Ooey Gooey Bakery Mystery Box Set

by Katherine H Brown

  Sam pursed her lips in thought, “No, but I can’t seem to remember either thanks to this food coma. You know what, I see Margarite hovering nearby so I will just go ask her our schedule.”

  Gladys stood after Sam, saying she was going to use the restroom off of the foyer. I was left sitting alone. My eyes drifted closed.

  A throat cleared next to me.

  “Sorry,” Jill apologized as my eyes popped open in surprise. “I guess they should change my job title to mail carrier,” she said with an eye-roll as she handed me an elegant looking card. “This is for you.”

  “Thanks,” I said as I accepted the card. There was no envelope, no to or from address on the outside. I opened it not having any idea what to expect and was caught off guard by the block print newspaper letters pasted inside. TIME IS ALMOST UP it said.

  “Jill, Jill!” I dashed after her but she was already out of my sight. I spun in circles, eyeing everyone in the crowded garden, noting all of the blonde women. Blonde heads to the right and left. I spun, blondes behind and in front of me. Was my stalker so near? Had I seen the blue-eyed woman in yoga gear in the bakery before? The older grandmother with the dye job trying to pass as two generations younger? Maybe it was the blonde in the buffet line? Or did Gladys make up the story about the blonde to throw me off track? She was noticeably absent again, but I couldn’t imagine anything she would have against me. Then again, she was an odd duck and we hadn’t known her long. I thought back to her conversation with the palm trees in her backyard.

  Someone grabbed my arm and I clenched my fist, jerking away. “Piper?” Sam’s eyes were huge. “What is wrong, didn’t you hear me calling your name?”

  “Sorry. Here. Read this.” I watched as Sam’s frown deepened as she read the note and took in the ransom-like presentation of cut and pasted letters. She stuffed it in her pocket. “Whoever is doing this is obviously a coward and possibly delusional.”

  “That isn’t comforting. Is that supposed to be comforting?”

  “No, I’m just saying don’t let it get to you, Piper. We will keep our eyes open and stick together from now on. Whoever it is hasn’t approached you and hopefully, they won’t. Maybe they just get a kick out of messing with people.”

  Gladys materialized at our side. “Samantha, was Margarite able to refresh your memory on our next appointment?”

  “About that…” Sam trailed off and rolled her eyes up to the sky, throwing in duck lips for good measure.

  “Spill it,” I told her, recognizing the bad news face.

  “Yes, Margarite has our appointment set up already. We chose the food class this morning, remember.”

  My stomach rumbled in protest.

  “I can’t eat another bite!” Gladys yelped.

  “Me neither,” Sam said, “but I don’t think we have to eat. From what I gathered out of Margarite’s broken description, this is a class teaching you beauty tips and tricks as related to foods.”

  “Fine,” I said. “But I may skip supper and just have dessert tonight.”

  “Don’t you mean skip dessert?” Gladys asked.

  “Of course not, I mean skip supper. I don’t have room for any more food but the dessert in the dining hall has been decadent. I refuse to miss out on any tonight.”

  “Come on,” Sam grabbed my hand. “Margarite and the merry assistants are waiting to escort us to the kitchen for our class.”

  “Piper, there you are,” Jill held out a white, square box that was tied with a silver, velvety cord. “This package was delivered for you today.”

  “Really?” I asked accepting the package. “Who is it from?”

  Jill looked down and wrung her hands together. “There was a card…I’m sorry. I bumped into some blonde woman in the hall and dropped the box. She handed it back but I was halfway down the hall before realizing the card was no longer attached. I went back to look for it; the card was nowhere to be found. I was hoping you were expecting it and wouldn’t need the card.”

  “No, I have no idea what it could be.”

  “Should I take it to your suite instead?”

  “I’ll take it. Thank you anyway but now I’m curious to open this mysterious box.”

  Sam piped in, “Piper, I’m going to come with you. Just in case…”

  I nodded. Sam was obviously worried that my stalker had a more sinister game in mind, escalating from notes to gifts. All the more reason to open this in private and not in an exposed place; there was no telling what might be inside.

