Murder Can Confuse Your Chihuahua

by Rose Pressey

  Crust

  2 sticks unsalted butter

  1 cup all-purpose flour

  ½ cup granulated sugar

  ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

  Filling

  6 eggs

  3 cups granulated sugar

  1 cup all-purpose flour

  1 cup lemon juice

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9- x 13-inch baking dish.

  2. Place 1 cup flour and butter in a mixing bowl. Combine thoroughly. Add ½ cup sugar and vanilla extract. Mix together until crumbly like cookie dough.

  3. With moistened fingers, press dough into bottom of baking dish.

  4. Bake crust on center rack for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

  5. Beat eggs in a bowl. Whisk in sugar and flour until smooth. Add lemon juice.

  6. Pour lemon custard over crust.

  7. Bake at 350 degrees for twenty minutes until filling is set.

  8. Let the pan cool and then place in refrigerator for a couple hours until chilled.

  9. Dust with powdered sugar.

  CHAPTER 6

  Have a checklist so you don’t forget anything. This goes for murder clues as well as art supplies.

  Van barked, and his tailed wagged quickly, like a tiny propeller. We got out of the truck and walked over to meet my grandmother. Her large white Cadillac was parked a few spots down from me.

  “Grammy, what are you doing here at this hour?” I asked after giving her a hug.

  “Darling, Grammy still drives, you know. Plus, I’m allowed out after four p.m. I don’t have a curfew yet.” She rubbed Van’s little apple-shaped head.

  Sadly, I knew all too well that she drove. However, I didn’t like the idea of her tooling around after dark. She insisted she was fine with driving and nothing had changed since her sixteenth birthday. That was sixty-nine years ago. A few things had changed, but I wouldn’t argue that fact.

  “Which store did you go to?” I asked.

  She showed her bag. “I went to the hardware store for some nails.”

  “Why do you need nails?”

  “I’m rescreening my porch.”

  My eyes widened. “Grammy, you can’t do that.”

  “Why can’t I do that? Is it against the law?”

  “You’ll hurt yourself.”

  Van barked as if he was agreeing with me.

  “Whose side are you on, Van?” She placed her hand on her slender hip. “I am perfectly capable of fixing the porch.”

  “If you wait until later, I’ll come over and help you.”

  She waved her hand. “Oh no, you’re busy and don’t have time for me.”

  Now she was making me feel guilty.

  “Of course, I have time for you, Grammy.”

  “Well, we’ll see,” she said.

  That was her way of saying she was going to do it anyway. I’d have to hurry up with dinner and get over to her house before she did anything.

  “Where are you headed, dear?” she asked.

  I was surprised she hadn’t mentioned the body that had been discovered down by the river. She knew I was at the craft fair this week. At least, I’d told her I would be there. I was sure the murder would be the talk of the town. Not to mention that I’d been the one to find Erica.

  “Grammy, have you seen the news?”

  I wished I could keep it from her, but I knew she’d find out soon enough. The last thing I wanted was to upset her.

  “I’ve been busy,” she said.

  Doing what? What other home-improvement project had she tackled?

  “There was a murder at the festival,” I said matter-of-factly.

  Her eyes widened. “Why haven’t I heard about this?”

  “I don’t know, but I promise things are fine, so you don’t have to worry.”

  “Not worrying? That won’t happen,” she said. “This is terrifying. Do they know who did this?”

  I grimaced. My facial expression gave her the answer.

  Her hand flew to her mouth. “The killer is still out there? Oh, Celeste. You need to leave that festival right away.”

  “I need the money, Grammy.”

  “I can give you some money.” She unsnapped the clasp on her pocketbook.

  I stopped her. “No, Grammy. I need to make my own money. It’s important for my self-esteem. Plus, I can make money to buy you a pretty birthday gift.”

  “Oh no. Don’t you give me a thing,” she said.

  “We’ll see,” I said.

