Cream Puff Killer: Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series Book 13

by Dobbs, Leighann

  It was nearly closing time when Lexy's phone buzzed in her apron pocket. She'd been cleaning out the display cases to get things ready for the next day. They packaged up the day-old pastries and gave them to the homeless shelter. Well, those that Nans and the ladies didn't swing by to claim. But Nans hadn't come back, and Jack was due to be there any minute to pick her up.

  She pulled the phone out and glanced at the screen then frowned. Scratch that. Jack was cancelling on her. His text said he had to work late.

  Disappointed, she removed her apron then locked the front door and headed into the back of the store, thankful Cassie was still there. At least she could always count on her best friend. Which was good considering how Jack had been making a habit of cancelling on her lately. "Hey, can I catch a ride home with you?"

  "Uh, sure." Cassie finished shutting down the ovens. "What happened to Jack?"

  "He just sent me a message. Has to work late tonight."

  "Oh." Cassie turned away to search for something under the sink. "No problem."

  Maybe it was for the best, Lexy reasoned as she grabbed her purse from the front and took off her apron. Given the tension between them before, a little time apart could be just what they needed. Never mind the tugging ache in her heart over missing Jack. She'd see him again soon enough. Lexy did one more walk-through to make sure everything was secure, then they went out the back exit to the alley, where Cassie was parked.

  "How's John doing?" Lexy asked as she climbed into the passenger seat of Cassie's Prius. "Is he working late too?"

  "Not that I know of. Why?"

  "Just wondered. Since they've got that new case and all. Seems like if Jack was working late, John would be too."

  "Hmm." Cassie started the engine then pulled out of the alley. "John didn't really say anything about it when I talked to him earlier. He might have forgotten to mention it. Or maybe he's doing cleanup on an older case."

  Cassie changed the subject to the new fondant colors they'd started experimenting with, pink-and-purple swirls and rainbow. They'd been working on ways to wrap the fondant over a cake and not have any creases in the pattern. Twenty minutes later, Cassie dropped Lexy off in front of her craftsman-style bungalow. She'd left a light on in the front living room, and she spotted her dog, Sprinkles, in the front window, tail wagging in anticipation.

  After a quick goodbye and thank you to Cassie, she let herself inside. Sprinkles met her at the door—all wagging tail and floppy white fur. She scampered around in circles, her nails clicking on the hardwood floor, until Lexy picked her up to cuddle. Through the cozy living room, she spotted her prized grandfather clock against the dining room wall. It was a bit after six. "How's my baby tonight, huh?"

  Sprinkles nuzzled her soft fur against Lexy's neck and then covered her chin in sloppy dog kisses.

  "Yech." Lexy put Sprinkles down gently and wiped her chin.

  She headed into the kitchen with Sprinkles leaping around her feet. She refilled the dog's food and water bowls before letting Sprinkles out into the fenced backyard for some exercise. The black-and-white linoleum gleamed merrily, and the crisp white cabinets beckoned. She'd just started pulling things out of the fridge for dinner when Jack walked through the front door, wine and flowers in hand.

  "I'm so sorry about not being able give you a ride tonight, honey." He kissed her sweetly, setting his items on the granite countertop so he could slide his arms around her waist. All Lexy's anxiety about Jack's cancellation melted away. There was no better place in the world than where Lexy was right that minute. She rested her palm against his chest to feel the steady thump of his heartbeat. Jack smiled down at her. "How was your day?"

  "Good. You'll be happy to know there was no more snooping at all," she teased. "Your stern warning worked."

  He winced. "I'm sorry about that too. I didn't mean to be so hard on you. I just worry about you when I'm not around."

  "I know." She kissed him again then pulled away to let Sprinkles back inside. "And I appreciate that. And the gifts." She gestured toward the beautiful pink roses—her favorite—and the wine. "Is this to apologize for earlier, or were you being naughty too?"

  "What? No." He shook his head and turned away fast, his expression flustered. "I just like doing nice things for you, honey. What are we making for dinner?"

  "How about baked chicken and potatoes?"

  "Sounds great." He joined her at the counter, and they prepared the food together. Jack scrubbed the potatoes then doused them in olive oil and salt and pepper before poking them with a fork and wrapping them in foil. Lexy cleaned the chicken breasts then doused them in olive oil and garlic before she dredged them in bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. They went into a stoneware baker then into the oven with the potatoes to bake for an hour.