  “What’s going on?” Gladys asked as she shuffled closer.

  “Piper received an unexpected gift,” Sam pointed at the box.

  “And there was a blonde woman in the hall.” Okay, that sounded lame even as I said it. Still, I found it bizarre that a blonde had a run-in with my package and now the card was missing.

  “We’re going to open it in the suite really quickly before we head to the food class in the kitchen.”

  “Okay, let’s go.” Gladys looked at us both, “I’m going with you…I did not send this box or any notes and I want to see what is inside, now scoot.”

  After assuring Jill, Margarite, and Lola that we did not need an escort to our rooms, we agreed to let them come get us in ten minutes to walk us to the kitchen since we hadn’t been to that part of the spa yet. It was somewhere near the dining hall but we knew it wasn’t worth the time to argue with Margarite.

  I placed the box on the coffee table in the sitting room. Sam took off one of her heels and held it up.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Getting ready for whatever is in that box,” she replied matter-of-factly. It was a good feeling to know your friend was willing to save you from any kind of attack, even if her only weapon was a shoe.

  Gladys shook her head, “I doubt it can be that bad. Just open it.”

  So, I did. With deliberate movements I pulled the silver cord loose from the beautiful bow it was tied in, letting it fall to the table. Placing one hand on each side of the box, I braced myself and took a step back as I yanked off the lid. Nothing jumped out, fell out, or moved so I stepped back to the table and peered in the box. And gasped.

  Sam raised her heel higher.

  “What? What?” She and Gladys approached as I reached into the box.

  With extreme care, I lifted out the most beautiful dress I had ever seen. It was simply stunning as I held it up and the whole garment was revealed. Silver, the same color as the cord, a floor length, halter-top, fitted gown. The plunging neckline glittered with Swarovski crystals that tapered off and ran down one side to the hip. The three of us simply gawked at it.

  “Sam, did you buy me this?” I asked when I found my power of speech again. I was pretty sure I knew the answer since Sam was standing beside me staring, having dropped her shoe in surprise moments ago.

  “No way. You would kill me if I bought you something that fancy. I’d certainly like to send a thank you note to whoever did though. Piper, this dress is going to be magnificent on you.”

  “Is it even my size?” I pulled the beautiful dress close and searched for the tag. Yep, my size.

  “What are you standing here for?” Gladys asked. “We have about two minutes until that Margarite woman shows up at the door demanding we stop dilly-dallying around. Go try it on for goodness sake.”

  “Gladys is right, hurry up.” Sam slipped her shoe back on her foot. “I’ll search the tissue paper for any card, note, or store name.”

  I went to my suite and laid the silver dress across the bed. Wow. It was gorgeous but also driving me crazy that I had no idea who or where it came from. Tossing my clothes to the side, I stepped into the dress and tied the straps in a bow at the base of my neck. I had to see it before I could go show Sam or Gladys. It probably looked ridiculous. I stepped in front of the mirror in the bathroom. The dress was perfect. It fit like a glove.

  “Come on, I want to see it!” Samantha’s shout from the sitting room drug me from the mirror. She and Gladys
were both standing at my door when I opened it.

  “Piper, it's magnificent!” Sam grabbed my shoulders and spun me so she could see the whole thing.

  “I knew it,” Gladys said.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Oh, I just mean I knew it would be beautiful when you pulled it out of that box. And it is. Okay, let’s get moving.” Gladys clapped her hands at me. I wonder if she were ever a teacher or something. She sure did like to give orders.

  After changing back, I brought the dress out on a hanger and handed it to Sam.

  “Please keep this in your closet for me. I would hate for anything to happen to it.”

  An all too familiar knock tapped on the door. Sam rushed to get the dress put away. Margarite set a fast pace as she led us to the kitchen, all the while frowning and muttering in Spanish.

  We made it on time…but just barely.

  ~

  “Bonsoir mesdames. Je m'appelle Chef Fabio et c'est un plaisir de vous apprendre dans ma cuisine.”

  “Je suis Samantha,” Sam responded. “English please?”

