On the Chopping Block (A Callie's Kitchen Mystery Book 1)

by Jenny Kales

  Relief was apparent in the receptionist’s voice; finally, this customer was going to let her off the hook. “You go right ahead. I think her assistant is still there.” Determined to be helpful now that she had a resolution, the receptionist asked “Do you know where her office is?”

  “Yes, thanks. What’s your name so that I can tell Jane how helpful – and cautious – you are? I’m sure she’d like to know.” Callie decided to make a friend so that if she got caught in the act, at least this young woman might vouch for her.

  The young woman beamed. “Why, that would be very nice.” She blushed becomingly. “My name is Stacy.”

  “Got it. Thanks, Stacy.”

  Slinging her gym bag over her shoulder, Callie headed to the back of the gym where Jane’s executive offices were located. A well-muscled young man sat outside the door, looking through a body building magazine. “I’m looking for Jane Willoughby,” Callie offered hopefully.

  The young man set the magazine down and flexed his biceps before answering. “You just missed her. Can I help you?”

  “Well,” Callie decided she’d go for helpless and confused and see where that got her. “I’m a colleague and friend of Jane’s and I lost my membership card. Actually it was stolen.”

  “Uh-huh,” replied the muscly guy.

  “So I wanted to know if Jane could help me get reinstated, since she does know me personally. Stacy said you’re all being extra cautious about security, which I completely understand.” Callie gave him her best innocent look, but her heart froze when Jane’s hunky assistant picked up the phone on his desk. “Let me call Jane’s cell. You can speak to her directly.”

  No, no, Callie fretted. She tried to smile, but inside she was screaming in protest. It was all she could do to stand still while the call was put through. While she considered making a dash for the door, Jane’s assistant frowned. “It went straight to voice mail,” he said. “Sorry. Can you come back tomorrow?”

  Callie tried again. “I work tomorrow and I was really hoping to use the fitness center right afterwards.”

  “Oh, well, Jane will be back tomorrow at 9 a.m.” Suddenly, the guy was all business. Callie gave him her best smile.

  “Would you let me in her office for just a minute? I want to write her a note.”

  “Just a second.” The assistant looked down at his own cell phone, which was buzzing away. “Hello?” He smiled hugely, apparently recognizing the phone number, an action that revealed charming dimples. “Hey, what’s up? Yeah, we can get together tonight! How about…” he appeared to remember he had an audience. Callie must have perfected her innocent expression because he shrugged and walked to Jane’s door, unlocking it. “Go ahead and write a note. I’ve got to take this call.”

  Callie was so ecstatic that she nearly hugged him, but she was pretty sure that whomever he was talking to wouldn’t appreciate it. Nodding wildly in assent, she entered the office, switching on the light. Silently she thanked the guy’s hormones for overriding his common sense.

  Half-closing the door so as not to arouse suspicion, Callie knew that she couldn’t waste this lucky break. She turned on Jane’s computer screen and waited until it warmed up.

  What had Piper told her? Most people chose very simple passwords – too simple. In Jane’s case, would she pick a tough password or like Callie, would she be too busy to remember anything too difficult? Callie hoped for the latter as Jane’s locked screen came up.

  “Bodies by the Bay,” she typed. No. “Workout.” No. “Jane 123” she tried. Again, nothing.

  Callie decided to go with a hunch. “Kitty.” Still nothing. Darn.

  “Chamber of Commerce.” Nothing. “Drew.” Nope. She was relieved at that, but what was her password?

  “Password,” she typed, growing desperate. The computer screen stayed locked.

  Callie knew that the computer program might shut her out if she tried many more inaccurate passwords, so she took a minute to think. As she considered, her eyes scanned the room. She opened Jane’s desk drawers – she could always claim that she was looking for writing implements if someone saw her, she thought. To her disappointment, no envelope saying “computer passwords” leapt out at her. Jane kept a neat and tidy desk, much like Drew. The pages of her notepads were blank.

  Callie was struck with a sudden inspiration. “Eiffel Tower” she typed, remembering the tributes at Drew’s home and also the tiny figurine on the desk at his bistro. Nada.

