“Where are you?” Heather asked. “I need to know, right away.”
“I’m in my house, in the upstairs bathroom. I can hear them. They’re banging around downstairs.” The call cut off for a second, the scrape of fabric against the receiver. “He just screamed something. It’s a man. Help me, please.”
“Okay, Karly? Listen to me, really carefully. Is there a lock on the bathroom door?”
“Yeah,” she hissed.
“Is there a window you can crawl out of?” Heather asked, and panic tightened its grip on her throat. She cleared it and focused her mind. Karly was in more danger than she realized.
“No,” Karly whispered. “No, there isn’t. I’m dead. He’s going to kill me, isn’t he? Who is it?”
“I can’t say for sure, right now. Karly, you have to lock that door and climb into your tub. Hide. Keep a low profile and no matter what, no matter what he says or who he sounds like, do not open that door. Do you hear me?”
“Yes.” Karly sobbed, then swallowed it. “Heather, I’m sorry for being so mean.”
“Now isn’t the time for apologies. Keep quiet and low. I’m calling the cops, right now.”
“Thank you,” Karly whimpered.
Heather hung up the phone, then swiped through to her contacts and found her husband’s number. She tapped her feet on the tar beside Lavender’s car. Impatience drummed through her soul.
The second sister was in danger.
Ryan’s phone rang twice. “Don’t worry, I’m on my way to you,” he said, the minute he answered.
“No, don’t come to Tiny’s house. You need to head over to Karly Belushi’s right away,” Heather said and gulped for air. The panic crawled through her again, demanding attention.
She wouldn’t feed into it.
“Why?”
“Because Tiny is there. Or whoever is there is after her. She’s locked herself in the upstairs bathroom. You have to get there, now, Ryan.” Heather crossed her fingers. Her hubby had never let her down before.
“I’m on my way,” he said, then hung up.
Heather heaved a sigh of relief. It was out of her hands, now, and in the grasp of her super qualified Detective husband. He’d fix this.
She sagged against the Kia for the second time in five minutes. “What a day,” she muttered.
“Hey, Heather,” Amy yelled.
She jerked straight and spun on the spot, heart pounding in her throat. “What is it? What’s wrong? Is he in there?” Wait, no, he couldn’t possibly be in the house, could he?
“What? No way. The house is officially clear of creepy little dudes with kitchen knives.” Amy laughed, and Dave turned in a circle at her feet and sat on her shoe, again. “What is this?” Amy asked. “Is this a new habit, Dave? Because we’re going to have to break it.”
“What’s wrong, then?” Heather asked.
“You gotta come see some of the stuff in here. Close up Lavender’s trunk and come take a look,” Amy replied. She booted Dave off her foot – gently – then led him back into the depths of Tiny Belushi’s home.
Heather slammed the trunk of Lavender’s Kia, then traipsed onto the sidewalk and toward the stark Belushi house. Enough was enough. She needed a donut and a choc milkshake after all of this.
“The work isn’t over yet,” she said, to herself. She still had to find the real evidence, which would bring down Tiny.
Heather’s lips curled back. The man had killed his mother. What could’ve possessed him to do that?
“Hey, are you coming?” Amy yelled.
“Yeah, yeah, hold your horses.”
“I can’t,” Amy replied. “I’m holding Dave.”
Heather stomped down the path and into the cool, darkness of Tiny’s house.
Chapter 19
“What is it?” Heather asked, and strode into the living room.
Lavender and Amy stood in the kitchen area of the room, their eager expressions reflected in the shining, silver fridge. Lavender grasped a phone between her fingertips and Amy leaned against her shoulder, gaze flitting across the screen.
“Tiny’s phone?” Heather hurried to Amy’s side.
The harsh fluorescent tubes illuminated their square of the kitchen, and the screen too.
“Go back to the other one,” Amy said.
Lavender tapped the screen, then opened a message and directed the screen toward Heather. “Read it.”
“No need for weeping. The evidence is here, Heather,” Amy said.
Heather bent her head over the phone and read the text.
I’ve had enough. I know you’ve been robbing some of the places around town, son. I won’t stand for it. We left Dallas because of you, and I won’t let you bring us down again. It’s over.
“Wow. So, Tiny was the one who forced them to leave,” Heather whispered. “He was a fugitive. On the run from the law because of his priors.”
“Yep, yep, yep,” Amy said, then reached across Lavender and tapped her finger on the screen. “Look at this one.”