  Jack uncorked the wine and poured them each a glass, handing one to Lexy after she finished washing and drying her hands. "We discovered the identity of the victim from this morning."

  "Yeah?" she said, sipping her chardonnay and trying to act nonchalant. "Who was he?"

  "Guy by the name of Sherman Wilson," Jack said.

  "Like the paint?" Lexy asked.

  "No. That's Sherwin Williams, honey." Jack laughed. "We had a few chuckles around the station about that too, until we got his background check. Turns out the guy robbed a bank. Just got out of jail for it too." Jack took a swallow of his wine then frowned. "Which doesn't explain why a man who's fresh out of prison would be found dead under Ruth's car. Can't imagine a guy who just finished serving his time in prison would go right back to being involved in a robbery that could send him back behind bars."

  "Huh. That does seem odd, doesn't it? Unless he was desperate." Lexy took Jack's hand and led him into the living room, where they both took a seat on the overstuffed sofa. "The ladies stopped by again for brownies at the bakery this afternoon."

  "Yeah?" Jack set his glass on the coffee table, one side of his full lips quirking into a smile. "And here I thought you said you weren't snooping again."

  "I wasn't. Honest." She gave him a gentle, reproachful look. "Nans did bring up a good point, though, while they were eating."

  "What's that?"

  "She mentioned Nunzio and his blackmail list. You guys never did find it, did you?"

  "Nope." Jack narrowed his gaze. "Why?"

  "Well, her theory was what if this Wilson man knew about the list and came looking for it once he was freed from prison? After all, criminals do talk on the inside, right? Nans thought maybe this Sherman Wilson was on the list, or maybe he wanted to find it so he could continue Nunzio's blackmail scheme."

  Jack shook his head and exhaled slowly, his expression resigned. "Figures Mona and the ladies would be right in the thick of things again. Listen, honey. I want you to promise me you'll stay out of this one, all right? This Wilson guy was a dangerous criminal—clever, resourceful, ruthless. Which means whoever killed him must have been even worse to get the upper hand on him. I don't want you or Mona or any of her friends from the retirement community to get any crazy ideas about helping on this investigation. The Brook Ridge Falls Police Department is perfectly capable of handling this investigation on our own. After all, I'm the homicide detective in the family, remember?"

  He pulled her into his arms and kissed her before getting up to grab the wine from the kitchen. When he returned, he poured them each a refill before continuing. "Hey, since your car's still in the shop and I couldn't pick you up after work tonight, how about I get up early in the morning and drop you at the bakery?" He clinked wine glasses with her. "Sound good?"

  "Yes." Lexy smiled, glad to have their easy connection back again. "I'd like that."

  "Good. And I want you to promise me you'll stay at the shop all day tomorrow. The last thing I need is for you to go out snooping with your grandmother and risking life and limb, not until we get whoever's responsible for Sherman Wilson's murder behind bars. Okay?"

  Lexy ducked her head, a twinge of remorse pinching her chest. She love
d Jack more than life itself, but him asking her to promise something like that was impossible. Not when she was certain the ladies would be back out in force the next day. She couldn't leave Nans and her friends to their own devious devices, especially after what Jack had said about Wilson's killer.

  "Great." Jack toed off his shoes and stretched out his long legs, slipping his arm around Lexy's shoulders and snuggling her into his side. Sprinkles jumped up on the sofa and settled in beside Lexy to sleep. Jack kissed Lexy on the top of the head then clicked on the TV news. "Let's watch some news while we wait for supper to cook."

  While the reporter on-screen rattled off the day's top headlines, Lexy's mind raced. Lying to her husband didn't sit well with her. Then again, she hadn't verbally agreed to not see Nans and her friends the next day, so that wouldn't constitute an actual promise, would it? As of now, she had no plans to leave the bakery tomorrow, but that could change on a dime where the Ladies Detective Club was concerned.

  She cuddled against Jack's warmth and deeply inhaled his scent—musk and vanilla and trust—before sighing. Nope. No promises. That way she wouldn't have to break her word to him again.

