Desserts and Death

by Harper Lin

  “Who?” she asked calmly.

  “Todd Coz. Biker. Bit of a bad boy.”

  Luann laughed.

  “Do I look like the type of woman who dates bikers? I’m sure you’ve heard of my late husband. My standards are very high, Detective.” She looked down at her long, manicured fingernails then back up at Dan.

  “But your daughter fell in love with a mechanic. Were you disappointed?”

  “I wanted my daughter to be happy. But I sheltered her so much. She gave her heart to the first guy who had the nerve to come up to her. What could I do? I can’t stand in the way of my daughter’s happiness.”

  Amelia remembered the insurance policy on Colleen’s nightstand. Colleen was due to receive six million dollars in the event Greg died. The papers hadn’t been signed yet. When Amelia was hiding under the bed, she heard Luann trying to get Colleen to sign the papers fast.

  She jumped up and left the room to knock on the door, interrupting Dan’s interrogation.

  “What is it?” Dan asked quietly, shutting the door behind him while Luann waited. Amelia told him about the policy.

  “With everything else that went on that day, I totally forgot about it until now. Todd said Luann kept saying she needed money. Do you think this could be an elaborate insurance scam?”

  Dan walked to the bull pen and asked Officer Vincent to run a skip-trace on Luann Jameson. Her address was in the file on his desk. Dan went back to the interrogation room, leaving Amelia in the bull pen.

  When he returned, it had been just a minute, and Officer Vincent was back with a long printout of paper.

  Dan grinned.

  “This is interesting.”

  “What is it?” Amelia wiped sweat from her head. She was starting to feel very warm.

  “It looks like Luann Jameson is in debt almost three quarters of a million dollars. Greg Scottson was her meal ticket. A poor kid who was just a mechanic and who happened to like her daughter. He was expendable.”

  Amelia felt weak and sat down.

  Before Dan could get back to Luann in Interrogation Room B, a pretty young girl who looked like a more conservative, modest version of Luann came into the station. She had a file with her and appeared to have been crying.

  “Colleen?” Amelia waved nervously. Was she really seeing her, or had she come down with a fever and was hallucinating?

  Colleen smiled and came up to Amelia.

  “Hi, Mrs. Harley. Funny meeting you here. I hope everything is all right,” she said politely.

  “Just some vandals hit my food truck. I’m just filing a report.”

  The smile fell from Colleen’s face.

  “So she did do it.”

  Amelia looked up to Dan, who had taken a step closer.

  “Colleen, this is Detective Dan Walishovski.”

  “Hello, Detective. I’m Colleen Scottson. I’m hoping someone can help me.”

  “I’ll do my best, miss.”

  “My mother killed my husband. I’d like to press charges.”

  Amelia and Dan could have been knocked over by a feather.

  “Excuse me, Miss Scottson. Why don’t you come with me where we can talk in private?”

  “I don’t need to talk in private, Detective.” Colleen squared her shoulders. “Everyone here knows who my mother is. Only I know what she is. And I want to make sure that justice is done.”

  “Have a seat, Miss Scottson.”

  “I’m fine to stand,” she protested. “It’s all right here. My mother had spent my stepfather’s entire fortune. She’d even tapped into my account, leaving me with barely anything left in my trust.” She handed over to Dan a thick manila folder. “It’s all right here. Her bank transactions. My signature that she forged. The debtors who have been trying to chase her down. And of course, the insurance policy she took out on Greg.”

  “You didn’t take it out?” Dan asked, looking through all the papers.

  “I had no idea it existed. Not until after his ‘accident.’” Colleen used air quotes for emphasis. “My mother’s fingerprints are all over it. She forged my signature on that, too.”

  “Colleen, do you know who Todd Coz is?”

  “No. I have no idea. But I saw his name on a couple of personal checks. I just assumed he was a masseuse or a tennis instructor or one of the dozens of people she pays to be around her. Why? Who is he?”

  “We think he’s the man who pushed your husband off the roof.”

  Colleen’s bottom lip began to tremble, and tears fell from her eyes.

  “Right. Because my mother would never do the dirty work. She’d pay someone to do it. She’d pay them with a check.” Colleen shook her head.

  Everyone stood still in the bull pen for a few minutes. Finally, Dan spoke.

  “We have your mother in an office. With this information, we are going to have to put her under arrest. Do you want to talk to her before we do that?”

  Colleen looked at the floor then up at Dan.

  “I don’t have anything to say to her, Detective.”

  Just then, a ruckus could be heard down the hallway.

  “If I’m not being charged with anything, I refuse to wait here any longer. This is unwarranted detainment, and I…” Luann froze when she saw Colleen.

  Amelia started to shake as the chills from her fever took hold of her. But she watched the mother and daughter with morbid fascination.

  “Mrs. Jameson,” Dan said. “Your daughter has provided us with some very important information.”

  Luann still stared at her daughter.

  “I’m going to need you to put your hands behind your back. You are under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder of Greg Scottson. You have the right to remain silent.”

