Velvet Cake and Murder (Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery Book 22)

by Amber Crewes

  “It was Pamela’s job,” Trudy told her quietly. “Remember when we talked about her doing more administrative and managerial work in the new year? I assigned her to do inventory and the groceries this week, and….”

  Meghan turned to look at Pamela. The teenager was happily spreading bright scarlet icing across a red velvet cupcake, a smile on her face as she moved her hands in a rhythmic way. “Maybe she should just stick to baking,” Meghan suggested softly as they stood in the refrigerator. “Maybe managing just isn’t her stuff.”

  Trudy shook her head. “Every woman needs to know how to manage, plan, and organize,” she insisted. “Pamela needs to know these things; we don’t want to just relegate her to baking. What about when she buys a house, or does her taxes? If she doesn’t learn this stuff, she’ll be reliant on someone else. That isn’t what I want for her…”

  “You’re right,” Meghan agreed. “She has to learn. I’ll sit down with her later and talk about it. We can teach her some better strategies. For now, though, we desperately need eggs. And a lot of them…”

  “Let’s head to the market,” Trudy said. “Pamela can hold down the fort, and we’ll run over and get the eggs.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Meghan and Trudy arrived at the market. Each fetched a shopping cart; they needed at least fifty cartons of eggs, and Meghan wasn’t even sure if her car would hold everything they needed.

  She saw the newspaper stand and frowned as she spotted a large photo of Anthony’s face on the front page. The atmosphere in the store was similar to when she had been there with Sarah; the place was abuzz with frantic whispering, and Trudy looked at Meghan in confusion as they wandered the aisles. “What is going on here?”

  “I think it’s about Anthony,” Meghan told her softly. “Apparently he had a cult-like following in town. I had no idea…”

  Trudy wrinkled her nose. “People can get so crazy over a good-looking, well-spoken man. It’s embarrassing,” she declared, holding her head high as they approached the dairy aisle.

  There were two women huddled near the eggs. “Excuse me?” Meghan said politely, but they did not hear her. They were feverishly whispering, and Meghan craned her neck to hear them.

  “And his voice. That smooth, buttery voice. It just sent me over the edge. When I would watch his television ads or campaign speeches, it made my heart flutter.”

  Meghan turned to Trudy and scowled. “Isn’t that gross?” she sighed. “Carrying on like that over a man who is dead? And a married man, at that? If ladies made over Jack like that, I would be sick, especially if he were dead.”

  “His face was like a movie star’s,” the woman’s friend cooed. “Can I tell you a secret? I had a news clipping about him tucked into the drawer in my nightstand. Sometimes, I would take it out just to look at his gorgeous face.”

  “If your husband knew, he would just die!” the other woman giggled.

  “But now, Anthony’s dead, and there’s no one cute around town,” her friend complained.

  Meghan turned to Trudy, disgusted by the conversation, but she realized her friend was quickly walking away. “Trudy?” she called out, confused by her exit. “Trudy? Where are you going?”

  She turned on her heel, abandoning her cart. Where was Trudy going? Why had she left so quickly? Was Trudy hiding something from her, or worse, did Trudy know something about Anthony?

  8

  M eghan followed Trudy down the aisle and was relieved to find her. Trudy was chatting with a woman she didn’t recognize, a pretty brunette with sharp features and spiral curls that fell to her shoulders.

  “Hey,” she greeted them. “Trudy? Are you okay?”

  Trudy turned to her. “I was just apologizing to Erin,” she explained. “I am so, so sorry.”

  Erin, the brunette, shook her head. “No, Trudy,” she protested. “I am sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am.”

  Trudy waved her hands. “You couldn’t possibly be more sorry than I am. I am just so sorry, Erin.”

  Meghan cleared her throat. “What’s going on, ladies?”

  Trudy smiled at Erin. “This is Erin Rogers! She is the woman who popped by the bakery the other day. She wants us to make her wedding treats. I forgot to get her contact information, and as we were shopping, I spotted her. I had to run over and apologize for not reaching out about the cakes. Erin, I am so glad I found you!”

  Erin nodded graciously. “It’s my fault,” she protested. “I should have left you my business card or tried to find you online.”

