Deadly Donuts (The Donut Mysteries)

by Jessica Beck

  I rubbed my arm where Larry had grabbed me, and I could feel how tender it was. “No, not much, anyway.”

  “Who did it? Did they get away?”

  “No. He’s in jail right now, as a matter of fact. As much as I like to complain about Chief Martin, he really saved me this morning.” I brought her up to date about Larry Landers and his attack, but I didn’t mention anything about his close ties to Morgan Briar, or the blackmailing scheme he’d been trying to take over.

  Emma frowned when she heard the news, bit her lip for half a second, and then she shook her head. I knew exactly what she was thinking. She wanted to call her father and report what had happened to me, but we’d had words about that behavior before, so I knew that she was reticent to push me too far.

  “Go on. Call him,” I said. She might as well be the one who offered him the tip. Her dad would find out himself soon enough when he read the police arrest blotter.

  Emma looked down at the floor. “Nope. I’m not going to do it this time.”

  “I’m giving you my blessing. Call him before someone else does. At least that way you’ll get his crimestopper’s tip money.”

  “Okay. If you’re sure.”

  “I’m sure. You’d better hurry up and do it, or I might just be tempted to call it in myself.” I tried my best to smile as I said it, but I wasn’t sure that I was convincing at all.

  Emma grabbed her phone, and I kept working on the dough for the day’s cake donuts. She came back in just as I started to drop donuts, so I shooed her right back out again. I’d let the dropper slip out of my hands once, and I wasn’t about to let anyone near me again while I was working with it.

  When I called for her to come back in, she was smiling.

  “I take it that your father was happy to get the tip,” I asked.

  “You might say that. He told me to tell you that he’d pay you twice what I just got if you’d give him an exclusive interview about the attack.”

  I had to laugh. “Do you even have to ask for my answer?”

  “Just tell him that I pitched the idea to you, okay?”

  “Sure thing,” I said. “I can do that.”

  “It’s funny, but Dad was in such a good mood that he volunteered to share some information about the case you’ve been working on.”

  “Why does he think that I’m doing anything?” I asked. If Chief Martin was right, the case had just ended with Larry Landers’s arrest.

  “Come on. He knows what you and Grace have been up to. So, do you want it, or not?”

  “Why not? What did he have to say?”

  “It seems that Martha Hickok has been going around town bragging about someone trying to blackmail her with risqué photographs.”

  “I thought that she was trying to keep that a secret,” I said as I remembered her clandestine conversation with Jake about it.

  “Apparently she changed her mind. Dad said that he wondered if she told him about it so she could take out a front page ad, but it turns out that instead, it ended up giving her an alibi by accident.”

  “Why is that?” I asked, curious about what Martha had been up to.

  “It turns out that she was playing Midnight Bingo in Hickory when Morgan was murdered,” Emma said. “Evidently, the first game starts at nine and they finish up around one a.m., so she was too far away to get back in time.”

  “She could have always slipped out, and then come back again,” I said, though I had a hard time envisioning Martha as a murderer.

  “The tickets are time-stamped, and once you leave, you can’t get back in. That’s not the kicker, though. Martha doesn’t drive, so she couldn’t have done it. She rode the bus down, and then she rode it back when the last game was over.”

  I took all of that in, and then I nodded. It worked for me. “Tell your dad that I said thanks, and that I owe him one.”

  “Enough to do the interview he wants to do with you?” Emma asked with a smile.

  “Not quite,” I replied, happy that I’d at least managed to strike someone else’s name off my list, no matter how little the viability of the candidate was. If I discounted Larry as the murderer, that just left Rose, Heather, Cliff, and Polly. George might still be a remote suspect, and so was Ellen for that matter, but I had a feeling that one of them was a murderer. Now all I had to do was figure out which one was guilty, and that wasn’t going to be easy.

  “Suzanne, are you all right?” Momma asked me half an hour after Chief Martin had left the scene with Larry Landers.

