by Morgana Best
“Of course not,” Camino said, rather too loudly.
The sergeant shrugged, and the two officers methodically worked their way through the kitchen, taking samples of all the food out on plates. They then went into the dining room, presumably to do the same thing.
“What if it was my cake?” I whispered to Thyme.
She patted my arm in reassurance. “Don’t be silly. We’d all be sick. I ate a lot of it. It was probably a heart attack or something.”
Sergeant Tinsdell came back in the room alone, notepad in hand. “I need to know the next of kin, and also the name of Mrs. Beckett’s doctor.” He raised an eyebrow and looked at Camino. After she answered, he continued. “I will also need to have a description of the night’s events.”
We all spoke at once, and he held up his hand. “One at a time, please.”
“Camino invited all of us to a game of Clue,” Ruprecht said. “We all arrived at six, give or take a few minutes. Everyone brought a plate of food to share. We all ate and then started the game. It was just finishing when Mrs. Beckett, err, died.”
“Mr. Foxtin-Flynn, if I could just speak with you in the other room.” The sergeant nodded to the dining room door, and after patting Camino on the shoulder, Ruprecht followed him through.
“Why did he want to speak with Ruprecht alone?” I whispered to Thyme.
“He no doubt wants to know the details of how Sue died and he doesn’t want to distress Camino.”
I nodded. That made sense. “I’m sure the constable suspects murder. I can tell by the way he was talking.”
Thyme shrugged. “Well, if it was murder, it wasn’t one of us, so that leaves Madison.”
She said it a little too loudly, and I looked up to see Madison staring right at us. She at once looked away, but I was sure she had overheard Thyme.
Was Sue murdered? She hadn’t eaten anything that the rest of us hadn’t eaten, and she certainly hadn’t been stabbed or shot. Poison was the only weapon I could think of. I suppose Madison would have had the opportunity to drop poison into Sue’s wine. I shook my head. Surely it was natural causes. The sergeant certainly seemed to think it was. Still, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that there was more to it.
Ruprecht returned and caught my eye. He, Thyme, and I hurried into the hallway. Mint and Madison were still comforting Camino, although Madison shot me what looked like a suspicious stare as I made my way past her.
“The sergeant showed me a photo from Sue’s purse,” he said. “He asked me if I knew anything about it.”
“Why would you? Thyme asked. “She wasn’t your friend.”
“I’m the least inebriated,’ Ruprecht said dryly. “He probably thought I was the one who’d make the most sense.”
I hiccupped. “What was in the photo?”
“It was a simple photo of a house that I didn’t recognize. I inspected it closely, but it seemed to just be a regular house. Though there were two figures in the window, it was impossible to make out any detail about them. Nothing about the scene made me think it was unique enough to warrant taking a photograph. I flipped it over and looked at the back. There was a small inscription that read ‘5/12’.”
“Is that a date?” Thyme asked. “It could mean either the twelfth of May, or the fifth of December.”
Ruprecht shrugged. “He also said her phone was locked with a password.”
“Why would the sergeant be so interested if he didn’t suspect murder?” Thyme asked.
“That’s exactly what I thought,” Ruprecht said.
Chapter 4
I’d had a sleepless night, and it didn’t help that my cats, Willow and Hawthorn, had decided to wake me up early to feed them. It’s not as if they were underfed—quite the opposite, to tell the truth. They were even on special cat food for overweight cats.
I sighed and yawned widely. I didn’t feel too good, what with the hangover and all. Thyme thrust a cup of coffee into my hands. “Drink this. You look like you need it.”
I inhaled the wonderful scent of caffeine. There’s nothing quite like the smell of coffee in the morning. “Thanks. I didn’t sleep well last night, after, well, you know.”
It was Thyme’s turn to nod. “Ruprecht and Mint have gone over to Camino’s to see how she is. But enough of that! We have to get ready for the Customer Appreciation Night tonight.”