No, Tim. You’ve gone too far this time. I won’t let you hurt people like this. Not your family. I’m going to speak to my lawyer tomorrow. You’re out of my will.
“Wait, why would Tiny kill his mom after she’d removed him from her will?” Heather asked. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“Unless, he wanted revenge,” Amy replied. She bent, then let Dave off the leash. He sniffed around in the kitchen and scratched at the tiles.
“Revenge? Maybe.” Heather scratched her chin. “Or maybe, just maybe, he didn’t think she’d changed it yet. He probably wanted to get rid of her before she did it, then benefit from the payoff.”
“I dunno,” Lavender said. “That doesn’t make sense to me.”
Heather and Amy froze and looked at the young woman. Heather chuckled. “I almost forgot you were there, Lavender. Why do you think he did it?”
They were past the point of ‘who did it’ and onto ‘why’.
Lavender straightened her modest t-shirt, then narrowed her eyes at the screen of Tiny’s fancy smartphone. “Because of the way he killed her. He didn’t try to make it look like an accident. He choked her on a sweet ball.”
“You’re right,” Heather said. “Of course, you’re right. He also used your velvet shirt to try to frame you for the murder.”
“What if,” Amy said, and clicked her fingers three times in a row. “What if he went to meet his mom with the thought of killing her in his mind? Maybe he wanted her to eat the fudge balls and go into shock or something. And then when he was there, she revealed that she’d already changed the will? He got angry and, well, you guys know the rest.”
Heather nodded. “That’s another theory. Look, this is all speculation. We can’t be certain about anything at this point, except that Tiny killed Bernie Belushi in cold blood.”
“Cold sugar,” Amy replied.
Dave whined and scratched at a bottom cupboard at the other end of the kitchen. He sniffed it, then scrabbled his paws against it.
“Dave? What’s wrong?” Heather asked.
Her doggy dearest ignored her and scratched at the cupboard s’more.
“I’m too afraid to open it,” Amy whispered. Lavender clamped onto Amy’s arm, and they shivered together.
“Drama, drama,” Heather said and rolled her eyes.
She marched to the cupboard, which had caught Dave’s attention, then dropped to her haunches in front of it. She wrenched it open. A box sat inside. Plain white, no insignia.
“What if it’s something gory?” Amy asked. “Oh gosh, what if it’s like, trophies. Like a serial killer?”
“Shush,” Heather said, and flapped her hand over her shoulder.
Dave whined and sniffed the cardboard box.
Heather reached into the cupboard and grabbed it. Her fingers fumbled against the card. She brought it onto her lap, then sat down in the center of the kitchen. Amy and Lavender crept forward, still clutching each other.
Heather f
lipped the lid.
The women gasped. Dave licked his furry lips.
Heather burst out laughing. “It’s the fudge balls,” she said.
The rock hard sweet balls sat flush in the box, rows upon rows of them, except for a gap where the murder weapon had sat.
“We found the final piece of the puzzle,” Heather said, then closed the lid before Dave could lick them. His sugar-lovin’ nose had saved the day, again.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this relieved.” Amy blew her cheeks out and sighed.
Heather’s phone beeped. Another message. She rose from the tiles, then walked to the counter and propped the box of evidence on top of it.
She brought out her phone, then tapped through to the message.
Karly is safe. We have Tiny Tim Belushi in custody.
“They’ve got him,” Heather said and raised her fist. “Yes, they’ve got him.”
Lavender and Amy high-fived. Dave barked and hopped around in circles, wagging that tail fast enough to take off.
Heather typed a text back.
Got some evidence over here at his house. Love you. She sent it off, then shut her eyes. Another mystery solved. Another murderer brought to justice.
Ping! And another text message. Heather opened her eyes and tapped to open it.
I love you more. Donuts and milkshakes to celebrate?
Heather chuckled. On the house.
Chapter 20
“Are you ready for this, Mrs. Shepherd?” Ryan asked, and turned the key in the ignition. The engine purred to life, and he slammed the car into reverse, then pulled out of their driveway.
Dave whined in Heather’s lap. He preferred walks to car rides now. “Don’t you dare throw up,” she said and pressed the tip of her finger to his nose. “Yeah. I guess I’m ready. This is all so new and exciting. I didn’t dream it would get this far.”
“It’s the perfect mix of small town and big business. You’ll see,” Ryan replied, his gaze fixed on the road. “He’s as stiff as a corpse, but that Ronald Tombs know what’s going on when it comes to business.”
“Excuse the pun,” Heather said, then waved her free hand. “You know, corpse, Tombs.”
