A Catered Christmas Killer (A Sinful Sweets Cozy Mystery)

by Lee, Carol

  “Austin,” she said, surprised that he’d call her during an event he knew was huge for her career.

  “Sydney. Are you still at the Durans?”

  “Yeah. I’m here until Monday. What’s going on?”

  “I just heard on the scanner that the police are on their way. Are you staying out of all this?”

  “Austin, I was a suspect from the beginning. I’ve just been having conversations with people to help me clear my own name.”

  “Sydney. I’m serious. Stay out of it. This is a big name and the detective running the case isn’t completely trustworthy.”

  “You tell me that now?” Knowing this, Sydney never would have revealed the information about her missing knife.

  “Detective Moore has a . . . reputation.”

  “A reputation?” she repeated.

  “For evading honest tactics with interrogations.”

  “Well, that would have been useful to know a few hours ago. I told him my knife is missing.”

  “Any ideas where it is?”

  “Actually, I know exactly where it is. I found it.”

  “What do you mean, found it? Like in your bag? Or the dishwasher? Right where you’d left it?” he asked hopefully.

  “No. In Marcus’ office. Hidden on top of a filing cabinet out of reach. With some slinky lingerie.”

  “What does that have to do with anything? And what were you doing in his office?”

  “I followed the maid in there. And I thought maybe he was having an affair, so someone offed his wife so they could be together—you know, a jealous lover or Marcus himself. But the more I talk to people, the less likely that seems or else they’re just really good at covering it up.”

  “I thought you were staying out of it.”

  “Well, sort of.”

  “Okay. I don’t want you talking to the police until I get there.”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll see you in half an hour,” he said with urgency, and he quickly hung up.

  “This isn’t good, Grace. The police are on their way.”

  The two friends looked at each other with fear. Sydney knew exactly what she needed to do, but she had to look innocent doing it.

  “I’m going to talk to Maria. She’s hiding something, I know it, and I need to know what it is.”

  “I’ll cover for you if they come.”

  “What will you tell them?”

  “I don’t know yet, but I’ll think of something.”

  Sydney hugged Grace on her way out of the kitchen. She was always grateful for the friendship, but even more so today.

  She made a beeline for Maria’s chair, but it was empty.

  CHAPTER 5

  Sydney looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Maria or Eduardo. Instead, she noticed all of the dessert trays that were empty. She hoped Grace would come out to check them sooner rather than later. She didn’t think she’d have time to go back to the kitchen and find Maria.

  She headed to the back of the house to use the back stairs and avoid a guest witnessing her going upstairs. Again.

  She made it to her room without incident and headed toward Marcus’ office. But before she got there, she heard arguing.

  She knew it was at least Maria and Eduardo because it was in Spanish. She chided herself for not reaching fluency in college. She’d even studied abroad in Spain, but hadn’t kept up her skills. She caught only individual words that she understood.

  “. . . Mentirosa! . . . Muerta!” Liar. Dead. She knew these were coming from a man, and she suspected it was Eduardo.

  “. . . Familia . . . Cuba . . . Amigo.” Family. Cuba. Friend. Was Maria talking about her own family? The Durans? Eduardo’s family? She knew they were friends and from Cuba, but without more clues, she wasn’t sure what they were yelling about.

  And she didn’t know where they were. It didn’t sound like they were in Marcus’ office. But Sydney didn’t know the layout of the rest of the upstairs, so she stayed put just at the threshold of the area she’d been permitted access to and the rest of the house.

  Then she heard the front door open and the police announce their presence. This isn’t good, she thought to herself and quickly headed back to the kitchen so she wouldn’t be caught upstairs.

  “We’re looking for Mr. Marcus Duran,” the police announced just as Sydney reached the bottom of the stairs. She’d heard the yelling stop and doors open. She suspected Maria and Eduardo were doing the same thing she was—looking less guilty.

  Sydney made it back to the kitchen and Grace gave her a surprised look.

  “I thought you were going to find out about Maria.”

  “I tried, but I heard her fighting with Eduardo and then the police came in, so I came back. At least now I won’t be caught trespassing.”

  “You were invited to stay here all weekend.”

  “Well, I was invited into the kitchen and the back part of the house where I was given a room. I don’t think I was invited into the rest of the house.”

  They quickly ended their conversation as Detective Moore entered the kitchen.

  “Well, well, well. Ms. Marshall, you’re still here. We’re afraid the party’s over. Everyone has been asked to remain on the property until we’ve questioned everyone.”

  “You questioned me this morning.”

  “That was before information about the missing knife came back.”

  “Well, I think I can help with that,” Sydney said.

  Detective Moore gave her a suspicious look.

