Bodies & Bundt Cake

by Nancy McGovern

  “We need to talk,” Annie said, her face serious.

  *****

  Chapter 12

  Annie’s Suspicions

  “Hey, sure.” Rachel turned the sign on her front door around so it said Closed! and ushered Annie to a seat.

  “Have you seen Tricia today?” Annie asked.

  Rachel shifted, feeling a bit guilty. “Well, I’ve been so busy and—”

  “I met her this morning and she’s a mess,” Annie said. “She told me about Emily finding the broken stiletto in Mia’s house.”

  “Oh.” Rachel paused. “Well… I guess the secret’s out. Did she tell you anything about Mia’s past?”

  “Mia’s past?” Annie looked confused. “No. Why? What’s there to know?”

  Rachel shook her head. “I don’t think I can tell.”

  “Wait, is this what that meeting’s about? The one Emily is holding at five today?”

  “Emily’s holding a meeting at five today?” Rachel raised her eyebrows. “She didn’t tell me anything about it!”

  “Check your email. I’m sure you’re included. She said something about the town needing to take measures for security.”

  “Ugh. Emily!” Rachel groaned and clutched her hair. “I really hope she’s not trying to target Mia.”

  “Well, why shouldn’t she? Mia’s obviously done it. I tried to talk to sense to Tricia, but she is really upset about everything. She’s still refusing to see that Mia has to be the one who killed Gina.”

  “I mean, maybe she is, but I feel like the world is all too ready to grab their pitchforks and attack people these days,” Rachel said. “Whatever happened to due process? The founding fathers thought everyone deserved it, didn’t they?”

  “Everyone deserves to be safe, too,” Annie said. “We have families and kids, Rachel. Well, I don’t, and Tricia doesn’t, and you don’t, but most people in this town do.”

  “You don’t have family here?” Rachel asked.

  Annie shook her head. “Mom passed away when I was younger. My dad was ailing for a long time. He just passed away last year. I have a few uncles, but they’re quite distant. Tricia’s more than a friend. She’s like my family, really.”

  “It must have been hard,” Rachel said. “Taking care of your father as he slipped away. I can’t imagine how painful it must have been.”

  Annie’s smile was a little weak. “He was a really good man. One of the best dads ever. Cheerful, witty, great cook... It was hard to see Alzheimer’s take him away piece by piece, the way it did.” She brought out a handkerchief and wiped a tear away. “Sorry,” she said in a hoarse voice.

  Rachel didn’t know what to do, feeling strangely awkward. Words felt hollow in her mouth. What could she really say? That she was sorry Annie had suffered such a tragedy? That Annie was brave because she had probably sacrificed a great deal of her youth and her dating life in order to tend to her father, only to lose him in the end? The thoughts flitted through Rachel’s brain, and she finally settled on, “I’m sorry too. I’ve read that a lot of caretakers get depressed because they’re so busy taking care of the ailing that they don’t take care of themselves. So I hope you’re… tending to your own life now that your father’s gone.”

  Annie sighed. “I’m trying. I feel so guilty about it, though. Tricia’s the one who put the idea into my head that there’s nothing tying me down here. I should go travel the world or something. Money’s hard to save up in this economy, but I’m trying. Someday soon, maybe I’ll be putting up pics on Facebook from Thailand or Indonesia.”

  “I’ll make sure to like each and every one.” Rachel smiled.

  Annie looked suddenly embarrassed. “I don’t know how we got on to this. I came here to ask you if you could check in on Tricia, maybe prepare her for Mia’s eventual arrest.”

  “I’ll do that,” Rachel said. “But Annie… I had a few questions to ask you.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Tricia mentioned yesterday that Gina’s husband lives in London now. Apparently Gina had an affair while they were married?”

  Annie nodded. “She did. Aaron was really steamed, but I didn’t fully blame her. He was hardly ever home, you know. What’s a girl to do?”

  Rachel didn’t agree, but she didn’t voice that. “So do you have any idea who Gina had an affair with?”

  “Well...” Annie’s eyes narrowed. “I had my suspicions, but… I’m not going to tell you, sorry. It could cause some trouble, and I’ve never been one for gossiping. Besides, it was only a suspicion; I never had solid proof.”

