Champagne Cream & Murder

by Susan Gillard

  “I’m sorry you have to wear heels instead of pink slippers,” Lilly said. “But you do look beautiful in that dress.”

  Nicolas agreed. “You look really nice. And I bet you’ll have a lot of fun.”

  “You both will too,” Heather said. “There’s crafts and games if you want to play them. There should be some fun New Year’s specials on TV if you just want to relax and watch them. And, Nina brought D-O-N-U-T-S fresh from the shop for you.”

  The animals had been around the Shepherds too long not to know when “donuts” was being spelled out and began to dance around.

  Heather sighed. "Maybe they can have one. But in the New Year, these pets' resolution will have to be to not snack as much. I love Dave, but his puppy love handles have been growing because we keep feeding him snacks."

  Dave looked at her as if he was questioning what was wrong with that.

  "What’s your New Year’s Resolution, Mom?” Lilly asked.

  “I might need to file for an extension,” Heather joked. “I still haven’t figured mine out.”

  She was saved having to dwell on it anymore by Ryan joining them. He was looking very dapper in his suit but was already looking tired.

  “Are you going to make it to midnight?” Heather asked.

  “I don’t think the Chief would ever forgive me if I fell asleep at the party, even if he did make me run around tirelessly getting things ready,” Ryan said. “And I think dancing with you will keep me awake.”

  "Do you think Eva and Leila will stay up the whole time?" Nicolas asked, referring to their good friends and now neighbors. The two older women were supposed to join them, and they would all leave for the party together.

  “Of course,” Lilly answered. “They’re still party animals.”

  Heather had to agree. The two seniors had more energy than she and Ryan did, especially with Ryan’s big yawns happening more frequently.

  First, Amy and her boyfriend Jamie arrived. They looked stunning in complementary colors and said how they couldn’t wait to dance the night away.

  They brought the dog that they were fostering down for Nina and the kids to keep an eye on. Heather thought that they would be adopting Miss Marshmallow in the new year, but for now, they were maintaining that they were just watching her until a suitable family could be found.

  Amy joked about how Dave and Miss Marshmallow might share a midnight kiss to welcome the new year, but Miss Marshmallow seemed so appalled by this that she went and hid under a pillow on the couch.

  "What is this about kissing?" Eva asked as she and Leila joined their friends. "Vincent is going to be my date tonight. But it's not a date-date. He's just going to be a date."

  "Why can't you admit that you like him?" Leila asked. "We're not in high school anymore.”

  “It’s been decades since we’ve been in high school,” Eva said.

  “Exactly,” Leila said. “We’re adults. We can talk about our feelings.”

  “I am talking about my feelings. I feel like Vincent is a good date, but that this shouldn’t be too serious,” Eva said. “I’ve heard he’s a big flirt.”

  “And I’ve heard that he’s crazy about you,” Leila said.

  “From who?”

  “From him?”

  “Well, he would say that,” Eva said.

  “And a Happy New Year to you too,” Amy said, feeling like they should be included in the conversation.

  “I’m sorry, dears,” Eva said. “We’re very happy to be ringing in the New Year with you.”

  “And excited to try the donuts,” Leila said.

  “We’ve just been waiting for our dates to show up, but thought we might as well wait with our favorite people,” Eva said.

  “They know to come to the adjoining house if we don’t answer our door,” Leila said.

  “Did you say dates?” Heather asked.

  “They work fast,” Amy said. “It seems like we just moved here and they already have suitors. It took me forever to find a nice guy like Jamie.”

  “Oh yeah?” Jamie joked. “Who is he?”

  Amy smiled, while the older women blushed.

  “Vincent is going to accompany me to the dance,” Eva said. “We’ve become more friendly, but I assure you there will be no midnight kiss.”

  “We’ve heard about Vincent before,” Heather said. “But who is your date, Leila?”

  “His name is Wally. I don’t know him too well, but he also goes to the senior center. I’m not sure about him though.”

  “What do you mean?” Heather asked.