  “Colleen, what have you done?” Luann asked. “What have you told them? You’re out of your mind with grief. Tell them! Tell them that you didn’t mean it! Colleen!”

  “He loved me, Mom, and you had him killed.” Colleen faced her mother. “And you trashed Amelia’s truck. Just admit it. You said you were going to, and you did it. You are pathetic.”

  “I didn’t do it! I didn’t do any of it! Todd Coz did it! Honey, he was stalking you! He was obsessed with you, and when he found out you were married to Greg, he took it out on him. He pushed him off the roof!”

  “You’re a liar,” Colleen replied, almost whispering. “Detective, call me if you need me. My contact information is in the file.”

  The entire police station fell silent as Colleen walked out. The only sound was the ragged gasps of Luann’s breathing. Amelia turned to look at her. This time, Luann really didn’t see Amelia. She was staring into space. Her entire body was taut like a bow when an arrow is about to be fired. How long she’d be able to sustain that was anyone’s guess. But Amelia didn’t want to be around when she snapped and the reality of the situation settled in.

  Officer Vincent took Luann by the arm and led her out of the bull pen. Amelia assumed she was being booked and fingerprinted and all that jazz.

  “I’m going to take you home, Amelia,” Dan said, offering her his hand. “I don’t know if you know it, but you are radiating heat off your body.”

  “Don’t get fresh with me, Detective,” she muttered.

  “You have a fever, don’t you,” he stated rather than asked.

  “I wasn’t feeling good this morning. I told you. It’s just all caught up with me.”

  “Let’s get you home.”

  As she climbed into his car, she felt her eyes burning with tears.

  “John’s talking about having the kids live with him. When they told me he called last night and that he suggested it, I think my body just gave up.”

  “He’s done this before.” Dan pinched his eyebrows together. “He’s asked the kids, and they’ve said no. They’ll say no again,” Dan said soothingly.

  “It’s just that he always decides to make these plans when I’m least prepared to deal with them. Why does he do that? Why doesn’t he ask me first?” />
  “When you were married, did he ever ask you first?” Dan’s voice was angry. Not at Amelia but at her ex-husband, who he currently wanted to punch in the nose.

  “No. He didn’t. He never did.”

  “Then not much has changed on his end. But everything has changed on your end, and I think that is what is really bothering him.”

  “But he’s got everything. The fancy job with the fancy salary and the trophy wife and the huge house. Why would he try to take the kids? He never wanted them before,” Amelia whined. “I’m sorry.” She blubbered. “It’s this bug. I don’t feel good, and I wish I had my mama.”

  Dan smiled and rubbed her cheek gently as he drove to her house.

  Once there, he ran her a hot shower, left her flannel pajamas for her to get dressed in, then helped her get into bed before he put on a pot of tea.

  “Dan, I can’t thank you enough,” she said as the shot of Nyquil she took started to take hold. “I’ve made you late for work. You can go. I don’t need anyone.”

  “That’s not true,” he murmured while he held her hand and sat on the side of the bed. “I can’t bring back your mama, but I called for reinforcements.”

  At that second, the front door was unlocked, opened, and slammed shut.

  “We’re up here!” Dan yelled.

  “Lord, I hope you both are decent,” Lila called up the steps.

  Amelia’s eyes teared up, but she smiled.

  “Look at this. When Dan called me about the truck, I knew you’d take it hard, but honey, we can get that paint job done in no time. I’ve already got a couple guys from the Twisted Spoke cleaning up the garbage for us.”

  “Really?” Amelia yawned.

  “I told Rusty over the phone, and he said not to worry. When I went out there to see for myself, they were already almost done. Gavin and the folks from the Burrito Wagon were also pitching in.”

  “I feel like George Bailey from It’s a Wonderful Life,” Amelia replied with heavy eyes.

  “I do hope we find out who did it,” Lila hissed.

  “We did.” Amelia yawned again. “I’ll tell you all about it. As soon as I wake up.”

  “That sounds perfect,” Lila replied, pulling the blankets up around her friend. “I’ll be reading downstairs. Call me when you wake up.”

  “Thanks, Lila. Thanks, Dan.” She grinned slyly at them. “I knew you guys were keepers.”

  “Oh yeah? How did you know that?” Lila asked.

  Amelia looked lovingly at Dan.

  “I went with my gut.”

  Continue the Pink Cupcake series with book 7: Bake Sale for Murder. In the middle of a messy custody battle with her ex-husband, Amelia volunteers to organize a high school bake sale to raise money for Meg’s art club. She also has ulterior motives to be inside the school: find out why a popular football player was found dead in the school gym. Read an excerpt at the end of this book.

  Catch up on all the books in the Pink Cupcake series here.

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  Recipe 1: Vanilla Cherry Cupcakes

  Makes 24

  * * *

  Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour + 2 tbsp. for coating cherries

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • ¼ tsp sea salt

  • ¾ cup organic sugar

  • ¼ cup honey

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt

  • 3 cups pitted and chopped fresh cherries

  * * *

  Frosting:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • ½ cup organic sugar

  • 3 cups heavy cream

  • 24 fresh cherries to top each cupcake

  * * *

  Preheat oven to 350 F. Line pan with cupcake liners.