  “I’m fine. What are you doing up so early?”

  “Phillip called me, of course,” she said. “Is it true? Did he catch the killer?”

  “I don’t think so,” I said.

  After a moment’s pause, Momma said, “Then I’m confused. Phillip is under the impression that this Landers man killed Morgan Briar.”

  “He might be positive, but I’m still not convinced,” I said.

  “What makes you think that he’s not the one?”

  “I can’t say for sure,” I admitted, “but I just don’t believe it.”

  Momma sighed, and then she said, “Well, I’ve grown to trust your instincts over the years. Be careful.”

  “I always am,” I said. “Now why don’t you go back to sleep?”

  “So you can get back to your donut-making?” she asked.

  “I can’t fool you, can I?”

  After I hung up, I told Emma, “That was my mother. She was worried about me.”

  “Do they ever stop?” Emma asked.

  “Not as far as I can tell. Sometimes I fuss about her being a little too overprotective with me, but in the end, it’s nice to have someone who worries about me.”

  “I’m sure Jake does, too. When are you going to tell him what happened?”

  I shook my head. “I’m not, at least not until I’m satisfied that this case is over. All it would accomplish would be to cause him needless worry, and he has enough to focus on with what he’s doing.”

  “Are you sure? He might be upset if he finds out that you held something back from him,” Emma said.

  “Maybe, but he knows me well enough to realize that I have reasons for the things I do. Now, would you grab more vanilla extract from the storage room?”

  “I’d be happy to,” she said. As Emma left the kitchen, I thought about calling Jake, but he was most likely still asleep, and I didn’t feel right waking him. That was only part of it, though. What I’d told Emma was the truth. There was nothing that he could do about what had happened earlier, and the last thing I wanted was for him to rush back to April Springs because I couldn’t take care of myself. If I truly believed that I needed him, I’d call him in a heartbeat, but for now, I’d save that phone call for later.

  In the meantime, I had donuts to make.

  I’d been open ten minutes when Chief Martin pulled up outside in his squad car. Since he’d started dating Momma, he’d stopped eating donuts in an effort to lose weight, and he’d been quite successful at it. The man was practically wasting away, but I still couldn’t entice him with one of my treats.

  Before he could get in the door, I poured him a cup of coffee and had it waiting for him. “Care for some coffee?” I asked as he walked in.

  “That would be great. I haven’t been to bed yet.”

  “You never told me how you happened to be there when I needed you. Not that I’m not grateful, but it was a pretty big coincidence.”

  “It wasn’t a coincidence at all,” he admitted. “I was working on something else, and I thought I’d swing by the donut shop to check up on you on my way home.”

  “Were you spying on me, Chief?” I asked him with a grin. “Don’t tell me that my mother put you up to it.”

  “She’s worried about you, and if I can help ease some of her fears without costing me too much more than a little sleep, why wouldn’t I? Do you really mind all that much?”

  I kissed him on the cheek, something that made him blush instantly, and I said, “N
o, I want to thank you for it. As much as I like to believe that I’m a modern woman capable of handling any situation, I appreciated the fact that you were there when I needed you more than I can say.”

  He looked absolutely flabbergasted by my compliment, which made me smile broadly.

  “Uh, I was happy to do it,” he said as he tried, and failed, to make eye contact with me. After another sip of coffee, the police chief added, “Your mother is still worried about you, you know. She told me that you’re still not convinced that Larry Landers killed Morgan Briar.”

  “I’m not,” I said. “When did she tell you that?”

  “Right after the two of you spoke,” he said. “Listen, I know how these things can be, but you don’t have anything to worry about. The case is over.”

  “I just don’t buy it,” I said. “There’s no evidence that Larry killed Morgan, and besides, there are a ton of other people who had more of a motive than just greed.”

  “Don’t sell avarice short,” the chief said. “You’d be amazed by how many people commit the most horrific acts just because they want something that someone else has.”

