by Cindy Bell
As the crowd dispersed Ally started walking around the streets looking for Peaches, but there was no sign of her. Most of the shops were still closed so she decided to head home, she could come back later after she had told her grandmother about Nate. As she headed for her car, she thought about the way Nate looked as he was escorted away. It seemed odd to her that he was so shocked. If he had murdered Myrtle, wouldn’t he have expected the possibility of being caught? Maybe he thought that he had created such a perfect crime that he never entertained the idea of being caught.
***
At the cottage Charlotte had lunch waiting for Ally.
“Thanks Mee-Maw, but I don’t know if I can eat.”
“Worried about Peaches?”
“Yes. And Luke arrested Nate.”
“Where, at the service?” Charlotte’s eyes widened.
“No, I saw Luke arrest him in town after the service,” Ally explained.
“Oh boy, I bet the entire town is going to be talking about that.”
“I think so, too.”
“So, what’s wrong, Ally? You should be happy that he was arrested.”
“I don’t know. I just can’t shake this feeling that something is wrong with all of this. I am also so worried about Peaches.”
Charlotte gave her a warm hug. “Why don’t we pack up lunch and take it with us to the shop? I’ve arranged for some ingredients to be delivered this afternoon and with the arrest people might be ready to come back to the shop. We can get everything prepared for opening tomorrow. That might be a good way to get your mind off things.”
“Yes, it might.” Ally nodded. “Just give me a minute.” She just needed a minute to steady her nerves and gather her thoughts.
“Sure, I’ll pack up. We can get some more supplies from the grocery store on the way.”
Ally stepped into her bedroom and was immediately struck by the fact that Peaches wasn’t there. Her room felt so empty without her. It was impossible to think of that being a permanent feeling. Had someone else found her and taken her in? Most people in town knew that Peaches was her cat. But maybe someone from out of town had come across her. Ally took a few deep breaths to calm down, but she couldn’t, she was fraught with worry.
***
When Ally and Charlotte arrived at the shop Ally took a few minutes to call all the shelters in the area. None had a cat meeting Peaches’ description. She decided she would go check them anyway the next day.
“I’ll go door to door and ask if anyone’s seen her. I need to let everyone know we’re reopening anyway,” Charlotte said.
“Are you sure, Mee-Maw? They might not be too happy about it.”
“That’s fine, they don’t need to be happy, they just need to know, so they can keep their gossiping to a minimum.”
Ally nodded. She cleaned the counters and the floors while her grandmother was gone. Her thoughts returned to the chocolate on Stephanie’s shoe. Was it just a coincidence? Was she in on it with Nate? When Charlotte returned Ally looked up at her with hope.
“I’m sorry, Ally, no one has seen her, but they all promised to look for her around their stores.”
“How were they about the shop reopening?”
“Surprisingly warm. Most of the other store owners are very happy about it, and a lot showed us both support.”
“Well, that’s something.” Ally smiled.
“Yes, it is.” Charlotte sighed with relief. “Ally, we have nothing to sell. Do you want to make a batch of chocolates with me?”
“I don’t know. Even if the other shop owners are happy for us, that doesn’t mean we’ll have customers.”
“But what if we do?” Charlotte smiled. “Then they will have fresh chocolates and beautiful smells filling the store. Besides, we have to have something to sell them if they come in.”
“I guess.” Ally swallowed back her concern as she followed her grandmother into the kitchen. “I’m ready to get my mind off things, if that is possible. I’m sorry for being so negative.”
“Ally, I know why you’re worried, you love Peaches. Let’s try focusing on the positives of our situation. At least there is a suspect in custody.”
“I have to be honest, I don’t think it was him.”
“Maybe not, but you are now in a position where you have no control over the case. They have their suspect, and it’s up to Luke to figure out the truth.”
“Maybe, I just have a hard time seeing Stephanie as being innocent in all of this. I mean she must have played a part.”
“Or maybe you’re a little jaded by your own past and expect that to be the case?”
“Maybe.” Ally shrugged. She watched as her grandmother gathered the ingredients for the chocolates she wanted to create. “I just can’t shake this sensation that we are missing something.”
“Maybe once Peaches comes back that feeling will subside. You have a lot of emotions running through that heart of yours right now, Ally.”
“Not only that, but I am thinking about my best friend leaving,” Ally said as Charlotte turned to face her with a broad smile.
“Aw, I love you too, sweetie. I will only be a few minutes away.” Charlotte handed her a spoon to stir the melted chocolate.
“I know. And I am sure you will have a great time at Freely Lakes.”
“I think so, too. I love all of the options of activities that I will get to enjoy.”
“I’m sure that you will have a blast.” Ally smiled at her as she began pouring the chocolate into the molds.
“It will never be as much fun as making chocolates with you.”
“Aw!” Ally grinned at her. The bell above the door rang as it swung open. “Oh, did we leave the front door open? I’ll go see who it is.” Charlotte nodded. Ally walked from the back room into the front. “Sorry, we’re closed.”
Luke turned towards her. His eyes met hers. “You don’t have to worry about being a suspect anymore, Ally.”