  “Oh, well… of course.” Rachel hesitated. “Just... is this person still in Swaddle?”

  Annie nodded. “You know the man, too. That’s all I’m going to say.”

  Rachel nodded. There had to be some way to work out who it was. Maybe Tricia would know, too. Whoever this man was, he should be a prime suspect. He had as much motive as Mia Harris did, after all.

  “Okay, second: Mrs. Bingham mentioned Gina was at the library a few weeks ago. I know we didn’t find her records, but do you think you can remember what she was looking for? Did she ask you anything?”

  Annie shook her head. “Sorry. Gina never asked me anything, and I can’t remember what was in her records because… well, there are too many customers, you know?”

  “I understand, totally.” But it was another dead end, and Rachel wasn’t too pleased. “Did you know Gina well, Annie?”

  “Not really,” Annie said. “I mean, we were on the committee together, so we were friends. Sort of. To be honest, she wasn’t a very likable woman. I don’t think she had many friends in town. But… she was one of those women who gets things done, you know? That’s why everyone wanted her on their committees—me included. I guess you could definitely say she had a lot of business friends, including me.”

  “Well, what kind of person was she?”

  “Gina? Ambitious to her core. Money was everything to her, so was power. It wouldn’t have surprised me at all if she’d run for mayor in a couple of years. I think the only thing stopping her was that she was divorced. In politics, it helps to be part of a power couple.”

  Rachel nodded. “So you never talked to her about anything but work?”

  Annie nodded. “I did talk to her about books, though. She loved steamy romances, and I gave her a few suggestions. Oh! There is one thing I totally forgot.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Gina told me something strange once. Something about Mia.”

  “What?”

  “She said that she could have Mia out of town by sunset if she wanted, so Mia had better not get too cocky.”

  “She said that?”

  Annie nodded. “Those exact words. What do you suppose she meant?”

  Rachel could take a guess. It meant that Gina knew about Mia’s psycho father, and had probably threatened to reveal the secret if Mia didn’t leave her alone. Another thing that indicated Mia had probably killed her. She didn’t say this to Annie, however.

  “Did Scott find any clues about who destroyed Gina’s library records?” Rachel asked.

  Annie shook her head. “It’s a completely baffling mystery. We have no idea who could have done it! He even went over the video surveillance records, but he still had no clue. This is one smart killer we’re dealing with. It gives me the creeps to think that he or she was at my library.”

  “So you don’t think it’s Mia?” Rachel asked. “Not a hundred percent?”

  “I’m not completely convinced,” Annie said. “I mean, you’re right about due process. How foolish would we all feel if it came out that Mia didn’t do it?”

  The timer pinged in the kitchen, and Rachel stood up. Her lemon bundt cake was ready. Annie took it as a hint, and got up too.

  “Just make sure you talk to Tricia, will you?” Annie asked Rachel. “She’s… well, I don’t want her to be too depressed if Mia turns out to be the killer. I certainly don’t want her putting herself in harm's way by get
ting too involved in this investigation. Try and tell her to just… let it happen on its own.”

  Rachel nodded. “I know what you mean, Annie, and it’s very sweet of you. I’ll meet her today; I promise.”

  “Thanks.” Annie smiled gratefully. “I’m glad Tricia has a friend like you.”

  “And you.” Rachel smiled.

  *****

  Chapter 13

  Mia’s Past

  Rachel delivered the bundt cake to Emily’s at 4pm and then headed over to Tricia's, taking Scooter along with her. She figured some time with a happy lab would distract and cheer up Tricia.

  Like Rachel, Tricia lived in an apartment over her shop on Main Street. Cranium Books was a town fixture, and although it had faced problems with the rise of ebooks, it was gamely struggling on for now. Rachel had a soft spot for it, and as always, the smell of old books and ink hit her when she opened the door. She took a deep, appreciative breath, and wondered if different books would have different smells. With technology progressing the way it does, they really should look into it, Rachel thought. She grabbed the book nearest to her: Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting Of Hill House. If it was up to Rachel, every version of that book would smell like baking apples, but with a hint of rot somewhere deep inside.