  “Oui. Of course. Good evening beautiful ladies. My name is Chef Fabio and it is a pleasure to teach you in my kitchen.”

  Gladys fanned herself, staring at the rugged Frenchman like a hunk of beef. Just how long had her husband Harold been deceased now, I tried to remember but failed.

  FOURTEEN

  I will give Chef Fabio credit. He continued on in a very professional manner and ignored the looks of lust that several others in the class were giving him. Personally, I didn’t see what all the fuss was about. Fabio was in admittedly good shape, probably in his late thirties, he appeared bald even beneath the tall chef hat he wore. Perhaps it was the accent that had everyone flustered. I guess he just wasn’t my type. A pair of dark eyes flashed through my mind, but I pushed those aside and focused on the introduction.

  “Today we will be learning about the beauty benefits of several foods. Who is ready to begin?” Hands shot into the air. Besides the three of us, there were six other women in the room. I was sad not to see Belle anywhere. She must still be with her mother. I recognized a couple of faces as infrequent customers but didn’t know much about them since they weren’t regulars. The other four I didn’t know at all.

  “Bien. Good. First, we have the healthy fat: avocados. Does anyone like avocados?”

  I nudged Sam when she didn’t raise her hand, knowing full well she loved avocados and guacamole. Personally, I didn’t even want to touch the disgusting things.

  “I told you,” she said, “I can’t eat another bite right now.”

  Chef Fabio continued talking as he expertly pitted and sliced one avocado into six pieces and handed them out to anyone wishing to partake on small plates with appetizer forks.

  “Not only is avocado a source of healthy fat, but it also contains biotin. What does biotin do ladies?”

  “It is great for hair and nail growth,” Sam answered when Chef Fabio nodded in her direction.

  “Bien, Samantha. Biotin prevents brittle nails and hair. A less discussed benefit of biotin is the hydration it can provide for dry skin.” There were murmurs of interest from a few ladies.

  “Next on the list, we have the beautiful pomegranate.” With an added flourish that I feared would cause a few swoons, Chef Fabio reached beneath the counter where he stood and tossed two pomegranates in the air before catching them. A smattering of claps sounded, most of them coming from Gladys. I gave Sam the eye and she shrugged, mouthing a silent “sorry” my direction.

  As Chef Fabio proceeded to cut each pomegranate in half he asked, “Who has never tried this excellent and exotic fruit?”

  My hand decided to betray me, raising halfway in the air even as my brain tried to tell it that I was much too full to consider taste-testing right now. Too late. Chef Fabio pointed my direction and then to a woman to my right.

  “Come on over here ladies and enjoy a sample.” Chef Fabio handed us each a small bowl, smaller than a souffle dish, that he had scooped a spoonful of the little red seeds into. “These jewels of the pomegranate are magnificent, here tell me what you think.”

  I tipped a spoon of five or six seeds into my mouth. Bad idea. I shuddered a little and was relieved to see Chef Fabio placing several bottles of water on the counter. Trading my bowl of seeds for one of those bottles, I twisted off the lid and gulped. Sam was shaking with silent mirth.

  “It tastes almost like cranberries but a little different,” I told Chef Fabio before drinking more water.

  “Odd,” the other woman said, “I was thinking they tasted kind of like a cherry.”

  “You are both correct,” Chef Fabio looked pleased as punch, and no I’ve never understood that phrase but my mom used it all the time and I think it is now in my DNA. “Depending on the ripeness and the variety of pomegranate, they can taste similar to both of those things. To tell the fruit is ripe, it should feel very heavy when you hold it and the skin should be taught.”

  “And what good is pomegranate for beauty, Chef?” Gladys asked.

  “Pomegranate provides a plethora of benefits due to its richness in anti-oxidants. Collagen production is promoted, immunity is improved, it can even enhance the circulation of your blood.”

  Gladys fanned herself faster with the napkin.

  “Next on our list are walnuts.”

  Now walnuts I knew about; I love walnuts. Bonus for me was the omega-3 fatty acids they contained but I didn’t actually remember why omega-3 was good for beauty.