  Callie started pacing around the room, her eyes worriedly darting to the slightly closed door and back to the computer screen. The wall to the left of Jane’s office door was filled with photos of Jane and local dignitaries. There was one showing Jane and Mrs. DeWitt with a Crystal Bay College banner behind them. That must have been taken right around the time they announced the fateful business contest. Callie kept looking.

  Near the bottom left row of photos was a picture of a younger Jane, cutting what looked like a ribbon, during the opening day of Bodies by the Bay. It appeared to be a clipping from the local paper with the headline “Crystal Bay’s New Fitness Queen.”

  Callie’s gut had the same feeling she experienced while riding on a rollercoaster right before it dropped. She raced to the computer and typed “Fitness Queen.” Bingo! Password accepted. The screen opened up to show several folders, including one for the Internet and e-mail.

  Breathe, she told herself, almost too excited to focus on the files in front of her. Callie found Jane’s e-mails and began quickly scrolling. She kept peeking up, looking for someone to walk in. Dimly, she heard employees saying good night to each other, but her attention was on the e-mails. She clicked a few but they appeared to be all business-related. There was one from Jane to her husband, telling him she’d be late.

  Callie kept scrolling, unwilling to admit defeat. She kept scrolling frantically, until she saw it. Drew25@yahoo.com, Drew’s personal e-mail account. Now she felt like she was on the first drop of a tall rollercoaster and about to approach an upside down loop. She clicked to open the e-mail.

  “Jane,

  Why are you being so cold? I promise I’ll keep you warm. Think up a good excuse because I don’t want to let you go too soon. Can’t wait to see you. Love, Drew.”

  Callie gulped and looked at the date – it was just three months ago. Okay, she and Drew hadn’t been together three months ago. But Jane was married. She kept scrolling.

  There was another one, dated two weeks before Drew’s death. Callie could hardly bear to read it.

  “Jane,

  I’m so sorry about the baby. Please don’t blame me. You know it doesn’t change anything between us. Call me later on my cell. I’ll be at the Bistro so stop by there if you want. You’ve made it all possible. We belong together and all of our plans are nearly complete. Don’t give up. All my love, Drew.”

  Callie scrolled down but couldn’t find any more. Then again, the tears that had sprung to her eyes at this new discovery were possibly blurring her vision. She assumed that Jane had received and sent more e-mails but why hadn’t she erased these? It wasn’t discreet of her at all. At the very least, these e-mails implicated Jane and Drew in an affair and a pregnancy, if not Jane herself as a potential murder suspect.

  Maybe she couldn’t bear to delete them, Callie thought. She remembered how depressed Jane had seemed, a depression she had attributed to the miscarriage. Callie hadn’t known the half of it. Not only did Jane lose her longed-for baby, but her lover was dead.

  Had Jane killed him in a fit of anger and now regretted it? Callie didn’t know and right now, she didn’t have time to think about it. She’d been in here long enough. After closing the e-mail and shutting down the computer, Callie bent down to pick up her gym bag and nearly fell off of the chair when she heard a familiar voice.

  “Who’s there?” Steve Willoughby sounded surprised and not a little perturbed. “What are you doing in Jane’s office?” Callie jumped in the chair and felt her face turning bright red.

&nb
sp; Steve stood in such a way that his body was blocking the door. Callie had never noticed before how powerfully he was built, even though he wasn’t especially tall. He was wearing sleek charcoal grey workout attire that hugged his strong, muscular arms. Callie looked into his light blue eyes. He did not look happy.

  “You startled me!” Callie tried to arrange her features into what she hoped was a friendly grin. “I’m just writing a note for Jane. I lost my wallet and I’m trying to get my membership card reinstated. I thought Jane could move things along for me more quickly.”

  Steve strolled away from the door and walked toward Jane’s desk, inspecting it. “Where’s the note?” he asked. “Do you need paper or something?”

  “Uh, yes. I couldn’t find any.” Callie felt her heart pounding like a drum in her chest and was amazed that Steve couldn’t hear it.

  “There’s some paper right here,” Steve said, opening one of the drawers. “I’m sure Jane wouldn’t mind if you looked for paper in her desk. Don’t be shy.” Steve handed her a pad of pink sticky notes and proffered a pencil.

