Oh, Fudge!

by Nancy CoCo

  “But that’s ridiculous,” I protested.

  “Let’s get these two out of here,” Rex said to Brent.

  Officer Lasko opened the door and sneered at the sight of me. “What’s up, boss?” she asked Rex.

  “There’s been an incident,” Rex said. “Brent and I are taking these two to the station. I need you to hang out here and ensure nothing further happens this evening.”

  “Great,” she said and gave me the side eye. “Babysitting duty.”

  “Just see that no one else gets hurt,” he said. “Come on, Brent, let’s go.” Rex took Tori by the arm and took her out first. Brent hauled Sean Grady out behind Tori. I turned on my heel and rushed up the stairs to get dressed. Jenn wasn’t far behind me.

  “I can’t believe he arrested Victoria,” I said.

  “She’s not very happy with you right now.”

  “I know, and we were just starting to trust each other.”

  “Can you believe the chutzpah of Sean Grady claiming that he was the innocent party?”

  “I know. Right?” I said and rushed into my bedroom to tear off my pajamas and pull on jeans and a T-shirt. I stuffed my feet into my shoes and came out to find Jenn had put on a sundress and a pair of sandals. Jenn had let Mal out of her kennel. My pup was running between the two of us and jumping up at my hand. “No, we aren’t going for a walk,” I said. Mal stopped, sat, and gave me sad puppy eyes. “No sad eyes. I have to go fix things with Victoria and I can’t take you into the police department again.”

  Mal didn’t seem to understand so I grabbed another treat off the counter. “Do your tricks,” I said and we went through her repertoire while Jenn pulled out clothes and shoes from Tori’s suitcase near the couch. Mella came over to where I was and rubbed against me. “Okay, treats for you, too.” I grabbed a handful of kitty snacks and put them on the counter. Mella jumped up and delicately ate them one by one.

  “I want to kill that Sean Grady,” Jenn said. “He not only burglarized and terrorized us and Mrs. Gilmore—”

  “And who knows how many others?” I continued.

  “But he has Tori under even more suspicion.”

  “I wish I had never set up that sting. Tori told me that something bad would happen and she was right. She has every reason to hate me now.”

  “She won’t hate you,” Jenn said. “Rex overreacted. We’ll go down and get this sorted out.”

  “Rex better listen,” I said as we headed down the stairs.

  “He will.” Jenn was more confident than I was. “Then Tori will forgive you and everything will be all right.”

  “I certainly hope so.”

  “After all,” Jenn said, “what more could go wrong?”

  Chapter 15

  “Rex Manning is a real jerk,” Tori said as she stormed into the apartment. It had taken three hours of talking before Rex let her go. It helped that he found the plastic master key in Sean Grady’s pocket.

  “I agree,” I said. “He should have never arrested you.”

  “Don’t talk to me,” she said and packed up her stuff.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I have friends on the island. I don’t need you around, you know.”

  “I don’t think you need me,” I said and took out clothes as fast as she put them in her suitcase. “Maybe I need you.”

  “You don’t need me. You have your life all together, owning the McMurphy and making fudge. You even have friends working with you.”

  “Come on, there’s no reason you can’t have these things, too. Please stay.”

  We fought over the clothes until she growled and grabbed them out of my hands. “Stop. Just stop. I have never been investigated before you. Now I was even arrested. Arrested! And threatened with the charge of battery. Not only that, I was arrested in my pajamas for crying out loud.” She closed up her suitcase and looked right at me. “Who in their right mind would stay with you after that?”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I can’t apologize enough. You were right. The sting was dangerous. Sean could have hurt someone if you didn’t help me catch him. Your help is what got you in trouble. For that I owe you.”

  “You owe me so big it isn’t even funny.”

  “Then let me pay you back. Please stay.”

  “It’s not safe around you, Allie,” she said and picked up her suitcase. “You aren’t good for me.” She walked out and I bit my lip closed. Mal chased after her and down the stairs. Frances had come in already and I was behind on making fudge.

