by Amber Crewes
Meghan gasped. “That book you helped her with became a movie?”
“Yes. And when I reached out to her to seek compensation for my work, she never responded. The entire incident made me very angry; how could you ask someone for help, take advantage of their generosity, and then, cut them out when things turned for the better? It was a terrible, heartless move on her part, and I never forgave her.”
“Mrs. Sheridan had a motive,” Meghan thought to herself as Mrs. Sheridan continued her story. “Mrs. Sheridan had a clear motive: she loathed Jodie Abbott, and if she had found out Frank and Jodie met privately to discuss their divorce, surely she was livid.”
She forced herself to smile as Mrs. Sheridan finished her tale. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that you two had a tumultuous relationship,” she said quietly as she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. It was Jack. “I’m so late,” she moaned. “Mrs. Sheridan, I have to go. I’m sorry I bumped into you.”
“Its fine,” she told her dismissively. “Just don’t do it again, or I won’t be fond of you anymore. You know what I do when I am not fond of someone…”
Meghan’s stomach dropped as Mrs. Sheridan walked away cackling. She pulled out her phone and dialed Jack’s number.
“Where are you?” he asked angrily upon answering. “You invited me over, and I’ve been waiting outside like an idiot for the last hour.”
“Jack, this is important,” she told him. “And I’m sorry for making you wait. But babe, you have to listen to me: I don’t think Frank did it.”
“Hold on.”
Meghan was stunned as Jack put the call on hold. He returned a few seconds later. “Sorry, that was Chief Nunan. I have to report to the station immediately.”
“You have to go to work?” Meghan cried. “But I was going to make breakfast for you.”
“You should have hurried,” Jack lectured her. “I have to do my job.”
Meghan bit her lip. “Why did they call you to the station?”
Jack sighed. “Chief Nunan says it’s an emergency. There has been a huge break in the case.”
17
E arly the following day, Meghan was putting a dollop of cream cheese atop a pumpkin muffin when she heard the little silver bells attached to the front door ring. “Hello?” she called. It was a rainy morning, and she had not anticipated many customers, at least until the weather cleared up. She wiped her hands on her apron and went out to the dining room.
“Hey, beautiful.”
Meghan stopped in her tracks. Lee Shepherd was lounging in one of the little white iron chairs under the picture window. “Hey,” she replied. “Just call me Meghan, okay?”
“Sorry,” he said, his face looking anything but apologetic. “I can’t help but to comment on beauty when I see it.”
“I don’t think my boyfriend would like another guy calling me ‘beautiful’.”
“I get it,” Lee said as he held his hands up in a mock surrender. “Sorry. Meghan.”
Meghan nodded curtly. “Thank you, Lee. That makes me feel more comfortable. How’s it going, today? Can I get you something?”
Lee smiled wolfishly. “I am still settling into my new place by the beach,” he explained. “You should come out and see the place sometime, Meghan. The views are unbelievable, and the house is to die for. It has thirteen foot ceilings, all-white countertops, and complete views of the sea.”
“That does sound nice,” she admitted. “I’m jealous.”
“Seriously, you’ll have to stop by soon.”
Meghan felt her heart pound nervously. She didn’t quite trust Lee, and she wished Pamela and Trudy would come out to the dining room. “Maybe my boyfriend and I can come see it sometime. You’ll have to meet him soon. He’s been working a lot lately, but I think you two would really hit it off.”
Lee winked. “I would love to meet your boyfriend.”
Meghan smiled. “I’m glad to hear it. He’s a great guy. We’ve been dating almost a year, and he is really easy to get along with.”
Lee sighed. “Okay, okay, I get it. You have a boyfriend. So, moving on…”
Meghan was pleased that Lee understood she was setting boundaries with him.
“So, what can I do for you, Lee?”
He licked his lips. “I haven’t unpacked my kitchen stuff yet, and I am starving. I was hoping to scrounge up some breakfast. Can you help me with that, Meghan?”
Meghan nodded. “That’s my specialty. Let me go to the kitchen and get some coffee for you.”
Meghan walked briskly to the kitchen. Pamela was waiting for her, her face eager. “That’s the guy from the eye doctor’s office,” she whispered excitedly. “Meghan, who is that? He is so cute.”
Meghan shook her head. “He’s new in town, but I’m not so sure about him,” she explained. “I have a few concerns, and he kept flirting with me even when I mentioned my boyfriend.”
“That is sketchy,” Pamela frowned. “What did he say?”
“He kept calling me beautiful, and he just seemed too familiar. I didn’t like it. He gives me a weird feeling…”
Pamela raised an eyebrow. “Should we be worried? Are you going to call Jack?”
