The Bakers and Bulldogs Mysteries Collection: 20 Book Box Set

by Rosie Sams

  “We found footprints that match the route that you described the person taking,” Al said. “But the footprints weren’t made by men’s shoes, but a woman’s.”

  “A woman’s?” Melody asked.

  “How long do you have, before you close up for the night?” Al asked.

  Melody looked over her list of scheduled customer pickups. “Everyone who said they wanted to pick up tonight already has,” she said. “I guess I could close now.”

  “Then you should,” Al said. “Let’s stop by and pick up Smudge. I need to ask you a favor, Melody. I want you and Smudge to come with me to Carole’s house. This might be an unpleasant night.”

  Chapter Sixty-Eight

  When they arrived at Carole Archer’s house, Melody was dismayed to see that the Christmas decorations had been taken down. Al knocked on the door.

  “One minute!”

  Carole appeared at the door, dressed in jeans but still wearing her Christmas slippers. “Oh! Sheriff Hennessey. Please tell me that you’ve released Trevor and everything will be okay.”

  Several bags and suitcases were stacked up by the door.

  “Are you going somewhere, Mrs. Archer?” Al asked.

  Carole sniffed loudly, wiped her face with one hand, then looked back over her shoulder, presumably to make sure her children weren’t listening.

  “My phone has been ringing off the hook, Sheriff. I haven’t told the children about Trevor being arrested yet, and I live in fear that they’re going to see it on TV or something. We’re going to go to my mother’s house for a while. For their sake. I don’t have any family in town, and hardly any friends. Bill always kept me so busy…” She sniffed again.

  “May I come in?” Al asked.

  “Trevor hasn’t been released, has he?” Carole asked.

  “No, I’m afraid he hasn’t. And there’s something I have to ask you.”

  Carole almost smiled. “I’m sure. There will always be more questions, won’t there?”

  “Probably.”

  Carole let them in. Leo and Mariel were in their tiny bedrooms packing their bags for a trip to Grandma’s house, but came out to see what was going on—and were delighted to see that Smudge had come along on Sheriff Hennessey’s visit.

  While Carole and Al went into the kitchen, Melody leaned against the doorway, both to keep an eye on the children and to make sure they didn’t walk in on Al’s questioning. She had a bad feeling about the situation.

  “Mrs. Archer,” Al spoke in a low voice. “We found a woman’s footprints outside Bill Gardner’s office. We both know that your husband, Trevor, wasn’t involved in the murder, and that he never left the house the morning of the murder. We both know that the letter opener that was in your purse wasn’t put there by your husband. Don’t you think it would be better for you to come clean about what you did that morning?”

  Carole gasped. “How…?”

  “Mrs. Archer,” Al repeated. “Is there anything you’d like to say?”

  Melody heard the sound of Carole beginning to cry softly. “I’m… I wish I hadn’t let Trevor say anything to you. It’s been impossible to keep lying to the children. I’m sure they know that something’s wrong.”

  “I’m sure they do,” Al said.

  “It’s true that I went to the office that morning,” Carole said. “I’m sure you can understand why. I went there to plead for my job back. I was ready to promise him anything. I just couldn’t imagine what we would do without my job. Trevor doesn’t make enough money as an illustrator, not to support all of us. This was the first year that things were really starting to look up. Now… I can’t believe how everything has fallen apart.”

  “I understand,” Al said. “Can you tell me how it happened?”

  “I… yes. It was six-thirty in the morning when I left the house. I got up at my normal time and got dressed like I normally do, then drove to work. I don’t think I was really thinking about what had happened the night before. I think I had convinced myself that none of it had really happened, and that when I got to work, everything would be normal again.”

  “Do you normally drive to work that early?” Al asked.

  “Yes, I like to get in early and make sure everything’s in order. Bill hired a new secretary a few months ago, and the girl, the young woman, isn’t really up to snuff. I’ve been trying to train her and explain to her how Bill likes things a certain way, but she isn’t getting it. So, I come in and make sure that it’s all in order.”

  “What do you mean by ‘all in order’?”