  “Rachel?” Tricia called out to her from behind the counter.

  “Oh. Hey.” Rachel had flipped open the book and forgotten her real purpose for a minute. Placing it back, she walked up to Tricia. “Listen. I wanted to talk to you about last night.”

  “I don’t.” Tricia looked pale, with dark shadows under her eyes. “I’ve gone to Mia’s house three times today, but she isn’t answering. I heard the police questioned her pretty thoroughly. I’m really worried for her, Rachel. She tends to withdraw into herself if she’s depressed.”

  “Tricia, you’re going to have to prepare yourself—maybe she has done it.”

  Tricia swung around with her eyes flashing fire. “I don’t believe it for a second.”

  “The evidence points to it.”

  “If that’s all you’re here to say, just leave already. Emily’s bad enough, but not you, too… what happened to fairness and not blaming anyone and...”

  “It’s all well and good, but what jury is going to look at all the evidence against her and think that Mia’s innocent? She’s almost certainly guilty, Tricia, and you need to look beyond your blind loyalty.”

  “I’m not going to abandon her just because—”

  The door opened and Tricia fell silent. Rachel turned around to see Mia, clad in a furry, synthetic, tiger-striped sweater and blue jeans. Her long nails were now a matching orange, and her dark hair piled into a messy bun on top of her head. She had a defiant expression as her eyes traveled over Rachel’s face and rested on the black eye there.

  “Mia, I’m so glad to see you.” Tricia rushed forward and hugged Mia. “Are you okay? Were the police rough on you? Are—”

  “Trix, hush.” Mia put a finger on Tricia’s lips, and gave her an uncertain smile. “I just came to get away from all that nonsense. Can’t we talk about something else?”

  “Of course, you’d like that.” Rachel felt suddenly angry at the way Mia had ignored her. At least she could have apologized for the black eye.

  “Rach—” Tricia’s voice had a warning in it.

  “Your friend needs to watch it before she gets another black eye.”

  “Mia, don’t be horrible!” Tricia said.

  “She deserved it. She was calling me a murderer.” Mia’s eyes were hard.

  “Sure I was, and looks like I was right, doesn’t it? How did your broken stiletto heel happen to be at Gina’s back door?”

  Mia’s face darkened and her brows knitted together. “Keep your nose out of my business,” she snapped.

  Tricia’s voice was gentle, but firm. “Mia, Swaddle is a small town. People are going to ask questions.”

  “So? I don’t have to answer them. I don’t have to answer to anybody!”

  “You’re being an idiot,” Tricia said. “I want to help, and Rachel does too, even if you don’t believe it. But we need you to be honest, first.”

  Mia scoffed. “Rachel wants to help? Help put me behind bars, maybe!”

  “If you killed Gina—definitely,” Rachel said.

  Mia advanced on her, but Rachel held her ground. Anger and frustration boiled up inside Rachel. If only Tricia could see what everyone else did. Mia was bad news—plain and simple.

  “Please, Mia. Answer Rachel’s questions. She’ll be able to help you,” Tricia said.

  “Trix, you’re the only one who’s ever wanted to help me.” Mia’s voice was gentle, and she traced her finger down Tricia’s cheek. “Whatever happens, don’t forget how grateful I am to have found a friend like you.”

  “You’re giving up?” Tricia was incredulous. “Why? I know you didn’t kill her. You couldn't have.”

  “I haven’t. But… what’s the use? This town is coming to get me.”

  Rachel frowned. There was no aggression in Mia’s voice now, just a deep sadness. Clearing her throat, she decided that it was time to force Mia to talk. “Mia, you know the statute of limitations hasn’t ended on your previous assault? I could still press charges against you.”

  Tricia’s eyes widened. “Rachel what—”

  Mia groaned. “Go ahead. Do it. See if I care.”

  “I won’t, but only if you agree to talk to me,” Rachel said. “Fifteen minutes. That’s all.”

  Tricia understood what Rachel was doing. Striding to the front door, she flipped open the sign to Closed and locked it. Turning, she placed her hand on her hip and pointed to a nearby chair. “Sit,” she commanded Mia. “I’ve had enough. You’re talking to Rachel if I have to tie you to that chair myself!”