  Meghan reached out her hand. “Erin, I’m Meghan Irvin, the owner of the bakery. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Congratulations on your engagement!”

  Erin grinned. “Thank you. I couldn’t be happier to meet you, Meghan. What a pleasure.”

  Meghan studied Erin’s face. She appeared to be a few years older than Meghan, but with her flawless skin and lovely figure, Meghan imagined she would make a beautiful bride.

  “I just got married,” she shared with Erin. “A few months ago. Being a newlywed is such a treat, but I remember how fun it was to be engaged.”

  Erin grinned, holding up her left hand and flashing her engagement ring at them. It was a round cut diamond with a delicate halo of tiny diamonds and a silver band, and Meghan clapped her hands eagerly at the sight of it. “I love the halo,” she complimented as Erin wiggled her fingers playfully. “It’s so unique.”

  “It’s exactly what I wanted,” Erin shared, reaching over to give the large round diamond a gentle stroke. “My love picked it out without any help, and he did so well. He knew exactly what I wanted. I didn’t even have to hint.”

  “It sounds like you two are a match made in Heaven,” Trudy sighed happily. “You’ll be such a gorgeous bride. Do you have a dress picked out?”

  Erin pulled out her phone. “Do you want to see a photo?”

  “Yes!” Meghan and Trudy cried.

  Erin scrolled through her photos and found a picture of herself standing on a pedestal at a bridal boutique. “Ta da!”

  “Wow,” Meghan smiled excitedly. “What is that fabric called? I love it!”

  “Is it satin?” Trudy asked.

  “It’s charmeuse,” Erin explained. “It’s like satin but a bit lighter.”

  “The cowl neck is dreamy,” Meghan told her. “And your figure is to die for!”

  “My fiance is expecting me to be in a big poofy dress,” she grinned giddily. “The form-fitting dress will be such a shock to him. I think he will like it, though. Let’s face it, girls: I’ll never be this skinny again! I’ve been on a wedding diet for the last three months, and after we say I DO, I want to chow down!”

  “That’s the perfect segue into talking about partnering with the bakery,” Meghan told her.

  “What are your thoughts about the wedding cakes and treats?” she asked eagerly. “Trudy mentioned it was a big wedding? Are you thinking just cakes, or should we incorporate other treats?”

  Erin licked her lips. “You’re making me hungry. I want something simple; a nice carrot cake or German chocolate cake would be my preference, but James, my darling fiance, wants something a little more daring.”

  “Do you know what he has in mind?” Meghan asked. “We could do something unique, like a chocolate fountain? Or something simple, like a variety of cakes.”

  “He loves red velvet cake,” Erin shared with them. “It’s his favorite. He hasn’t had a lot of opinions about this wedding, but just last night, he told me he wants a red velvet cake with ten tiers. Ten! Can you imagine?”

  Trudy beamed. “Red velvet cakes are some of our favorites,” she assured the bride-to-be. “And we can easily do ten tiers. Do you have any more requests?”

  Erin pursed her lips. “Could we do some German chocolate cupcakes as a little compromise? That way I get what I want, and he gets what he wants?”

  “I love it!” Meghan exclaimed. “Here, let me give you my card. We can do a tasting when you are ready, and if we are a good fit, I’ll d
raw up a contract.”

  Erin took the card and put it in her purse. “It was so great running into you both,” she smiled. “What a lucky day this is.”

  “It was fate,” Meghan said. “Erin, it was so nice to meet you.”

  “And you,” Erin told her. “I will certainly be in touch.”

  Trudy and Meghan watched as she walked away. “That was great,” Meghan told her. “I can’t believe you found her, Trudy. That will be some great business for us.”

  “I think your instincts about the wedding market are good,” Meghan praised her. “I’m so glad you ran up to her, Trudy. Great job!”

  Trudy grinned. “Wasn’t she lovely?” she asked. “I think she will be really fun to partner with, too.”

  “I agree,” Meghan told her.

