Pastries and Puzzles

by Constance Barker

  “Oh.” I took a much larger gulp of my coffee. I was smiling on the inside.

  Chapter 6

  It had been a day since Logan stopped into the bakery and sat down to have coffee, and while I was still a bit annoyed that he told me to stay out of it, I ultimately decided that he was right. Staying out of the investigation myself was probably the best thing that I could do for the bakery at that point, as irritating as the thought was. Sure, my reputation may have been on the line and it was definitely hard to not try and figure out what the next move should be, but it was likely for the best.

  Besides, Logan knew I wasn’t the killer and I trusted him to do his job and find out who was. Him asking me to stay out of it was because he cared about me and didn’t want to see me hurt.

  I made my way into work and while the day was fairly slow—thanks to the murder, no doubt—my day did brighten up when Henry and Red came strolling inside. They both offered me warm smiles and plopped themselves down at their usual seats, and happily waved me over. I wasted no time and flashed them a welcoming grin as I strolled over. I dropped my hand on my hip as I stood next to their table, sighing.

  “You two are a welcome sight, what can I get you?”

  Henry looked up at me with that professional and always calm demeanor of his and nodded, winking at me as he rapped his knuckles on the table.

  “Couple of coffees, please. And-”

  Red immediately chimed in with a chuckle and playfully thwacked his hands on the table, looking around and keeping his voice a bit louder than normal.

  “Not just coffees, oh no, we also want some treats from the best baker in town!”

  Henry rolled his eyes and nodded, and then shrugged his shoulders as he continued.

  “Yes like I said. A couple of coffees and some treats. Maybe some of those muffins you gave us the last time? We’ll take some to go as well.”

  “And a box of cupcakes. With extra icing, if you don’t mind.”

  Red made sure that the few customers that were in the store heard them making such a large order, and I felt a slight blush in my cheeks, appreciation and realization swirling together in a warm comforting embrace as I realized what they were doing. I knew that neither of them usually ordered so much and that they were only doing it to make sure people knew that they still trusted me. I appreciated it more than they knew.

  “Of course.” I said with a smile, nodding. “And thank you. Both of you.”

  I submitted the order ticket and quickly poured their coffee, and since it wasn’t too crazy I decided to take a seat and chat with them myself. It was a welcome distraction from everything that had been going on, and it was close enough to the counter that if I was needed I could easily jump up and take care of things.

  “So what are the two most handsome men to have ever graced my bakery up to do today?”

  “Depends, you got plans tonight?” Red said. He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and I couldn’t suppress a giggle.

  Henry smacked him playfully on the arm. “She’d never give you the time of day, not with those gams,” he added, snickering too.

  “It was real sweet of you both to come in and,” and suddenly I couldn’t finish my words. That warm feeling you get inside with real friends around took over and my eyes welled up.

  “Be decent and show you that we know you aren’t offing people with sugar?” Red laughed, trying to talk me off the ledge of a flood of tears.

  Henry made a faux serious look at me. “Death by dessert sounds like one of them paperbacks the ladies are always pushing around at the senior center. Over done,” he said. “Been done too many times. Someone else is up to something wicked in this cozy little town, but we know it couldn’t be you.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Your gran would have plum trimmed a murder branch right out of her family tree.”

  As we laughed and went on, and I found myself actually smiling and feeling like my usual light-hearted self.

  Or I was until Warner walked in, of course, and then my good mood immediately disappeared. I felt the stress and anxiety threaten to take over as it all came creeping back in. So I took a deep breath and put on my best smile as I stood up, and I welcomed him inside.

  “Hello Warner. What can I-”

  Immediately he cut me off with a wave of his hand and held up an envelope, flipping it back and forth in the air as he strolled over with a snide look on his face. I knew that he wasn’t a fan of me to begin with but after the whole debacle with Gilbert... Well let’s just say that his opinion seemed to have dropped even further.

  “I’ve got your check, for your.... services.” He sighed as he pursed his lips together and looked at me disapprovingly. “Despite the evening not going at all how we had hoped. Murder and all that, you know.”

  Gee thanks weasel butt.

  Before I was able to even respond Scooter came rushing over and offered Warner a goofy smile, arms casually crossed over his chest as he spoke. He flashed me a discreet smile and I nodded in thanks, sighing with relief as I let him take the lead on that particular conversation. Scooter’s mother had known Warner, you see, so Warner always had a soft spot for him.

  “Hey Warner, that’s a shame about what happened to Gilbert, yeah?” Scooter said with a sigh, shaking his head. “Poor guy didn’t deserve that.”

  Warner immediately nodded and I could see his shoulders relax when he spoke to Scooter, a stark contrast from when he spoke to me.

  “It’s a shame yes but if I can be candid...”

  He leaned in and Scooter raised his brows in interest as he waited.

  “I’ll be honest Scooter, I never liked the idea of Gilbert coming in the first place. He’s so obviously a fraud, and I don’t like the idea of the hotel being associated with a man of his... reputation. No one wants their business to be associated with a man like that, so I’m not surprised someone moved him out of the way.”

  My eyes widened in disbelief at what he was saying.

