The Bakers and Bulldogs Mysteries Collection: 20 Book Box Set

by Rosie Sams

  He answered on the first ring, “Alvin!” she gasped, out of breath. “You need to come to the lake house. Now!”

  “Melody?” His voice sounded puzzled. “What’s going on?”

  “I know what happened to Amelia,” Glancing over her shoulder at the closet, she added, “Hurry, Alvin. There isn’t much time.”

  Catching her urgency, Alvin quickly hung up the phone. Within moments, she heard a police siren wailing from outside, and she could see the neon blue lights through the window. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she was safe now.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Mel met Alvin at the door, and he wasn’t alone. There were almost half a dozen police cars parked in the street. Alvin had his hand on his gun holster and wore a grim expression across his face. Seeing Mel, his eyes melted with concern.

  He put his hands on her shoulders, looking her up and down. “Are you okay? What happened?” His eyes searched hers, looking for answers. She hadn’t had time to explain over the phone, but now that he was here, she couldn’t help but feel a sudden wave of relief. She hadn’t realized how terrified she had been until then.

  “It was Claire, she killed Amelia,” Mel’s voice croaked.

  Alvin’s expression hardened. “Where is she? Are you hurt?” His eyes searched hers.

  Mel shook her head. “No, I’m fine. She’s through there.” She pointed through the kitchen. “In the storage closet.”

  Alvin nodded, waving the other officers to follow him. They made their way through the kitchen; one officer raised his weapon as if expecting an attack. Alvin slowly opened the door, revealing Claire’s unconscious body. She was exactly where Mel left her, and she was a little surprised that she hadn’t woken up yet.

  Mel watched silently as Claire was cuffed and shoved in the back of a police car. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. After Alvin finished up with the other officers, and Claire was secured in the back of the vehicle, he made his way over to Mel. She was standing in the yard, watching silently.

  “We’re taking her down to the station; hopefully, we’ll be able to get a confession,” he said, looking back over his shoulder. Mel nodded. “It was really brave of you to come out here on your own, Mel. If it wasn’t for you, we probably never would have caught her. But what you did there could’ve put you in danger. I’m so relieved you were not harmed. We’re going to need you to come down to the station too so we can get your statement.”

  “Of course,” Mel said, rubbing her arms. She hadn’t realized how cold it had gotten. Or maybe it was just the ordeal she had been through that had given her goosebumps. “I’ll follow you there, my car is parked just down the road.”

  Alvin nodded, and they said a quick goodbye. When Mel reached her Tahoe, her hands were shaking as she tried to unlock the door. Once she was inside her car, the events of the night suddenly hit her. Against her best attempt, she broke down in tears.

  She had never been in danger like that before. She faced a murderer, all on her own. She could have ended up like Amelia. If it hadn’t been for Smudge, who knows what would have happened? The bulldog whimpered next to her, sensing her distress. Mel tried to smile, and patted her head reassuringly.

  She dried her eyes, trying to pull herself together. At that moment, she was more thankful for Alvin than she had ever been. She had never been so thankful to see someone in her entire life. She realized that perhaps there were feelings that she had been ignoring. She kept telling herself that she wasn’t interested in a relationship, but she couldn’t deny the way her heart throbbed when he smiled at her. Maybe it was time that she gave him a chance. Maybe she could be happy with him.

  She had been hurt in the past, and it was going to be hard for her to open her heart up again. But part of her thought that maybe it would be worth it. Deep down, she longed to be loved. To have someone that was her own. For so long, she convinced herself that she didn’t have time for a relationship. That running her own business was what was keeping her from getting involved with anyone. But the truth was, she was trying to protect herself from getting hurt again. She knew it was time to put the past behind her and try to move on with someone else.

  Her feelings terrified her. The whole situation made her want to run and hide, and keep her heart locked away and throw away the key. She didn’t want to be hurt again. But she knew Alvin well, and she didn’t think that he would intentionally do anything to cause her pain. Was he worth it? She wasn’t sure. But she felt that she owed it to herself to give him a chance. This could be her one chance at happiness.

  With a sigh, she pulled her thoughts away from Alvin. Returning to the moment and the events that had just unfolded, she started the car engine and slowly pulled away. When she arrived at the police station, the halls were bustling. She looked around for a sign of Alvin, but she didn’t see him anywhere. She took a seat in the lobby and waited.

  She wasn’t there for long when she heard a familiar voice call her name. Looking up and pulling herself from her thoughts, she saw Kerry rushing toward her.

  “Mel! I heard what happened! Are you okay? Is there anything I can do? I can’t believe that you went there on your own! Do you realize how dangerous that was? You could have called me, you know! I would have gone with you!” Ker’s face was a mask of concern for her employer and friend.

  “I know, I wasn’t thinking. I got caught up in the moment. I should have called you, or Alvin, but I was so focused on stopping Grant that I didn’t have time to think.” Mel looked down at her hands which were still shaking, but not as bad as they were before.

  “I’m just glad you’re okay,” Ker said, pulling Mel into a tight hug.