  Chapter Five

  The morning sun slanted in through the front window of The Cup and Cake, glinting off the stainless-steel edging of the pastry display case, the glass of which Lexy had just spent ten minutes getting squeaky clean. Inside, a fresh batch of croissants battled with cheese Danishes and blueberry scones for attention. On the top shelf, three dozen cinnamon rolls so fresh from the oven that the air was still spiced with their scent dripped with glaze.

  Lexy stood back to admire the display. Would the elephant ears look better in the center of the shelf or to the right? Center. She went to the back of the case, slid the door open, and had her upper body inside the case, trying to reach the platter of rolls, when the bells over the door jingled.

  She peered through the front of the case, the curved glass distorting the image of a dapper older gentleman in a tweed sport coat and a slightly battered fedora coming through the door.

  Lexy extracted herself from the case and smiled a greeting.

  He raised his cane to her in greeting. "Good morning, my dear. Lovely day we're having. Just lovely."

  "Hello," Lexy said, wiping her hands on her vintage pink polka-dot apron. "How may I help you today?"

  "Oh, well, I've never been to the bakery and thought I'd pop in to see what you had to offer. I've heard such good things about your baked goods." He removed his hat, revealing a bald patch amidst his curly gray hair. "And I must say it smells wonderful in here."

  "Thank you." Lexy couldn't help smiling at the old charmer. He was right. Cassie had some almond scones going in the oven, and the air was heavy with the scent of sugar and almonds mingled with the cinnamon from the rolls. "Are you living at the retirement center?"

  Given the small size of Brook Ridge Falls, the geriatrics made up a sizable portion of her customer base, and most of them lived at the senior center, but Lexy had met a good portion of the residents. Then again, the woman who had driven the Uber car was new to her, so this gentleman could be too.

  "No, my dear, I have my own place. How lovely this bakery is—you must be a hard worker." He gave her a coy look. "You must keep your husband on his toes."

  "I try." Lexy winked and held out her hand. "I'm Lexy Baker."

  "Herman Conti," the man said, taking her hand and bowing. "At your service."

  "Very nice to meet you, Mr. Conti." She walked behind the counter. "My grandmother is part of the retirement community. She lives at the center. Perhaps you know her. Mona—"

  "My dear, who do you think talked up your establishment to me?" Herman smiled. "She and her friends are quite a riot."

  "Hmm." The conversation from the taxi the previous day ran through Lexy's head. If she wasn't mistaken, Mr. Conti was the gentleman Ida had teased Ruth about, saying he was sweet on her. Considering her last boyfriend was a gangster, it looked as if Ruth could do a lot worse than Mr. Conti.

  "What can I get for you today? My assistant is in the back, getting a fresh batch of almond scones ready, if you'd like. Or perhaps a box of freshly baked cookies to take back home?"

  "Hmm." He perused the selections in the case then straightened. "For now, I believe I'll wait on some of those scones, if you don't mind."

  Lexy gestured to one of the empty tables near the window. "Have a seat. They should be out shortly."

  "Thank you." Mr. Conti took off his hat and laid it on the chair next to him. "You know, your grandmother and her friends are the reason I'm here today."

  "Really?" Lexy said, going back to her rearranging. "Besides the food recommendation."

  "Yes. You see, I'm good friends with one of your grandmother's dear friends. Ruth. I came here this morning hoping I might see her. Has she been in yet today?"

  "I'm afraid not, Mr. Conti." Lexy smiled at his earnest tone. Seemed the old guy had it bad for Ruth. "But I can let her know you came by if I see her later."

  "Oh, no need. No need. I was just worried about her after all that fuss at her storage unit yesterday."

  Lexy straightened, frowning. "You heard about that?"

  "News travels fast in a small town," he said, toying with the end of his cane. "Good and bad. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure she was all right."

  "Well, if it's any consolation, as far as I know, she's fine. I was there with them yesterday when the body was discovered, and though it was quite shocking, I think we'll all survive."

  "Excellent to hear, my dear."

  Mr. Conti didn't look quite as enthused as his statement suggested, and she felt a pang of pity for him. "I'll certainly let Ruth know of your concern for her, though, if I see her."

  "Oh, thank you." He perked up a bit, looking around the bakery. "I used to own my own business once. A men's hat shop. This was when the Rat Pack had hit it big. Sold a lot of fedoras back then. Even headed my local Rotary Club chapter. Good times then."