Ally’s cheeks flushed the moment she laid eyes on him. “Why?”
“Well, Nate confessed.”
“What?” Ally’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I took his confession myself.” Luke shoved his hands into his pockets. “He said all of the right things. He said he did everything himself and that Stephanie had nothing to do with it. He wanted Myrtle dead before she changed her will.” She studied him.
“But you don’t believe him, do you?” Ally asked.
“I have no reason not to. The case is going to be closed as soon as the paperwork is filed. Myrtle’s will is going to be read and all of this will be settled. It’s over, Ally. It’s finally over.” He rocked back on his heels.
“Luke, why don’t you think it was him?” Ally asked, persisting with what she believed was on Luke’s mind.
“I didn’t say that I don’t.” He lowered his chin and shifted his gaze towards the wooden sculptures that lined the shelves.
“You don’t have to say it. I can tell.”
“So, now you know more about me than I do?” He raised an eyebrow.
“You can trust me, Luke. You know that, don’t you?”
“Do you trust me?” He folded his arms across his chest. Ally’s voice faltered. She wasn’t sure how to answer him. She had trusted a man once, and it had led to heartbreak. Luke spoke through her silence. “So, if you don’t trust me, how can you expect me to know that I can trust you?”
“I think I’ve shown that you can,” Ally said.
“By going to Nate’s house? By following Stephanie? Let’s not forget about breaking into Myrtle’s room?”
“I did what I thought was right.”
“What you did was put yourself in danger, despite my warnings.” He unfolded his arms and met her eyes again. “Ally, you’re reckless, you’re going to get hurt. I’ve tried to make it clear to you the amount of danger that you put yourself in, but you don’t seem to be able to grasp it.”
“What, so I’m not allowed to be brave and try to clear my
grandmother’s name.”
He reached out and caught her hand with his own. Ally was startled by the touch, but she didn’t pull away. “Or maybe, you could rely on me a little more.”
Ally’s cheeks heated up. “I will try.”
“Good.” He released her hand, then glanced around the shop. “I guess I should let you open up.”
“You don’t seem too happy about it.”
“I’m not, to be honest. I’m very concerned. I’m not convinced that Nate is the killer, even with his confession. I’m worried that someone will take advantage of the shop being back open, and poison more chocolates. I just hope that you and your grandmother take that into consideration before you open for business.”
“We will, and we’ll be careful,” Ally promised him.
“Good.” He nodded. “If you need anything, just call me.” He turned and walked out of the shop.
Now that Ally knew that Luke was not happy about the shop reopening, she wondered who he thought the real killer might be.
Chapter Seventeen
Ally and Charlotte had just finished up the batch of chocolates when Ally’s phone began ringing. She saw that it was Luke and picked it up right away.
“Hello?”
“Hey Ally, I just wanted to let you know that someone called in a tip about Peaches being near the convenience store.”
“Oh wow! Thanks Luke!” She hung up before he could say another word.
“Mee-Maw, Peaches was seen near the convenience store. I’m going to look!”
“I’ll go grab Arnold and we’ll look, too. I’m sure he can sniff her out if she’s nearby.” Charlotte clapped her hands happily. The two rushed out of the shop in different directions.
When Ally got to the convenience store she looked all around, but she didn’t find Peaches. “Maybe she ran off somewhere,” she said to herself. She continued down the street behind the store. There were a few more buildings there including a vacant shop.
“Peaches, here kitty kitty!” Ally rounded the corner of the empty building. It was darker than she expected on the other side. “Peaches, come here, sweetie. I know you’ve got to be hungry. Peaches!” Ally’s heartbeat quickened. Maybe she was afraid that she wouldn’t find her cat. But all of the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She searched the shadows for any sign of her cat. Her heart ached for her dearest friend. “Peaches, please come home, I miss you.” She sighed and walked behind a large dumpster to see if maybe the cat was hiding.
As soon as she walked behind the dumpster she noticed a big wooden gate that blocked her way forward. The splintered wood highlighted by a distant streetlight made her feel very uneasy. She spun around fast to walk away, but found Stephanie standing in front of her. Ally gasped.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Stephanie said.
“It’s okay.” Ally placed her hand on her chest. “I just didn’t expect anyone to be behind me.”
“I heard you calling for your cat. I thought you might want some help looking for her.”
“Oh. That’s nice of you.”
Stephanie stepped closer to her. “I had a cat once. It’s not easy when they run away.”
“I don’t think she ran away.” Ally frowned. “I think she’s just exploring. Maybe she’s just a little confused.”
“That’s possible. Here, let me see your phone, I can shine it behind the dumpster to see if she’s back there.”
Ally handed it over without thinking. She was concentrating on finding Peaches and she was still so shaken by Stephanie suddenly being there that her mind was spinning. The second she handed it to Stephanie, she regretted it. Sure, someone was arrested for the murder. But that didn’t mean that they were right. Stephanie leaned over and shone the phone behind the dumpster.
“Oh, what’s that?” She leaned her arm in further. “Oh no, it’s nothing.”
Ally heard a clatter. “What was that?”
“Oh dear, I’m afraid I dropped your phone.”
