“Thankfully, the first place I checked in are a fan of our pastries, and they had seen me on TV, and the rest became history. All I can say is that I am doing well because of the reality check you gave me. And for that, I am very thankful.”
Madeline was surprised by everything about Lewis. It looked as though he had made a three-sixty turn for the better. And for that, she was so happy and proud of her. She pulled him in for another tight hug.
“Ok, enough of these emotions ha-ha.” Lewis laughed right before he got a little more serious with whatever he was trying to say. “You know I am never good at this. So I will just get straight to the point…”
“Ok.”
“Of late your company has been having lots of problems I gather. And I also think that these problems are internal. As bad as this may sound, I think there is someone from the inside who is working their butts off to make sure that we don’t succeed.”
Surprisingly, that was the exact thing that Madeline had been suspecting. It had been very queer in the way people just knew how to attack them when they were vulnerable. And it was also queer about how her stepfather had always been detached from the business ever since it started taking off.
But still, it didn’t make any sense because it was more or less his business and also because the success of the business meant the success of the family at large. Lewis saw that Madeline was thinking, and so he gave her an ample time to get on with her thoughts. And when she was ready, she looked him in the eye.
“I want you to be honest with me. Whom do you think is responsible for doing this to our family and why do you think they are doing it?”
Lewis didn’t even have to come clean. But his reaction already gave Madeline the answer that she was looking for at that very instance. It was Edward. Lewis was loyal, and that was what made it difficult for him to spill the beans about his dad. Even before the business had taken off, Edward always wanted Lewis to run the business since he was his flesh and blood. But since Lewis had no clue about cooking, he was left with no choice but to let the girls run the place.
“This is the truth. And I know you are smart enough to know that I have nothing to worry about right now. I just care for you guys since you took me in as your brother and never looked back. And even when you kicked me out of the business, it was tough love. I saw how difficult it was for you to do so and I figure you cried after I left.”
Madeline couldn’t believe this. Even though the puzzle had been solved, she didn’t know how to take it all in. She took Edward as her father and according to her, the family was everything. You didn’t just betray your family especially if they are going something very amazing for the rest of the family to benefit.
“This is ridiculous! Gosh! Why do you think he is doing this?”
“Kicks of a dying horse. Sometimes it is hard to understand my father. I guess he realized that I cannot run the business, and so he opted to sabotage the entire thing. Something you never knew about my father is that he is selfish. That is one quality that he had learned how to conceal over the years. But if you look closely, you won’t miss it.”
“I watch him closely. Why haven’t I seen it?”
“Because love always blinds you. You are just like your mother. You always see the best in people. And if you aren’t careful, you can allow lots of snakes in your grass.”
Madeline understood everything now. She peeked outside and saw that there were plenty of people who were still waiting for them. So she decided to wipe her watery tears with a handkerchief right before chatting on a lighter note.
“…How did you know I cried after you left?”
“We have been friends for years. I know you hate causing other people pain. And that is why I think you will have a problem confronting papa. That is why I came back, to help you sort everything out without having to strain at all.”
Chapter 8:
-The Victory Party-
As promised, Madeline invited her sisters back from New York and Los Angeles, and they threw the biggest pastry party the country had ever seen. People from all over the country showed up and what was to be a party of two hundred had a massive turn out of close to double that number.
Thankfully, the people of Tarpon Bay have always been a hospitable bunch. They quickly turned from guests to hosts and helped the people to settle down. It took a couple of hours but in the end, it was all sorted out. And eventually, everyone assumed their seats and embarked on enjoying that fascinating morsel without any problems.
It was too good to be true. And at some point, they made a point of getting things sorted out quite effectively.
The pastries didn’t even have time to be packed; the people were so hungry that they got from the oven to their mouths. Bottom line, it was the best victory party ever. They people were always very receptive and wished the family all the best in their business and also got to pledge their full support.
And at the eleventh hour, the people started asking Madeline to come and say something. And it was fitting since some of the people had come from very far just to have a taste of this mouthwatering pastries and, if they were lucky enough, get to enjoy some of these amazing cuisines.
Madeline didn’t have the time to change as everyone was chanting for her name. She also wasn’t good at giving speeches too, but the past couple of weeks in the limelight had given her some experience in public speaking, and so she figured that with a little help from heaven up above, she was going to hack it without a doubt.
Everyone cheered her up as she walked to the makeshift podium. She was all floury and oily, but she didn’t care about that. Besides, she got that way making sure that the people who had turned up in droves had a taste of the pastries that got to put smiles on their faces.
“Thank you very much for coming. I don’t have much time because I have some more pastries to make. I just want to know if you are all comfortable… are you?”
Everyone clapped and cheered. Madeline nodded a little right before continuing with her speech.