  His expression turned melancholy, and Lexy wanted to ask him more but never got the chance.

  "Fresh, hot scones coming up," Cassie said, carrying out a tray filled with almond, ham, and blueberry scones. She glanced over and saw their guest. "Oh hi, Mr. Conti. Don't you look handsome today."

  He puffed up like a peacock. "Flattery, dear, will get you everywhere. And isn't that shade of blue on your tresses just perfect with your complexion."

  Cassie gave him a curtsy then grinned at Lexy. "Have I mentioned how much I love working here?"

  "Not recently, no." Lexy took the tray and fit it into an empty space in the display case. Afterward, she turned back to Mr. Conti. "Scones are ready. How many would you like, sir?"

  "An even half dozen, please. I'll take a few to the senior center to share with the other residents." Mr. Conti stood and pulled out his wallet to pay. "And give me a dozen of those snickerdoodle cookies too. Always love a good snickerdoodle."

  Lexy rang up his purchases and handed him his change then leaned her forearms on the counter as she watched him put the money back in his pocket. His clothes had to be at least thirty years old, given their wear, but his watch looked new and shiny. Odd. But then maybe he'd gotten it as a gift recently.

  "Don't forget to tell Ruth I asked about her," he said, picking up his box of goodies. "From what I saw on the news this morning, the police are still searching for the killer. Dangerous stuff, that."

  "Will do, Mr. Conti. And you be careful out there yourself." She smiled and waved as he headed for the door. "Have a good day, and it was wonderful to meet you."

  He left, and Lexy turned back to Cassie, who was leaning against the back wall behind the counter with her arms crossed. "So you love working here, huh?"

  "Sometimes," Cassie joked back. "When my boss isn't grilling me."

  "Nice." Lexy walked back into the kitchen with Cassie on her heels.

  "Good thing I gave you a ride home yesterday," Cassie said, adjusting the temperature on the oven for
the next batch of goodies going in—giant cupcakes they would use to make Lexy's famous cupcake tops. "The boys worked late last night, huh?"

  "Late?" Lexy gave her friend a confused stare. "Jack came home right after you dropped me off."

  "Really?" Cassie seemed flustered. "Oh, well. I guess I thought he'd be late because John didn't get in until after nine. He wouldn't tell me about his day either. Did Jack act strangely last night?"

  "No. Not really. Why?"

  "Nothing." Cassie gave the dark chocolate batter in a stainless steel bowl a few swipes with a spatula. She poured it carefully into the paper-lined muffin pan then slid it into the oven. "Never mind."

  The whole exchange was weird and left Lexy feeling more than a little unsettled. Images of Jack arriving with roses and wine flashed in her head. Come to think of it, he'd never brought her gifts before when he'd been late. Nor had he apologized when they'd had a minor disagreement. And when she'd asked him if he'd been naughty, he'd gotten all flustered…

  The phone on the wall rang, jarring her out of her thoughts. Lexy answered, scolding herself for being silly. Jack was wonderful and sweet and kind and caring. There was nothing suspicious going on. She was creating mountains out of mole hills… "The Cup and Cake. Lexy speaking. How may I—"

  "Lexy, dear. It's Nans."

  Her voice sounded frantic, and Lexy's pulse skyrocketed. Why hadn't Nans called her cell? "What's wrong?"

  "There's trouble at Ruth's condo at the retirement community. Can you come over?"

  "I'll be right there." She hung up and ripped off her apron. "I need to get to Nans' right away. Can I borrow your car?"

  "Uh, sure." Cassie followed her out to the front of the shop, where Lexy grabbed her purse from beneath the counter. "Is everything all right?"

  "I'm not sure," Lexy said, grabbing Cassie's keys and heading toward the back exit. "I'll let you know once I find out more."

  Chapter Six

  Lexy's heart was racing like a thoroughbred making its debut run in the Preakness as she careened into the retirement center parking lot. Where were the police cars? The ambulance? She'd expected people to be swarming. The state police. Reporters. Maybe even a medicopter. But there was only one police car, and it didn't even have the lights on. Her anxiety eased down a few notches. Things weren't as bad as she'd imagined.