A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery Box Set

by Kate Bell

  “Get down,” Alec said.

  I crouched down low, making sure I stayed behind the safety of the tree.

  “I’m going to run to that other tree over there. I want you to sit tight. Don’t move.”

  “No!” I whispered, but he wouldn’t listen. He ran and hid behind the other tree. I wanted to look and see if I could see anyone, but I didn’t want to become a target. I was too terrified to move.

  The sirens were getting closer, but they still sounded so far away. Would they get here in time? My breathing came out raw and jagged. I put my hand on my chest and could feel my heart pounding. Taking deep breaths wasn’t helping it slow down.

  I finally leaned around the tree a little to see Alec better. Just as I did, he ran to another tree. I wasn’t sure if he saw something or was still trying to figure out where the shooter was.

  We were sitting ducks. Why hadn’t I insisted he wear his gun? It would have looked ridiculous, but at this point, I didn’t care.

  It felt like forever, but four police cars finally arrived. The police officers jumped out with guns drawn. Yancey Tucker ran to where I was crouching. I could hear his breathing coming hard and fast.

  “Are you okay, Allie?” he asked, searching the area with his eyes.

  “Yeah, I’m okay,” I said and started crying again. “Someone was shooting at us. They had a silencer just like when Todd was shot.”

  “Come on, we’re going to run back to my car and you’re going to get inside and get low on the seat, okay?”

  “Okay,” I whispered.

  “Ready? Run!” he said, and we both ran to his car, with him behind me.

  I jumped in the backseat and he closed the door. I lay on the seat, sobbing and shaking and hoping Alec was okay. I listened for more gunshots, but none came.

  I lay there for what seemed forever when the car door was opened. I looked up and saw Alec.

  “Oh my God,” I said and jumped into his arms.

  “It’s okay. Everything’s okay,” he soothed.

  I sobbed in his arms for a few minutes, just thankful we were both okay. “Did you find them?” I asked, pulling away to look into his face.

  He shook his head. “No. I’m sure they ran as soon as they realized I had called for backup. They’re gone. Yancey is going to drive us back to my car.”

  We sat in silence, holding hands in the backseat, during the short drive to his car. We got out of the police cruiser and got into Alec’s car. I looked around, making sure the shooter wasn’t near. Alec waved to Yancey as he drove off.

  “Oh, Alec, I don’t know what I would have done if you had been hurt,” I said, turning toward him. “You shouldn’t have run over to that other tree.”

  He gave me a small grin. “I’ve had a little experience in this kind of thing. We’re okay. That’s all that matters.”

  “Okay, I know you know what you’re doing, but you scared me!”

  “I’m sorry. Let’s get you home,” he said, and took me by the hand and led me to his car.

  “I can’t believe that just happened,” I said.

  “I know. I’m sorry you were involved,” he said softly.

  I turned to look at him. “We could have died.”

  “But we didn’t. We need to focus on that, Allie.”

  “You’re right. I know.”

  Chapter Twenty-one

  “Where are we going?” Lucy asked as we drove down Center Street.

  “I don’t know,” I said. And I didn’t. I had tossed and turned all night long. Someone wanted Alec and I dead. The facts of the case turned circles in my head. I had finally drifted off to sleep around three in the morning, and I heard that whistling sound go right past my ear. I sat up screaming, with the darkness of the room closing in on me. It took a few seconds to realize that I had imagined it. I had gotten up and made myself some coffee. I was paying for it now. I could hardly keep my swollen eyes open.

  “Hey,” she said, putting her hand on the back of mine. “It’s going to be okay. Alec will find the killer.”

  “I know. It just hit really close to home is all,” I said.

  “If you want, you can come and stay in my spare bedroom. It might make you feel better.”

  “Thanks. I’ll think about it,” I said. The truth was, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be around other people. An odd, depression-like state had come over me. It felt a little like what I went through when my husband had died. I suddenly wanted to be alone, and I wasn’t sure why.