  “Thanks!” Callie scribbled out an innocuous note and left it on Jane’s desk. Now Jane would know she’d been here, exactly what she didn’t want. Maybe Steve would go out of the room before she did and she could remove the note.

  Suddenly, Piper breezed in and stopped short when she saw Steve and Callie at the desk. What was this, the Bodies by the Bay hotspot all of a sudden?

  “Hi there, you two,” Piper sang. “Callie, you look much better than you did just the other day! Did you bring any food? Max and I are due to go out later, in town, but I’m starving.”

  “No, I’m sorry. I don’t have food tonight. Well, I’d better get going. It was nice seeing you Piper, Steve.” Callie got up quickly, nodded to each of them and tried not to look longingly at the note on the desk. She wished that she could take it back. Now Jane would certainly suspect that she’d been snooping.

  Piper and Steve stayed right behind her as she walked out the door. Callie watched as Steve closed the door and locked it. Piper seemed oblivious to any tension. “See you soon!” she sang.

  “You bet,” Callie said, hoping that Piper hadn’t seen her discreet eye-roll. She kept her head down, raced past the receptionist’s station and out the front door of Bodies by the Bay, Stacy’s friendly “Good night!” ringing in her ears. She gave a quick wave and headed to her car. But before she could unlock the door, she saw Jeff and Minette frantically calling to her and waving.

  True, her friends were Bodies by the Bay regulars but it was unnerving that she had been seen by so many acquaintances while on her clandestine mission. So much for her career as a spy. Never mind. She’d say hello to her friends and then get out of here and fast.

  “Hi,” Minette said. “Working out again?” Callie couldn’t read her tone. Before she could respond, Jeff interrupted them, his eyes shining. “Did you hear?” Jeff asked. “We’ve got great news! We’re going to be able to keep our business.” He beamed at Callie and Minette gave her a toothy smile that somehow didn’t reach her eyes.

  “But didn’t you just move everything out of the shop? I saw all of those moving boxes,” Callie said, happy for her friends but puzzled.

  “That’s new stuff going in,” Jeff said proudly. “I had to order more supplies and we’re updating our décor a little bit. I’ve got some new funds, partly a loan and partly a new investor. We want to make Minette’s Chocolates more inviting and appealing than ever.”

  “That’s wonderful,” Callie said. “Congratulations! Welcome back to greatness!” She hugged each of them and then had a thought. “I’ll have crème brûlée cupcakes for sale in the next few days if you’d like to sell those to your customers again,” Callie offered.

  “You bet we would,” said Jeff. “Can you send us two dozen when they’re ready?” As Callie agreed, a wave of fatigue hit her and she staggered a little bit. She was doing a lot better after her attack but sad to admit, she wasn’t back to her full strength quite yet. She tried to smile, but Minette had noticed.

  “Sorry,” Minette apologized. “We’re probably keeping you – you need to rest.”

  “I’m just a little distracted as well as exhausted,” Callie answered. “I need to call Olivia. Her asthma is acting up again and she’s at Hugh’s house tonight.”

  “Oh, no! That is a worry. You go ahead and head home – and keep me posted,” Minette said while Jeff bounced on the balls of his feet, clearly anxious to get started on his workout.

  It was all Callie could do not to jump in the car. “Thanks, I’ll do that,” Callie said relieved at being dismissed. Waving goodbye to her friends, she sped out of the parking lot.

  Twenty Four

  Callie found herself heading back down Lake Shore Drive toward Samantha’s house. She had to tell Sam what she’d seen and ask her what to do. She had no proof that Jane was a killer but this was definitely new and interesting evidence. It was a clear link between Jane and Drew – a secret link.

  Callie’s was overjoyed when Sam’s townhouse came into view. Please be at home, Sam, she thought. She parked her car and climbed the steps to ring the doorbell.

  She rang the bell again and again, but Sam didn’t answer. The house was dark but that wasn’t unusual for Sam this time of night. Still, she would call her again later just to make sure. The discovery of Drew’s body had probably altered the way she viewed unanswered doors for the rest of her life.