I sighed again. The timing could not have been worse. Thyme had come up with the idea of a Customer Appreciation Night, hoping to draw in bigger orders from businesses such as conference rooms, and to attract other corporate orders. It was a great idea, and I had been looking forward to the night, but the death of Sue the night before had completely squashed my enthusiasm.
“The show must go on,” Thyme said.
I nodded. She was right. We had invited our best customers as well as the corporate business people, but I had also invited the mysterious Alder Vervain. I was in no doubt that this would prove to be a problem.
My friends—Thyme, Mint, Ruprecht, and Camino—did not like the man, to put it mildly. The reason for this was that Alder’s family, for generations, had been opposed to witches. In fact, Thyme had only recently told me that Alder was from a long line of witch hunters. And while the term was no longer relevant in this day and age, his own parents had complained to the local authorities about Ruprecht and Camino, and had even laid false accusations that they were drug dealers—anything they could do to make their lives miserable. And while Alder had shown no signs of following in his family’s footsteps, my friends did not trust him at all.
I, on the other hand, quite liked Alder. He had recently moved back to Bayberry Creek and was a private detective. That was about all I knew, apart from the fact that he was awfully good looking. Alder Vervain was the one who had told me that I was a Dark Witch. I still hadn’t had time to process the information, and I was unhappy, and even a little resentful, that my own friends still hadn’t told me.
Alder had also told me that Aunt Angelica had been a Dark Witch too, and that it was hereditary. A Dark Witch was the most powerful of all witches.
Thyme tapped my arm. “You look a million miles away. We’d better hurry and get the store ready to open.”
I nodded and took my coffee cup to the kitchen. I was half tempted to broach the subject with her now, but I had to prepare for customers, and then after that, the big night.
We had a run of bad customers all morning. Sometimes it happens like that. There were the ones who slammed the money down on the counter when I had my hand out to take it, the ones with rude, loud children, and the ones who were angry that we only sold cakes and not coffee or a dozen other items.
I was about to shut the door—we always closed at midday on Saturdays—when Craig hurried in. My cheeks burned. I had developed a crush on Craig when I’d first arrived in town, but I soon found out his true colors. We had managed to avoid each other after that, which was especially hard for me, what with my baking usually setting things on fire and Craig being a fireman.
I looked around wildly for Thyme, but she was still in the back room. “Hello, Craig. What can I do for you?” I said in the most professional tone I could muster.
Craig did not look embarrassed in the slightest, much to my annoyance. “I’ll have a dozen of the lemon blueberry cupcakes and a dozen of the chocolate peanut butter.”
He didn’t say ‘please’ and part of me wanted to say, “What’s the magic word?” Instead, I carefully but quickly placed them in a box and told him the price with narrowed eyes. This time, I did not hold out my hand for the money.
Craig paid me, but instead of leaving, hesitated. I would never know what he was about to say—though, truth be told, I didn’t much care—as Ruprecht and Mint came through the shop door. Craig left in a hurry.
“Camino is very upset,” Ruprecht said without preamble.
I nodded. “I’m not surprised,” I said. “I’m still in shock over it, and it would be so much worse for Camino, given that it happened
in her house and to her good friend.” I hurried over to flip the sign on the door to ‘Closed’. When I turned back, Ruprecht was shaking his head.
“Camino says Sue was murdered.”
“Murdered?” I echoed. “But who? How? And who would get murdered playing a game of Clue? Isn’t that a bit cliché?”
Mint nodded. “It sure is! Still, Camino did a divination and she’s sure that Sue was murdered.”
Thyme looked up from wiping down the counter. “But who would murder her? And how did they do it? What was the murder weapon?”
I shoved a double cream cupcake in my mouth. Sugar always helps me think.
Ruprecht crossed his arms. “Whether or not Sue was murdered remains to be seen. One thing we do know is that there will be a Customer Appreciation Night here in only a few hours. I suggest we turn our attention to that, and for once leave the murder, if that’s indeed what it was, to the police.”