  Mel hesitated for a moment before putting her arms around her. It was comforting, and she hadn’t realized how much she had needed it. She felt a sudden wave of relief, knowing that she was safe and surrounded by people that cared about her.

  They sat down together and waited. Mel filled Ker in on everything that happened, starting with running into Sam after closing up the shop. Ker wanted every detail of the events that had taken place that evening. Mel tried to tell the story the best she remembered it, knowing she would have to do it again when they took her statement. Talking about it seemed to help relieve some of the pressure that had built in her chest. She still couldn’t believe that this had happened to her. She was just an ordinary baker, not a detective. But she had solved a murder. Amelia would be getting justice because of her. It was still hard to believe that a few short days ago she was standing in her shop talking to Amelia only moments before her death.

  Mel didn’t understand how Claire could have done that to her own aunt. They had all been fooled by the young woman. She played the part of the grieving niece well, making them all buy into her story. Mel was glad that she declined her offer to help her expand her business. But now that she was thinking about it, that was probably part of Claire’s plan to get them off her trail.

  “What about Grant? Has anyone seen him? I don’t understand his part in all of this. Did he and Claire plan it all together?” Ker asked.

  Mel hadn’t thought about it, but she was right. No one had seen Grant. What was his part in all of this? She had seen his passport and bags packed along with Claire’s, so obviously he had some part in Amelia’s murder. But where was he? Did he get away? Was he hiding, letting Claire take the fall for both of their actions? She made a mental note to ask Alvin about it when she saw him.

  It wasn’t long after that that she saw him. He came down the hall, a grim expression on his face. When he saw her, there was a slight twinkle in his eyes and Mel’s heart gave a small throb. Thinking of her earlier decision to give him a chance, she told herself that when all of this was over, she would ask him out.

  Behind him, Claire was being escorted to a cell, her hands cuffed behind her back. Mel stood and met Alvin halfway.

  “Well, we got a confession out of her. She and Grant planned it together, they wanted Amelia’s money. But Claire says th
at Grant fell in love with Amelia and messed their whole plan up. That’s when she took matters into her own hands and killed Amelia, dumping her body in the lake. If it wasn’t for you, Mel, we probably never would have caught her. Her and Grant were planning to flee the country. It was lucky that you showed up when you did. Otherwise, we never would have got justice for Amelia.”

  “I’m just glad that we finally caught her,” Mel said, glancing over at Claire who was staring at her.

  “She wants to talk to you,” Alvin said, shocking Mel. “But it’s up to you, you don’t have to.”

  “No, it’s okay. I want to hear what she has to say.”

  Alvin nodded. “I’ll be by your side the entire time.” He squeezed her arm for good luck.

  As they approached Claire, a wicked grin lit up her face.

  “Well, if it isn’t little Miss Mystery Solver. I was wondering when I would see you. It seems you always find a way to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. There’s just one thing I want to know. How did you know? What made you come back to the lake house?” There was a madness twinkling behind her eyes, one that made Mel shiver. She was thankful to have Alvin by her side.

  “It was the strawberries. They were gone, and I wanted to find out why. I wasn’t expecting all of this to happen.” She tried to stop her voice from shaking, but it still held a slight tremor which made Claire’s smile widen.

  “Yes, that seems to be the one mistake that I made. I had to go back for them. It was the only thing I touched before hiding her body. It’s funny that it was you that caught me. Who knows, if it wasn’t for you and that pesky dog, I would have been halfway to India by now.” There was something about Claire that made her seem like she was getting away with the crime, even as she stood handcuffed in the police station.

  “That’s enough,” Alvin said, stepping forward. “Take her away.”

  As they took her away, Mel reached down and scratched behind Smudge’s ears, the little dog wagging her tail in delight. “You know, it was Smudge that figured it out first. She definitely deserves some butter cookies after this.” Mel grinned, happy to have the little dog as a companion. At least one good thing came out of this entire mess, she thought.

  After giving her statement, and reassuring Alvin and Kerry that she was fine to drive, Mel and Smudge made their way home. Mel stopped at the pet shop on the way, feeling that Smudge deserved a treat. Inside, she picked out a few new puppy toys, a dog bed, and a shiny new food bowl to match. She also had a name tag made for the little bulldog. Once she had paid for all the new items, they loaded everything into the car and finally made their way home.

  Inside, Mel filled the new bowl with food, and stood back watching Smudge devour it. She was surprised by how much such a little dog could eat. Mel thought about making something to eat for herself but found that she wasn’t hungry. Perhaps it was a side effect of everything that had happened that day. She did, however, find that she wanted a hot shower.

  After her hot shower, she put on her most comfortable pajamas and crawled into bed. She had a hard time falling asleep. The events of the day kept playing on repeat in her mind. She felt so bad for Amelia. The poor woman didn’t deserve what happened to her. The only thing she was guilty of was having more money than she needed. It wasn’t her fault that others were jealous of her. Bad things always seem to happen to good people, and it was a real shame. Amelia still had so much life to live. There are so many things that she’ll never get a chance to do, to accomplish.

