by A. G. Mayes
‘I don’t mean to keep you from whatever you were doing today,’ I said. I set the last couple of pies on the counter and willed them to cool off enough for me to put back in the boxes.
‘It’s no problem at all,’ he said. ‘Today’s my day off. I don’t have anything special to do until it’s time to meet the Morning Pie Crew. And I can’t do that if there’s no pie to eat,’ he said with a smile.
‘You’re meeting the Morning Pie Crew?’
‘Yes, I sometimes catch up with them on my days off,’ he said. ‘I know, I should get some friends my own age, but I get along so well with the older generation. Always have.’ He shrugged with a little smile.
Maybe because you keep creepy notebooks about people your own age, I thought, but I just gave him a little smile back.
After a couple minutes, I began to pack up the pies.
‘Don’t you need to let them cool more first?’ Henry asked as I boxed them up.
‘No,’ I said even though they were burning me through the oven mitts I was wearing, ‘I need to get going. I’ve already taken up too much of your time.’
‘I can bring some of them when I come by. Then they can cool a little more,’ he offered.
I hesitated, worried they would turn into messy globs in transit, but I decided to risk it and turned down his offer.
Henry helped me load up the dolly with all the pies.
‘Thanks for the oven. See you later,’ I called as I wheeled them down the street. When I glanced back Henry was standing on his front step watching me go.
Chapter 19
Day 14 — Tuesday
Flora looked sheepish when she walked through the door later that day. ‘I just wanted to apologize for my terrible behavior yesterday,’ she said, not quite able to meet my eyes. ‘I’m on this new medication, and it makes me say the silliest things.’
I forgave her, of course. What was the rest of the town’s excuse though? Was everyone on new medication?
Lena and Mr Barnes came through the door loudly singing songs from ‘The Sound of Music’. Flora still looked worried, so I patted her on the shoulder and smiled. She gave me a small smile back, and they all ordered their pie.
‘I think I finally figured it out,’ Lena was saying when I got back to the table with their pie.
‘What?’ Mr Barnes and Flora chorused.
‘I think I know who Elodie is,’ she said. We all leaned forward. I’d be lying if I said I had forgiven Elodie for the articles she’d written about me. Lena let the dramatic pause grow until Flora motioned impatiently. ‘I think it’s Gina.’
She paused to let that sink in. It actually made a lot of sense to me. Gina certainly wasn’t a fan of mine, so it wouldn’t surprise me if she wrote articles bad mouthing me.
‘Think about it,’ Lena said. ‘She gets a lot of dish at the gym so she can write those gossipy articles like the ones she wrote about Susie, and whenever I see her at the diner, she’s huddled over her computer. Maybe writing her secret advice column?’
‘I’ve seen her at the diner,’ Mr Barnes said. ‘She’s watching workout videos. I overheard her saying that even watching exercise helped burn calories.’
‘Oh.’ Lena looked deflated. ‘That doesn’t mean it’s not her.’
I nodded supportively. I was willing to blame Gina for the articles.
That conversation only temporarily distracted me from the questions I had. I wanted to ask more about what happened yesterday. I tried to wait for a lull in the conversation. But there was no lull. It was almost as though they were trying to make sure there was no break in the conversation. They talked about the weather, about Mr Barnes’s new shoes, about the upcoming holidays, and about what each of them had for dinner every night this week.
Finally, I couldn’t take it any longer. ‘Why was everyone acting so strangely yesterday?’ I cried out over their voices. They all stopped talking and turned to stare at me.
‘I already explained—’ Flora began.
‘Not just you,’ I cut her off. ‘The whole town was nuts.’
‘Here, let me refill your coffee.’ Mr Barnes got up and grabbed the half empty cup that was in front of me.
‘You don’t have to do that.’ I waved him off.
‘It’s no problem.’ He was already halfway to the pot. Lena and Flora exchanged glances, and I waited for them to answer my question.