Chapter 5
I was nervous about the Customer Appreciation Night. The idea had come to Thyme after she watched The Real Housewives of New Jersey—or was it Atlanta? I always got all those housewives mixed up. While the event was in part an actual appreciation for our current customers, the main purpose was to attract new customers. There were several conference facilities in the area, due to the proximity of the university in the next big town, so we were hoping that they would hire us to cater their cakes.
Victor Barnes owned the only conference center in Bayberry Creek. I didn’t know much about him. I had seen him once or twice, and word around town was that he was having an affair. I wondered how anyone in a small town could have an affair and keep it secret. Victor certainly hadn’t been able to. He seemed polite enough, although not overly friendly. He always looked grim. Nevertheless, that was none of my concern. I simply wanted his business.
I was even more nervous when the time for the event drew close. No one had arrived. “What if no one comes?” I asked Thyme.
“Don’t worry,” Thyme said. “People always come for free food.”
I didn’t know if that comment made me feel better or worse, but sure enough, within minutes the first customers had arrived. There was no sign of Victor, one of our main targets for the night. Apparently one of the conference room managers from the next town had arrived, though, as Thyme made a beeline straight for a distinguished looking man and at once engaged him in animated conversation.
I picked up a tray with an assortment of cupcakes, and offered them to the attendees. I knew most of the people, although some were strangers. I was right by the front door when one of the town’s three beauty therapists entered.
“Hi, Simone.” My hand immediately went to my eyebrows. “So sorry I haven’t been back to have my eyebrows waxed and tinted. It’s just that I’ve been so busy. I haven’t gone anywhere else,” I hurried to assure her.
Simone stared at my eyebrows and then smiled. “I can see that,” she said with a smile. I was a little embarrassed in the presence of one so impeccably groomed, as beauty therapists invariably are.
“Do you make all these cakes?” Simone asked me.
I did my best to hold back my laughter. “Thyme does most of the baking,” I said, and then looked at the dour-faced man walking up beside her. It was Victor Barnes.
“Have you met my husband?”
“Not really,” I said. We shook hands. His grip was firm and I wondered if he worked out. I was about to launch into what I hoped was a good sales pitch, when Victor excused himself and hurried away. “I didn’t know you were married to Victor,” I said.
Simone selected a pastry from the table and smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. “Yes,” she said simply. “We’ve been married for years.”
“I was hoping Victor would consider us for the cake catering at his conference center,” I said, pleased that I was so forthright.
Simone opened her mouth to speak, but just then Alder walked into the store. My heart thumped and I hoped my attraction to him wasn’t written all over my face. Ruprecht, Mint, and Thyme all turned to stare at him. Simone did as well, which I thought somewhat strange. I had no idea they knew each other. Surely she didn’t do Alder’s eyebrows, too?
Alder weaved his way through the people and came straight to me. “Hello, Amelia and Simone,” he said with a smile. “Amelia, why are you staring at my eyebrows?”
“Err, no reason,” I said. “Do you two know each other?”
“Everyone knows each other in a small town,” Alder said smoothly. He took me by the elbow and steered me into a quiet corner. Part of me was pleased, but part of me was a little dismayed that I had lost the opportunity to plug the business to Victor’s wife. “Your friends don’t look happy to see me.”
I shrugged. “Well, it’s because of your parents,” I said.
Alder nodded. “I know. Still, I’m nothing like my parents.”
“I’m sure they’ll realize that soon,” I said, not believing a word of it. I was worried to see Thyme heading my way.
“Amelia, could I have a quick word with you in the kitchen?” she asked sharply.
“Sorry, Alder. I’ll be right back.” I followed Thyme into the kitchen.
She wasted no time coming to the point. “Did you invite him, or did he invite himself?”
“I invited him. I like him,” I said truthfully. “Don’t forget, he saved me from Dianne when she was trying to kill me.’
Thyme shook her head. “He only called the cops. It’s not as if he saved you in person.”
“Well, calling the cops saved me, didn’t it?” I realized my tone was defensive, even whiny, but I did trust Alder. Call it intuition.
Thyme rubbed her forehead. “Look, Amelia, I know you like him, but please be careful. His family…”
I cut her off. “I know all about his family, but not everyone takes after their family. Anyway, we’d better get back to the guests.”