“No, I think we are safe,” she said to the teenager. “But keep your distance for now, Pamela. There is a lot going on in town right now with Jodie Abbott’s murder, and I would be devastated if anything happened to you.”
Pamela’s jaw dropped. “Do you think he had anything to do with it? You said he gives you a weird feeling, but does he strike you as a killer?”
Meghan ignored the question and began preparing a bowl of the orange mousse. “I’m going to take him some coffee and mousse,” she replied as she left the kitchen. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Meghan set the bowl down in front of him, and Lee’s eyes glimmered. “That looks amazing,” he complimented as Meghan arranged a fork and spoon atop his napkin. “I don’t want to eat alone, though. Sit with me for a few minutes?”
Meghan hesitated, and Lee pulled out the chair next to him. “Come on, you know you want to.”
She sat, and Lee smiled at her. “You look like you have something on your mind, Miss Meghan.”
Meghan bit her lip. “Lee, can I ask you a question?”
“Anything.”
She gulped. “Why are you moving to Sandy Bay? I don’t understand why you would want to live in a town where your mother was murdered.”
Lee nodded. “That’s a fair question,” he began as he leaned back in his chair. “I lived in my mom’s shadow in Portland; she had a book of hers get turned into a rather successful movie, and she always had crazy fans coming out of the woodwork to meet her. I needed to get away, and there’s something about this town. It’s beautiful and mysterious, and somehow, I feel closer to my mom here. Like she is still watching over me.”
Meghan smiled. “That’s a sweet thing to say,” she said, moved by his sentiments. “It sounds like your mom was an amazing woman.”
“She was so strong,” Lee told her, his eyes blinking back tears. “She was the only one I had in the world, and now, she’s gone…”
Meghan reached across the table and took Lee’s hand, giving it a firm squeeze. “When we love someone, they never leave us,” she murmured. “They are always around us.”
“That’s kind of you to say,” he replied, wiping his eyes with the sleeves of his green woolen sweater. “I moved here to feel close to my mom, Meghan. But I also came here for another reason.”
“Oh?”
Lee narrowed his eyebrows and pulled his hands away from Meghan’s, clasping them together on top of the table. “I’m going to see him go down for this,” he declared. “Frank Abbott is going down for the murder of my mother. I don’t know what’s keeping the police from officially charging him, but I am going to make sure he never smiles again if it is the last thing I do.”
Meghan’s eyes widened. “Why did your mom even come to Sandy Bay? Was the sole purpose to ruin Frank’s wedding? D
id she want revenge?”
Lee laughed. “She couldn’t have cared less about Frank’s wedding,” he sneered. “She had some legal issues to sort out regarding her book, which is why she came to town. She heard about the wedding, and she thought it would be a hoot to crash it.”
Meghan said nothing, and Lee rose from his chair. “I have to go meet the electrician,” he told her with a smile. “Thanks for the breakfast; that mousse is incredible. Anyway, good chatting with you, Meghan. I’m so glad I have a friend in Sandy Bay.”
Meghan smiled weakly as Lee waved goodbye and walked out of the bakery. She stood, gathering his bowl and empty coffee cup, but before she could return the items to the kitchen, the front door swung open. She immediately sneezed, nearly dropping the kitchenware.
“Hey, Meghan.” It was Noah Morrison. As per usual, his cologne was unbearably strong, and Meghan struggled to breathe.
“Can I help you?”
Noah beamed as he strutted to the center of the room. “I just got off the phone with my agent,” he exclaimed. “I received the funding and clearance to shoot a film about a bakery owner. I want to use Truly Sweet as a prime location for the film.”
Meghan raised an eyebrow. “Are you asking to use my bakery to shoot your film?”
“Well, yes,” he told her. “I will feature you, your staff, and locals as extras in the film, and your shop will be credited as well. It’ll be a great chance to promote your bakery. What do you think?”
Meghan held her head high. “I’ll have to talk with my staff and get back to you. I would like their input before I make any decisions. I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”
“Sounds good,” Noah said. “Can’t wait to hear you shout YES!”
Meghan chuckled as he marched out of the bakery. “If his ego were any bigger, he wouldn’t fit through the door.”
She walked into the kitchen to find Trudy and Pamela. “Ladies, I have something to talk with you about…”
Meghan explained the offer from Noah, and both Trudy and Pamela were excited. “That will surely mean he’s going to pay us,” Trudy grinned. “I will be able to pay for my upcoming cruise out of pocket!”
“I’ll be able to finally buy a leather jacket,” Pamela cried happily. “Oh? Meghan? Are we allowed to make requests for this film?”
“What do you mean?”
