Death by Crockpot

by Linda West

  The tension at the chili Cook-Off was getting to me. Since I officially didn’t have anything to do before they returned with the backup chili and crockpots – I slipped out front for a quick cigarette.

  The rain started again as soon as I walked outside. Darn the weather in Six Pines! But I was desperate. I found a little awning at the end of the building under the gutter where it kind of protected me from the rain.

  I lit up a cigarette, and looked up at the moonless night. It was really raining extra hard now, and water kept rolling off the awning and hitting me in my face. I wiped at my eyes with my free hand. I probably should have gotten my coat on. Did I mention I was sneaking a smoke? One of the disadvantages of smoking that the French don’t have to endure. They’re civilized. They accept second hand smoke as a part of growing up chic. Chic or not, my father’s ire would be worse than my current goosebumps and wet hair too.

  Suddenly, through the mist I spotted a figure bent over, and huddled next to a large green Victorian home a few door down. It was a strange position for someone to be in, and why would anyone be out in this rain - other than a crazy smoker like me? I craned my neck to see better. My eyesight is not great but the drenching down rain was making it even harder to see what was going on.

  The person was hunched over in an odd position. Maybe he was throwing up from some of the competitor’s chili? Goodness knows I almost burped right in front of the team from Deep River Run. Granted I had been drinking beer, but still, I always drink beer.

  The huddled figure suddenly bolted up straight, and looked right at me. He turned his head in each direction and then moved towards me down the street. I was glad he was all right.

  From inside the announcer’s amplified voice said. “Everyone please quiet down! The official semifinalists are about to be announced!”

  Shoot!

  I had to get in there now! I stubbed out my cigarette, and rushed toward the door.

  I weird sensation rushed through me, and from out of the corner of my eye I turned to see the dark figure running in my direction. I thought he must have wanted to get into the pavilion to hear the semi finalist announcements too.

  That’s when I saw the knife in his hand.

  I looked around to see if there was some animal about to attack or something, but we were alone outside. Even the darn alley cats were in the pavilion waiting on the contestant announcement, and scraps of course.

  Surely he wasn’t coming after me? I’m not what you would call a smart person, but I had a feeling I might be in danger. By the time my Einstein brain figured that out, the figure was almost upon me. Large, dressed in black with a really big knife. BIG. Like - carve the turkey on Christmas big. The front door was close and there were hundreds of people inside but no one here to save me.

  He was closing in on me fast.

  I blinked out of my temporary shock, and I reached in my back jeans pocket without thinking, and fired off a beer bottle cap right at my oncoming assailant. He yelped and stopped, not sure what he’d been hit with. That’s all the break I needed to jet back into the pavilion, and the safety of the crowd.

  I ran through the front door and into the loud busy melee. I pushed my way through the crowd towards our booth, instinctively weaving back and forth through the crowd like I’d seen in the crime movies. Only I think they weave when they’re being shot at.

  I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t know if that was even a real knife or some stunt. All I knew was that I didn’t have time to deal with this lunatic now. I was slightly drunk and full of chili and they were ringing the bell to make the official winner’s announcement.

  I made my way back to our booth in the corner, panting and breathless. I looked back through the crowd, but the lunatic hadn’t followed me in through the door. Was he still outside somewhere lurking? Why had he come after me? I had so many questions but my head was spinning. I was so discombobulated I ran straight into Earl Elkins and almost knocked myself out.

  “You okay Kat?” Earl peered down at me with concern. I shook off the stars out of my head, and hustled to take my place next to the rest of the girls in our line of crockpots. I didn’t know what had just happened.

  “Yes – no - I don’t think so. I think we need to call the police, there’s a lunatic out there and he chased me for some reason! Earl he had a knife!”

  Earl’s eyes went wide. “I’m going to find Jaime. He just got off duty – I saw him come in. I’ll be back. Stay inside.”