  “I knew he used to be a performer and I thought that might be exciting,” Leila said. “But I think that might not be the case now.”

  “What sort of performer?” Amy asked. “Is he famous? Did he appear in any classic films? Should we ask for his autograph? Do we know him by name?”

  "Well," Leila said. "He went by Wally the Wonderful. He was a magician."

  “That sounds fun,” Heather said.

  “Yeah,” Nicolas said. “Could he saw somebody in half?”

  “Or make somebody disappear?” asked Lilly.

  “Maybe at some point he could,” Leila said. “Unfortunately, all the tricks I’ve seen recently haven’t been very impressive. But I’m sure he’s still a nice man.”

  The doorbell rang. Ryan answered it and admitted the two gentlemen callers into the room. Vincent was always seen with a bowtie, but tonight’s bowtie was suave looking instead of endearingly silly. Wally was dressed in a black suit with tails and a top hat, which made him look very much like a magician.

  They both presented their dates with flowers. Vincent handed his to Eva, while Wally the Wonderful tried to make his appear out of thin air. The gesture was nice, but they could all clearly see the flower up his sleeve before he brought it out, and it was crumpled when he finally put it in her hand.

  Lilly and Nicolas clapped anyway.

  “We better get going,” Heather said, after nudging Amy to keep her giggles in check.

  “That’s right,” Ryan said. “The chief wouldn’t like it if we’re late.”

  “This night is going to be magical,” Wally proclaimed.

  Arriving at the Party

  “You did a good job,” Amy said, as they entered the party.

  “It does look lovely,” Heather said. She wouldn’t have guessed that the old Town Hall building could have been made to look so spacious and festive. It was now a ballroom with a plentiful buffet.

  Wally the Wonderful was making coins appear out of Leila’s ear. She could see him hiding the coins on the back of his hand, so she wasn’t very impressed.

  “I bet you’re wondering how I keep doing that,” Wally said.

  “I am wondering many things,” Leila said.

  Eva saw that her friend was in trouble and said, “Leila, dear, will you come with me to the coat check? I don’t want to wear my wrap all night.”

  “Of course,” Leila said.

  “Would you like us to accompany you?” Vincent asked. Then sensing the situation asked, “Or would you like us to get you a drink?”

  “A drink would be wonderful,” Leila said.

  Then, she hurried Eva towards the coat check.

  “Get them some donuts too,” Heather suggested. “They’re Champagne Cream flavored.”

  Vincent nodded. “I know how they love those donuts.” He clapped a hand around Wally and led him towards the drink table. “Let us fetch our ladies some refreshments.”

  “I wasn’t even thinking,” Wally said. "It's a shame I didn't bring my squirting flower to wear on my lapel. That would have been funny with the champagne."

  “Wally, my friend, have you ever heard the expression less is more?” Vincent asked as he led him away.

  “This might end up being a long night,” Amy commented.

  Ryan yawned. “Don’t remind me.”

  “Why don’t we go check on Eva and Leila?” Heather said.

  “You two go,” Ryan suggested
. “I think I need to get a coffee and we can get you some drinks.”

  Jamie agreed. “I’ve been wanting to try one of those Champagne Cream flavored donuts too.”

  “All right, but let’s not be separated for too long,” Amy said. “I want to kiss you at midnight.”

  Jamie didn’t wait and gave her a quick kiss anyway before he went off in search of donuts. Heather and Amy found Eva and Leila by the coat check.

  “I just don’t know,” Leila said. “Is he being over the top because he wants to impress me or is he just ridiculous?”

  “He would be a fool if he didn’t want to impress you,” Eva said.

  “He might be a fool anyway,” Leila responded. “Oh well. As long as he doesn’t turn me into a rabbit, this will make for a good story.”

  "Yeah," Amy said. "And what's the story of why it's taking so long to check our coats?"

