“Because she didn’t do it,” Heather said. “We’ve gotten so bogged down in trying to figure out how her lipstick could have been sabotaged or exchanged at the party that we ignored the obvious. It was exchanged right before the party.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Meg Shellingsworth said. “Who would have done that?”
"Maybe the same person who coordinated the outfits," said Heather. "You knew about her dress and plans for the special lipstick. This gave you the opportunity to order your own tube of it and poison it. When you were planning outfits, you even had Ben wear the suit that didn't have large pockets. This was so he wouldn't be able to carry his EpiPen on him."
“B.W., are you going to let them talk to me this way?” Meg asked.
“This is preposterous,” Mr. Shellingsworth said. “Meg couldn’t have done it.”
“Why not? She orchestrated it so that Kelly would be holding Ben’s medicine in her purse. Then she convinced her that there were thieves at the party and that they should lock their purses up in the safe,” Heather continued. “Kelly agreed because she thought Mr. Shellingsworth made the party safe from Ben’s allergy. She didn’t know that you had already switched the lipstick tubes after she reapplied her normal lipstick at your house.”
“Once we realized it was you, all the details fell into place,” Amy said. “I wondered how Kelly wouldn’t have noticed that her lipstick smelled differently. But you sprayed a cloud of perfume in the ladies’ room right before she put it on. All she could smell was your perfume.”
“And you made sure that the EMT at the party was far away from Ben and was dealing with your false medical emergency instead of helping Ben who really needed it,” Heather concluded.
"Did you wonder where she was near midnight?" Amy asked.
“Is this true?” Mr. Shellingsworth asked his wife.
“Of course not,” Meg said. “They just want to protect that dental assistant.”
Ryan joined the group, looking happy. “I found them,” he said. “Two receipts that are bound to help with the case.”
“What receipts?” asked Mr. Shellingsworth.
“One is a receipt for a specialty shade of lipstick for your wife,” Ryan said.
“I could have gotten any special shade for myself,” Meg said. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Ben. I just like makeup.”
“No. That’s not the case,” Ryan said. “I contacted the company. It’s the exact same shade that Kelly Catrin ordered to match her dress.”
“Meg, how could you?” Mr. Shellingsworth cried. “You killed my son? Why?”
“Because of the other receipt?” Heather suggested.
“It’s for an engagement ring,” Ryan said. “Ben bought it for Kelly two weeks ago. He must have been waiting for the right moment to ask.”
“Ben was going to ask her to marry him?” Mr. Shellingsworth asked.
“Meg Shellingsworth must have found out about it,” Heather said. “Either she saw Ben with the ring, or he asked her for advice on how to broach the topic to his dad. But when she found out about his plans, she saw her inheritance slipping away. If Ben and Kelly had children, she’d lose even more money from your will. The easiest way to make sure that she would inherit everything was to kill Ben and frame his girlfriend. That way they were both out of the way.”
“We kept thinking that both Ben and Kelly were victims in this,” Amy agreed.
“They’re not the only victims,” Mr. Shellingsworth said. “I lost my son.”
“You don’t believe all this, do you?” Meg asked, looking nervous.
"Don't touch me," he said, moving away from the woman he had called his wife.
“I want to see McKinnon right away,” Meg demanded.
"McKinnon is my lawyer," Mr. Shellingsworth said coldly. "Get your own."
Ryan and Peters read Meg Shellingsworth her rights and led her away.
Chief Chet shook Heather's hand.
“Your plan worked,” he said.
“We have enough evidence to convict Meg Shellingsworth,” Heather said. “These dramatics were just to make sure that B.W. Shellingsworth would accept the truth and stop hounding poor Kelly.”
When Kelly was released and B.W. Shellingsworth saw her, they both started crying and embraced one another.
“I think they’re going to be okay in that regard,” Amy said.
Resolutions
“Now I feel like we deserve these,” Amy said, as Heather handed out some Champagne Cream Donuts to her friends and family. “We can toast to a case successfully solved.”
“Meg Shellingsworth won’t be hurting anyone else, and she won’t be inheriting the money,” Ryan said.