  I saw Jaime across the way talking to Mr. Maritime and his wife. Jaime Henderson looked like a California surfer more than a Kissing Bridge cop. I couldn’t get used to thinking of Jaime as a law enforcer, since we spent so much time breaking rules together growing up. We had dated in high school but I hadn’t seen him since I’d gotten back to Kissing Bridge. His parents owned the Wine and Cheese shop– Wino’s – right across from the Landers’ Bakery in main town. I knew he still helped around their store, but I had yet to run into him. I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw Earl pull him aside and point out the door.

  The announcer rang a cowbell to quiet the crowd.

  All of us girls were lined up in the booth awaiting the results. Summer smiled her super watt smile and shot me the thumbs up as I took my place in line with the team. I was glad she felt confident, and that the extra crockpots had made it to the shelf where people were still stopping by for samples despite the contest being officially over.

  I looked down at the red Sears crockpot I had ordered for Aunt Carol standing solitary at the end of the table. There was Aunt Carol’s red contest crockpot. But where was Aunt Carol?

  CHAPTER 13

  The 4th , 5th, and 6th place winners received certificates, handshakes, and photos with the judges, but no ribbons. Those were reserved for the top three coveted spots that would take home the yellow, red and blue ribbons.

  It was almost seven o’clock, in moments they would announce the top three awards for the Six Pines Chili Cook-Off. By all accounts it looked like our Enchanted Cozy Café Chili was a shoe in for the blue ribbon. Luckily we had those spares because Dodie said the crowd was on that chili as soon as they had it plugged in. I made small talk, while a knot formed in my stomach.

  Carol’s personal old red crockpot was the biggest crockpot, and held the most chili. And she had left before any of us to go get it – why wasn’t she back yet? And why hadn’t Earl and Ethel gone to fetch all three instead of just the two?

  I brought my hand to my heart. The head judge took the microphone once more.

  “And now for the top three ribbon winners…”

  This was the moment we had all been waiting for. Aunt Carol wouldn’t miss this if she had a breath of life in her.

  I felt a chill go up my spine despite the heat of the chili fumes.

  CHAPTER 14

  Carol never showed.

  Summer Landers was next to me with her bright yellow crockpot. She still had a crowd around her despite the fact she had no chili left in her crockpot. Most of the townies wanted her autograph (she was a Sports Illustrated bathing suit model after all) and she had happily scribbled them out on the back of the new Enchanted Cozy Café cards we had printed. With her autograph on it they wouldn’t be tossing those café business cards away for certain. She smiled her mega watt-blinding bulb of teeth and people just melted. Right now I needed her to watch my chili.

  ‘Summer” I whispered to her, “can you give out the rest of my samples I have to go look for your aunt – have you seen her?”

  Summer shook her head, but a thought flitted across her beautiful face. “Some big guy gave me a note for her a while ago but I haven’t seen her since.”

  “Note? What kind of note?”

  Summer lifted her shoulders. “I don’t know except it was definitely from Jackson.”

  My eyebrows lifted at this news. “How did you know it was from Jackson.”?

  “Oh Jackson uses this swanky red wax insignia with his initials in it. He puts it on al
l his correspondences.”

  Hmmm. This was odd. Why would Carol’s ex beau be slipping her secret notes at the chili Cook-Off? Especially when he was here with another woman – his Poodle fiancée? My spidey sense went off. I yanked off my apron and Summer slid down one spot to take over serving the very last of the samples from my crockpot. I had to go find Carol.

  I stepped behind Summer and I grabbed Ethel’s hand. I squeezed it tight and whispered. “We’re going to win.”

  Ethel’s wise eyes darted across the judge’s table and she nodded.

  “I feel good about it.”

  I didn’t want to scare her with what I was thinking. I composed myself, which is really difficult for me.

  “I’m going to check for Carol in the bathroom.” I lied.

  Ethel was entranced in the moment, her eyes locked on the judges, awaiting our first big win together. “Uh huh.” She said not really listening. “She’s probably in the back kitchen washing her crockpot out you know how she is about that. Tell her to hurry dear they’re about to start.”