“That is why we do what we do. We just want the world to have that sudden rush of adrenaline when you have a taste. Our competitors aren’t happy with us. But that is not important at this moment. All we need to do is make sure that we keep you happy. And whether they try to bring us down or not, we will stick to doing just that. I can smell some pastries burning, so please, allow me to rush and get you some more pastries. Thank you once again for coming!”
And with that, Madeline was gone, everyone cheered and took photos. But as she was about to disappear behind the thick door that separated the backyard with the restaurant kitchen, someone grabbed her hand and made her turn with a surprised look on her face. Madeline sighed with relief when she turned and found out that it was Mary Moore.
“Madeline, we need to talk.”
Madeline had already known that when Mary Moore said they needed to talk, something was awfully wrong. But also she knew that Mary always had a solution and so she didn’t have to worry about a damn thing. So she stopped serving and after rubbing her oily hands on the spotlessly clean pinafore, she went outside to check out what her friend had to say.
From the look on her face, Madeline knew that the news that Mary Moore bore was grave. And it was at that point that she started panicking. It was such a bad timing that at that point, it seemed as though everything was going to fall apart within a matter of minutes. But Madeline decided to keep quiet for a moment and just wait.
Mary took another breath and rubbed her hands nervously before starting to break the news. It seemed as though she was trying to look for the best way she was going to massage the reality to Madeline, but she just couldn’t find the right way to go about it. So she finally decided to give it to her straight - no more sugarcoating.
“Edward is behind all the onslaught that you have been going through. He had been paying people to take down this business. Don’t tell me how I got this information because I am still doubtful about the confessions that the arreste
d imposters said.”
Madeline smiled. It seemed as though she was finding humor in the most amazing places ever. Mary didn’t understand why she was smiling. But thankfully, she didn’t have to wait too long to find out what was up.
“I knew it all along. His son broke the news to me. It’s a family feud that we didn’t even know existed.”
This statement was followed by another long stretch of silence. It was just too much for them to bear. And at the moment, it seemed as though the only way they were going to survive was to make sure that they had kept this from the entire family. They were having a celebration for crying out loud.
The last thing they needed to find out was that their grandfather was a totally different person than what they had known for a long time.
“What do you suggest we do?”
“Let the party go on. And once everyone had departed, we will convene a meeting and spill the beans to everyone.”
Madeline cheated. She had other plans in store for her father.
Chapter 9:
-The Confession-
Edward was nowhere to be seen. And after looking for him for close to ten minutes, Madeline decided to call Mary Moore and ask her what the heck was up. She just needed to know whatever the heck was going on before trying something.
Thankfully, Mary Moore had already made a couple of calls knew just where Edward had disappeared to and why. Lewis had given his father a tip, and he had escaped. It wasn’t because of him being an asshole, but it was because he realized that what he was doing was petty, and he couldn’t face his stepdaughters because of the shame.
Lewis had also left since he had done his part protecting his sisters from a problem within. And now that he was sure that they were safe and sound, the only thing that was left was for him to leave and continue with his independent life. But he gave Mary Moore a note telling her that it was important for them to call or reach out anytime they needed his help. And Madeline knew that she was going to be calling him sooner than later.
“So, are you going to call the police and inform them about this?”
“I don’t think so. Everything is all clear now. I don’t think we will be hearing from Edward for a very long time. But this is his home too. When he runs out of money, he will come back, and we will welcome him back.”
“And speaking of money, I managed to trail some of the money that he took from the business, and it was wired back to one of the scums who ratted him out.”
“Oh Mary, I don’t even find that surprising. I knew there was something wrong with the way they were staring at him when we caught the imposters. But I think it’s all in the past now.”
“I hear you, girl, I hear you. And you know that anytime you need me, I am but a phone call away.”
Madeline pulled Mary into a warm hug. It was just too good to be true. And at the moment, it seemed as though she didn’t want to let go of her until Mary Moore started having a problem breathing.
“Oh, I am sorry for that. And I think there is something that I ought to be doing right at this moment. Here, get to the kitchen and check on the pastries. I will be right back.”
Mary didn’t even have the time to wonder about what was going on. So she just stood there and watched as Madeline went back to the podium. Everyone cheered as they saw her walking right back.
“And I know some of you have been wondering what the secret recipe is. Well, I don’t think I should keep it a secret any longer. My mother always told me that the best way to make food is by making it with love. Yes, LOVE is that secret ingredient that makes our pastries stand out. And I hope that instead of other corporates wasting time-fighting us, I think they should start making the pastries with love so that it is extended to their customers.”
And with that, Madeline McDougal left the podium and rushed back to the kitchen, leaving everyone out there clapping profusely.