  “I realize that, but fear is an even bigger motivator, wouldn’t you say? Someone you’d never dream of as being capable of killing could commit murder if they were backed into a corner.” Jake had told me that enough times that I had no doubt that it was true.

  “I understand that, but it’s not the case this time.”

  “Convince me,” I said.

  He thought about it for a few seconds, and then he said, “Tell me the names of your other suspects, one at a time, and I’ll do the best that I can do.”

  I considered his offer, and then I nodded. “You’ve got yourself a deal. Let’s start with the blackmail victims themselves. First up, we have Heather Morningstar, and her fiancé, Cliff.”

  “They had dinner in Charlotte the night of the murder, and then they went to a formal ball. Half a dozen witnesses verified that, so they’re both in clear.”

  “It would have been nice knowing that earlier,” I said with a frown.

  “Young lady, you are not privy to what my department knows. I’m doing this strictly as a courtesy, so don’t give me a reason to walk out of here. If I do, your mother won’t be pleased with either one of us.”

  “Sorry,” I said, promising myself to put my petulance aside. “How about the florist in Union Square named Rose? I don’t know her last name.”

  Without even consulting his notes, he said, “She was in the Emergency Room with her mother. We’ve got video surveillance that proves it.”

  Suspects were falling like snowflakes, and I had to wonder if the chief might be right after all. He asked, “Who else is on your list?”

  I didn’t want to admit it to him, but I didn’t really have any choice. “I know that it sounds crazy, but Polly North had a motive, and if she told George, he has to be on the list, too.”

  “Let me get this straight. Are you accusing your friend, and our mayor, of murder?”

  “Of course not,” I said. “I just couldn’t mark them off my list without a better reason than because I like them. Do you have alibis for them?”

  “If you want to go grill them, feel free, but I’m satisfied that I have the right man. Is there,” he started to say as his radio called him. “Hang on. I have to answer this.” After a whispered conversation, the chief turned to me and said, “I’ve got to go. Somebody just ran a stoplight and plowed into a motorcycle.”

  “How bad is it?” I asked.

  “Sounds like it’s bad enough. Thanks for the coffee,” he said as he shoved the mug into my hands and left, his siren wailing and his lights flashing as he tore up the road.

  Emma heard it, even through her earbuds, which were now dangling down onto her shoulders. “What was that all about?”

  “The chief came by, but there was an emergency situation that he had to deal with, so he had to go.”

  Emma nodded, put the buds back in, and then she went back into the kitchen. As I rinsed the mug and put it into one of the plastic tubs we used to collect dirty dishes, I had to wonder if Chief Martin was right. Could Larry Landers be the killer after all? Was I reluctant to accept that, since I hadn’t been the one who’d discovered his guilt? I had to admit that it was possible that it was my ego, and not the facts, that was holding me back. I’d have to discuss it with Grace when she came in later, but for now, it was time to run my donut shop.

  The morning seemed to drag on forever, and I cursed the rising temperature yet again. I had the air conditioner cranked up to its highest setting, but it still had a hard time keeping up with the heat that shot in whenever someone opened the door. Finally, at a quarter until eleven, I walked back to where Emma was sitting at her workstation, and I found her with her nose buried in a textbook.

  My assistant looked startled to find me suddenly standing in front of her, and she quickly pulled out her earbuds. “Sorry. I got caught up on my work, so I thought I’d prep for a test I’ve got later this afternoon.”

  “I’m just happy that you found something productive to do,” I admitted. “I finished the crossword puzzle and started working on the number puzzle in the newspaper.”

  “Are you having any luck?” she asked.

  “No, my mind just doesn’t work that way. I’m more of a word kind of gal.” I looked around, and the kitchen was indeed spotless. “Why don’t you go ahead and take off?”

  “Are you sure? I’d be glad to hang around until we close.”