“This has been a crazy year so far,” Heather joked. “I hope the rest of it won’t be as hectic.”
“Even if it is, you’ll be fine, mom,” Lilly said. “You can handle anything that’s thrown at you.”
Heather beamed at her daughter’s vote of confidence in her.
"I don't know,” Nicolas teased. “I still think she hasn’t come up with a New Year’s Resolution yet.”
Heather nodded. He was right.
“I have been busy,” she said. “Maybe my resolution should just be to come up with one by next year.”
They all laughed. Heather smiled at everyone. Amy and Jamie were leaning against one another and trying not to look too adoringly at the dog that they maintained they were not adopting themselves. Lilly and Nicolas were folding their napkins into origami shapes while they waited for the word to eat their donuts. Dave and Cupcake were wandering around the room, trying to find the most sympathetic human who would give them a bite. Eva and Leila were giggling to themselves like schoolgirls instead of the seniors they were. Ryan moved closer to his wife and put an arm around her.
Heather was just thinking that if the rest of the year stayed exactly like this, then it would be perfect when the doorbell rang.
“Who could that be?” Heather asked.
“I might have invited someone,” Leila said with a twinkle in her eye. “Just for donuts.”
They opened the door and were greeted by Vincent. His bowtie today was covered with the saying "Happy New Year!" much like the tie that Peters had rejected for the party. Vincent was pulling the look off though. He looked silly and suave at the same time.
“Thanks for having me over,” Vincent said. “I know that the New Year’s Party didn’t go exactly as we had hoped.”
“You can say that again,” Leila said.
Amy refrained from repeating the line so that she could hear what Eva had to say.
“It certainly didn’t,” Eva said. “The murder and the mayhem. And something else too. Someone else kissed you at midnight.”
“It wasn’t intentional,” Vincent started to say.
“Please wait until I’ve finished,” Eva said. Vincent looked nervous as she continued. “Seeing her kiss you seems to upset me more than I expected, and I have to admit something. I’m tired of pretending. I like you, Vincent.”
“I like you too, Eva.”
"I'm an old woman, and I'm not looking for anything too serious," Eva said. "I also absolutely refuse to move out on my dear Leila."
"You're not old," Vincent said. "We can take it slow. And I would never have expected you to leave Leila. You're like sisters."
“That’s right,” Leila said. “So, you better take care of her now. I don’t want any broken hearts.”
“I don’t intend on breaking her heart,” Vincent said, smiling from ear to ear.
“And, so, well,” Eva said. “I’d appreciate it if you’d only kiss me now.”
“That’s all I wanted, my darling,” Vincent said, giving her a little peck to seal the deal.
Eva became self-conscious of all the others watching. “Come on,” she said. “We promised you donuts, let’s get you some.”
She led him further into the house, and they all got settled, finding their snacks again.
“Is the
re any romance with Wally the Wonderful for you?” Amy asked Leila. “He did help us solve a case.”
“Wally is a kind fellow, but his tricks are not for me,” Leila said. “But I did introduce him to someone who I think will appreciate him. I think they’re going to fall fast in love. Ms. Bittlecombe.”
“Ms. Bittlecomb?” Eva said. “But isn’t she nearly blind?”
“Exactly,” Leila said. “She can’t see that he’s showing his hand when he does his magic. And he likes that he calls her wonderful. It’s perfect!”
“It will be perfect when we can eat these donuts,” Amy said.
“Right,” Heather agreed, holding up her donut. “Let’s have a Champagne Cream toast!”
The others raised their donuts as well.
“To what?” Ryan asked, inviting her to make the toast.
“To the new,” Heather said with a smile. “To new romance, new adventures, and a new year.”
Everyone agreed to the toast with a hearty “cheers” and a big bite of a delicious donut.
The End.
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About the Author
Susan Gillard is a lover of all things mysterious. She grew up in Kansas City, Missouri where her love of murder mystery novels grew.
Now she travels the country in search of the best baked goods and engaging with the locals who often become the inspiration for her wacky characters.
Get in Touch with Susan
SusanGillard.com
[email protected]
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Champagne Cream & Murder Page 7