  “You had to let her go,” Jenn said as she stepped inside the apartment. “I think after a few good nights of rest she will come to her senses.”

  “Where will she stay?” I asked.

  “She knows a lot of people on the island. In fact, Paige Jessop was one of her best friends growing up. She’ll probably stay there.”

  “How do you know that?” I asked, exhausted and frustrated that everyone seemed to know more about my cousin than I did.

  “Frances told me.”

  “Fine,” I said and tossed up my hands. “I’m done trying to be nice. It’s not getting me anywhere.”

  “Listen, you only got two hours of sleep last night,” Jenn said. “Frances has called Sandy and she will come in and do the morning fudge and the demonstration so that you can get some sleep. Hot sugar and exhaustion don’t mix.”

  “Fine,” I conceded and turned toward my room. “But you get some sleep as well.”

  “Don’t worry,” Jenn said. “I’ll be napping longer than you. Saving the McMurphy is hard work.”

  “Helping my cousin Tori is even harder. Don’t forget the funeral is today at two PM.”

  “I’ll be dressed and ready.”

  I went to bed and pulled a sleep mask over my eyes. I drifted off into an unsettled sleep, listening to the clip-clop of the horses pulling carts and people on the roads outside. It seemed like no matter what I did to help my cousin, things only got worse. Maybe she was right. Maybe this time it was best if I just stayed out of it.

  * * *

  The funeral was well attended. We left my part time assistant, Megan, at the front desk and closed the fudge shop out of respect. Afterward I hugged Barbara’s family and gave them my condolences. It was a bit awkward as everyone knew I had been at the Butterfly House and found the body. Everyone suspected my cousin Tori of killing Barbara. No matter how much I protested, the theory that Tori killed Barbara remained. The problem was I was the witness who found Tori kneeling over Barbara.

  Tori wasn’t at the funeral. I didn’t expect her to be even though she knew the Smarts better than I did. I went home afterward and opened the fudge shop. I created dark chocolate chunk fudge for the evening demonstration and we sold out of the fudge that we had.

  I closed up the shop when Rex came in to see me. He took off his police hat as he entered the lobby. “Hey, Allie.”

  “Hi, Rex. What can I do for you?”

  “I wanted to apologize for jumping to conclusions this morning and arresting your cousin. You have to understand that when I came in, she was the one with the deadly weapon at a guy’s throat.”

  “It’s because he robbed me and we were trying to stop him.”

  “I realize that,” he said. His gorgeous blue eyes ringed with thick black lashes were solemn. His square jaw was tight. “I don’t take to apologizing very well, but when I’m wrong. I say I’m wrong.”

  Mal came racing down the stairs and with a short bark she leapt up into Rex’s arms. “Well, hello,” he said and she gave him kisses on the face.

  “Someone likes you,” I said. “You can put her down. She needs to learn to greet people with a little more politeness and a little less enthusiasm.”

  “I don’t know, I kind of like enthusiasm,” he said in a way that had my cheeks warming. “How are things with Trent?”

  “Trent’s been out of town on business,” I said with a shrug. “It’s the price you pay, I guess.”

  “It’s not all
that a good a price if you ask me,” Rex said.

  “You could turn the week around for me.”

  “Oh? How’s that?”

  “Tell Tori you know she didn’t kill Barbara.”

  “Well, now, I can’t do that. Despite the break-in at the Butterfly House, she is still my best suspect.”

  “She blames me,” I said with a sigh and went over to the coffee bar to make myself a cup of thick coffee. I was still exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before. “She wasn’t even able to attend Barbara’s funeral.”

  “I understand your frustration, Allie,” Rex said. I turned to find him unnervingly close behind me. “Coffee.”

  “Help yourself,” I said and sidestepped him. “If you understand, then let her go.”

  “She’s still my best suspect.”

  “What about Sean Grady? I’m sure you figured out that he has been stealing things from all over.”