  She knew what that meant since she’d used that line on me.

  “The police are on the scene, and they’ll probably find the killer soon,” I said, trying to sound reassuring.

  “You’re not going to try to find the killer yourself, are you?”

  I gestured over my shoulder back at the bakery. “I thought it wouldn’t hurt if I helped research some of the clues.”

  She shook her head. “I love you, Celeste, but I don’t agree with the things you do sometimes.”

  Ignoring her comment, I said, “I need to ask a favor, Grammy.”

  “What’s that, dear?”

  “Can you watch Van for just a few minutes while I go into the bakery?”

  I wouldn’t tell her that the bakery was part of my clue research.

  “Sure, we’ll sit right here on this bench. Come to Grammy, Van.” My grandmother took Van from my arms and headed toward the bench positioned on the sidewalk.

  “I’ll be back in just a few,” I said from over my shoulder.

  I hoped something came of this visit. Opening the bakery door, I stepped inside and was greeted by the scent of vanilla and spice. The bell above the door chimed, announcing my arrival. No one was behind the counter, and there were no customers either. I stood in the middle of the room, unsure what to do next.

  “Hello?” I called out.

  After a few seconds, a gray-haired woman peeked out from around the swinging door that led from what I assumed was the kitchen area.

  “Sorry about that.” She stepped out from behind the door and over to the counter. “I was just cleaning up.”

  Yes, it was about closing time, and I didn’t want to take up too much of her time.

  “It’s no problem,” I said.

  “May I help you?” she asked as she wiped her hands on her apron.

  I couldn’t just ask questions without making a purchase. The sacrifices I made in the name of investigating. I peered into the display case. There wasn’t much left. Muffins, cookies, and a few cupcakes.

  “I’ll have a red velvet cupcake, and a chocolate one.” I pointed.

  Grammy loved red velvet. She deserved a thank-you treat for watching Van.

  “Coming right up,” the woman said.

  Now was my chance to ask questions.

  “Is April Beaumont working?” I asked, peering back toward the kitchen area.

  “She’s already gone for the day, but she’ll be working tomorrow.” She placed the cupcakes in a couple of boxes. “Are you friends with her?”

  “We just recently met.”

  “I suppose you know what happened.” The woman’s expression turned bleak. “I told her to take a few days off. In light of what happened, she needs to take some time.”

  “That’s probably a good idea,” I said.

  “And to think they were arguing before she was killed—that’s such a tragedy. Now that will be the last memory April has of Erica. They loved each other, but everyone fights sometimes.” She placed the boxes on top of the counter and gave me my total.

  “Yes, they do,” I said, handing her my credit card.

  April and Erica had argued? I couldn’t believe what she’d said. Maybe that was why Caleb said the police considered her a suspect.

  “Do you know why they were arguing?” I asked, trying not to sound too eager for the answer.

  She handed me the credit card back. I signed the receipt, still waiting for a response.

  “It was silly . . . ,” she said
with a nervous chuckle. “I’m sure it wasn’t true.”

  She was torturing me by dragging this out. Now I had to know the reason behind their spat.

  The woman scanned the room as if someone would overhear her. As far as I knew, we were the only ones in the bakery.

  “April thought Erica was going out with her boyfriend,” she said in a lowered voice.

  My eyes widened. “That’s certainly a reason for an argument. Was he cheating with Erica?”

  “Not that I know of, but I suppose I don’t know them that well. Just what April told me and what I overheard.”

  “Why did she accuse Erica of that?” I asked.

  Could this have been a love triangle gone horribly wrong? I wanted to ask for April’s boyfriend’s name, but this woman might assume that I should know. Did Pierce or Caleb know this information?

  “I suppose Erica and Mark had been together,” she said. “As in they were hanging out as friends.”

  At least now I had a first name. How would I get his last name?

  “I didn’t know Mark well. What’s his last name again?” I asked.

  “Patterson,” she said without hesitation.