  Mel’s heart ached for the woman. She couldn’t imagine having such a young life cut so short. It made her realize how short life really was and how fast things could change. Anything can happen, and your entire life can be turned upside down in the blink of an eye.

  Wrapped up in her thoughts, Mel slowly drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Mel, someone wants to order a dozen of your lemon bars.” Kerry peeked through the kitchen.

  Kerry had been especially helpful and caring about her in the past few days. Melody did not expect to be shaken like that after the event. After everything that happened, Melody was glad she had something to do. She kept herself busy baking so she could forget the past days. She even avoided making De Vine for a while. It reminded her of the late Amelia who had died so soon after having the little sweet treats.

  A few days passed, giving Mel time to think. After everything that happened, she was happy to get back into her normal routine. Although, she was still giving a lot of thought into expanding her business. She was not sure when, but she knew it was going in that direction. It was a welcome distraction for her. On the other hand, after intensely pondering, she decided to meet with Leslie to offer her a position at her shop. Hiring her would lessen Melody’s burden. Maybe it was time for her to focus on an important matter, like herself. What did she really want? Also, what pushed her more to hire Leslie was that the lady needed the job. Sometimes, people made the wrong decision, thinking it would be the best solution to their problems. Melody was confident that that one event of stealing would not define Leslie as a person. She reached out to Leslie and they were meeting at the coffee shop where she saw her the last time.

  She waited at a table outside of the small coffee shop. Smudge was curled up at her feet with a bowl of water and a biscuit. All the necessary paperwork for hiring, was laid out in front of her. There was a slight breeze today, and it blew stray strands of hair around her face, tickling her nose. She sipped her caramel mocha latte while she waited. The liquid slid down her throat, warming her from the inside. She had always enjoyed moments like this.

  It wasn’t long before she caught a glimpse of a flash of red out of the corner of her eye. Looking up, she watched Leslie approach her table with a large smile on her face.

  “Sorry I’m late, Mel. I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” she said, pulling out a chair and sitting down across from Melody.

  “Oh, not at all. I just got here, actually.” Mel shuffled the papers in front of her, making sure she had everything she needed.

  They quickly went through the interview process. Mel asked simple questions and Leslie answered with all the right answers. Kerry didn’t know yet that Mel was hiring Leslie. She was planning to tell her that day when she got back to the shop. After all, they did need the extra help. Business had been picking up lately, and Mel and Ker had been stretching themselves too thin. Leslie was the solution to that issue. Although, she wasn’t sure how Ker was going to respond to working with the former maid.

  Ker had a habit of holding grudges longer than she should. But Mel was eager to give Leslie the benefit of the doubt. She believed that everyone deserved a second chance, even someone with a history like Leslie. She could understand why the young woman had done what she did. Times were tough sometimes, and not everyone had family or friends they could rely on for support.

  “Well, I think you’re going to be a perfect fit,” Mel said when the interview was over. “How do you feel about starting this afternoon?”

  “That would be perfect!” Leslie exclaimed. “I’m so excited, I can’t wait to start.”

  When they had both finished their coffee, they planned to meet up later at the shop, and said their goodbyes.

  When Mel got back to the shop, Ker was busy decorating a cake for a new customer.

  “Hey, Mel, I didn’t expect you to be gone so long. Did Smudge enjoy her walk?” she asked, bending down to pet the bulldog.

  When Mel nodded, Ker continued, “I really can’t believe the two of you solved a murder. Who would have thought? It’s crazy how much can change in just a few short days. Did you ever expect to be able to add “Mystery Solver” to your resume?” Ker let out a laugh at her own remark, wiping her brow with the back of her hand.

  “No, I can’t say that I did,” Mel said, laughing along with her. There was something about Ker and the way she carried herself that made her energy contagious. You just couldn’t help but smile when she was ar
ound.

  She was glad that the two of them had grown so close. Mel never really had very many friends. And perhaps that’s what made her friendship with Ker so special. Ker never pressured her into being someone she wasn’t. She understood Mel for who she really was, and Mel appreciated that more than she could imagine. She was still shocked that Ker wanted her to be her Maid of Honor at her wedding, but she was also pleased at the thought.

  It might be the only chance she had to be in a wedding. She surely wasn’t going to ever have one of her own. She was beginning to convince herself that she would be alone forever. If it wasn’t for her growing feelings for Alvin, she probably wouldn’t even consider dating again. Besides, she was okay being on her own… at least, that was what she kept telling herself.

  As her thoughts flickered back to Alvin, she tried to push him to the back of her mind. She didn’t need to think about him now. She needed to concentrate on her work. Leslie would be coming in soon, and Ker still didn’t know that she was going to start working with them. She was a little afraid of how she would react, but she knew that she was doing the right thing. Leslie needed a job, and if Mel didn’t give her a chance, who would?

  Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes we need a second chance in order to make things right. Mel was determined to give Leslie the opportunity to prove herself. She trusted her, even though she had reason enough not to. The young woman was under a lot of pressure and felt that she didn’t have any other option but to steal from Amelia.

  Maybe she had a second chance, too, Melody thought to herself. Her mind flashed to Alvin again but she shook off those thoughts. Maybe not yet.