  “Yes.” Rex nodded. “We found quite a few stolen goods in his home. You were right there. He was copying keys and scoping out valuables while he was working on the cable system. Then he’d go back at night or when no one was home and take things. Some of the things the owners didn’t even realize were missing.”

  “Then he is the best candidate for Barbara’s murder.”

  “No, he isn’t,” Rex said and sipped his coffee. “Sean was always sure to not leave a trace that he’d been in the house. In fact, you wouldn’t have even known he was here if you didn’t have the motion alarm set up downstairs.”

  “I would have when I opened the register and discovered the missing cash.”

  “But you wouldn’t be able to prove it was Sean. You got lucky.”

  “Maybe,” I said. “Or maybe I made my own luck. Aren’t you going to thank me?”

  “For what exactly?”

  “For catching a thief? I’m sure that Liz will make you out to be a hero returning all those people’s things. What was he doing with the stuff anyway?”

  “He has connections in the south and they were selling the things on-line,” he said. “Sean admitted to keeping the cash.”

  “So see, my little sting operation wasn’t all bad.”

  “It wasn’t safe,” Rex said. “Just for the record. I did believe you when you said you suspected Sean. I was working on finding evidence on him. Listen, Allie, you have to trust me to do my job.”

  “I do trust you.”

  “Really? Because you are in over your head on investigating who killed Barbara Smart.”

  “But you are wrong,” I said. “I know in my heart that Victoria didn’t do it.”

  “I can’t work from my heart,” he said, and suddenly the double meaning made the air thick around us. “I can only work with the evidence I find.” He reached over and pushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “Right now I only have evidence on Victoria.”

  I could hear the unspoken words, that he only had evidence I wanted to date Trent. Trent who was still away from the island on business. Who sometimes seemed to be more off the island than on it. Trent who had shut me out when his family was in trouble.

  “I’m always here, Allie,” Rex said. “It’s my job and my pleasure to protect you and the people of the island. I take it very seriously.”

  Oh man. My heart rate picked up and I walked away. “You want me to quit actively investigating.”

  “Yes.”

  I turned toward him once there was enough space between us to cool my thundering heart. “Tori isn’t exactly happy with me right now. I feel responsible for her and I think you know how that feels. Would you stop if it were me under suspicion?”

  “Allie—”

  “I can’t stop, Rex. I need to fix the rift between us.”

  He ran his hand over his bald head and looked at me with a hint of understanding and a whole lot of aggravation. “Then at least promise me you’ll be safe. No more sting operations.”

  “I’ll be as safe as I can be,” I said. “No more sting operations. I promise.” Mella, the cat, hopped down from her sleeping place on the striped chair and wound her way around Rex’s legs. He put down his coffee and picked her up to pet her. My gaze went to his hands and my wayward thoughts wondered what it would be like to have Rex’s hands stroke me like that. Jeez. I broke my gaze and went to the reception desk. Frances hadn’t come back from the funeral yet. I looked at all the keys to the rooms. My part-time assistant, Megan, was on her break. “I guess I need to rekey the hotel,” I said changing the subject. “If Sean has a copy of the master key he might have shared it with whomever he was working with.”

  “I agree,” Rex said. “You should update to one of those new computer systems—they are not so easy to hack.”

  I gave a half laugh. “I’ll add it to the list of things to spend money on when I have it.” I paused for a moment. “Wait, if Sean is arrested who is looking after his grandmother?”

  “Social Services is taking her into senior care for dementia.” Rex put the cat down and took a step toward me. “She will be fine. Listen, I have to get back to work. Please, Allie, try not to get into any more trouble.”

  I sent him a half smile. “I thought trouble was my middle name.”

  * * *

  When Megan got off her break, Frances and Jenn let me know they were headed back to the hotel from their trip to find the perfect wedding cake. I got the casserole out and put it in a basket and biked over to Wanda Sikes’s place. She lived half a block from Barbara Smart. While people still came and went from the Smart home, Wanda’s home was quiet. My heart was heavy for her. I walked up to the two-story Victorian and rang the doorbell.