Mr Barnes handed the steaming cup back to me. I took a sip. A strange feeling washed over me. Suddenly that question didn’t seem so important. So I moved on to my next question, ‘Have you guys ever noticed anything strange about Henry?’ I tried to keep my tone light.
‘Strange how?’ Flora asked.
‘He’s such a good boy,’ Lena said.
‘I got a weird vibe from him,’ I said, treading carefully.
‘Like a “he likes you” kind of vibe?’ Flora asked wiggling her eyebrows.
‘No,’ I said, feeling a little embarrassed. I really should have prepared my line of questioning more carefully. ‘Like what’s his story?’
‘His whole life story?’ Mr Barnes chimed in. ‘How much time do you have?’
‘He’s lived here his whole life, so we know everything,’ Lena said.
I sighed, this was getting me nowhere.
‘He was the politest child,’ Flora started. ‘He would help me unload the new shipments of books and then he would thank me for the opportunity to work. I would have to push him to accept a couple dollars as payment.’
‘He’s such a sweetheart working those long hours at the nursing home taking care of everyone,’ Lena said.
‘Really a stand-up citizen,’ Mr Barnes said with a firm nod.
They continued to eat their pie and gossip, but I was having trouble focusing. They gave such a glowing review of him, but I couldn’t help but wonder if they knew the real Henry. Maybe it was possible to have secrets in a small town after all.
I cleared the plates while the other three continued to chatter. Henry and Bernie walked through the door. I tried to smile, but I felt like too many of my teeth were showing.
‘Sorry, I’m late. They needed me at the nursing home for a bit, and then with some persuading, I convinced Ms Bernie to join me for pie,’ he said, taking Bernie’s purse from her and setting it on a chair.
‘We’re glad you both came,’ Flora said.
‘Don’t worry, I was thinking about ordering another slice.’ Mr Barnes turned and looked at the display case.
I served up a cherry for Henry, and two pumpkins for Mr Barnes and Bernie. After I set down the slices in front of everyone, Bernie got up and followed me back to the counter.
‘You haven’t listened to me,’ she said in a low voice as she leaned across the display case.
‘Of course I have.’ I nodded enthusiastically. ‘I’ve dusted the heck out of that cat.’
She shook her head slowly. ‘No, you haven’t.’
‘Well, I will. Soon,’ I promised.
‘Yes, you will. Soon,’ she repeated. I nodded. She looked satisfied and headed back to her chair.
‘I have been thinking about this pie ever since I smelled it baking earlier,’ Henry said taking a bite.
‘You were here this morning?’ Lena asked, a naughty smile playing on her lips.
Henry blushed. ‘No, I just … Susanna needed my oven this morning.’ He looked at me for help.
‘Henry was a life saver when the oven here broke this morning.’ I wasn’t quite able to meet Henry’s eyes when I spoke.
‘Come, sit with us again.’ Lena pulled up a chair from a neighboring table next to Henry.
‘I should really get back to work,’ I said, backing towards the kitchen.
‘Nonsense,’ Lena said patting the chair. ‘You deserve a longer break.’ I stiffly sat down.
‘Do they have any suspects in the break-in yet?’ Flora asked.
I shook my head. ‘Not that I’ve heard. Who would break in just to steal a box of spices anyway?’
‘Once, on one of those cooking competition shows, a woman stole the baking soda from all of her competitors so they ended up making flat cakes,’ Flora said. ‘In the end, she almost won too. Terrible shows spreading the message that cheating is acceptable behavior.’
‘Don’t you still watch that show every week?’ Lena asked.
‘Well, yes, but I just watch it for the recipes,’ Flora said indignantly.
I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before. Alice has been out to get me. She had motive and opportunity to steal the spices. How would I prove it though? She seemed to have the whole town in the palm of her hand. I would need some hard evidence to get any of them to listen to me. While the others talked about various reality shows, I planned my evening. There was only one way I could think of to get the answers I needed.
Before Henry and Bernie left, he turned to me and said, ‘Give me a call if the oven isn’t fixed by tomorrow. I can help you bring the pies over to my house.’