  Heather looked and saw that there were two women ahead of them that were taking a while at the desk. They were both blonde, beautiful young women. One had her light hair pulled into an updo and was wearing a pale pink dress that perfectly matched her lipstick. The other let her bleached blonde hair fall around her shoulders. Her dress was more revealing, and her expression was less patient.

  “Are you sure it’s safe?” She was questioning the coat check girl.

  “It’s a safe,” the girl replied. “I’m the only one who knows the combination, so it should be pretty safe.”

  “As long as we trust you,” she replied.

  “Mrs. Shellingsworth, we can just hold our bags,” the woman in pink said.

  “No, Kelly, darling, I told you. I heard that there were thieves at events like this. We can’t just leave our purses at the table, and I know you plan on dancing with Ben. How do you propose to do that with your bag?” Mrs. Shellingsworth replied.

  "Have you heard anything about thieves?” Heather asked her friends quietly. They all shook their heads.

  "It will be fine,” Kelly said. “Besides I’m holding a few things for Ben anyway. It’s probably better if they’re close by.”

  “Ben’s things? All the more reason to keep them in the safe,” Mrs. Shellingsworth said. “Not that I don’t think you don’t have things to steal. But the Shellingsworths are worth a good deal more you must agree. I’m just looking out for Ben’s interests.”

  "Yes. You're a wonderful parent," Kelly said, keeping her cool.

  “I suppose we can trust your safe,” Mrs. Shellingsworth said. “As long as you’re sure that only you can access it, and that we will have all of our items returned to us.”

  “You will,” the coat check girl said.

  Mrs. Shellingsworth and Kelly handed their bags over to the girl who locked them in the safe. Kelly also handed over a light pink shawl. She made sure to thank the girl, while Mrs. Shellingsworth seemed to have forgotten.

  "I must go and find B.W.," Mrs. Shellingsworth said. "There are just so many people that he needs to shake hands with. Now, where did my husband get off to?"

  She left Kelly, but she wasn’t alone long. A young man came up to her with two glasses of champagne.

  “Should we toast to you surviving time with my stepmother?” he asked.

  She laughed and then suggested they dance after their toast. He suggested that they also try the donuts. He said he had one earlier and that they were excellent.

  Heather smiled as they went up to the coat check girl and Eva handed over her wrap.

  “I think we were much easier to deal with than the previous customer,” Amy muttered. “But then again, that wouldn’t be hard. What would I have to do? Throw champagne in her face?”

  “What a waste of champagne,” Eva said.

  “I suppose we’ve taken enough time,” Leila said. “Let’s go and face the music.”

  “Face the music?” Eva said. “Let’s revel in it. Maybe Wally is a wonderful dancer.”

  “You’re going to allow Vincent to dance with you?” Leila asked.

  “Yes,” Eva said. “But not too close. I don’t want him to get any wild ideas like I’m falling for him.”

  “Perish the thought,” Leila joked.

  The two ladies went off in search of their dates. Convinced that they were okay, Heather and Amy were about to find their own dates and drinks, when they were discovered by someone.

  “You!” she shouted.

  Mingling

  Heather turned around, afraid of what she would face. While she wasn’t facing certain danger, she wasn’t quite pleased to see Hope Penwell standing there. The young woman was a reporter at the Key West Key News and was always looking for a scoop. She had helped them with a case before, which was very nice. However, now, she kept hounding them for interviews.

  “When am I going to get that interview with you?” Hope asked.

  “Next year,” Amy joked.

  Heather tried to be more helpful. “I know that the police gave you the exclusive story on that murder that was promised to you, and when there are things that need to be reported, we’re happy to talk to you. But we really don’t want to be the subject of an article.”

  “But it would be perfect,” Hope insisted. “You don’t know how interesting you are. You solve mysteries and bake donuts. I have the perfect name for the article Murder in the Recipe.”

  “I don’t see how that could be good for business,” Amy said. “People will think we’re going to poison them when they eat our donuts.”

  “I could come up with something else,” Hope said, hiding some disappointment. “But I could really use a good story. I thought the murder story might give me a promotion. Especially with one of my coworkers headed off to jail. But I’m still just a junior writer. I was told I need more experience. Well, I’m trying to gain it.”