  “We officially are,” I said. “I’ll walk you out, and then I’m locking up early.”

  “Sold,” she said. “I need the time off to study more than I need the money.”

  “Well,” I said with a grin, “you’re going to get both. I’ll pay you for the end of your shift. Good luck on that exam.”

  “Thanks,” she said as she scooted out the door. I was about to flip the OPEN sign to CLOSED when a strange woman came rushing toward me.

  I held the door for her, and as she came in, she scolded me. “You’re supposed to be open until eleven.”

  “Things were a little slow, so I decided to close early.”

  She looked disappointed as she started to walk out again.

  I said quickly, “I’ll be glad to wait on you, though.”

  “Really?” she asked.

  “Really. What can I get you?”

  She looked at each of the display cases, and then, without a moment’s hesitation, she said, “I’ll take it all.”

  “All of it?” I asked. There were five dozen assorted donuts left, as well as thirty or forty donut holes.

  “The whole lot. My husband just got out of the hospital, and he kept saying the entire time that he was in there that all he wanted in the world was your donuts. Do you know Greg Whitmore? He’s tall and lanky, and has the cutest blue eyes you’ve ever seen.”

  “Sure, I know your husband. Greg’s a good customer,” I said. “I was wondering why I hadn’t seen him around lately. How’s he doing?”

  “Pretty good now, but it was touch and go for a while.”

  “What happened to him, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  She looked as though she wanted to cry as she said, “He was in a car wreck on his way to the beach to spend the weekend with me. I was down there for a conference, and he was coming down to surprise me.”

  “I’m glad that he’s going to be okay. You know, he usually just gets a couple of glazed donuts and a black coffee. Are you sure you want everything?”

  She grinned at me as she said, “I want it all.”

  “Okay, then.” I boxed everything up, and then I handed the stack to her.

  “What do I owe you?” she asked as she started to dig out her wallet.

  “They’re on the house,” I said. “Tell him that I hope he’s back here himself soon.”

  “He told me what a great woman you were,” she said. “But if I don’t pay for these, he’ll be very unhappy with me, and I don�
�t want to stress him out any. Will you please take my money?”

  It wasn’t often that someone begged to pay me for my donuts. “As a favor to you, I will. How does ten dollars sound?”

  “These donuts are worth a lot more than that to me. How about forty?”

  “I’ll take twenty, and that’s my final offer,” I said with a smile.

  She returned it, and then she put the bill on the counter. “Sold. Could you get the door for me? I’m parked just over there.”

  “I’ll do better than that,” I said. “You get the door, and I’ll carry them to the car for you.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I know, but I want to. It’s just part of the Donut Hearts service.”

  After we had them loaded up, Greg’s wife surprised me by hugging me. “Thank you so much, Suzanne. I’m so happy that he’s coming home, I just about can’t stand it.”

  “I’m happy for both of you,” I said, and then I watched her get into her car and drive away.

  Walking back to the shop, I spotted Max strolling down the sidewalk toward me.

  “How’s it going?” I asked. “I saw you out walking with Emily.”

  He grinned at me, showing his perfect teeth. “It’s all a part of our courtship. She told me that we had to take this slow, the old-fashioned way, so I’m doing my best to woo her. Can you believe that?”

  “Max, I’m actually proud of you,” I said. “I sincerely hope that it works out. Just be careful. If you break her heart, you might have to leave town for good. Folks around here really love that woman and her three stuffed animals.”

  “You don’t have to tell me,” Max said. “She’s working on new costumes for them right now.”

  “Care to share any hints with me?” I asked.

  “I’m not supposed to,” he replied.

  “That’s fine. I understand.”

  Max looked up and down the street to confirm that we were alone, and then he said softly, “You know what? I trust you. She’s dressing Spots and Cow up as two moose, and Moose is going to wear a cow outfit. It’s pretty cool, actually.”

  “I’m glad that you’re getting along,” I said.