Leighann Dobbs - Lexy Baker 09 - Ice Cream Murder

by Leighann Dobbs

  Lexy laughed. “That’s for sure. That’s how they stay rich.”

  “Anyway, I was hoping you could look it over and make sure I have the bakery prices correct.”

  “No problem. We’ll do that first thing and then we can discuss the plan of action with Nans and the ladies.”

  Lexy’s fist tapped on Nans’ door, which opened immediately.

  “We’ve been waiting for you.” Nans pulled her inside where Ida was ready to relieve her of the bakery box.

  Ida smiled as she peered inside the box. “Oh, I love coffeecake.”

  Ruth and Helen were already seated at the table. The whiteboard sat in its usual place against the wall. Lexy could see the ladies had been busy updating it with new information.

  Nans got coffees for Anna and Lexy and they all sat down at the table. Anna slid the invoice over to Lexy. “Let’s just get this out of the way.”

  Lexy looked down the list of items, squeezing her eyes shut and mentally comparing the list to what she’d delivered at the party.

  “Looks good.” She hovered a pen over the bottom of the invoice where she could see Cora’s signature of two scrawls with a large C and S at the beginning of each scrawl. “Should I sign under Cora?”

  “If you just initial it that will be fine,” Anna said.

  Nans pushed her chair out and stood at the whiteboard. “If you ladies are done we can get on with it.”

  Lexy and Anna nodded and everyone turned their attention to Nans.

  “Okay, then, let’s recap. Since Winston’s death we’ve been looking at other suspects. His wife Evelyn is high on our list because she would gain the most financially and also because she didn’t agree with the company business. But since Regis’ had the stipulation in his will that all stock be kept amongst his children, she won’t get any of Winston’s stock and won’t gain a controlling interest in the company.”

  Anna’s eyes widened. “But how do you think she killed him? The paper said he died of a heart attack.”

  “We figure she probably used some sort of poison. She could have put it in his breakfast, or maybe she gave him a bagged lunch or something. Some toxins don’t take effect right away. He died in an early morning meeting at work, so he was most likely poisoned there or shortly after he left home.”

  “Using poison is a similar method to how Regis died. He died from his food allergy. These types of methods are preferred by women because they are not messy or bloody,” Ruth chimed in.

  “Do you think she killed Regis, too?” Anna asked.

  “She may be a very clever killer.” Nans tapped something on the whiteboard under the ‘Motive’ category. “She may have planned it out from the beginning. Kill off Regis first so Winston inherits the money, then kill Winston and get it all for herself.”

  “I did notice at the birthday party that she and Winston didn’t seem to get along,” Lexy said.

  “Gosh, I don’t think it could be her.” Anna shook her head. “I talked to her quite a bit when planning the party and she was very nice. A kind and loving person. She didn’t seem to care very much about money. I can’t picture that she planned this whole thing out in cold blood just for financial gain.”

  Nans smiled. “Like I told Lexy, those are the ones you have to watch out for.”

  “So what’s the plan?” Ruth spread her arms looking at Nans. “How do we prove she’s the killer?”

  “We need to catch her at something.” Nans picked her coffee up from the table and sipped. “If she is the killer, she has something to hide. Maybe the poison she used for Winston … or the photos from the party.”

  “And she’ll need to dispose of that incriminating evidence,” Ida added.

  “And the best way to catch her doing that is to have her under surveillance,” Nans said.

  “But not in Ruth’s car.” Helen paused her forkful of coffee cake halfway to her mouth. “That big old boat stands out too much and we almost got caught when we tailed Winston. We need a much smaller, less obvious car.”

  Everyone turned to look at Lexy, and her stomach did a nervous somersault.

  “Oh, no, not me. Jack wouldn’t like that. Plus, I have too much work to catch up on to go around tailing suspects. But I think I know someone who would love to help.” Lexy pulled out her phone and dialed Norman.

  “Hey, Norman, how would you like to help us stake-out Winston’s killer?”