  Trudy looked down at her black snow boots. “Thanks for helping seal the deal,” she sighed as Meghan raised an eyebrow. “I was just so excited about the business when I met her, and it was easy to forget about the steps to close a deal. It’s one thing to have a customer have interest, but it’s another to get them in the door for a tasting, signing contracts, and everything else.”

  Meghan shook her head. “It’s one of my strengths,” she explained kindly. “Just like managing the bakery is yours. We’re a great team, Trudy. You run the bakery like a champ, I do operations well, and Pamela has a gift for baking. Without one of us, it wouldn’t work the same way. We are so lucky to have each other.”

  Trudy’s eyes shined. “We really are, aren’t we?”

  On their way out of the market, after loading up the car and deciding to walk to grab a quick cup of coffee, they stopped to admire a performer who was juggling on the town square.

  “Look at him go!” Trudy laughed as he spun the glittering balls over his head. “We need him in the bakery; can you imagine how fast we could make crepes if we had someone with those fast hands in our kitchen?”

  Meghan chuckled, imagining the performer flipping crepes at the speed he was juggling the balls. “Maybe we can add him to the team,” she joked.

  It was a cold day; giant snowflakes were falling gracelessly to the ground, and Meghan’s hair was soaking wet as the wet flakes clung to her. “Are you ready to go?” she asked Trudy after a few more minutes. “That cup of coffee is screaming my name!”

  “Let’s go,” Trudy agreed, and they turned to make their way to the coffee shop. “Actually, I’m going to run back into the market to use the bathroom. Be right back!”

  As Trudy left, Meghan heard someone groan. She looked down and realized she was standing on someone’s foot.

  “Sorry!” she cried, removing her foot from the taupe leather boot she had been crushing. “So sorry!”

  She glanced up to see the boot belonged to Bonnie Diggs. “Bonnie,” she whispered. “I am so sorry, Bonnie. I really should have watched where I was going.”

  Bonnie’s face was dark. Dressed in a red wool coat dress and matching gloves, she looked angry as she stared at Meghan.

  “I hope I didn’t upset her,” Meghan thought to herself as she tried to muster a better apology for Bonnie. “She looks like she’s ready to kill me.”

  9

  “Y

  ou’re making quite a habit of stepping on my toes,” Bonnie commented as Meghan took a step back from her.

  “I am so sorry,” she apologized as she nervously tucked her hair behind her ears. “I didn’t see you there, Bonnie.”

  “Clearly,” Bonnie replied flatly.

  “I hope I didn’t ruin your boots,” Meghan bit her lip, looking down to see a large brown scuff on the shoe she had stepped on.

  “It’s fine,” Bonnie sighed. “These were a gift from my husband, but they were getting old. I was going to throw them out soon anyway.”

  Meghan stared at her. Bonnie’s white blonde hair was swept back into a French twist, and with her beautiful coat and matching gloves, she epitomized elegance.

  “How are you doing?” Meghan asked her quietly. “I imagine this must be a very difficult time for you.”

  Bonnie shrugged. “That’s what everyone’s been asking me,” she replied. “In all honesty, Anthony wasn’t around a lot at home,” she admitted softly. “He was always working or traveling for business with his business partner, or at the gym. I spent a lot of time by myself here. I started spending more time with my parents at their home in Arcata. It was better than being alone in this town….”

  Meghan felt her heart sink. Bonnie’s voice was tinged with so much sadness. “Didn’t you grow up here?”

  Bonnie nodded. “I did,” she confirmed. “But my parents moved to California when I graduated high school. Most of my friends from childhood have left town, too. All I had left here was Anthony. Now, I don’t know what I’m going to do…”

  Bonnie’s chin began to tremble.

  “I’m really sorry,” Meghan told her again. “I know what it’s like to be somewhere and feel alone. I moved here only knowing one person, and it was quite difficult. If you ever need to talk...well...my door is always open.”

  Bonnie smiled. “That’s very kind of you,” she replied. “Say, did you know my husband well? You look to be around my age…”

  “I didn’t,” Meghan told her. “Just in passing, really.”

  “Good,” Bonnie said curtly. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  Meghan watched in confusion as Bonnie turned on her heel and strode away, the tail of her coat flapping in the wind. “That was an odd question to ask,” she thought as Bonnie turned the corner and out of her sight. “I wonder what that was all about…”

  Trudy reappeared from the market. “All done,” she told Meghan. “What’s with the sour look on your face?”