  “I put the clients’ file boxes in order, I make sure that everything is checked in on the logs, that the old coffee is thrown out and the machine is all ready to hit the go button once Mr. Truman walks in the door at seven.”

  “I see,” Al said. “So, that morning, what time did you arrive?”

  “I didn’t stop at the bakery for coffee and a pastry that morning because I thought You don’t deserve a treat this morning. Bill is cheap with his coffee, so I try not to drink too much of it, it upsets my stomach.” She stopped and looked up at him. Sorry, I’m gabbling about nothing.”

  “Take your time. When did you arrive?”

  She took a breath. “It must have been about six-forty-five, or six-fifty. I don’t have far to drive. As soon as I got there, I realized I was being an idiot, that no one would be there that early and I would have to wait for Mr. Gardner to come in.”

  “Where did you park your car?”

  “The parking spaces on Main Street are two-hour spaces, so I can’t park there, and the only spaces near the office are for Bill and Wayne. I park a couple of blocks away, behind that little empty area with trees. I park there every day, and walk-in.”

  “Did you park in your usual space?”

  “I did.”

  “What time did you walk in the front door?”

  “I went in through the back door. Like I said, about six forty-five or six-fifty. If I don’t get in by then, I can’t get there before Wayne. He’s a seven-a.m. sharp man.”

  “I see. What time did he come in that morning?”

  “He didn’t. I think he slept in that morning. He was in the parade of lights with his sister’s band class, if you haven’t heard. I’m sure his patience was tested enough that he didn’t want to come in early.” Carole laughed a little. “He doesn’t really like kids, although he says mine are ‘well-behaved enough, for little terrors.’ He has such a biting sense of humor. I don’t think the clients even know when he’s making fun of them.”

  Al let that pass. “When did Mr. Garland come in?”

  Carole shuddered. “Oh, he didn’t come in. He was already there.”

  “In his office?”

  Carole paused. In a surprised voice, she said, “No, in mine. He was already dead when I found him, lying on the floor. I panicked. I pulled the letter opener from his back when I tried to turn him over. I didn’t want to turn him over on top of it, in case… he was still alive.”

  “What did you do then?” Al asked.

  “I checked to see if he was breathing,” Carole said. “I… I wasn’t sure. He wasn’t, but I stared at him so long I thought he might be, just a little. There wasn’t very much blood. I… I shouted at him.”

  “You shouted at him?” Al asked.

  “I told him that he should have been kinder to those around him,” Carole said, sniffling loudly. “That if only he had been a kinder man, this wouldn’t have happened to him.”

  Which, Melody thought, was probably true.

  “Why didn’t you call the police?” Al asked.

  “I don’t know,” Carole admitted. “I don’t think you’re supposed to stop CPR once you start, until the ambulance arrives. And I had started trying to do heart compressions and breathing right away, before I thought to call. I was so upset that I wasn’t thinking straight.”

  “How long were you there?”

  “I hardly know. By the time I got home, the kids were up and watching cartoon
s.”

  “Why did you leave the office?”

  “It was finally starting to sink in that Bill was really dead,” Carole said. “I was so tired. My arms and chest and back hurt like you wouldn’t believe. And then I heard someone moving around outside, and I panicked. I grabbed some wet wipes from the reception desk to wipe my hands on, because they were still a little bloody from the letter opener, then fled out the back door. I didn’t even realize I had the letter opener with me.”

  “What were you wearing at the time?” Al asked.

  “A dark blue suit,” Carole said. “Skirt and jacket, medium blue shirt, a Santa Claus pin on the lapel. I can show you.”

  “We will need those to check over,” Al said. “I’m sorry, Carole, but I’m going to have to bring you into the sheriff’s office.”

  Carole sighed. “I thought as much. But… what am I going to do about the kids? Call for a sitter? Is Trevor released yet?” There was a pause. “Oh. That’s why you brought Melody.” Carole lowered her voice. “I hope she doesn’t mind. Have her tell the kids that there’s been an emergency. Don’t let them know what really happened.”

