am.”

  “Why? What have you found out?”

  “Not enough to even be worth reporting. That’s what’s taken me so long to get back to you. I haven’t had much luck at all.”

  “Cheer up,” I said as I patted his shoulder. “It’s not a race.”

  “Good, because I’d be losing.” He waved the donut in the air, and then said, “See you later. I’d tell you both to stay out of trouble, but why waste my breath?”

  I grinned back at him. “You’re smarter than you look.”

  “And isn’t that a good thing.”

  After he was gone, I took the empty boxes from Grace and threw them away.

  She followed me to the trash can, and then asked, “Any ideas about what we should do next?”

  “I want to head to Union Square and talk to Nancy Patton again. I’m not satisfied with her responses to our questions.”

  “Sounds good.”

  We were heading for my Jeep when Gabby Williams called o
ut from her secondhand clothing store, ReNEWed.

  “Ladies, we need to talk,” Gabby said.

  That was never a good sign, even on my best day.

  “We were just on our way out,” I said. “Is it important?”

  “Would I delay you if it weren’t?” Gabby was a trim woman in her fifties, but whether she was on the high end or the low was cause for much speculation since she’d come to town. She had her finger on the pulse of April Springs, her secondhand shop allowing her to mine information from all walks of life, and even though she was a valuable resource, I wasn’t all that keen on tapping it. There was a fine line between Gabby’s friends and her enemies, and it wasn’t in my best interests to ever cross it, though I’d pushed the boundaries a time or two in the past.

  She clearly wasn’t about to take no for an answer, though. “Let’s have some tea while we talk.”

  I looked at Grace, who shrugged and then nodded. “Tea sounds lovely.” Grace had gotten on Gabby’s bad side somehow, and she was doing her best to make amends.

  Gabby smiled. “Excellent. It’s ready now, so we won’t have to wait.”

  We walked into her shop, and I was amazed yet again by how orderly the place was. If I didn’t know the clothes she offered were used, I’d be hard-pressed to swear one way or the other. Some of her things were from town, but a great many more came from some mysterious supplier out of town. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know any more than that. It was odd how many secondhand shops I’d visited lately. Didn’t anyone ever buy anything new anymore?

  In back, Gabby had her tea service waiting for us. It was clear she’d been watching Donut Hearts in anticipation of our departure. Whatever she had to say, she considered it important.

  We sat, and Gabby served.

  “What’s this brew?” I asked as I took my cup. It was excellent.

  “It’s a personal blend I had made up especially for me,” she said proudly.

  “Well, it’s great,” I said.

  “Thank you. You two are looking into Lester Moorefield’s murder.” As she said it, her stare shifted from me to Grace, and then back again.

  When neither one of us commented, Gabby added, “Are either one of you going to answer me?”

  “I didn’t realize there was a question in there,” I said. “We are, and you can imagine why I’m eager to have his murderer caught. I don’t want one of my pastries blamed for killing him, and I especially don’t want the pastry maker to be blamed.”