  She turned to her daughter Summer. “Oh Summer I think we have a winner!”

  I spotted Earl coming back in the front door with Jaime at his side. He caught my eye and shook his head and mouthed. “Gone.”

  I saw Earl whisper to Jaime, and felt better knowing they looked into it.

  I slipped out from behind the booth and made a beeline through the other competitor’s tables to the main kitchen. I looked around the kitchen but it was deserted. Neither Aunt Carol nor her crockpot were anywhere in sight. The judges were drawing out announcing the major winners as they thanked everyone in the state of Vermont, and their mothers.

  I rushed out of the abandoned kitchen, and pushed through the crowd that had thickened near the judge’s stand. It was heavy moving through the throngs. People were talking loudly and drinking too much with the excuse of dulling the chili spice.

  Whether that was true or not, it made for a darn ruckus and a good party.

  I needed to talk to Jaime. I felt a sense of doom. First that strange guy outside that seemed deranged, now Carol missing. I hoped they weren’t related. Even if she went to talk to Jackson, she should have been back by now. And where were Jackson, and his Poodle fiancé anyway? Maybe he could tell me where she was?

  I broke through the crowd over by the judge’s table and cut in on Earl and Jaime’s conversation.

  “Well here she is – Kat – tell Jaime what happened with that strange man. No telling if he is out to hurt someone and still about…”

  I nodded emphatically. “Yes yes it was very weird. But I’m worried – Carol she should have been back with her crockpot. When you got the others from the van was her personal big red crockpot – the one with her initials in gold – was that there as well?”

  Earl thought about it. “No – just the two were in the back seat. I would have grabbed the extra crockpot if it were there. Ethel and I figured Carol had already grabbed it. The door was still open to the back of the van.”

  I let out my breath hard. “Have you seen Jackson?”

  Earl looked confused. “Not in the last fifteen minutes – he was running by his house just a few doors down to grab a Cuban cigar he had gotten and wanted to share I don’t know what’s holding him up…” He looked around the room. He pointed out the Goth chick over by the refreshment table – no Jackson.

  “Carol and Jackson are both absent? Earl can you show me, which house Jackson lives in? I think they may be there together and I need to find Carol.”

  Earl raised his eyebrows and sucked in his breath. The judges were lining up to announce the winner and no Carol. That was a problem.

  I continued on quickly as I saw the judges all taking their seats. “Look Summer said someone gave Carol a note from Jackson – can you show me which house is his I think I better go look for her.”

  Earl’s skin began to whiten. “It’s just down the way a couple buildings down – big green house with a wraparound porch.”

  I nodded. “Wish me luck.”

  Earl said. ‘I’ll go out back and check the parking lot and the van!”

  I headed for the front door without thinking. Jaime’s hand grabbed my shoulder.

  “I’m coming with you,” he said. “Just in case.”

  I was going to tell him I was a big girl and didn’t need him, but after that weirdo chasing me I wasn’t feeling so big in my britches.

  I nodded. “Let’s go.’

  CHAPTER 14

  Jackson’s house was less than a hundred yards away, but it seemed like a mile.

  The rain was whipping so hard it was nearly blinding. No moon graced the dark night, and the howling of some cold animal, and the memory of that man with a knife filled me with dread.

  Jaime and I shuffled as quickly as possible along the slippery walk trying to keep our footing.

  We made it to the house and started up the stairs. The house was old but magnificent. It had a sign out front with a badge proclaiming it was a historical sight that had stood since 1745.

  The old wood porch creaked and groaned under our feet as we pounded up the short flight of stairs together and banged on the door. No answer.

  Jaime tried the door, and it swung open eerily as if by some windy spectral hand. He called out to Jackson, but no answer. He tried the light switch but the power was out. I gulped.

  “Jackson you here man?” Jaime called out to the dark house.

  No answer. Jaime flipped on his flashlight, and we made our way through the dark house gingerly.