  Chapter Sixty-Nine

  Melody soon found herself alone with two young children who weren’t as naïve as their mother hoped they were. As soon as Al and Carole had left, they both turned toward Melody.

  “Our parents are in trouble, aren’t they?” Mariel said.

  “Big trouble,” Leo added.

  “It’s about money, isn’t it?” Mariel looked sad and worried.

  Melody looked at their two trusting faces, and knew that she could never, ever explain to them that both of their parents had been arrested as murder suspects. “Yes, it is,” was all she could manage.

  Mariel took a deep breath, then let it out. When she was done, her eyes were full of tears. “They fight about money all the time. Especially this Christmas. This is going to be the worst Christmas ever.”

  Leo burst into tears.

  Smudge immediately barked to get his attention, then started licking his feet. Leo didn’t stop crying, but he did pull his ticklish feet out of the way and reach forward to pet the dog. “I don’t want any presents if it means them fighting,” he said. “I don’t need sweets. I need Mommy and Daddy to be friends.”

  Mariel agreed. “They can take away all the presents, and all the decorations, and all the cocoa and marshmallows—”

  Leo made a whimpering noise but didn’t protest.

  “—and everything else, too,” Mariel continued. “As long as Mommy and Daddy are happy.”

  “Please tell them we’re sorry,” Leo added.

  Oh, no. Melody was almost ready to burst into tears herself. “In case no one has told you, the two of you are angels. I want to make sure you know that neither one of you did anything wrong. Your mom hoped to get a lot of money from work, so she was buying a lot of presents this year. She didn’t get the money, and she was very upset at herself about it, even though it wasn’t her fault. I think your dad was upset at her for counting on the extra money, but not really upset at her otherwise.”

  “He was mostly mad at her boss,” Mariel said. “Not at Mom.”

  “I think that everything will be okay between your parents soon,” Melody said.

  “So, why did Sheriff Al have to arrest my mom?” Leo asked.

  Melody didn’t really have a good answer for that. She stumbled awkwardly through telling them that Al just needed to ask her some questions. Then she asked them if they would like to go to bed. The two children looked at each other and agreed that it was what their mommy and daddy would have wanted them to do. The two children decided to sleep in the same room in their sleeping bags on the floor. Melody left the nightlights on and the door open, with Smudge curled up at their feet.

  The next morning, Al had a deputy stop by, pick up Melody’s keys, then return to drop off her SUV at the front door of the Archers’ house. The two children got themselves up and ready for school. They were yawning and too quiet. Smudge tried to cheer them up by doing tricks and mugging faces at them, but even her best efforts were unsuccessful. Melody took them to the elementary school and dropped them off, giving them both big hugs, then walking into the school to make arrangements for her to be able to pick up the children later. The secretary understandably called the vice principal in.

  “Of course, we’ve all heard about what happened,” the vice-principal said. “I’ll just need you to sign this release form.”

  On the way out of the building, Melody met up with the last person she expected to see. Wayne Truman was there, this time wearing a gray suit with a worsted plaid pattern, a black Nehru-collared shirt, and a silver pocket square. He stopped suddenly while climbing into his BMW, then walked toward her. He definitely had something on his mind. He was frowning and he looked like he was ready to shake a finger in her face.

  “If you’d like to offer me an apology for accusing me of murdering my boss, now is the time,” he said.

  Melody had to restrain herself from making an incredulous noise. “An apology?”

  “Your insinuations were less than welcome—and inaccurate, as the case has proved.”

  “I think, if you’ll check, that Carole and Trevor haven’t been charged with anything, let alone had a case proven against them.” Melody didn’t feel like she had the energy to banter with the man, but there were a few things she wanted to know. “What have you got against Carole, anyway? You were quicker to accuse her than anyone was to accuse you.”

  “What are you implying?” Wayne demanded.

  “Nothing,” Melody said, through gritted teeth. She was glad that she’d left Smudge in the car. The little Frenchie would have been growling and barking at the lawyer, no doubt. “But why did you accuse her?”

  “Because she did it,” Wayne said.

