Dead on Doughnuts: A Culinary Cozy Mystery (Coffee Shop Mysteries Book 1)

by Sarah Jane Weldon

  Margot’s phone rang out loudly again. Margot muttered under her breath as she lifted the phone to her ear.

  “I’ve just told you Felix. I’m not interested. Call me back when….hello? Hello? Who is this? How did you get this number?”. Margot steadied herself against a shop window. The caller was not her husband. “Look. OK. I’ll get you the money soon OK. I know I already said I’d pay you and I haven’t. But things have been well…complicated. But I’m working on it. You’ll have the money soon. What! That’s ridiculous. What do you mean the money has now doubled. Now you listen to me….”. Margot fell silent as a man walked past her, recognising him from the coffee shop. But she was certain there was no way he had been able to hear her conversation. Margot lowered her voice to speak, but the caller had already hung up on her, the subject not up for discussion.

  Margot was shaking, and she quickly stuffed her phone back into her handbag. She needed a drink to calm her nerves. She followed the man who had passed her in the street, and he smiled as he opened the door of the coffee shop for her.

  “You see, who says the art of chivalry is dead?”. The man waved her in before him. Tipping his wooly hat as he opened the door to the sight of Emilio. Margot hurried herself in, keen not to draw attention to herself.

  “How come you never tip your hat or open doors for me Théo?”. Emilio joked.

  Théo laughed loudly. “Because my dear friend, you are not half as beautiful as this lady. That and you smell like coffee beans”.

  Margot scurried to the counter without saying a word. She was not in the mood for jokers. Théo and Emilio glanced at each other as Emilio quietly told Théo that the lady clearly hadn’t appreciated his charm.

  Emilio made his way to the counter, calling out to Théo as he walked. “The usual Théo?”.

  Théo gave a pretend bow as he made for his usual seat. “That my good sir, would be delightful”.

  “Good morning”. I said as Margot stood at the counter in front of me. “What can I get you?”.

  Margot looked even more sour than usual today, in spite of my best efforts to provide a friendly service to her. “What? Oh? I’ll have large decaf, black coffee. And make sure it’s hot will you. None of this lukewarm muck”.

  I was surprised at how rude she was, but I continued to be polite all the same. “Certainly madame. I’ll bring it over to you. Where are you sitting?”.

  Margot snapped. “Sitting? Sitting? Young lady I’ve barely had a chance to get in the door, let alone find a seat to sit in. Zut alors!”.

  “Excuse me?”. I said, thinking I had misheard.

  Margot gave me a look that could kill. “What? Look, just get me the damned coffee will you. How much is it? You know what, just bring it over to me”. Margot slammed some coins on the counter as Emilio shrugged his shoulders at me, pulling a comical face to ease my interraction with the crabby woman.

  “Blame Théo”. Emilio joked at me under his breathe once Margot had gone to find her seat. I looked at Théo who was clearly finding the situation funny. I raised my fist at him in jest. Knowing that he was sure to fill me in with the details later.

  I carried the coffee over to the table where Margot was sitting and nervously placed it in front of her. “I’m sorry”. She apologised. “Bad day. I’ve just had some awful news and it rather knocked me for six”.

  I smiled kindly, happy that she had seen that her behaviour was not very nice. “Don’t worry about it. We’ve all been there. I’m sure it will come right in the end, whatever it is. Enjoy your coffee”.

  I was about to return back to the counter, but Théo waved me over. “What was all that about?”. He enquired.

  “I’ve no idea. I was rather hoping that you could fill me in on the details. After all, Emilio did say that you started it”. I whispered quietly to Théo, careful not to look too suspicious.

  Théo pretended to ask me some crossword questions and I mimed as if I was looking at the newspaper questions. “I think the bad mood began long before I opened the door for her if you know what I mean?”. Théo tapped the side of his nose. He was being silly as always, trying to make light of the situation. “I heard her on the telephone. It sounded like someone was giving her grief, like she owed them a lot of money. She said the papers hadn’t been signed yet, that things were not going to plan but she was working on it. Does that mean anything to you Maddy?”.