‘I’m sure that won’t be necessary, but thanks.’ My voice sounded weird. I forced a bright smile on my face. I could tell he was wounded when he glanced back at me as he held the door open for Bernie. I focused on stacking the dirty plates.
I considered trying to fix the oven myself, but with everything that was going on, I couldn’t risk making any more mistakes. I called Bob after noon.
He answered with a curt, ‘Yeah?’ I hoped I hadn’t woken him up. He told me that he was booked today, but could come look at the oven tomorrow. I shuddered at the thought of going back to Henry’s tomorrow.
‘Bob, please, you have to help me out,’ I pleaded. ‘I’ll give you a whole pie if you come out today.’
‘The pie that lost the baking contest?’
I let out a frustrated groan. ‘That was a misunderstanding.’
He paused. ‘Throw in a sandwich, and I’ll try to come later this afternoon.’ I thanked him and promised a delicious sandwich would be waiting for him. I made a tomato, cucumber, and cheese sandwich and put it in the fridge for Bob.
Since everyone was still talking about the baking contest, I only had a couple of customers, both passing through from out of town.
Bob lumbered through the door carrying a rusty red toolbox a little after four-thirty. He had greasy gray hair and a bottom lip that protruded out giving him a permanent scowl.
‘Hi, you must be Bob.’ I walked towards him with my hand extended.
‘Where’s my sandwich?’ he asked, giving my hand a quick shake. I led him back to the kitchen and gave him his sandwich.
‘How is it?’ I asked, after he took a bite. He grunted a noncommittal response and then went and stood in front of the oven.
‘Do you need some help?’ I offered. ‘I worked for a handyman company back home. Not a lot of experience with ovens, but I’m willing to try.’
‘Nope, I work alone,’ he said, his mouth full of sandwich.
‘OK,’ I said. I lingered by the island and babbled about what a great job he did on the ice rink while he opened the door and looked inside.
‘I’d prefer to be left alone,’ he said, shooting a glance back at me.
‘Sure, right. Let me know if you need anything.’ I hurried back out front.
I heard some grumbling and resisted the temptation to go back there. After a few minutes, he came around the corner.
‘Fixed,’ he said.
‘Already? What was wrong?’
‘It was broken.’ He slapped a bill down on the counter in front of me. I wrote a check out and handed it to him.
‘Pie,’ he said.
‘Oh, right,’ I said. Despite his gruff personality, I was glad he still wanted pie. Maybe he could help me repair my reputation, though I had a feeling he didn’t go around singing many praises.
He picked a cheesecake, and I boxed it up. With a head nod, he was gone.
The rest of the day was quiet. I kept checking that the oven was working, turning it on and off, until I worried that I would break it again. I was pretty sure Bob wouldn’t skip right back over to fix it a second time.
I had to focus on tonight anyway. I needed a plan.
It was ironic. The town had accused me of being a burglar during the Fall Festival, and here I was on my way to break into Alice’s shop.
I slinked down the sidewalk, keeping close to the buildings and trying not to look suspicious. My pockets were filled with bobby pins. I had found a flashlight in Aunt Erma’s closet. It was one of those long metal ones that police officers carried. I wondered where she got it as I tucked it up my sleeve.
I desperately wanted a disguise. I didn’t have time to order a mask online, and I didn’t dare go to the store to pick one up. Even stores in surrounding towns weren’t safe. Serena Leeks who ran the clothing store in Mavisville, the next town over, played pickleball with Lena’s cousin’s son who also happened to be Mrs Lanigan’s doctor. Gossip would spread, and I couldn’t take that risk.
So in all my brilliance I decided to take one of Aunt Erma’s old stocking hats and cut a couple of holes in it. Unfortunately, it was zebra stripe and not exactly in keeping with the low profile I had hoped for. However, it did cover the top half of my face, and I prayed that would be enough to keep anyone from recognizing me if anyone saw me going in or out of the shop.