  “Drink your coffee before it gets cold,” she admonished, motioning toward the cup holder.

  “I think I’m all coffee’d out. I’ve drunk more today than I have in the past month,” I said. “Hey, turn down Main.”

  She did, driving slowly on the narrow street. It had turned cold overnight, and the roads were icy. There was a dark blue pickup parked on the street in front of Rudy’s shop. The license plate said RG PLMG.

  “Stop the car!” I said.

  “What?” Lucy asked, glancing at me, wide-eyed.

  “Park the car, I want to talk to Rudy Gallo!” I said.

  She did as I asked, pulling into the parking spot next to the blue truck. I jumped out of the car and ran into the plumbing store. Rudy was standing at the register, just finishing up with a customer. I strode over to him as the customer picked up his bag of plumbing parts.

  “How could you?” I exclaimed, looking at Rudy.

  “What?” he asked, looking puzzled.

  “I know what you did!” I said. “You aren’t going to get away with this!”

  “What are you talking about, Allie?” Rudy asked. He glanced at the customer, but got no help from him as he scurried out the door.

  “I know what you did!” I repeated.

  Rudy shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

  “You tried to kill Alec and me yesterday!” I accused.

  “What are you talking about?” he asked. “I have no idea what you’re saying!”

  “You shot at us while we were on the running trail!” I said. “You killed Todd Spellman! You’re a murderer!”

  The door swung open and the little bell above it tinkled and Lucy entered the shop.

  “Allie, that’s not true, I did not kill Todd Spellman, and I certainly didn’t shoot at you or Alec! What’s wrong with you?” Rudy asked.

  “Allie?” Lucy whispered.

  I turned to look at her and she looked at me wide-eyed.

  “He killed Todd,” I explained more calmly than I felt.

  “Honey, why don’t we go home now? You’re tired,” Lucy said gently.

  “You better get her out of here. She’s off her rocker,” Rudy said. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

  I turned back to Rudy. “That’s your truck out front. I saw the rifle rack you have in it. I know you killed Todd Spellman and you tried to kill Alec and me.” I could hear the desperation in my own voice. My thoughts swirled around my mind. He had done it, hadn’t he? He had all the reason in the world to do it. He was protecting his daughter, and he was afraid that Alec and I had figured it out.

  “I haven’t hunted in years. I just never took that rack out. What does that have to do with anything?” Rudy asked. He turned to Lucy. “Get her out of here before I call the cops.”

  “Come on, Allie,” Lucy said gently. “Let’s get you home.” She approached me cautiously and took my hand.

  I looked from Rudy to Lucy. It felt like they were looking at me as if I were some kind of monster. “You believe me, don’t you?” I pleaded with Lucy. Couldn’t she see the truth of what had happened?

  “I’m callin’ the cops,” Rudy warned.

  Lucy raised a hand to him. “Just hold on.”

  “Call whoever you want!” I said through gritted teeth.

  She glanced at Rudy and then back to me. “Let’s go home and talk about it. I’ll call Alec and we’ll talk. Rudy isn’t going anywhere. Alec will talk to him if he thinks he should.”
>
  The silence surrounding me roared as I stared at Rudy for a few moments. What am I doing?

  “Come on, Allie, let’s go,” Lucy said calmly.

  I let her lead me to the door and took one last look at Rudy. All I could see was confusion on his face.

  “Sorry,” Lucy said to Rudy as the bell above the door tinkled and the door closed behind us.

  “Here, get in the car,” she said, opening the passenger side door for me.

  I got in and stared off into space. I broke down sobbing. I needed sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. And I needed Alec. I needed him to talk some sense into me.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Sunlight streamed through my window as I struggled to come back to consciousness. The events of the past two days came flooding back as I forced my eyes open. I felt a wave of humiliation wash over me as I remembered what happened at Rudy Gallo’s store. What had I done?