  Wanda opened the door. “Yes?”

  “Hi, Wanda, I’m Allie McMurphy.”

  “Oh, what do you want?”

  I lifted the pan of funeral casserole. “I brought you a casserole.”

  She scrunched up her face in confusion. “For me?”

  “Yes,” I said. “I’d hate to think about what it must be like to lose your best friend. I figured you needed the casserole more than the Smarts.” I nodded toward the Smarts’ home where people were still coming with food in their hands.

  “Oh, right. Sure,” she said. “Please come in.”

  I followed her into the heavily paneled foyer. The wood paneling was from the turn of the last century and was well cared for as it shone with a warm patina.

  “Please have a seat. I’ll bring out some coffee,” she said as she took the casserole from me and pointed to the living room.

  The house was decorated comfortably with a padded floral couch and wingback chairs that were modern yet reflected the style of the home. Wanda’s family was clearly not poor. The fireplace was tiled in green and gold and on the mantel were framed pictures of Wanda and her husband, Fred. They looked happy golfing together. Playing tennis in another picture and at a dance in a third. There were three pictures of Wanda and Barbara. One where they were sitting on the Grand Hotel’s veranda sipping mimosas. Another of the two of them receiving an award for a fund-raiser, and a third where they were clearly on vacation together.

  “She was like a sister to me,” Wanda said. She was a tall woman with broad shoulders and shoulder-length hair dyed a golden blond. She had a patrician nose and wore a silk blouse and pressed linen pants in black and charcoal. She came into the room with a tray containing a coffee carafe, two mugs, and cream and sugar. “I still can’t believe she is gone.”

  “My condolences,” I said and took a seat on the couch across from her. “I can’t imagine.”

  “I think I’m still in shock,” she said and poured the coffee. “Cream and sugar?”

  “Just cream,” I said. “Thanks.” I took the mug from Wanda. “Do you have any idea who might have done this terrible thing?”

  “I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately.” She sat back and held her mug between her fingers. She wore a diamond wedding ring that was at least a full carat. It was clear she’d had work done on her face to keep up her youthf
ul look. Everything about her screamed money and a lifetime of privilege. “I really can’t be sure.”

  “From what I understand, you two were quite tight,” I said. “You must have some inkling of what Barbara was thinking. I understand she had an argument with Victoria the night before she died. But then wanted to meet with her the next morning.”

  “Oh, Barbara was always good at getting over slights,” Wanda said. “Seriously she could be mad at you one minute and totally forgive you the next. It was a quirk of her nature that I admired.”

  I noticed Wanda’s hands shook a little. “Tell me about one of the good times with her.” I hoped to draw Wanda out a little bit and let her talk about her friend. Sometimes listening was the best thing you could do to help people who were grieving.

  “She was always so generous.” Wanda sipped her coffee. “She worked on nearly every fund-raiser. We always put together the spring formal. It’s held at the end of May when all the cottages begin to open. The yacht club has a formal to fund-raise for the chamber of commerce to help promote the island.” Wanda gave a dreamy smile. “Barbara was in true form. She flitted from couple to couple, ensuring everyone was having a good time. Flirting with all the men.” Wanda sent me a look. “She was good at that. She could make any man feel like the king of the world.”

  “I bet that was great for fund-raising,” I said.

  “Yes.” Wanda smiled. “When Barbara was on, men and women alike opened their wallets.”

  “Blake told me she had a way with men,” I said.

  Wanda’s eyes flashed. “She could have any man she wanted. I don’t know how she did it. I am so in love with Fred that I could never think about looking elsewhere.”

  “Do you think she made any enemies with her affairs?”

  “Oh, yes, she had several people who were sending her e-mails that they were upset about her flirting with their husbands. Wanda would just shrug it off and say it wasn’t her fault their husbands were attracted to her attention. She thought if women gave their husbands more attention they wouldn’t stray.”

  “She would shift the blame from her affairs on the wives? That must have made her quite a few enemies.”