  “Winston’s killer?” Norman’s voice was hushed. “Word around here is he died of a heart attack … although I do admit I had my suspicions when I heard it.”

  “We’re suspicious, too. Nans wants to do a stake-out on our prime suspect to see if she can pick up any evidence, but they don’t want to use Ruth’s car. It’s too noticeable. Are you game to use yours?”

  “Sure, that would be great. I’d love to see how your grandmother and her friends operate. I could learn a lot from them.”

  Lexy frowned. “Really?”

  “Of course. Oh, and I got that information you guys wanted … about the people who opposed developing the land on Meadow Lane. Turns out a lot of people opposed it, not the least of which is Steve Warren who owns the Fur Fun K9 Center.”

  “Oh, really?” Lexy’s brows lifted. “That’s interesting.”

  “And I found out something else, too.” Norman’s voice was laced with excitement. Lexy could picture him huddled over his phone, whispering into it. “It seems there was a big controversy about that land way back when Banks Development bought it. Regis practically stole the land from the Silversteen’s, using all kinds of dirty tricks on the poor elderly farmer and his wife.

  “The land had been in the family for generations. The farmer came on hard times and Banks took advantage through some shady loan. Practically threw the couple and the granddaughter they were raising out on the street. He made a big stink in the press, but nothing could be done since Regis never actually did anything illegal.”

  “That sounds like him,” Lexy said, “I bet there’s plenty more stories like that.”

  “I’ll keep digging,” Norman said. “And I’ll bring the list of the opposers tonight. What time should we meet?”

  “I won’t be going, but you can come over to the retirement center tonight at …” Lexy eyed Nans.

  “Seven o’clock.” Nans said. “Tell him we’ll pack some sandwiches and snacks to keep us fortified.”

  Lexy relayed the information to Norman, then disconnected.

  “Now if we only had an inside track to Winston’s autopsy results,” Helen glanced sideways at Lexy. “Maybe you could call Jack?”

  “You know Jack doesn’t like to talk about cases to me,” Lexy said, then sighed at the puppy dog faces Nans, Ruth, Ida and Helen gave her. “All right, but I’m not going to press him.”

  Lexy still had her phone in her hand, so she tapped in Jack’s number and waited for him to answer.

  “Hi, Lexy.” Jack’s voice sounded relaxed, which was good. Not only did she hate to bother him when he was busy, but she could never get any good information out of him when he was trying to rush off the phone.

  “Hi Hun. I’m here with Nans and the gang and we were wondering about Winston Banks.”

  “Anything specifically?” Jack’s voice was guarded.

  “Did you have an autopsy done?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact we did.”

  Lexy’s pulse picked up a notch with excitement. Nans came over next to her and Lexy held the phone out from her ear so Nans could listen in. “Did you find anything unusual?”

  “Well, not per se,” Jack said. “On the surface it looks like he had a heart attack.”

  “But …” Lexy let the word hang. She could tell Jack had his doubts. She just hoped he’d voice them.

  “It’s just that something doesn’t sit right. I mean, with him dying so close to his father and Winston didn’t have any history of heart disease.”

  Nans leaned closer and yelled into the phone. “Jack, it’s Mona.”

 
“Hi, Mona. I figured you’d get on the line sooner or later.”

  “Listen, I think it might be in your best interest to do a broad toxicology test. Not the standard one that’s typically done. I have a theory.”

  “Sure, Mona, I’m sure the medical examiner won’t mind doing that, especially when I tell him my wife’s grandmother has a theory,” Jack said with good natured sarcasm. He didn’t like it when Lexy and Nans tried to investigate on their own, but the truth was he had a lot of respect for Nans’ detecting skills and had even asked the ladies to consult on certain cases.

  “Just tell him I’ll bring him one of my apple pies,” Nans said.

  Jack laughed. “I’ll see what I can do. I gotta run—see you at home tonight, Lexy.”

  “Apple pie?” Lexy asked Nans as she put down the phone.

  Nans smiled, “Mike, the medical examiner, loves my pies.”

  “Those pies sure do come in handy as bribes,” Ida said.