  In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

  Rinse, cut, pit, and chop cherries. Set aside in a bowl.

  In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high for about 5 minutes, or until foamy and thick. Add honey and vanilla. Beat for 2 more minutes.

  Add melted butter and Greek yogurt. Beat on medium until combined. Sift and mix in flour in two separate additions. Mix carefully not to deflate air bubbles.

  Sprinkle cherries with flour. Add cherries in the batter and gently mix.

  Fill each liner up 3/4 with batter. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

  Frosting: Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth and sugar is completely dissolved. Add vanilla extract. Mix just until combined. Add heavy cream. Start on low and gradually increase mixing speed to prevent splatters. Beat cream until thick, around 1-2 minutes.

  Transfer into a piping bag to frost cupcakes. Top each cupcake with a cherry. Can refrigerate cupcakes in a closed container.

  Recipe 2: Green Tea Cupcakes

  Makes 12. Not the healthy version!

  * * *

  Ingredients

  • 1 cup cake flour

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 1/4 cup butter, softened

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 tbsp unsweetened matcha

  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

  • 1/4 tsp baking soda

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp almond extract

  * * *

  Frosting:

  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar

  • 4 tbsp butter, lightly softened

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 1 tbsp unsweetened matcha

  * * *

  Preheat oven to 350 F. Line pan with 12 cupcake liners.

  Sift flour, matcha powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

  In another bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer or beater at medium-high speed for up to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add egg and almond extract and mix well.

  Over low speed, add in the dry ingredients. Add milk. Mix until combined.

  Pour batter into cupcakes and bake for 16-18 minutes. Let cool in the pan before transferring to wire rack.

  * * *

  Frosting: In a bowl, sift together confectioner’s sugar and matcha powder. Mix well.

  In another bowl, cream butter and cream cheese over medium speed. Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined.

  Add frosting to a piping bag to pipe over cooled cupcakes.

  Can refrigerate the cupcakes in a covered container for up to 5 days.

  About the Author

  Harper Lin is the USA TODAY bestselling author of 6 cozy mystery series including The Patisserie Mysteries and The Cape Bay Cafe Mysteries.

  When she's not reading or writing mysteries, she loves going to yoga classes, hiking, and hanging out with her family and friends.

  For a complete list of her books by series, see her website. Follow Harper on social media using the icons below for the latest insider news.

  www.HarperLin.com

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  A Note From Harper

  Thank you so much for reading Desserts and Death. If you were entertained by this Pink Cupcake mystery, please recommend it to friends and family who would enjoy it too. I would also really appreciate it if you could write a book review to help spread the word.

  You might also enjoy my other dessert cozy mystery series:

  • The Cape Bay Cafe Mysteries: When Fran moves back to her idyllic beach town to take over the family café, she also develops a knack for solving bizarre murders. Each book includes special recipes.

  • The Patisserie Mysteries: An heiress to a famous French patisserie chain takes over the family business, while using her status as a Parisian socialite to solve murders in high society. Each book includes French dessert recipes. />
  • The Emma Wild Mysteries: a 4-Book holiday cozy series about a famous singer returning to her small Canadian town.

  I also have 2 other fun mystery series:

  • Secret Agent Granny: 70-year-old Barbara is a sweet grandmother—and a badass ex-CIA agent.

  • The Wonder Cats Mysteries: three witches and their magical cats solve paranormal murder cases in the mystical town of Wonder Falls.

  If you want to be the first to hear about new book releases and early bird specials, sign up for my mailing list.

  I’m also on Facebook, where I’ll be holding giveaways, sharing recipes, and posting about what I’m reading at the moment.

  Follow my Pinterest boards to see the locations and inspirations behind each book.

  You can also connect with me on Goodreads.

  If you’d like to get in touch with me directly, you can email me at harperlinauthor@outlook.com. I would love to hear what you think about the books. Do also drop me a note if you happen to catch any mistakes. While each book is edited and proofread by professionals, errors can still slip through sometimes. As an indie writer, I want to provide readers with the smoothest read possible.

  Last but not least, visit my website for my blog and a complete list of all my books, organized by series.

  Thanks and much love,

  Harper

  Excerpt from “Bake Sale for Murder”

  “Do you really expect to get a job looking like that?” Lila shouted as Amelia looked out of the order window of the Pink Cupcake truck.

  “What did you think when you rolled out of bed this morning and headed over here? Did you look in the mirror and say, ‘Yes, this looks good’? Because you and I obviously have a very different idea of what good looks like.” She was talking with the latest twenty-something inquiring about the assistant job. The truck was already hot, so Lila suggested they get to know their prospective employees outside the truck. That way, Lila could decide if they were worth introducing to the boss or not. From the sound of it, this person did not cut the mustard.