  Why would Aunt Carol be here when the contest was nearly over? Suddenly, a window blew open hard, hitting the wall behind it, and sending glass shattering around our feet. I jumped back surprised, and that’s when we heard the startling scream from the kitchen.

  Jaime drew his gun and motioned for me to stay back. Of course I didn’t. I followed him into the kitchen, albeit behind him. The kitchen was dim, and there were things thrown about in odd disarray. The floor creaked under our feet as we made our way slowly into the kitchen.

  Jaime called out, “Ms. Landers? Jackson? Anyone here?”

  Suddenly, he stopped, and put up a hand to stop me from seeing, but it was too late.

  There splayed out on the old wooden kitchen floor was the motionless body of Jackson Jennings. He was lying on his back with his rain boots still on, but there was blood running from the side of his head. His small frame was afloat in a sea of chili and his shock of white hair had bits of what looked like carrot stuck to it.

  At the foot of the dead body was Aunt Carol.

  CHAPTER 15

  Aunt Carol had her signature red crockpot in her hands, and her mouth appeared stuck in a perpetual “O” with no sound coming out.

  There was a distinct red blood blotch running from the top of the crockpot as she held it up in front of her as if she was frozen.

  I clapped my hand to my mouth. I had never seen a dead body before but Jackson Jennings sure looked dead. Jaime ran over to him and checked his pulse. He took in the wound on the side of his head and the pile of chili he was laying in. He looked at me and shook his head confirming my fear.

  This was horrible, how had Carol been dragged into this? I wondered if Jackson had a heart attack or maybe slipped in the chili? What an ugly way to go. Poor Carol...

  I went to hug her when I heard a deep voice growl, “Hands up. Don’t move. Put the crockpot down lady.”

  I put my hands up in the air, but Aunt Carol stood frozen with a death grip on her crockpot staring at it as if it had grown wings. A Six Pines Deputy came in with his gun drawn and his cuffs out. I recognized him right away – it was Det. Fuzzbottom. He brushed by Jamie and me without a glance and barked at Carol.

  “Hand over the crockpot lady before I have to get rough with you.”

  Carol seemed to blink back to life as she looked at the scene around her in bewilderment. She handed the deputy the crockpot and looked back at Jackson’s body. She began to trem
ble. “Oh no – is he, is he….”

  “DEAD,” Fuzzbottom said dully. “And by the looks of the blood on this crockpot I’d say this is the murder weapon. Put your hands behind your back Ms. Landers. You’re under arrest for the murder of Jackson Jennings.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Fuzzbottom yanked the crockpot out of Carol’s hands and slammed it on the table. Then he turned to Jaime. “You local?” he said.

  “Kissing Bridge deputy…” Jaime said. He glanced at Carol.

  Fuzzbottom slapped the cuffs on Carol. He tossed his head in the direction of the crockpot. “Put that into evidence – don’t touch it. I don’t know how you Kissing Bridge people do things.”

  Jaime’s mouth tightened. He disappeared out the front door and returned a few moments later with a pair of gloves from his patrol car in the parking lot. He lifted up the bloodied crockpot carefully, and put it into plastic wrap for evidence and finger printing.

  Carol’s shoulders were rigid and she didn’t even move to blink as the cop pushed her towards the front door. Anger heated my blood watching that Det. Fuzzbottom with his seedy aviator sunglasses on even at night. Even if he did think she murdered Jackson, which I’m sure she didn’t, that was no way to treat a lady old enough to be his grandmother. Hairy loser.

  He shoved Carol harder towards the door. She looked at me blankly and said, “I just picked it up off the floor, I didn’t even see him until…Oh Kat it was horrible. The note said he had my crockpot and it was a matter of life and death.”

  Fuzzbottom was having none of it.“Tell it to the judge lady.” He pushed her forward and down the wet stairs.

  I would have cried, but Carol didn’t. I’m a big baby that way. Most likely she was still in shock. I guess the act of seeing your ex dead in a pool of blue ribbon winning chili (Yes we won) was just too much for anyone to take.