I spent some time on the internet looking up how to break in. There were way too many how-to guides out there for comfort. After spending an hour researching, I spent another hour looking up different alarm systems I now felt I should install. I just hoped that the sheriff wasn’t high-tech enough to search my internet history.
First, I tested the door to make sure it was locked. This was a small town, maybe people trusted their neighbors. The door was locked so I pulled a bobby pin out of my pocket and began twisting it around inside the lock. Nothing happened other than I mangled my bobby pin.
Next, I pulled out a gift card I had found in my wallet for a butcher shop. It was a gift from my old boss, Hal. A less than thoughtful gift considering I’m vegetarian and had been the entire time I’d worked there – a fact we had discussed on many occasions. I slid the card between the door and the door frame, and the card cracked in half.
My nerves were dancing and my frustration growing. I grabbed the doorknob with both hands and shook it. The lock just popped open. I stood in shock for a minute in the open doorway. That was not one of the ways I had researched.
I quickly stepped inside and pulled my flashlight out of my sleeve and began shining it along the countertops, careful not to let it shine out any of the windows. Alice was no dummy, she probably wouldn’t have left stolen goods out in the open.
I found the door to the pantry and stepped inside. It was packed with flour and sugar. I shined my flashlight up and down the shelves. I reached behind one of the bags of flour where I thought I could see a small bottle. As I pulled it out, two bags fell off the shelves and fell with a poof to the ground. One broke open and flour swirled around my feet. I froze for a minute, but there was still silence. I breathed a sigh of relief, shoved the bottle in my pocket, and continued my search.
My foot made contact with something and the air filled with a clattering noise that was deafening against the silence. I turned my flashlight down. I had kicked a stainless-steel mixing bowl. Who in the world would leave a mixing bowl on the ground. I didn’t have long to ponder that.
‘Hey, who’s there,’ a voice called through the darkness. The voice was familiar, but it wasn’t Alice.
I turned and ran as fast as I could out the back door. I could sense someone following me, but I had seen enough movies to know that if you turn around to see who it is, you’ll probably fall or run into something, so I just kept going. I gripped the flashlight tightly in my hand. If whoever was following me got too close, I would be ready to turn around and knock them in the head with it. I kept turning corners. Every corner I could, I would turn one way then another. I hoped my mask was enough to maintain my anonymity. The last t
hing I needed was to be accused of breaking into Alice’s shop when I had in fact broken into Alice’s shop.
I saw the nursing home ahead and ran through the door. No one was at the front desk. I bent over for a second to catch my breath. I heard singing. I took a few steps back towards the dining room and peeked inside. Henry sat there with a guitar on his lap. Several of the residents in the room were crowded around him. Some of them were humming and some were singing along. Many of them swayed to the tune. His voice gave me goose bumps, and I wanted to keep listening. I had always been a sucker for a man who could sing. I had to keep moving so I rushed down the hall, out the back door, and down the street.
Finally, I’d zig-zagged enough that I thought I’d lost my pursuer. I stopped in a doorway so I could look behind me. The coast was clear. I hurried back to the pie shop. I tried to walk a normal clip just in case anyone was looking out their windows.
I finally let myself breathe when I closed the door of the pie shop and locked it. The climb upstairs seemed long after that run. My legs were burning. Mitzy looked concerned from her spot where she was laying on the only clean pair of underwear I had left.
I glanced out the window in the kitchen and saw a figure disappearing around the corner of the alley. I didn’t get a good look at who it was, but the sight made my heart pound in my chest.
I had a bad feeling that whoever was at the cookie shop knew where I was now.
Chapter 20
Day 15 — Wednesday, November 16th
Dear Elodie,
I just found out a huge family secret. I mean huge. I don’t know what to do next. I’m an adult and this secret has been kept from me my whole life. Even now, I only found out by accident. I’m questioning everything. How do I forgive my family for keeping this from me all these years? I want to move forward, but I just keep thinking about how they lied to me. It was a lie of omission, but it was a pretty big omission. Help me get past this, please.
Sincerely,