  Callie went back to her car and picked up her cell phone. Sam didn’t answer her phone which usually meant one of two things: she was working late or with a client. Or, maybe, thought Callie, she was even on a date. “Call me when you can” she tapped into her phone. “It’s about the investigation.” A few minutes later, Sam texted back: “Wrapping up a meeting. I’ll call you in an hour.”

  Now what? Callie wondered. She didn’t know if she could wait an hour.

  Should she call Detective Sands? As far as she was knew, nobody else was aware that Drew and Jane were having an affair – or what it might mean to solving the case. He’d told her to stop investigating on her own and here she was, breaking into Jane’s computer. Still, she knew in her heart that she had to share this piece of the puzzle in the hopes that it would prove that there were others who may have a motive for Drew’s death. Like Steve Willoughby, for example. Did he know the truth about his wife?

  With trembling fingers, Callie located Sands’s card and dialed his number.

  “Sands. Who am I am speaking to?”

  “It’s Callie Costas.”

  “Ms. Costas?” Sands sounded surprised to hear from her. “You again? Is everything okay?”

  “Yes, I mean, no,” Callie stammered. She took a deep breath. “I’m fine, physically, that is, but I discovered some information that I think I should tell you. It’s important,” she hastened to add.

  “Right, then. What is this ‘stuff’ you want to tell me? Where are you by the way?”

  “I’m in my car,” Callie answered, perplexed. “Why?”

  “Just curious. Stay in your car,” Sands said. “If you have information for me and only me, let’s keep it that way. Now, what is it?”

  “I just came from Bodies by the Bay and happened to see Jane Willoughby’s computer files. I had stopped by her office and I looked at her e-mail – I know I shouldn’t have but she has kept refusing to talk to me. I suspected that she’d been hiding something.”

  “Looked at her e-mail? I can’t believe this,” Sands let out a strangled roar.

  “I had a hunch or I never would have looked. Do you want to know what I found or not? It’s big!”

  “All right, I’ll bite. What did you discover?”

  “It looks like Jane and Drew were having an affair – and the baby she lost? It looks like it might have been Drew’s.”

  “I see,” Sands sounded grave. “An e-mail revealed this to you?”

  “Yes. I had no idea before, I swear I didn’t. I want to help solve thi
s, that’s why I’m telling you.”

  Sands gave a deep sigh. “You’re a live one, that’s for sure. I’ll follow up and thanks for the tip. However, any more checking into people’s computers without their permission and you may be facing multiple charges.”

  Callie didn’t answer. Total despair washed over her. “I’m not going to be able to convince, you, am I? I had nothing to do with this. I’ve shared every piece of evidence and information that’s come my way.”

  “True. However, there is such a thing as being too helpful, Ms. Costas.”

  Callie’s voice broke as the full impact of her recent findings hit her. To top everything off, she hadn’t been able to shake her worries for her daughter’s health after Hugh’s phone call the other day. Callie burst into tears before she could stop herself and immediately struggled to regain control. What would Sands think?

  “Now, now. Just relax.” Sands said this kindly.

  “I’m sorry. It’s not just the fact that I don’t want to go to jail! I’m worried about my daughter. She’s having some health problems and she’s staying with her father.”

  “Oh,” Sands said. Callie remembered when he cautioned her to be careful for herself and her daughter. She thought of the picture of the pretty little girl on Sands’ desk.

  “Detective, do you have any kids?” she blurted.

  The detective was silent a long time and Callie wondered if he was angry with her. Finally, he spoke. “I do not, not anymore,” he finally said in a low voice. “My daughter died when she was young.” Callie was too horrified to respond. Why had she asked him that?

  “I’m sorry,” she finally managed. “So sorry.”

  “Thank you,” Sands said. He cleared this throat and asked again “Anything else you need to tell me at the moment?”

  “No,” Callie said firmly. She was going to go home and bury her head under the covers.

  “You’re certain?” Sands persisted.

  “Yes.” Callie felt drained

  “I’m sorry about the discovery you made regarding the ‘affair.’ Not a mistake I’d make.” The detective cleared his throat and his voice change to steel. “My advice: do not get involved any more than you have. It could be dangerous for you – in more ways than one.”