  Finding this information had been easier than I’d expected. Wouldn’t Caleb and Pierce be impressed with my detective skills? Okay, probably not. Nevertheless, I was proud of how easily I’d found the details.

  “And he works here at the bakery?” I asked.

  “Oh no. I don’t think he does anything other than the photography. He’s not too good at it either.” She lowered her voice. “I think he works out of his home. He’s not that busy, if you know what I mean.”

  I nodded. “Yes, I guess I was confused about where he worked. Thank you for the cupcakes.”

  I wanted to thank her for the information, but she had no idea that she’d helped me.

  “Should I tell April that you stopped by?” she asked.

  That was the last thing I wanted.

  “I’ll give her a call. Thank you,” I said as I headed for the door with the cupcakes in hand.

  Grandma was still sitting on the bench with Van on her lap. He was enjoying watching the people and traffic.

  “I got you a thank-you gift.” I handed her the pink box. “It’s red velvet, your favorite.”

  Van sniffed the box.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” she said.

  I knew she was happy that I had, though.

  “Did you find out anything?” She gestured toward the bakery.

  Nothing got by grandma. She’d known the reason for my visit.

  “Actually, yes, I discovered some interesting information.” I picked up Van.

  “I just hope you’re careful.” She opened the box’s lid and sniffed the cupcake. “What if you find the killer and he knows you know? He could come after you.”

  “I won’t let that happen,” I said.

  The thought did scare me a bit. I walked with my grandmother over to her car.

  She opened her car door and slipped behind the wheel. “Just be careful. If you need backup, call me.”

  “I will,” I said around a laugh.

  “I’m serious.”

  I stopped my laughter. “Absolutely, I will call you.”

  “I’ll see you soon?” she asked.

  “As soon as possible,” I said.

  “I refuse to wait until Christmas to see you,” she said.

  I shook my head. “It won’t be that long.”

  She cranked the engine. “It had better not be that long.”

  With Van in my arms, I stood on the sidewalk, watching my grandmother drive away.

  “Well, Van, I guess we’re finished here. Now what should my next move be?” I rubbed behind his ears.

  When I spun around to go to my truck, I was startled to see Pierce there. He didn’t seem that surprised to see me, though.

  “How are you?” Pierce asked as he approached.

  “Fancy seeing you here,” I said with a nervous laugh.

  He motioned toward the bakery. How had he known where I’d been? I remembered the cupcake box in my hand. Oh yeah, that was a dead giveaway.

  “I just got a cupcake,” I said.

  Now I even sounded guilty.

  He leaned against the truck and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “What else did you discover while you were in there?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I just thought it was odd that you came to this bakery.”

  “I like the cupcakes,” I said.

  “You come here often?”

  “I’m watching my calories,” I said.

  “Right. It’s just a coincidence that the murder victim’s best friend works here.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, does she? I had no idea.”

  “I appreciate the help with the investigation, but we have everything under control.”

  Well, I wouldn’t argue with him, but I thought otherwise.

  Pierce studied my face. “What about dinner tonight?”

  I didn’t want to tell him that I already had plans with Caleb. When I didn’t answer right away, he knew something was wrong.

  “You already have plans, don’t you,” he said. “That’s okay, I understand.”

  Apparently, my face had given it away. Wasn’t he going to ask if I was available for another night?

  “Just be careful, Celeste. Let us handle the investigation,” he said.

  “I’m always careful,” I said.

  “I’m sure I’ll see you at the fair,” he said.

  “Thank you for the invitation. And yes, I’ll be at the fair,” I said.

  I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing else. He walked away. Now I felt even worse. What else could I do? After checking the time on my phone, I realized I only had a few minutes until it was time to meet Caleb. I hurried into the truck with Van and headed back toward the fair.