  “It’s upstairs in Marcus’ office.”

  “And how would you know that?” he asked.

  Sydney hadn’t meant to tell him the location of the knife. But she knew she was innocent and they’d be able to prove that when the knife was in their hands.

  “I . . . um . . . I found it there when I was . . .”

  Detective Moore didn’t give her time to finish her sentence. “I think I’ll start by questioning you again.”

  Sydney was devastated. The only thing she could do was tell the truth. And Austin had made her promise not to tell them anything. She’d already broken that promise.

  “I’d like to wait until Detective Massey is present,” she said suddenly.

  “Detective Massey, huh?” Detective Moore had a glint in his eye that Sydney couldn’t quite read. “We’ll let you wait for him. I’ll start with your friend instead. Grace, right?”

  The other detectives present had already setup temporary interrogation rooms. Grace was taken to one and Sydney noticed that Marcus was likely in the other. He was missing from the main room where all of the guests had been corralled.

  Sydney decided it was her duty to keep the party as enjoyable as possible and she made her rounds of the food, replacing empty dessert trays with full ones.

  Stacey was still on the couch, but now her eyes were open and more alert. Ryan made his way to his wife and took a seat next to her, holding her hand and kissing her on the cheek. Howard lurked in one corner looking guiltier now than he had all evening. Sydney scanned the rest of the faces for Eduardo and Maria.

  She found them in separate parts of the room. Maria was back in her chair and Eduardo was with a few other men. She guessed they were other employees with whom he used to work.

  Sydney weighed her options and headed to Maria.

  “Are you feeling better?” Sydney asked her.

  Maria didn’t answer right away, not even making eye contact or acknowledging that she’d been spoken to.

  “Maria? Can I get you anything?” Sydney tried again.

  “Sydney. Sorry. No, I’m fine.”

  Sydney took a seat in the chair next to hers. She knew she didn’t have long before Austin would show up and then Detective Moore would be sure to question her.

  “How’s Eduardo doing since he lost his job?” Sydney wanted to pick up the conversation that had been interrupted earlier.

  Maria gave her a questioning look.

  “I’m looking for
help at my bakery,” Sydney added quickly. “We’re hoping to expand into more regular catering, and that would mean we need someone at the bakery when I’m gone.” While this wasn’t a lie, she hoped that Maria would believe that Sydney was asking for only honest reasons.

  “He’s been struggling. His family was sent back to Cuba just before he got fired.”

  “Did the Durans know?”

  “Of course they knew. They know everything about each of their employees.”

  “So they were close then, with their employees?” Sydney asked.

  Maria gave her another questioning look. “You don’t know the half of it.” Maybe she wasn’t treated like family but was supposed to pretend.

  “Then tell me.”

  “There’s nothing you can do. Eduardo will be sent away soon. We both know it’s coming.”

  “So he’s not legal?”

  Daggers shot from Maria’s eyes. “He’s human. And he has dreams. Just like the rest of us. He came here because there was no opportunity in Cuba. Just like my family. The only difference was that I came young and married an American. So then I could stay, even after he died. But Eduardo . . . he was already married when he came over. And his wife didn’t understand the challenges. So he blames her for the hardships they’ve faced as a family.”

  Sydney was speechless.

  “Did the Durans ever try to help him?”

  “Julia did. Well, she thought she was helping. But when Marcus found out that she was doing it, that’s when Eduardo lost his job. Marcus didn’t want to compromise the company for the livelihood of one man. So he sent him away instead.”

  Sydney was stunned. Julia had tried to help him?

  “Did she try to help him after he was fired?”

  “She didn’t have the chance. His family was already reported to Homeland Security. Marcus must have done it. Eduardo’s wife and kids were sent away immediately. Somehow Eduardo’s name slipped through. He wasn’t home when they came for the family, and when he got back, they were gone. So he knows he’ll be next now.”

  “Where was he when his family was taken?”

  “He was at my house.” Maria looked crestfallen. It was clear that this was not the first time she’d had friends deported and it was painful for her to witness, or to talk about.

  Sydney’s mind was racing again. Maria, as their housekeeper, would have a key to the Durans’ house. If she and Eduardo were as close as she said, there’s no reason he wouldn’t have had access to it as well. He certainly had motive. Could he have killed Julia last night? Or would Maria have killed Julia to defend her lifelong friend? But why would either of them have killed Julia if she’d tried to help him?

  Just then, Austin walked through the open—and guarded—door and walked straight to Sydney.

  ***

  “Where were you last night?” Detective Moore asked Sydney, Austin at her side. Grace had just finished being questioned and had given an encouraging look to Sydney as they traded places.