  It made complete sense to me, but I still needed more evidence. “Actually Théo, I think it does. I have a bit of a theory anyway”.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Snow Mountain Cafe, Val D’Isera ski resort, Austria: 4th December 2018

  I wasn’t a bad baker before I arrived at the Snow Mountain Cafe but after all of Sophia’s baking lessons and tips and tricks, I was really getting rather good. Doughnuts were now my speciality and with Sophia’s help, I had started to get a bit of a reputation amongst the resort staff and tourists as ‘Madeleine Queen of the Doughnuts’. Emilio was happy too, since there was often a queue of people waiting in line for the Snow Mountain Cafe to open before they hit the slopes for a day of skiing. As a result of the demand for doughnuts, I had started to come in earlier and earlier so that I’d have chance to bake enough before the coffee shop opened each day.

  I’d gotten into quite a nice routine already, even though it was only my first week, but I’d spent a little time on the slopes skiing, before letting myself in to the cafe. Emilio had been kind enough to get keys cut for Eloise and I so that we would be able to open and close up, freeing him up for other activities, like snowboarding and teaching yoga to the skiers.

  Today I decided to have a go at red velvet doughnuts, but with for a bit of a twist - Sophia’s idea- I’d add some winter spices to them, like nutmeg and cinnamon.

  It was a bit nippy when I arrived at the coffee shop, and I wasn’t naturally a morning person, but if I’d been out on the slopes for a quick ski with Daan or been for a run in the snow with Nicklas, then I was usually warm and awake enough to begin my day. But this morning I had been tired, and so I had to light the fire when I arrived, and switched on the water boiler ready to make my first coffee. I switched on the music player and danced around for a few moments to get my body going. I laughed at myself, because I seemed to have become some kind of baking Olympian, and this was my warm up routine before the intense session began.

  I reached up to a shelf and pulled down a mug for my coffee which was now percolating through the filter, and spooned in a little sugar and some milk. The smell of the beans alone was enough to send my senses roaring. Reaching for some powdered chocolate to go on top of the milky froth, I spotted a note pinned to the counter:

  Hey Maddy, hope you have a brill morning of baking little mouthfuls of art, a couple of the chalets called me late last night to ask for some of your breakfast doughnuts. Can you bake around 50 of those if you can spare the time? Seems they are proving to be very popular indeed! Have a fab day. Loads of love, Emilio x

  Ps. I’m dying to try your red velvet doughnuts - they sound A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

  “Awww. Thanks Emilio”. I said out loud to myself, smiling inwardly. I still couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be working here, not just with my best friend Eloise - who was still fast asleep at the chalet - but with some of the loveliest people I could have wished for. Working with Sophia in the kitchen was incredible, and Emilio was really kind to us and gave us loads of freedom to be creative.

  I took a long sip of my coffee. “Phhh!”. I’d forgotten how hot my coffee would be, and I burnt my tongue as I took a large slurp, fanning my mouth as the boiling liquid went down my throat and split down my top. “You really are an idiot sometimes Madeleine Cooke”. I gasped out loud, laughing at how ridiculous I could be at times. Of course the coffee was going to be hot, I’d just made it for goodness sake! I mopped up my coffee spills and felt my tongue against the back of my teeth. It was going to be numb for the rest of the day now, making it difficult to taste things properly. I’d be chopping m
y fingers off whilst I baked, or having accidents if I didn’t get my act together.

  I carried my mug into the kitchen, and switched all the lights on, in the hopes that the lighting might help me to feel a bit more awake, and washed my hands in the sink before wiping down my baking table. Sophia had left me the recipe and a little sticky note.