  I reached across the bed and felt Alec, asleep next to me. I had taken a sleeping pill the night before, but still had had problems going to sleep. He had insisted on staying the night with me, sleeping on top of the blankets, still in his clothes. I pushed back the layer of heavy blankets and struggled to get free of them. After a few moments of fighting the sheets, I was free. Alec slept on, exhausted from trying to calm me. I was fuzzy on the details, but I thought we had fallen asleep sometime after two in the morning, with the TV volume turned low to help lull us to sleep.

  I stumbled to the kitchen, tripping over my cat, Dixie. He meowed and scurried out of my way.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled and hit the corner of the kitchen counter with my side.

  I started coffee and opened the blinds in the kitchen to let light stream in. The tile floor of the kitchen was cold, and I wished I had put my slippers on, but was too tired to make the trip back to the bedroom to put them on.

  Just as I was pouring a cup of coffee, the phone on the wall rang. I jumped, spilling the coffee on the counter, and stared at the phone. After three rings, I set the coffee pot and my cup down and staggered over to stand in front of it.

  “Stop it,” I whispered as it rang on. Four times, five times, six times.

  On the eighth ring, I picked up the receiver, and listened. There was a long period of silence while I listened, having forgotten to say hello. I began to wonder if it had even rung and started to hang it up, and then, there was a weak “hello.”

  I gasped and put the receiver back to my ear. “Hello?” I whispered.

  “Hello,” the voice said again.

  “Hello,” I repeated. Then silence again. “Who is this?”

  “Is this Allie?” the weak voice asked.

  “Yes, who is this?” I asked.

  “Earl Spellman,” the weak voice said.

  I searched my mind. Did I know an Earl Spellman? I knew Todd, but he was dead. Maybe he had other relatives in town for the funeral? Then I realized it might be Mr. Spellman. I couldn’t recall ever hearing his first name.

  “Mr. Spellman?” I asked. “Todd Spellman’s father?”

  “Yes,” the voice creaked out. “I wanted to tell you something. Something bad.”

  My heart pounded in my chest and I checked the kitchen clock as if that would ground me in reality.

  “What?” I whispered.

  “Killers are in my house,” he said.

  The room began to spin and everything went black. When I came back to myself, I was still standing with the receiver to my ear and I was staring at the phone on the wall.

  “Allie?” Alec said gently.

  I turned and looked at him. Then I glanced at the clock. Ten minutes had passed.

  “We need to get to the Spellman’s. Now,” I said, and reached to put the receiver in its cradle, and fumbled it, almost dropping it. I made another try, and it landed safely in the cradle.

  “Why do we need to do that?” he asked gently.

  “The killers are there. We need to go now,” I said, turning toward him. “Now.”

  “Allie, maybe we need to rest today. You know, just take it easy,” he said. He had dark circles under his eyes and his hair stood up on the back of his head from where he had lain on it. The creases in his clothes were a mix of deep and small.

  “We have to protect Mr. Spellman,” I said, feeling desperation coming on. “Now.”

  I headed toward my bedroom to change my clothes. I had slept in warm flannel pajamas and had enough of my wits about me to know I couldn’t go out in public that way. I stumbled, still feeling drunk from the sleeping pill, but got to my bedroom just the same.

  “Allie, please,” Alec said, following me.

  I grabbed a sweatshirt and jeans and went in the bathroom to change. “Alec, if you’ve ever believed or trusted me on anything, you have to believe me on this,” I said through the closed door. I hurriedly took my pajamas off and got dressed.

  “Allie, I’m not sure we should do this. I think we both need more sleep,” he said.

  “Alec, I am going with or without you,” I said, catching up my hair and putting a hair tie on it.

  “Allie,” he started when I opened the door.

  “Alec,” I said and looked at him. “Mr. Spellman called, and he said the killers are there in the house with him.”

  Alec stared at me, and then said, “Okay. But you let me do the talking. I want you to stay calm and in control, is that understood?”

  “Yes. Bring your gun.”

  Chapter Twenty-three

  I stumbled when I got out of the car. I needed to get a grip.

  “Okay?” Alec asked, concerned.