  Mia looked at Tricia, then Rachel, then the chair. Grudgingly, she walked to it and sat down. “Fine. Fifteen minutes.”

  “When did you last see Gina?” Rachel jumped in.

  “The day of the cake-off,” Mia said. “I admit I lied before. I was there at Shoreline Park from 10am to noon, and then went home to walk Fluffy. Except I didn’t go home. I went to Gina’s place first.”

  “Why?” Rachel asked. “You two hated each other.”

  “I definitely hated her. Gina was a monster,” Mia said. “A cold-blooded lizard, that’s what she was.”

  “Why did you go over to her place?” Rachel asked.

  Mia looked at Tricia, then looked away and bit her lip. “I don’t know. I just did.”

  “There has to be a reason!” Tricia said. “Like you wanted to help her transport the cakes, maybe?”

  “Yeah. Sure. Why not.” Mia’s voice was flat.

  “If you went at noon, then she was already dead,” Rachel said.

  “That’s it!” Tricia jumped on this statement. “Gina died between ten and eleven. You have an alibi, right, Mia? It’s perfect!”

  “Except that in the case of poison, an alibi is unimportant,” Rachel pointed out. “You’re so eager to help her, Tricia, and Mia doesn’t even want to help herself. Maybe Mia went there to gloat. Ever think of that?”

  Mia buried her hands into her face, and gave out a muffled, frustrated scream. “You just don’t get it!” she exclaimed. Sitting up straight again, she stared at Rachel. “You probably come from some sweet suburban family, totally perfect. Biggest problem in your life is when your breads don’t rise properly or something. You don’t know what it’s like to be me. You don’t know what it’s like to go through life with everyone judging you and hating you. I thought I found a place where I could live happily. I thought I found an actual friend, but now my past is going to come and torture me. I’m done running from it. I’m just done. I’ll go to jail, and maybe I’ll find my own kind in there. Outcasts that everyone hates.” A single tear rolled down her eye, and despite herself, Rachel couldn’t help but feel sympathy.

  “It’s not like that,” Rachel said. “Tricia wants to help you, and I do to
o. But we need you to be honest, Mia. What is it that you’re hiding? Just come out with the truth.”

  “I can’t.” Mia groaned. “I’d rather go to jail.”

  “Hang on a second.” Rachel paused. Her conversation with Tilly Wood suddenly came rushing back to her. She’d forgotten all about it in the mad rush that had followed with Mia punching her, but now... “Mia, how well do you know Tilly Wood?”

  “Somewhat. Why?” Mia looked confused.

  “Tilly told me you probably spread the news through half the town about Gina 'sampling' Mrs. Bingham’s bundt cake. Only you didn’t, did you? Because Tricia’s your best friend, and Tricia knew nothing about it. So, it stands to reason you probably told nobody else.”

  “That’s right,” Mia said. “I kept my lip zipped.”

  “Why?” Rachel asked. “Why would you keep a secret for someone you hated so much? Either you’re really honorable, or—”

  “She’s really honorable,” Tricia butted in.

  “Tricia, let me finish. The second option is… Gina had a secret she was keeping too. A secret you didn’t want the town knowing. Mia, was Gina blackmailing you?”

  Mia stiffened and looked away, her lips pressing together. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she said. “But I’ll tell you something; if Gina was a blackmailer, I wasn’t the only one she was blackmailing. Go ask Ethan what she had on him.”

  “Ethan? Ethan Wood?” Rachel’s eyes widened. “Are you sure of this? Gina was blackmailing him too?”

  “Are my fifteen minutes up, yet?”

  “You haven’t answered a single question properly!” Rachel exclaimed. “Come on, Mia. Speak up.”

  “Yes. Okay? Yes. Gina was blackmailing me. I told you, she was a cold-blooded lizard. It wasn’t enough that she ruined my business, and stole my store from me. Gina wanted more. She wanted all my money.”

  “Why?”

  “Why?” Mia scoffed. “I told you. Lizard. Always wanting more. She hated me just as much as I hated her.”

  “Mia, please, just give us a straight answer,” Tricia pleaded. “What was Gina blackmailing you about?”