  “Is that why you’re here tonight?” Amy asked. “To follow us and pester us for quotes?”

  “No,” Hope said. “I’m covering the party for the newspaper.”

  “That sounds like a good story,” Heather said.

  Hope shrugged. “They just put me on it because the other reporters either want to spend the holiday with their loved ones or get drunk.”

  “I’m sure you’ll be able to put a spin on this story that will make it a good one,” Heather said. “Without us.”

  “I just wish something exciting would happen,” Hope said.

  “Oh, look, there’s Bernadette,” Amy said, looking for a way to end their conversation.

  They walked away to talk to their shop neighbor. Bernadette owned the bookstore on the same street as Donut Delights and had become a friend of theirs.

  "It's nice to see people I know," Bernadette said. "I thought I lived here long enough that I should finally come to one of these parties, but I was starting to feel self-conscious because I didn't bring a date. I feel like Elizabeth Bennet when she didn't have a dance partner. You don't happen to know anyone I could dance the midnight song with, do you?"

  "No, sorry," said Heather. "The two single young men I know are both vying for the same lady and being very silly about it."

  “But we’ll keep an eye open,” Amy promised.

  Their open eyes were soon in luck because they bumped into Fire Frank. He was a firefighter who had helped them on an arson case before, and who was now one of the men trying to impress Janae. He was standing with another muscular young man.

  “Hi, Fire Frank,” Heather greeted him. “Have you seen Ryan around?”

  "No," said Fire Frank. "But I saw the police chief wandering around and looking flustered so Detective Shepherd might be helping or hiding."

  Heather thanked him and then asked who his friend was. “Are you a firefighter too?”

  “No. I’m an EMT,” he said. “I’m Emmitt Woolsey.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Heather said, and they all shook hands.

  “So,” Amy said. “Did you two come here with dates?”

  “No,” Fire Frank said, looking at the ground. “But I heard that a certain lady might be
by tonight that I was thinking of asking to dance with. I suppose I’ll have to ask her before a certain detective does.”

  “I think you’re right about that,” Heather admitted.

  “I’ve come by myself,” Emmitt said. “But if anyone is looking for a dance partner, I could be persuaded.”

  Heather pointed out their bookseller friend, and Emmitt smiled. "She makes a lot of literary references, but she's delightful."

  "You're on your own, Fire Frank," Emmitt said, leaving his buddy.

  “I guess I should see about getting a dance myself,” Fire Frank said.

  “Maybe we should find our dates too,” Heather said, as Fire Frank walked away.

  “Especially if Jamie is by the donut table,” Amy said. “There might not be any left when we get there!”

  Heather laughed. They found Ryan and Jamie by the food, but there were still plenty of donuts left. Heather had prepared for a crowd when she baked the order.

  Chief Chet was also by the table.

  "Great job, everyone," he said. "This really does seem like an excellent party. Hopefully the mayor and everyone else involved will agree, and hopefully, the Shellingsworths will be impressed."

  "I think you deserve one of these," Heather said, handing the chief a donut.

  He happily ate it and said, "These were a wonderful idea too. Champagne Cream – what a wonderful flavor! And the berry on top – very classy. I know young Ben Shellingsworth had one and liked it. He also really appreciated how good you were about catering to his allergy."

  “Not a problem at all,” Heather said.

  “Hopefully, the rest of the night will go smoothly,” Chief Chet said, taking another donut.

  “I don’t know,” Jamie joked. “We seem to have a mystery on our hands.”

  Ryan gave him a dirty look because Chief Chet spit out a bit of donut out of surprise. “A mystery?”

  “What a waste of good donut,” Amy said sadly.

  But Heather smiled as she saw what Jamie was referring to. He indicated across the room where Janae was being approached by both Fire Frank and Detective Peters.

  "That is a mystery,” Heather said. “Who is Janae going to kiss at midnight?”