  “Yeah,” I said and headed to the front door.

  “Why don’t you stay in the car?” Alec whispered and took hold of my arm.

  “I got this. You got your gun?” I asked.

  “Yes. You promised you would stay quiet,” he reminded.

  “Got it,” I said and rang the doorbell.

  Sounds of people moving about could be heard from outside. I hoped we weren’t too late. When no one came to the door right away, I rang the doorbell again.

  The door swung open and Terrence stood looking at us, wide-eyed. After a moment, he narrowed his eyes at me. “What are you doing here at this hour? It’s too early for visitors.”

  “Excuse the intrusion,” Alec said, putting on a smile. “We’d like to speak with Mr. Spellman, if that’s all right.”

  “He’s still sleeping,” he said. “I really think we’ve given you all the information you need.”

  Alec still had a smile on his face when he said, “Yes, you’ve certainly been cooperative in this investigation, but I’d like to remind you that the investigation is ongoing.” Only a fool would think he didn’t mean business, smile or no smile.

  Terrence considered this for a few moments, then opened the door wide and led us into the living room. “What is it you need to know? Maybe I can supply the information you need,” he said over his shoulder.

  “What’s going on?” Connie asked from the kitchen. I could smell biscuits baking and I was suddenly hungry.

  “The detective, and uh, Ms. McSwain need more information,” Terrence said dryly.

  Connie went pale. She turned away and then left the kitchen without another word. I wanted to follow her, but I knew Alec wouldn’t like it.

  “I’d like to speak with Mr. Spellman. If he isn’t feeling well that’s perfectly understandable. I can go in to speak to him,” Alec said to Terrence.

  Terrence looked at us, considering. “No, I’ll go get him.” He left us standing in the living room.

  “Maybe you should follow him,” I whispered. “He might do something.”

  “It’s okay,” Alec said. “Just relax.”

  But everything inside me was saying, don’t relax. It felt like every nerve in my body was standing at attention.

  After we had waited for what seemed forever, Terrence came back to the living room, pushing Mr. Spellman in his wheelchair. He had a blanket over his lap and that glassy-eyed
look that he had when Todd was alive. “Here he is,” Terrence said brightly.

  I glanced at Alec. I could see the hesitation in his face.

  “Good morning, Mr. Spellman,” Alec said. “How are you doing?”

  Mr. Spellman looked at Alec blankly, drool running down his chin and then looked away.

  “He doesn’t seem well this morning,” Alec said to Terrence. “Has he been ill?”

  Terrence smiled. “Well, I’m afraid this is as good as it gets with him. For a small space of time he did seem better after his meds were adjusted, but he’s back to his old self. Dementia, you know.”

  “I see,” Alec said and looked at me.

  I wanted to scream. I had not dreamed our conversation earlier. Sleep meds or not, I was sure of it. I stepped forward and squatted down in front of Mr. Spellman. “How are you doing, Mr. Spellman?” I asked.

  He looked at me, and focused his eyes. His mouth opened and he seemed like he was going to speak, but then closed it again.

  “Are you doing okay?” I asked him.

  Mr. Spellman opened his mouth and closed it twice more. “No,” he finally squeaked out.

  “What’s going on?” I asked him in a rush.

  “Now look, I can’t have the two of you harassing a sickly old man,” Terrence objected, taking a step toward me.

  “She isn’t harassing anyone,” Alec said.

  “What is it?” I asked Mr. Spellman.

  He struggled, opening his mouth and closing it. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

  “There, see? He isn’t feeling well. I need to get him back to bed,” Terrence said, and took hold of the wheelchair handles. Alec put his hand out and stopped him from moving the chair.

  “Tell me,” I pleaded.

  Then Mr. Spellman sat up and opened his eyes. He looked at me, then pointing a knobby finger in Terrence’s direction and croaked out, “Killer!”

  At that, Terrence, leapt away from Alec and tried to run down the hall. Alec was faster and more nimble and knocked him down. It was only seconds before Alec had handcuffs on him.