  I enjoyed Caleb’s company, but now I would be preoccupied by the information I’d learned at the bakery. Finding April’s boyfriend would have to wait until tomorrow. Maybe I could do some checking around early in the morning before the fair. If I had to wait until later in the evening, it would feel like an eternity. Soon I had reached the fair area again. I pulled the truck back up to the spot behind my trailer.

  “Van, you have to stay here and take a nap while I go out with Caleb. Gum Shoe will keep you company.”

  I knew Caleb would bring Gum Shoe over to visit with Van. They’d probably just nap, though. We climbed out of the truck just as Caleb was walking up.

  “I guess I have good timing,” he said.

  “We took a quick trip,” I said.

  He noticed the cupcake box in my hand. I hoped he didn’t put two and two together.

  “I’ll just put this away. Gum Shoe can come in with Van,” I said.

  Thank goodness, Caleb didn’t mention the cupcake box. Though that didn’t mean he wouldn’t ask about it later. After putting the dogs in the trailer, I walked over and climbed into Caleb’s truck with him.

  Soon Caleb and I arrived at Patty’s Paradise Café in Gatlinburg, just on the other side of the mountains. My aunt had the best food in all of Tennessee. Actually, she made the best food ever, but maybe I was a bit partial. Caleb had been obsessed since I’d brought him here for our first date. The burgers were almost like magic. Aunt Patty never revealed her secret, although I’d asked many times.

  Caleb parked up front, and we hopped out of his truck. For a split second, Pierce’s face flashed through my mind. He’d seemed upset when he’d found out I already had dinner plans. What could I do, though? Maybe I should ask him for ice cream. What would Caleb say if I brought him to Aunt Patty’s too?

  Caleb held the door open for me, and I stepped inside. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said.

  The smell of the burgers and fries hit me. Aunt Patty was behind the counter and spotted us right away.

  She tossed her hand up in a wave. “Cel
este and Caleb. Just the two people I wanted to see.”

  Uh oh. Was there a problem? She never said that. We stepped over to the counter. Anxiety settled in my stomach.

  “Is everything all right, Aunt Patty?” I asked.

  “You tell me,” she said as she wiped her hands on a towel. “What is happening over at the fair? I called your mother, and she told me about the murder. Said you’re okay, but we’re both worried.”

  I released a deep breath. “Is that all?”

  “Is that all?” Caleb and Patty said in unison.

  “Wow, there’s an echo in here,” I said.

  “There’s no reason to worry, Patty. I’m taking care of her.”

  I held my hand up. “I am fine.”

  “That’s probably what that poor girl thought before the killer found her,” Aunt Patty said with a wave of the spatula.

  This was certainly putting a gloomy mood over our dinner.

  “Don’t worry, Aunt Patty. Things will be fine,” I said.

  “I certainly hope so. Now you all go sit down, and I’ll get your orders on the grill. I assume you want the usual.”

  “Yes, the usual, I suppose,” I said.

  Caleb and I had only been here a couple of times together. How many visits had Caleb made alone since I’d brought him here? He most likely was truly addicted now. Caleb and I went over to the booth where we’d had our first meal together.

  “You can understand why your aunt is worried about you, can’t you?” Caleb said.

  “Yes, I can understand, but we can’t let being cautious stop us from proceeding with the fair. Do you have any clues?” I asked as I slid across the booth’s bench.

  He studied my face. “It doesn’t seem good, Celeste. Though we do have a footprint. It’s a large size, so we’re thinking it’s a man.”

  Aunt Patty brought over our drinks.

  “Thank you, Aunt Patty,” I said.

  “Yes, thanks, Patty,” Caleb said.

  “You’re welcome, sweetie. I’ll be back in a jiffy with the food.” She winked at Caleb.

  When she left, I picked up the conversation again.

  “A fresh footprint? I suppose if anyone other than the killer had been back there, they would have discovered the body, just like I did.”

  He sipped on his water. “I think so, yes.”

  “Interesting,” I said, taking a drink of my Diet Coke.