  “And while it looks like this atrocious crime might have even been committed by one of our own local businesses,” he said with a not-so-discreet-scowl in my direction, “I can’t say I’m too broken up about it.”

  I could tell that Scooter was nearly as horrified with his response as I was, but before I had a chance to defend myself Scooter did it for me.

  “Well Warner, it sure does look like it was committed by someone local. Did you give a statement to the police, by the way?” He asked with a sneer and a shrug of his shoulders. “I don’t remember you saying anything about where you were or what you were doing when Gilbert was murdered.”

  I barely stifled the snort that wanted to come out when Warner huffed, his cheeks flushed as anger and nerves flared up. He’d clearly not expected Scooter to come right out and say that, and he glared back at him.

  “You better watch your tone, young man.”

  And with that he stalked out of the bakery and Scooter turned to me with a smile and a shrug, before I sighed and gave his shoulder a thankful squeeze.

  “You didn’t have to do that, you know. But I appreciate it, so thank you.”

  “I know I didn’t have to,” he said with a chuckle. “But he was being a jerk and I know he’d never lash out at me, so I figured I’d dish out some of his own medicine.”

  I chuckled and we sauntered over to the counter. Scooter leaned down on his elbow while I rested my hip against it, and he looked over at me with a curious look.

  “Coco, do you think that Warner wanted Gilbert out of the way and away from his business enough to have him killed?”

  Never one to mince words, that Scooter.

  I shrugged my shoulders with a cock of my brow and sighed, a curious smile spread across my face as I did.

  “I don’t know, but I think I know what I need to look into next. Or rather,” I added with a sigh. “What Logan needs to look into next.”

  I’d promised to keep out of the investigation to Logan, and I needed to work on keeping that promise, no matter
how hard it was. Even if it meant ignoring the fact that someone had essentially walked into my bakery and called me a murderer.

  Chapter 7

  “That red velvet is almost too good,” Tara laughed as she headed out the door with her two little ones and three extra cupcakes than she’d intended.

  With her warm smile and cute kids, I was grateful there was one family in town that decided to come in. I didn’t even care that I was supposed to close up soon. I was glad they came. Because essentially no one else had come into my bakery after Henry and Red headed out.

  Just as I was getting ready to close up shop and get things done for the day Rose and Masie came in, and I couldn’t help but grin when I saw the two of them. They looked like they were up to something and if I knew them at all, they were.

  “Coco,” Rose called out with a smirk as she sauntered over to me. “Hurry up and close this place because you’re coming out with us.”

  Masie immediately chimed in, eyes wide and blonde hair bouncing as she giggled.

  “Yes you are. You’re going to come out with us and have a blast, and we can find some random hotties to occupy our time.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh when she said that and I rolled my eyes, to which Rose did the same with a grin that was unmatched by anyone else. She had such a striking look and her confidence was like no other, and I respected that.

  “I wasn’t so much thinking that we needed to find some available men,” she said with a cocked brow and a smirk towards Masie. “But I thought that we could do some dancing, and unwind.”

  “I don’t know guys.” I sighed. “It’s been a long few days. With the murder and all of the accusations...”

  “Precisely,” Masie exclaimed as she took my hand and squeezed it. “Which is exactly why you need to come out and let loose. Come on...let your hair down and relax, dance and sing karaoke with us while we forget about all of the drama.”

  Rose smiled and shrugged her shoulders with a chuckle, and she nodded her head as she spoke to me.

  “Masie is right, Coco. You need to relax and get your mind off of all this dreary doom and gloom with the bakery and what happened. Time out with the girls is the best way to do that.”

  Scooter suddenly appeared beside me and flashed me a wink before he clapped me playfully on the shoulder with a chuckle.

  “Don’t worry about the shop, I’ll close up.” He grabbed the clipboard that Rose had put together to put my closing checklist on.

  It was a small but wonderful gift she’d given me when I’d opened, and now I saw that it gave me not just a chance to make sure that I didn’t miss anything but a real chance that someone else could close up for me. I looked over the clipboard.

  He waved it back at me.“You go and have fun Coco, you deserve it.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked him with a smile. “I don’t want to put you out.”

  Scooter shook his head. “I’ve got this.”

  “Thank you,” I said, patting him on the shoulder. Then I turned and headed out.

  Scooter may have been barely an adult, and he may have had a friendly rivalry going with Masie, but he was responsible and a good friend, and that was all the adult any of us needed to be.

  “Rose, there’s no flour on your seats,” I said, pointing out the obvious of her impeccable car.

  Gripping the wheel like she might be clutching her heart, she gasped. “Coco, no, there’s no flour. But if you need a wet wipe-”

  I chuckled. “No thanks, just picking on you. But thanks ladies for taking me out.”

  Rose grinned. “Chri’s Pub is just what we need. Dancing, singing, and focusing on having fun.”

  I nodded. It was so like Rose to use the term focus, specifically, because she planned everything. But that always included being a caring friend, so complaints were made on my part.

  When we got there, Masie immediately hit the stage with a much twangier country song than I knew she’d be in the mood for, but she was good and she knew it. I laughed and clapped along.