  “I’m not above throwing out an apple pie bribe to further the case.” Nans went to the whiteboard and updated it with the new information.

  “Well, it does sound like Jack has doubts and you know his instincts are spot on,” Ruth broke off a piece of coffee cake and stuffed it in her mouth.

  “Just in case he’s not, there’s another suspect I think we should look at,” Lexy said.

  “Who?” Nans wrinkled her brow at Lexy.

  “Olivia.”

  Lexy told them about her conversation with Olivia and Steve at the K9 Center. “They were acting strange—evasive. I know they are hiding something and Steve was one of the big opposers to the land development out there.”

  “But, what would Olivia have to gain from killing both Regis and Winston?” Helen asked.

  “I don’t know, but in the conversation I overheard, they seemed afraid someone “might find out about the food” and Steve said he’d take care of it.” Lexy chewed her bottom lip. “Maybe they killed Regis and Winston was onto them, so they killed Winston to keep him quiet.”

  “How would they have had access to poison Winston?” Helen asked.

  “We’re not sure he was poisoned,” Ruth said.

  Helen rolled her eyes. “Right, but either way they would have had to have access to him in order to kill him.”

  “He was Olivia’s brother. Maybe they met before the meeting. Maybe Olivia was at the office,” Lexy suggested. “The other thing is that I recognized Steve … or his back, anyway. He was the person that blocked my view from the ice creams at the birthday party.”

  “You mean the one you saw under hypnosis?” Helen asked.

  Lexy nodded. “He was up at the head table and Olivia was sitting right next to Regis, so either one of them could have switched the ice cream.”

  “One of them could have created a diversion and the other switched them!” Ruth said.

  “What was he doing at Regis birthday party if he opposed the development?” Ida asked. “I would think they would be opponents of sorts.”

  “True, but Olivia and he are tight, so she probably invited him,” Lexy said.

  Nans scribbled a note about Olivia and Steve on the board. “It doesn’t hurt to cover all the angles. Will you be able to check into that further, Lexy?”

  “Yes, in fact, there’s an agility event tonight that will give me the perfect excuse to snoop around.” Lexy looked at her watch. “But I better get going if I want to get there on time.”

  “Great, so it’s settled,” Nans said. “We’ll stake out Evelyn and Lexy will dig into Olivia and Steve’s secret. We’ll meet back here tomorrow at oh-nine-hundred sharp.”

  “Perfect.” Lexy pushed herself away from the table.

  “I’ll walk out with you,” Anna offered.

  The two girls were almost out in the hall when Nans called after them.

  “Oh, and Lexy … don’t forget to bring plenty of pastries when we meet tomorrow morning.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Lexy headed home after she left Nans, her hopes of catching up on some work at the bakery fading when she realized it was already six o’clock. She barely had time to collect Sprinkles and rush off to the Fur Fun K9 Center for the agility event.

  They pulled into the car-jammed parking lot at six-thirty, about an hour before sunset. The grounds were alive with activity. Lexy got out of the car hesitantly. The crowded event would provide her the perfect opportunity to snoop around—she just hoped she wouldn’t get caught.

  Sprinkles didn’t feel nearly as hesitant as Lexy. She bounded out of the car, straining at the leash to explore the smells and sights of the event.

  Lexy reined Sprinkles in and made her way into the crowd. The warm blanket of early summer evening air was perfumed with lilacs from the twelve foot tall old hedges at the edge of the parking lot. Lexy wondered if the lilacs were on the K9 Center property, or if they’d be ripped up with the retail development.

  The main agility event was inside with different dog classes competing in groups. The resting groups usually retired to wait it out in their cars and many of the cars in the parking lot had their hatches open, owners sitting on the edge of the lift gate eating sandwiches, their dogs inside crates or sitting happily beside them. On the tailgates were the tools of dog competition—water bowls, brushes, combs and dog toys. It was the canine version of a tail-gate party.

  Lexy passed a few of her agility classmates and nodded a quick greeting. She didn’t have time to stop to talk—she had work to do.