  “It’s nothing,” Meghan lied, still puzzled about her interaction with Bonnie. “Nothing at all.”

  After grabbing coffee, they drove back to the bakery, careful to avoid patches of ice on the roads. Meghan stared out the window, still pondering what Bonnie had said.

  “What are you thinking about?” Trudy asked. “You’ve been quiet since I got back from the bathroom, Meghan. What’s wrong?”

  Meghan wrinkled her nose. “What do you know about Bonnie Diggs?”

  “Bonnie Diggs?” Trudy wondered. “What’s got you thinking about Bonnie Diggs?”

  Meghan crossed her arms over her chest. “I ran into her today when you went to the bathroom,” she explained. “Like, literally ran into her. I accidentally stepped on her foot.”

  Trudy laughed. “You’re a little clumsy, Meghan.”’

  “She seems a little...off,” Meghan continued. “What do you know about her?”

  Trudy thought for a moment. “She was a few years younger than Anthony,” she began. “Closer to your age, really. She went to college in Paris, France, and even modeled in Paris for a few years. Anthony didn’t have any interest in her in high school, but when she came home for Christmas at the height of her modeling career, he swept her off her feet. They were married within the year.”

  “Wow!” Meghan’s eyes widened. “No wonder she is so elegant. A model in Paris!”

  “She’s a classy lady,” Trudy told her. “As I’m sure you realized.”

  “She seems so...disconnected from Anthony,” Meghan observed as she thought of her encounters with Bonnie. “She is so different than any other grieving widow I’ve met.”

  Trudy shrugged. “People grieve differently,” she countered. “Besides, Bonnie has been through a lot in the last few years. I’m sure she’s accustomed to grieving…”

  Meghan’s jaw dropped. “Accustomed to grieving? What do you mean?”

  “Her twins,” Trudy murmured. “She and Anthony were going to have twins. Five years ago, she was pregnant with twins. She was the cutest pregnant woman; her stomach was so round, but with her little figure, it looked like she had a beach ball beneath her dresses. She was cute as a button.”

  “What happened?” Meghan whispered. “To the twins?”

  Trudy�
�s face fell. “It was a horrible accident,” she muttered as they turned onto the street and pulled up to the bakery. “Anthony was driving, and there was a terrible accident. She lost the babies and nearly died herself.”

  Meghan breathed in sharply. “How terrible,” she moaned. “Poor Anthony. Poor Bonnie. Her heart must have been broken.”

  Trudy shook her head. “Something broke in Bonnie that day,” she commented as they got out of the car and opened the trunk. “She’s never been the same.”

  Meghan was shaken, and as they walked into the bakery, both carrying bags of eggs, she could not get Bonnie off her mind. What must it have been like to lose her children, and now, her husband? Bonnie certainly needed a friend, and Meghan was determined to show her kindness.

  “Pamela, we need your help,” Trudy called out as they walked into the dining room. “Can you please give us a hand?”

  Pamela ran into the dining room with a funny look on her face. “What’s wrong?” Meghan asked. “Are you okay?”

  Pamela shook her head, her eyes large and her mouth in a thin line. “It’s not okay,” she whispered. “We have a major problem, Meghan. A MAJOR problem.”

  Just then, a familiar figure strode out of the kitchen and into the dining room. It was Sarah Irvin, dressed in one of the bakery’s signature yellow aprons. “It’s about time you got back,” she told Meghan as Meghan’s mouth fell open. “I’ve been waiting for you! We have a lot to do around here, ladies!”

  10

  M eghan stared at her mother-in-law. What was Sarah Irvin doing at her bakery? Meghan had not invited her. Did she really think she was going to take over Meghan’s house and job?

  “What’s that face for?” Sarah asked, placing her hands on her hips. “You look as though you aren’t happy to see your mother-in-law, Miss Meghan!”

  Meghan pasted a smile on her face. “I’m always happy to see you, Sarah,” she replied. “I just wasn’t expecting you here today.”