  Here’s the recipe for you as promised, have fun xx

  I looked down the list as I held the paper in my hand. Flour, sugar, red food colour, oil….it looked straightforward enough. I took the paper with me and stretched out my arms and back as I walked into the pantry. I felt very humbled to have access to Emilio’s secret baking pantry and I felt like a mad scientist or a witch as I scoured the rows of glass jars for my unique and rare ingredients. I longed to try all of the coffee and cocoa beans from Emilio’s travels, along with all the spices, powders, and seeds that I didn’t recognise. I was only grateful that Emilio was obsessed with labelling all the jars, otherwise I wouldn’t have known one bean from the next. Some things just looked the same to me.

  I ran my finger along the shelf, searching for the jars labelled with an N. Emilio was a stickler for everything being stored in alphabetical order and woe betide anyone who didn’t put things back in their correct place. These jars were Emilio’s babies, each having travelled hundreds of miles to reach their little place on his special shelves.

  “Got ya”. I grabbed the jar of nutmeg that Emilio had sourced from the island of Grenada in the West Indies and took out one of the round balls. It had already been used before so it was partially ground down on one side. “Right. Now to find the cinnamon and other spices”.

  There. I had everything I needed. Time to begin my baking. I just hoped that my recipe would work.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Sébastien Paris Pâtisserie, Val D’Isera ski resort, Austria: 4th December 2018

  “What exactly do you call that? How am I supposed to cook? Honestly Violetta, it’s like you really don’t care about this restaurant. If you’re not interested, I suggest you get a job somewhere else”. Audrey scraped Violetta’s chopped fruit into the pedal bin, dropping the lid down on it with a large bang.

  “You do know that was the last of the fresh pineapple right?”. Violetta added.

  Audrey’s face turned a deep shade of crimson. “What?”.

  Violetta opened her mouth to repeat what she had said, but Audrey stopped her in her tracks. “I heard you the first time you silly girl. What I don’t understand is why you would waste all this beautiful, quality ingredients with sloppy chopping? It’s like you deliberately want the restaurant to close down. Stefan and I are working are butts off here to make something of ourselves, and you just seem to be sabotaging us”.

  Audrey threw the chopping board into the sink. “I’ll have to tell Stefan that there’s a menu change now. I honestly don’t think you appreciate how much time and effort goes into creating a restaurant of this calibre. Every wine has to be hand picked and ordered in especially, as the perfect accompaniment for each dish. And each course is chosen because it balances previous and following courses precisely. Now you’ve ruined everything”.

  Violetta took off her apron and threw it at Audrey. “I’m going for a cigarette”. Violetta slammed the kitchen door behind her.

  Audrey ran her fingers through her hair impatiently and screamed in frustration.

  “Everything OK my love?”. Stefan crept up behind Audrey and put his hands around her waist, kissing her on the neck.

  “No everything is not OK. It’s far from OK. I just don’t understand what is wrong with these people? It’s sickening enough that they want to murder me, but now they want to ruin the restaurant too. That Violetta simply has to go. She’s no interest in being here whatsoever”.

  “Aww. Come on now Audrey, I’m sure it’s not that bad. Look, why don’t you go and take a break for a bit? I’ll fix things here”.

  “Are you sure babe? There’s so much to do still and we’re fully booked tonight”. Audrey sighed with relief. “I don’t know how I’d cope without you. Everything’s just getting on top of me at the moment, between Rose and Margot and those wretched inheritance papers, and Sophia trying to murder me. Seriously, I’ve had enough of everything. I really don’t know how much more I can take”.

  “Shss now. Go on. I’ll sort things out with Violetta”. Stefan kissed Audrey and pointed her towards the kitchen door.

  Stefan pulled some paper from a notepad and started to make a list of jobs for Violetta. One way or another he needed to sort things out with the restaurant. He picked up a doughnut and went out the back. Violetta was on the phone, no doubt to her boyfriend Nicklas but she hung up as soon as she saw Stefan, and put out her cigarette on the floor beneath her foot.

  Stefan smirked. “ I hear Audrey’s giving you a hard time. She’s just worried that’s all. Here, I thought you might need a sugar boost”. Stefan handed Violetta the doughnut. It was still hot and she had to blow on it before she could eat it.

  “Thanks Stefan. You’re a star”.