  She skirted past the edge of the parking lot to the side of the building. Various vendors were set up down the length of the building all the way to the back. They were selling anything from dog bowl sets to ice cream to dog food. The smell of fried sausage, peppers and onions made Lexy’s mouth water. She’d forgotten to eat supper.

  As she strolled past the booths, she wondered if she should set up a bakery stand at the next event. By the way people were lined up at the sausage cart and ice-cream stand, there were plenty of hungry people.

  But then she came to the end of the row and her mind turned to more important matters. If her calculations were correct, the locked rooms in the corridor in back of the K9 Center would be against the wall at the back of the building here. If she was lucky, they might even have doors that led outside. And if she was even luckier, she might be able to listen in at one of those doors and find out what was really going on back there.

  Glancing back over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t being watched, Lexy slipped around the corner of the building out of sight of the crowds.

  Sprinkles was just as happy to sniff the ground in the back of the building as she was in the front and she happily walked along beside Lexy as they skirted along the edge. In the back, the building was ‘U’ shaped, the ground mostly dirt with patches of dry grass. Two large dumpsters sat in the middle of the ‘U’. The approaching sunset cast the back of the building in shadows. Lexy hoped that would make her less visible if anyone came outside.

  There were four doors in the back of the building. Lexy stood staring at them, trying to decide which one to sidle up to. Sprinkles made the decision for her, pulling her toward the door to the far right.

  As they got closer, Lexy could hear Sprinkles making loud sniffing noises, her nose twitching madly. Lexy could smell something, too—it smelled like baking, but not sweet pastry—more like crackers or—dog food.

  Did the K9 center make its own dog food?

  She didn’t think so. She was sure someone would have mentioned it to her by now. But if they didn’t, then what were they baking behind that door?

  Lexy got closer, pressing her ear to the edge. She could hear voices and other sounds. Someone was in there, but the noise was muffled by the door and she couldn’t make out what they were saying.

  “Darn it, Sprinkles. I can’t hear a thing. What do you think is going on in there?”

  Sprinkles looked up at her, raising one of her white brows, then lifted her nose in the air and pointed it at t
he dumpster, pulling Lexy over and sniffing the whole way.

  The dumpster had less pleasant smells. Sour milk. Rotting garbage. Lexy’s stomach churned. She was about to tug Sprinkles away when she heard the door open behind her. Her heart kicked and she scurried to the other side of the dumpster, squatting down and praying she hadn’t been spotted.

  “Make sure you set the special packages aside,” a man’s voice said. “We don’t want them going in with the regular dog food.”

  Lexy heard the scuff of feet on the dry dirt coming closer to the dumpster. She held her breath, her heart racing as she wiped sweaty palms on her jeans. She eyed Sprinkles anxiously. The last thing she needed was for the dog to bark or make any noise that would cause them to be discovered. Sprinkles sat quietly beside her, but Lexy’s mind raced for a plausible explanation just in case.

  “Of course. The special stuff is going directly to Michael, right?” Another man, deeper voice.

  Lexy cringed at the hollow clang of something heavy being heaved into the dumpster.

  “Yep, he’s coming later on with the money and—” the first man’s words sounding farther away and then cut off as the door closed.

  Lexy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This wasn’t the first time she had been forced to hide behind a dumpster. You’d think she might be getting used to it by now, but it was still nerve wracking. Still, it was much better than having to get in the dumpster to search for a murder weapon—something she’d also had to do before.

  After a few minutes of silence, Lexy figured it was safe to come out. She stood on her tip toes, peeking into the dumpster to see what they’d thrown in. Nothing but cardboard, old food and what looked like chopped up leaf stems on the top. They must have thrown in the cardboard and stems.

  What would they be doing with leaf stems?

  Lexy stared at the closed door the men had come through, replaying the conversation in her mind.

  Special dog food?

  Michael coming with the money?

  Lexy knew Steve and Olivia were trying to hide something, and in the previous conversation she’d overheard, they’d mentioned food. Could they be mixed up in some shenanigans that had to do with dog food?