  “I was here, in this house.”

  “Did you kill Julia Duran?”

  So much for tricking me into telling him, Sydney thought. “No.”

  “But it was your knife that was used—”

  “You said it was a blade like my knife,” Sydney corrected him.

  “But you had access to a blade exactly like the one that killed Julia. And you complained about her as a boss. And you now claim you know where the knife is.”

  “I know where it is, yes. But not because I put it there. And I would only tell you I know that because I know I didn’t do it and you’ll find evidence of that on the knife.” Austin gave her a warning look to keep her tone friendlier.

  “I’ll find evidence of that on the knife,” Detective Moore repeated.

  “You know, fingerprints.”

  “Wouldn’t yours be on it?”

  “Of course, it’s my knife. But the killer’s fingerprints will be on it, too.”

  “You seem to know an awful lot about crime scene investigations, Ms. Marshall.”

  She smirked.

  “We’ll have our detectives check out your claim about the knife.”

  The questioning continued and Austin only stepped in twice to keep Sydney civil. She was ready to go home and be done with this catering job and get back to Maple, her house and Sinful Sweets. And she was looking forward to her dinner with Austin on Monday.

  Finally, she was released and she and Austin headed to the kitchen. They found Grace there and the two women compared their interrogations.

  “They seem to really think it was you, Sydney. All he asked me was about you.”

  Sydney gave her a half-hearted smile. “I know. What do you think Austin?”

  “Well, you really have no motive. So the murder weapon might belong to you—if they can confirm that—but there was no reason you’d have killed Julia. You’d have been out of a job then.”

  “Bad news, Sydney,” Detective Moore said, interrupting their conversation in the kitchen. “The knife isn’t where you said it is. Any ideas about where it might have walked off to?”

  Sydney gave Austin a pleading smile. She knew he wouldn’t want her to reveal this much, but she felt backed into a corner.

  “I know the Durans’ housekeeper, Maria, and an former employee of Marcus’, Eduardo, were upstairs earlier. One of them might have taken it?” she asked, rather than stated.

  Detective Moore gave her a knowing look, like she knew more than she should. Sydney didn’t dare look at Austin.

  Moore left the kitchen to return to his interrogation, but Sydney wasn’t willing to simply stay put. She needed to find out from Marcus what had happened with Eduardo. There was always another side to the story, and Maria had told her only one.

  “I’m going to find Marcus. Maybe he has suspicions about who killed his wife,” Sydney said.

  “Then the police will deal with it,” Austin said forcefully.

  “Austin, this isn’t your name, your livelihood, your business on the line. I need to get to the bottom of this because I know how the police work—too slow.” She instantly regretted the words, but it was too late. He looked wounded, like she’d slapped him, but she couldn’t let her name be dragged through the mud publicly. She left the kitchen before Austin or Grace could stop her.

  Marcus was sitting on the other side of Stacey, his hand on her leg. Sydney remembered her conversation with Ryan—about him not having a relationship with Julia—but she still hadn’t learned about Marcus and Stacey. The thought flashed through her mind once more that it could actually have been Marcus who killed his wife, not Eduardo or Maria.

  “Sydney. Is everything alright?” Ryan asked as she approached the three of them on the couch.

  “Yes, it’s fine. I’m just disappointed that this has all happened. Marcus, I’m so sorry you’ve had to deal with all of this today.”

  “It’s nothing you should be apologizing for, Sydney. Julia’s murder has nothing to do with you. The killer will be found and punished, I’m sure of that.”

  “I wanted to ask you about one of your former employees, actually. Eduardo. I heard he was let go, and I was wondering if you’d tell me why. I was thinking of offering him a job at Sinful Sweets.” She continued her tact from earlier with Maria.

  “It wasn’t me who let him go, actually. I mean, technically it was, but it was Julia’s prodding that convinced me to release him.”

  This came as a surprise to Sydney. Had Maria known the truth and lied about it, or was she really led to believe Marcus had been responsible while Julia had tried to help?

  Sydney gave him a questioning look, encouraging him to keep talking.

  “Look, I can only share some of what happened. The legal side of it was that his family was here illegally. But I wouldn’t offer him a job, regardless. There were other work related issues that would have gotten him fired anyway.”

  Sydney nodded her head and said thanks, then went to look for Eduardo. She was nearly cer
tain he had killed Julia for revenge of losing his job, his family and facing deportation, but now she had to prove it. And she was sure he’d have the murder weapon with him to get her off the hook.

  ***

  Sydney didn’t head back to the kitchen first, she didn’t think Grace or Austin would agree with her plan. They’d both tell her to report this information to Detective Moore, but he was less than willing to listen to her hypotheses.