“Speaking of corpses,” Ryan said, then grimaced at that distasteful sentence. “I wanted to thank you for your help on the case.”
“You’re not even supposed to acknowledge my help,” Heather said, but her cheeks colored at the gratitude.
She put her all into everything she did, the investigations included, but she never expected recognition.
“That will all change, very soon. How many more weeks until you’ve got your diploma?” Ryan asked.
Heather gulped, then raised two fingers. “Only two, my love. I tore through the study material. I love it. I love everything about investigating.”
“And I love everything about you,” Ryan replied.
Dave snuffled at Heather’s skirt and whined again.
“Yeah, and you too, Dave, don’t worry.” Ryan couldn’t reach across to pet him, but the sentiment placated her doggy dearest.
They rounded the corner and Ryan pulled up in front of Donut Delights. The empty windows of the store beside it stared at them, sunlight glinting off the panes.
Ronald Tombs stood on the sidewalk - a yellow hard hat rammed onto his head, and a clipboard wedged between his arms and chest. He turned, then beckoned them. His wave was short, impatient, and oh so very ‘Ronald Tombs.’
Heather swallowed. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Believe it, baby. This is the start of a whole new you,” Ryan replied.
“Stop, you sound like a TV show host,” Heather said, then hummed Here I Go Again by Whitesnake.
“You’re not alone,” Ryan said and grabbed her hand. He squeezed once. “But I’m pretty sure Tombs is getting anxious out there. We should join him.”
“Right,” Heather said, then clunked open the car door and slipped out. She carried Dave across the road, then put him down and firmed her grip on the end of his leash.
Her pooch sniffed Ronald’s dress shoes – who wore fancy shoes to a construction site? Ronald shifted away from him.
“I’m glad you made it,” Ronald said, tone free of malice. “This is going to be the start of something beautiful.”
Heather nodded, then stuck out her hand.
Ronald accepted the grip and returned a handshake, gaze somber. Focused. The epitome of a businessman.
“I want to ensure you that I’ll work ceaselessly to make Donut Delights a nationwide success,” Heather said. “I love what I do, and I can’t thank you enough for your investment.”
“Your store has great promise. It’s unique. I can see you catering weddings and events across the country, if not the world. I’m glad to be a part of that,” Ronald replied. He gave her a final shake, then let go and marched off to find the head of the construction team.
Was that the right name for him? Heather had no clue.
The empty salon next to her bakery had months’ worth of renovations in store before they could expand into it. Expand, hire more staff and take those online orders by storm.
Heather pressed her palm to her stomach, but it did nothing to still the raid of butterflies bouncing off her insides.
“Are we in time?” A voice called behind her.
Heather turned and huffed out a sigh of relief, which she transformed into a grin.
Amy, Lilly, and Eva hurried across the street toward her. Lilly’s gaze strayed to Dave, immediately, and Heather held out the leash to her. Amy’s cheeks flushed red, and Eva patted at her hair and checked her light plum-colored summer dress.
“They haven’t started yet,” Heather said.
Ryan appeared at her side and offered them all hard hats. “They’re about to, though. This is it. It’s the beginning of a new era for Donut Delights.”
“What are they going to break first?” Lilly asked, between giggles – Dave licked at her ankles and whacked his tail against her legs in his joy.
Ryan chuckled. “They’re going to break down a few interior walls to get started. They’ll have to remove the rubble after that. Strip out the sink. Get the tiles out.”
“All right, all right, we don’t need all the dirty details, Bob the Builder,” Ames said and flapped her hands at him.
Ryan ignored her and slipped his arm around Heather’s shoulders instead. “It’s going to start in a minute.”
Ronald Tombs marched toward them, on cue. “Are you ready, Mrs. Shepherd? We’re waiting on you to start.”
“We’re having champagne after this, right?” Amy asked.
“And donuts,” Eva added.
Ronald Tombs blinked at the ladies, then turned his gaze back to Heather. He searched her face for the answer.
She broke eye contact and stared at the soon-to-be new section of the store. A new store, new staff, and a diploma in investigating in the near future. She sucked in a breath, held it, then released after four counts.
“I’m ready,” Heather said. “Tell them they can start.”
THE END
A letter from the Author
To each and every one of my Amazing readers: I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Let me know what you think by leaving a review!
I’ll be releasing another installment in two weeks so to stay in the loop (and to get free books and other fancy stuff) Join my Book club.
Stay Curious,
Susan Gillard
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Green Velvet Murder: A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery - Book 16 Page 7