<< The End >>
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…Synopsis…
Meri Kee has spent a sheltered life. Her parents had always provided her with everything she needed, but that life had been shattered when Meri’s dad was killed in Afghanistan. Meri and her mother grew close after her father’s death. Meri was glad that her mom had just completed her education to become a nurse practitioner. They would need the extra income, especially since Meri had her heart set on going to college and becoming a registered nurse. She had never really been interested in boys because she didn’t want anything to interfere with her career plans. Of course, Meri knew about the birds and the bees, but she didn’t know the first thing about passion. She had plans to save herself for marriage, and that was going to be after she had passion of her state nursing license.
Daniel Turner was ruggedly handsome, but had a bit of a reputation. His weekend hobby was riding his Harley Heritage Softtail with the group of friends he had known for several years. They often spent the weekend on the road, stopping at various bars and spending nights in motels along the way. Biking was his freedom. Throughout the week he was the lead investigator for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. Memphis had a high crime rate, and Daniel’s tough treatment of the perpetrators gained him a bit of a reputation. His weekend rides helped Daniel clear his mind after an aggravating week chasing criminals. Often women would throw themselves at him while he was out on the road. Women seemed to be attracted to rugged men on motorcycles, and even though they knew they would probably never meet again, they offered their bodies for a night of pleasure. Daniel was happy with this life until he met his forbidden stepsister. Meri aroused things in him he had never experienced before. Would she be the one who finally stole his heart and broke the heart of all those willing women along the road?
…The Story begins…
Chapter 1
Meri Kee was excited! She had just been accepted at Memphis State University. It was one of the few medical colleges in Tennessee and she couldn’t wait to get started. She had known for the last few years that she wanted to follow her mother’s footsteps into the medical field, but the death of her father in Afghanistan during her senior year almost derailed everything.
Meri and her mother had been devastated when the news came of her father’s death. Her mother, Amanda had decided to return to college and complete her education to become a nurse practitioner while her husband had been deployed. She made good money over the last 10 years as a registered nurse, but the Army allowed her to continue her education while her husband was active. She thought it would be a smart move to take advantage of what was being offered to her. Her 10 years of nursing experience went a long way in helping her achieve her goals. There were plenty of experiences along the way that helped Amanda learn more and more about the medical profession. She had discovered that helping people to feel better was a great comfort to her. Because she loved her job so much, she was like a sponge soaking up all the knowledge she could. She would have been content to spend the rest of her life as a registered nurse, but when her husband had been deployed, she was lonely at home without him. Meri was still in high school, and was involved in a lot of high school activities. When the opportunity came up to allow Amanda to keep working while continuing her education, she jumped on it.
Amanda had just completed her advanced studies when she got word of her husband’s death. She remembered the day like it was yesterday. It was a beautiful Saturday morning and she and Meri were at home doing their usual Saturday morning chores. Amanda heard the doorbell ring while she was upstairs cleaning one of the bathrooms. She r
an down the stairs to open the front door. Her heart sank when she saw the Army Chaplain and two guards standing there. She had heard stories of others who had received visits like this, and they usually did not end well.
Amanda invited the men to come into the house. She called for Meri to join them once they were seated in the living room. The Chaplain started out with his usual, “I am so sorry to have to deliver this news to you.” She sat there in disbelief while she listened to the Chaplain tell her about her husband’s death. His platoon had been traveling the roadways of Afghanistan when his jeep ran over a bobby-trapped landmine. The following explosion killed all that were in the jeep with him.
Amanda and Meri sat there and numbly listened to the Chaplain tell them what to expect in the next few days. Her husband’s body would be flown back to the states where he would be loaded on a flight to Memphis. The Army would be in touch with her, but he should arrive in about three days. They would arrange for a vehicle to pick up her and Meri to transport them to the airport so that they could be there when his body was removed from the plane. She would need to make arrangements with a local funeral home to be at the airport to pick him up. The family transportation detail would remain with her and Meri while they followed the hearse to the funeral home. They would be allowed to spend some time with the body at the funeral home if they wanted to. The transportation detail would then return them back home.
The Chaplain had asked if there was anything he could do. Amanda was in shock and unable to think. She mumbled a quick “no” and took the Chaplain’s hand as he gave his sincere condolences.
When they left, Amanda and Meri fell into each other’s arms. They cried so hard that neither of them could talk. What were they going to do? How would they ever be able to move on? They had both just lost the only man in their lives. Amanda had never loved anybody else, and Meri was devoted to her father.
MYSTERY: COZY MYSTERY: WOMEN SLEUTHS: Madeline's Secret Recipe Series (Cozy Humor Kitchen Detective Mystery) (Suspense Sweet Cove Short Story Culinary Comedy) Page 9