  “Those have omega-3s, right?” One of the ladies who I’d seen at Ooey Gooey Goodness once or twice spoke up from the back.

  “Oui, bien. Yes, good. The omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts contribute to a glowing and youthful appearance for the skin. Walnuts are wonderful to snack on alone but they are also quite versatile. Walnuts can be added to anything from a simple salad to a crusted-chicken entrée, or even a magnificent dessert.” Chef Fabio and I seemed to share a love of walnuts I gathered based on this glowing delivery of their uses. Maybe the man knows his stuff after all.

  “I would now like to talk to you about another extra special ingredient. Emphasis on the extra. Do we have any guesses?” Chef Fabio straightened his collar as he waited.

  Unfortunately for him, there didn’t seem to be any prodigies in the class today. Giving up, Chef Fabio reached beneath the counter again and pulled out a large glass bottle.

  “Extra Virgin Olive Oil!”

  A collection of “ohhhs” and “ahhhs” filled the room and Chef Fabio took a small bow. “Yes, this magic bottle is the healthiest of cooking oils. It also contains good fatty acids and a large quantity of anti-oxidant polyphenols. Both go a long way in providing a youthful glow and protection for the skin from some harmful molecules called free radicals.”

  I leaned around Gladys to whisper to Sam, “So are we supposed to eat it or rub it on our face?”

  “Be sure to check out the salad on tonight’s dinner menu; you will see a lot of things you recognize,” Chef Fabio was telling us when suddenly a blaring alarm sounded and the sprinkler system activated.

  The ladies around us started shrieking, whether from fear of a fire or despair of a ruined outfit I couldn’t be certain. I didn’t see any smoke yet, but we all began filing towards the emergency exit as fast as we could maneuver around the counter and each other. Chef Fabio I noticed had dashed out without a backward glance at the class full of women.

  As we tripped and stumbled outside, I could see that the smoke was coming out of the yoga studio window. Firetrucks came careening into the parking lot, men in thick suits filing out. Several entered the building while others began unrolling the hose. They were just hooking it up to the fire hydrant when two of the firefighters exited the building.

  “False alarm,” one shouted, holding up a round object above his head. The other few firemen also came out of the building, also holding small objects. Smoke continued to pour from the building.

  They hud
dled together with Pastor Dan. The men on the truck began rolling the hose back up.

  “What’s going on?” I asked nobody in particular.

  “I’m not sure,” Sam answered, “but I’m definitely going to find out.” She began making her way through the crowd toward the group of firefighters. “Excuse me, pardon me,” she inched her way forward but it was slow going.

  I turned, then realized we had lost Gladys somewhere in the scuffle to get out of the building. I scanned the crowd, looking for her familiar face when another person flashed into my view.

  The same person I thought I saw at lunch in the garden the first day. A nagging feeling started up inside me. What in the world was she doing at the spa instead of at work multiple days this week?

  I decided to go ask.

  Pushing past several groups of people clustered together and talking animatedly, I caught up with her.

  FIFTEEN

  “Samantha!” Gladys panted. “Sam!” she yelled again.

  “Gladys?” Sam turned away from Pastor Dan and the fireman she was speaking with at the sound of her name. “Oh! My goodness, Gladys! Are you okay?”

  Panting Gladys nodded but didn’t speak.

  Sam reached out to the firefighter and jerked a water bottle from his hand as he turned to answer a yell from his buddy. The look of startled surprise on his face would have been amusing if Sam hadn’t been concerned that Gladys was about to be seriously ill.

  “Are you okay?” Sam asked again. “Here drink this.”

  Gladys chugged half the bottle, coughing and sputtering afterward.

  “Did you inhale smoke Gladys?” Pastor Dan asked in a voice laced with concern as he patting her on the back.

  “I’m fine. It’s Piper,” she pointed. “Something happened to Piper.”

  Pastor Dan and Sam shared a look of alarm.

  “What happened to Piper?” Sam asked.

  “The fire was a false alarm,” Pastor Dan said. “Was she hurt in the rush from the building?”