  “Uh-huh,” Melody said, turning to get in her SUV. She was wasting her time, trying to talk to the man. She hesitated. “So, why didn’t you go into work at seven a.m., like you usually do?”

  Wayne shrugged. “I slept in.”

  “Weren’t you supposed to take Carole’s things to her that morning? Right away? So Mr. Gardner wouldn’t have to see her face?”

  “I understand that you’re a baker,” Wayne said sarcastically, “but some of us don’t get up at three a.m. to make all the donuts or whatever it is you do. I normally get up at six. I slept in.” His face had turned a little red. “How was I supposed to know that Gardner would be up early that morning? What I want to know, and the police don’t seem to care about, was what Gardner was doing in Carole’s office at eight a.m. when she broke in to get her things.”

  “All right, I’ll bite. What was he doing?” Melody asked.

  “I don’t know,” Wayne said. “Looking through her records? Maybe he found something that wasn’t in apple-pie order.” He leaned toward Melody. “Or, let me just put it this way since I know that you’re Carole’s little watchdog. Maybe there was something in Carole’s records he didn’t want anyone else to find. Something that she missed, but that he hoped another, a better bookkeeper wouldn’t see.”

  “Like what?” Melody asked.

  Wayne shrugged again. “Who knows? But one moment Bill Gardner is promising bonuses and to make me a full partner. The next moment he’s saying that he needs to invest in the business. Who’s to say that the money didn’t just…” Wayne made a fluttering gesture with his fingers. “Disappear? I’m not saying Carole meant to have what happened, happen. I’m just saying that there was a conflict, and that Bill Gardner came out on the worse end of it. I’m sure Carole didn’t do anything to Bill Gardner that wasn’t deserved. Self-defense is a thing, you know.”

  Wayne turned around with a toss of his head and walked back to his BMW. Melody rolled her eyes. The man might have a point, but did he have to be so… so contemptuous and sarcastic about it?

  Just before Melody opened the door of her SUV, Wayne called over his shoulder, “Oh, and be careful what you say, Ms. Ma
rshall. I wouldn’t want you to trip and accidentally fall into a slander case.”

  She climbed into the SUV, slamming the door behind her. Smudge was sitting in the passenger seat with her front paws on the dashboard, growling and barking at the lawyer through the windshield. Melody patted her on the head.

  “That’s how I feel exactly, Smudge. Exactly.”

  Chapter Seventy

  Kerry and Leslie were both at the bakery when Melody pulled up. When she came through the door, Kerry announced, “Good news, boss!”

  Melody blinked at her. “We won the lottery? Elves have taken over all the baking? An anonymous donor paid all next year’s taxes?” She shook herself. “Sorry, I was just talking to someone very sarcastic. Apparently, it’s catching.”

  Kerry only laughed. “No, even better. We’re caught up.”

  “What?” Melody asked.

  “Caught… up,” Kerry said slowly, her eyes twinkling.

  “No,” Melody said, unable to even let herself hope it was true. “We still have all kinds of things to bake.” She looked around for the delivery schedule. “We have at least a dozen more parties to bake for…”

  “She’s in denial,” Leslie said.

  Kerry handed Melody the latest printout, which was redone every morning and left beside the register, so no one accidentally overbooked the bakery during the holidays. “Look at this.”

  Melody looked over the list of jobs still on the printout. They did have jobs to keep on top of, but the big ones had all been picked up the night before. “I can’t believe it,” Melody said. “Where did everything else go? Do we have a computer malfunction?”

  The two women laughed. “I told you she would freak out,” Leslie said.

  “It’s still funny,” Kerry said.

  A few minutes of research on the computer later, Melody was finally convinced. She sent Kerry home to sleep. The three of them would be going back on a more normal rotation soon, now that Kerry wouldn’t be working nights to help keep the ovens running. Melody was going to have to pay the two women an incredible amount of overtime, but it would be worth it. Plus, the three weeks of vacation they would all have off in January would be nothing short of amazing. Melody planned to spend at least the first three days sleeping.