Thyme tapped my arm. “I’m sorry if I’m coming across as controlling, but I really am worried about you.”
I smiled. “I know you are, and I do appreciate it.” I shrugged. I couldn’t think of anything else to say, so I took a plate of gingerbread cupcakes out to the showroom. I couldn’t resist eating one on the way. Thyme followed me out, and didn’t say another word. I headed straight to Alder who was standing alone, although I did notice the eyes of several women fastened on him.
“How are you?” he asked with what I took to be genuine concern. “That must have been a shock.”
“Yes, it was an awful shock,” I said. “Poor Camino is distraught; that’s why she didn’t come tonight. Did you know Sue?’
Alder’s expression fell. “Yes. I often subcontracted her to take photographs.”
“She was a photographer?” I asked. I realized I didn’t know much about her.
Alder nodded. “I regularly paid her to take photographs of simple cases.”
My head was spinning. “I’m not sure I’m following you.”
“I’m a private detective.” Alder tapped himself on the chest. “I work on the insurance cases, but much of the work that comes to me is seeing if a husband is cheating on his wife, or a wife cheating on her husband. I always paid Sue to follow the alleged cheater and take photographs, while I was busy investigating more complicated, better-paying cases.”
“Do you think that’s why Sue was killed?”
All the color drained from Alder’s face. “Killed? But wasn’t it a heart attack?”
I bit my lip. I could hardly tell him that Camino had done a divination. “The police weren’t sure,” I said. “They said it had to go to the coroner.”
Alder leaned closer to me. “It’s always under the coroner’s jurisdiction if it’s a sudden death. That’s no reason to suspect murder. Is there something you’re not telling me?”
Just then I had a flash of intuition. I don’t know how to describe it, but it was as if something had opened up in front of me. “You’re not telling me something!” I exclaimed, rather too lo
udly it seemed, as several people turned to stare.
Alder did not deny it, but popped a custard caramel cupcake into his mouth. I saw that Victor was one of the people staring, and as he was nearby, I took the opportunity to speak with him. “Do you like our cupcakes?”
Victor looked at me, and for a moment I wondered if he would reply. “Yes, they’re very good.”
“We do cater for conferences,” I said. “Just with cakes, obviously, not meals. Some of the conference centers in the next town simply buy cakes from grocery stores, so we’re currently letting people know that we can cater these high quality cakes for a reasonable price.”
Victor’s expression changed. “That would be useful. As you say, we usually send out someone to buy cakes, but they’re the mass produced ones and not very good. I would be interested in talking with you.”
I tried not to look as pleased as I was. “That’s wonderful,” I said in my best professional tone. “Would you like me to email you our conference packages, and then we could set up a meeting?”
Victor handed me his business card by way of answer. I thanked him and walked over to Thyme. “I overheard,” she whispered. “Well done!”
Chapter 6
Alder grabbed my shoulder gently and pulled me aside again, much to the chagrin of Thyme. “Congratulations.” He was beaming at me, but not with his eyes. He did seem to be sincere, though, but something was distracting him. “Amelia,” he began, but his smile faded. “Why do you think she was murdered? Be straight with me.”
“I’ll be straight with you once you start being straight with me! What is it?” I realized that I’d asked perhaps a bit too forcefully, and Alder dropped his gaze.
“I can’t tell you right now, but I…”
Before he could finish, Thyme grabbed me and spun me around.
“Let’s go! There’s plenty to celebrate.” Thyme smiled happily and pulled me away and into the crowd. I looked back at Alder who smiled and waved casually. I knew we’d have to pick this conversation up later, and the thought didn’t thrill me much. Sue had been murdered, but I couldn’t just sit Alder down and explain how I knew that, especially with his history— no, his family’s history. I had to keep reminding myself that his family’s behavior had nothing to do with him. Though, he definitely knew more than he was letting on, and it hurt that he didn’t trust me enough to tell me. Truth be told, I figured that I was doing the same to him.