  Before Rose went on to do a nice power ballad, she poked Masie. “Superstar, you ready to break some more hearts before you settle down?”

  In no time at all, the three of us laughed and hooted just like old times.

  Things were going great and then I felt a small tap on my shoulder and I whirled around.

  I came face to face with a group of people that I faintly recognized but their faces had a clear and strong distaste for me. I frowned for a second before realization dawned on me. I recognized them as a group of hotel workers, and I opened my mouth to speak but they beat me to it.

  “How can you be partying at a time like this?” One asked, scoffing. “It’s disgusting.”

  “It really is,” another chimed in, scowling as she looked me up and down with disgust. “You’re out here laughing and dancing when you should be in prison.”

  My jaw dropped at what they said and I gasped, speechless as my eyes went wide and I stammered, trying to find the right words. The fact that I was caught off guard was only adding to the hurt and anger that I felt, all swirling together and threatening to turn into an explosive outburst that wouldn’t benefit anyone.

  “Look here,” I snapped, frowning. “I didn’t kill anybody, and I don’t care what you think about it either. I know I’m not guilty and soon the police will prove that and-”

  “Oh surrrrrre.” One of the girls rolled their eyes. “The guy just happened to end up dead after arguing with you and eating your cupcakes, right?”

  “Hey,” Rose’s voice rang out. She stepped forward between the hotel staff and me, a glare on her face as she stared them down with Masie quickly joining at her side.

  “You have a lotta nerve harassing someone...” Rose started.

  “And when she’d never do something so horrible...” Masie jumped in.

  The two of them started to berate the group that had approached me, and words flew back and forth at such a rate that I could barely keep up.

  Before I knew it, a crowd had drawn around us, and they all watched as the words, mostly curse words, back and forth.

  The woman who had approached me first stepped forward again with a huff, shaking her head at me with disgust as she scowled.

  “Are you kidding? We all had to deal with the trauma of seeing a dead man. Doris,” she snapped as she gestured towards a girl at her side. “is new and she had switched shifts with someone. Do you think that she really needed to see that while she was still learning how to do the job?”

  The new girl sort of stood back and observed all this and while I felt for her, I still hated the fact that people thought I was a killer.

  “He got a bit too frisky, but I never wanted ol’ Gilbert dead,” a waitress interjected.

  Another appeared. “Yeah, that was awful terrible of you, Coco, I thought bakers were sweet,” she said at me with a hand planted on her hip.

  I was just about to snarl back at them, my temper finally feeling like it was about to snap, when Chris came over.

  “Listen, Coco, you need to leave, okay? Look I don’t want all this drama in my pub and right now you’re causing a scene. So you need to leave.”

  I didn’t know what to say and my chest was tight with hurt and shame, so I simply huffed and stormed out, Rose and Masie hot on my heels as I tore out of there.

  I decided that once and for all, I was going to clear my name. Logan would just have to understand.

  Chapter 8

  “Did we really just get kicked out of a pub? Are we those girls?” My mind was racing as we stood in the parking lot.

  “We totally did,” Masie giggled.

  “I can’t believe people would believe something so terrible about me, so easily,” I said, exasperated.

  “I know you’re angry and hurt. Try not to let it get to you. What do they know, anyway? They’re just a bunch of old busybodies who wouldn’t know a good person or a good cupcake if it bit them in the rear.” Rose’s voice was soft and comforting. />
  “I have to get this murder solved, and quickly. You know what we need to do?” I held up my finger in an “aha” gesture.

  “What?” Masie clasped her hands together beneath her chin, eagerly awaiting my big reveal.

  “We need to break into Gilbert’s hotel room.” I exclaimed triumphantly, as if this were the most reasonable decision anyone could make.

  “What a magnificent idea,” Masie squealed, bouncing on her toes.

  Rose, being Rose, made a sound that reminded me of getting in trouble as a kid. Always the more rational and logical of the three of us, she was also completely against the idea.

  “No, it’s a horrible idea. We need to go home.”

  “You are a party pooper.” Masie pointed an accusatory finger in the general vicinity of Rose’s body.

  “But, we do,” I begged.

  “Not going to happen.” She crossed her arms over her chest and raised one eyebrow. “Don't you remember the last time you went snooping around where you weren't supposed to. You got clunked on the noggin. You could have been killed.”

  “How will I ever get my good name back, though. My reputation is ruined. My business is going under. There has to be some clue in Gilbert’s hotel room that could lead us to the real killer.” An honest to goodness tear rolled down my cheek.

  Rose’s face softened. “I understand things are hard right now, but you need to let Logan do his job. He doesn’t think you’re guilty. He won’t arrest you.”

  “That doesn’t matter. The entire town thinks I’m guilty. Logan can’t change that. Only I can. Please.” I wasn’t above groveling.

  “Coco’s our best friend. Would you honestly stand there and watch while the wolves descend upon the broken pieces of her life and tear it to bits?” Masie wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and it was comforting. Well, except for the part about the broken pieces of my life.

  I saw in her eyes the moment she relented. Rose’s shoulders dropped and her mouth tightened into a thin line. She let out a long breath. “I’m going to regret this.”