  “No worries. Listen, I’ve drawn up a list of things we still need to do before we open tonight. Can you do me a huge favour and get them done while I’m out? I need to go and see someone for a bit. Have a break first though OK, and feel free to put some music on as you work. Audrey won’t be back any time soon, so you’ll have the kitchen to yourself.

  “Sure thing Stefan. You know I’d do anything for you”.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Ski Shop, Val D’Isera ski resort, Austria: 4th December 2018

  “Can I help you Madame?”. Daan asked as a rather on edge Margot Baillieu-Flandin hid behind a clothing rail in the ski shop. There was no-one else around so he was flummoxed by what exactly she might be hiding from. But he had seen her here quite a lot of late, and she never bought or hired any ski gear on her visits.

  A number of tourists had complained that they had lost watches here in the shop whilst trying on their ski kit, and Daan was starting to suspect that Audrey’s stepmother Margot might have something to do with it. In fact, Daan had been so worried about it, that he’d spoken to Stefan and Audrey directly. The last thing that Daan wanted was to get the frumpy looking lady into trouble with the Austrian police, but he was starting to wonder if she might be suffering from one of those mental health conditions where ladies of a certain age (and often so wealthy that they needed for nothing), stole stuff just to see if they could get away with it, or because it was their way of crying out for help. Kleptomania Stefan had called it when he consulted with him about his mother-in-law to be. The problem was, if Margot really was stealing the watches then she wasn’t making it easy for him to catch her in the act.

  Daan hesitated for a moment, wondering what to do for the best. But he had promised to call Audrey and Stefan the moment that he found her acting suspiciously in the ski shop.

  Daan pulled out his phone, and dialled the number, but when he looked up again at the rails, Margot had gone.

  It was frightfully cold outside. An icy wind blew fresh, powdery snow into the eyes of the few people who were already out and about on the streets of Val D’Isera. Which - to be honest - was few since most of the tourists were sat at breakfast tables in their toasty warm chalets, stuffing their faces with food, served to them by their chalet maids. The only people up early enough to pace the streets at this hour, were the locals and the odd resort staff, who were enjoying the solitude of a resort without guests demanding their attention.

  Margot pulled her scarf up around her neck as a drip fell from her very red nose. She desperately needed to make this phone call, but it was proving to be very difficult to find a place where no one else might hear her. She couldn’t do it at Audrey’s place with Audrey and Stefan hanging around, nor could she go to the coffee shop because it wasn’t open yet. If it weren’t for the biting wind, she might have made the call from the street in the deserted town centre, but right now her fingers were frozen solid and the touch screen
on her phone had stopped responding in the low temperature.

  Spotting a light on in the ski shop, and knowing that the guy who worked there, Daan liked to open early in case any skiers wanted to set out for the higher ski runs, Margot decided that the ski shop would be the next best location to make her call from.

  Margot pushed the door very gently, trying to minimise the sound of it opening. She could see that the young man, Daan, was out back sorting out ski gear for Nicklas’s clients and he had the Val D’Isera radio station playing on his laptop. Chances were he wouldn’t even notice she was here.

  Margot crouched down as low as she could and scurried across to one of the large racks of new ski gear, ducking down so that Daan wouldn’t see her. She peered around the side of the rail and as predicted, Daan was busy looking at his phone.

  She pulled out her own phone, just as the caller’s number flashed on the screen. She had wanted to call the number herself, but the caller had already beaten her to it. Not a good position to be in.

  Margot spoke into the phone. “I was just about to call you. I’ll have the money, OK, just give me a little more time. I’ll meet you at the Snow Mountain Cafe in a bit. Everything is in place, as we discussed”.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Snow Mountain Cafe, Val D’Isera ski resort, Austria: 4th December 2018

  The cold, grey days at the coffee shop were already my favourite days, and it seemed as if the whole of the Val D’Isera ski resort agreed with me. We were rushed off our feet all morning, and it was all Eloise and I could do to keep up with the coffee and hot chocolate orders. We were selling out of everything fast, and I wished I’d had more time to bake things to sell.