“What?” Ally frowned. “Let me see, maybe I can get it.”
“Sure, you do that.” Stephanie stepped back from the dumpster to give Ally room. But she didn’t give her much room at all. In fact, Ally was pinned between Stephanie and the dumpster. When Ally peered behind the dumpster she could see her phone in the dirt and grime. She tried to reach for it, but as she bent forward, she felt Stephanie’s arm go around her waist, pinning her other arm against her side.
“What are you doing?” Ally gasped and tried to pull her other arm out from behind the dumpster, but the pressure of Stephanie’s weight kept her arm wedged. “Let me go!”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Ally. You’re the only person that can ruin my future. I need you to die. I wish I didn’t, but it’s the only way I can be sure that the police will stop sniffing around me.”
“No, you don’t have to. Please! The police already think that it’s someone else.”
“Sure they do. But it’s the wrong someone else. It was meant to be you. I went to great lengths to make them think that you and Charlotte did this. But I know now that you won’t give up. One slip up and you’d be on my back again. I’ve waited a long time to have the family that I deserve, and I’m not going to let you or anyone else take it from me. So unfortunately, curiosity killed the Ally. Get it, like Ally cat?” She giggled. Ally was in a state of disbelief as the woman giggled behind her. How could anyone be so cold? Then again, she had killed her own sister.
“Please Stephanie. I haven’t done anything to you. You had a reason to kill Myrtle, but you don’t have a reason to kill me.”
“Sure I do. Just like Myrtle you are standing in the way of what I want. Nate’s a good man. He had nothing to do with this. If he’s not in jail for the murder then I will be. So, I’ve got to keep this under wraps. I’ve got to make sure they think it was you and that you’ve run away because you don’t want to get caught. Now, if you’re still, this will be quick.” She began pushing up the sleeve of the arm that was pinned against Ally’s side. Ally struggled, but she was stuck. There was no way for her to get free.
“Poisoning the chocolates was a genius move on my part, you have to admit. Plus, I must give you some credit for giving me the idea. You see, I knew that I wanted to poison her, but I didn’t know how. When you bought the antifreeze it was like a light bulb went off in my head. Not only did I figure out how to poison her, but I also figured out what to poison. Because she loved your chocolates so much. She gorged herself on them, and she never shared. When I was a child she would buy herself all kinds of treats, but she would never let me have any. She would eat them right in front of me!”
“That’s terrible. I’m sorry that happened to you.”
“You don’t know the half of it. She was terrible to me. She treated me like I was a servant. Then I met this man. I thought, this is the man for me. He will change my life. But she saw that I liked him. She swooped in and spoiled him with her riches and conned him into marrying her. She took my husband from me, before I even had the chance to tell him how I felt. By the time I did it was too late. She was pregnant with her first and he was too good of a man to ever leave her. So, I had to watch as she took my family from me. She didn’t even treat the kids well. Not at all. She barely paid any attention to them. I always took over when she was too busy.”
“That is awful, Stephanie, and all the more reason not to kill me. You have plenty of reason to justify killing your sister. A jury will sympathize with you. But they’re not going to let you off the hook for killing me.”
“Oh, that will never happen. I will never go to trial. Your body will never be found. The poison in the candies took some time, but I’m injecting the poison right into your bloodstream. It will be quick. Then I will toss your body into the dumpster. In just a few hours the dumpster will be collected and all trace of you will be gone.”
Ally’s eyes blurred with fear. Now she knew why Stephanie took her phone from her. Now she knew why she had been there in
the first place. She had probably even been the one to call in the tip about Peaches. She tried to calm her nerves. She wanted to distract Stephanie. Try to delay the inevitable.
“How did you get Nate to help you?” Ally asked.
“I didn’t, he came back early, unannounced. I was meant to clean up the garage before he came home, but I didn’t have time. Luckily he didn’t go in there.”
“How did you poison the chocolates?”
“That just fell into place so easily.” Stephanie smirked. “The expresso, walnut chocolates are my favorite. They were Myrtle’s, too. Nate knew that I liked them and he wanted to give me a gift. He had some delivered to his house for me a few days ago. I had his keys so I could let the men in to repair his heater and when I got to his house the chocolates were waiting for me, on the doorstep.”
“How did you make them?”
“I tried to break into the chocolate shop to see if I could get any fillings or molds to make the poisoned chocolates, but I couldn’t.”
“You tampered with the lock?”
“Yes, but I couldn’t get it open. So, I had to improvise. I made some chocolate molds myself. That’s easy enough,” Stephanie said proudly. “Then I cut some of the walnut, expresso chocolates Nate had given me and I took out as much liquid as I could. I didn’t have to cut many. The antifreeze bulked it up nicely. I placed a walnut on top, put the poisoned ones back in the box and delivered them to my dear sister as a present. I couldn’t believe my luck when you and your grandmother brought chocolates to Freely Lakes on the same day that Myrtle died. When I found your lost cat I had the genius idea to keep her so I could use her as bait to get you here. I just had to wait for the right time to call in the tip. It worked out perfectly. Now, I just have to make sure it ends perfectly.”