Pamela giggled, a devilish glimmer in her eyes. “Can we request that Noah Morrison is not allowed to wear his terrible cologne in here? It’s terrible. He smells like a middle-aged bachelor in the middle of his mid-life crisis.”
Meghan laughed. “He is a middle-aged bachelor in the middle of his mid-life crisis,” she squealed as the three women exploded into peals of laughter.
18
L ater that evening, just after the bakery had closed for the evening, Meghan received a phone call from Jackie. “What’s up?”
“I have an idea. You aren’t going to like it, but I think it will solve all of our problems.”
Meghan groaned. Jackie’s ideas had already gotten her into enough trouble. “What is it?”
“I need your help with something. Can you get away for an hour or two?”
Meghan groaned again. Her feet were aching, her eyes were tired, and she had been looking forward to a long, hot bath and the novel that she had been saving for the occasion. “I don’t know, Jackie. It depends. What do you need?”
“I want Kayley Kane to pay for what she’s done to sabotage our event barn.”
Meghan’s attention was kindled, but she still didn’t have a strong interest in changing clothes, leaving her apartment, and enacting a plan of revenge. “Jackie, I don’t think—“
“You don’t think what? That Kayley doesn’t deserve some karma after all she’s done to us? Come on, Meghan. I have the perfect plan, but I need your help to pull it off.”
She glanced down at her watch. It was only five past seven. If she helped Jackie and rushed home, she still had time to take her bath and read her novel before her usual bedtime.
“Fine,” she agreed. “What do you need me to do?”
“You just have to trust me,” Jackie began. “This plan is a bit risky, but if it works, we’ll have Kayley at our mercy.”
“Ok?”
“We’re going to ambush her at her office.”
“Ambush her?” Meghan asked in horror.
“We’re going to sneak up on her and make her tell us the truth. We deserve the truth, Meghan, and I want her to know that we mean business. She can’t mess with us anymore.”
Meghan weighed the pros and cons of Jackie’s idea. “What if we get caught?” she asked.
“We’ll just say that we are having a meeting with Kayley to discuss a real estate venture.”
“She can be manipulative, Jackie. I don’t want her to sob to the police and get us in trouble.”
Jackie paused. “That’s a good point,” she admitted. “There is only one solution: we can’t get caught.”
Moment later, when Meghan hung up the phone, she thought about what she had agreed to. She and Jackie were going to corner Kayley in her office. Meghan would have her cell phone set to record the confrontation, and if they were lucky, they would get Kayley to admit to her wrongdoings.
“I hope I can get my cell phone just right,” Meghan muttered as she played with the buttons. “Jackie told me to hide it in my shirt, but I think Kayley will see it…I will have to put it in my jacket pocket and hope for the best.”
Meghan selected an olive green jacket from the closet and placed a baseball cap over her face. She tucked her thick, long dark hair into a ponytail, and she wiped off the red lipstick she had applied on her lunch break. She had to be discreet as she walked to the real estate agency, and red lipstick did not scream discreet.
She kissed her dogs goodbye and crept out of the bakery. Her heart was beating rapidly as she pulled the baseball cap down further over her face and rounded the corner. She did not want to be seen by anyone; she was on a mission, and if her cover was blown, everything would be ruined.
Her cell phone buzzed. It was Jackie. Meghan looked to her right, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see her walking briskly behind her. They had planned to meet outside of Kayley Kane’s real estate agency at eight thirty, and it was almost time.
“Hey,” she heard Jackie whisper as she answered the phone. “We’re just going to walk straight into her office and demand answers. You are going to draw the blinds so no one sees us in there with her. I am going to lock the door. I already made a fake inquiry today regarding a house for sale on Salmon Street, so all of the other agents are out of the office for the night. It’s just Kayley inside right now. She’s a sitting duck.”
“Got it,” Meghan replied in a hushed tone as she ducked in the same bushes she had eavesdropped in days earlier. “And when should I start recording her? I don’t want to miss anything.”
“Why don’t you start the minute we enter the agency?” Jackie suggested. “We need to get her confession on tape; it’ll be good if we get her to admit her part in the sabotage, but it will be great if we can have a recording of her admitting it all.”
“Okay, got it,” Meghan said. “I will push the button as soon as we go inside, and then I’ll stick my phone in my back pocket.”
She could hear Jackie approaching, and she looked at her watch. In one minute, it would be time to execute their plan.
“Go time,” Jackie murmured into the phone.
Meghan ran into the real estate agency. As soon as she was inside, she retrieved her phone and pushed the little red button on her recording feature. The recording started, and she placed the phone in her back pocket of her green jacket. She darted around the corner and into Kayley’s office. “What? Meghan? What are you doing here? You don’t have an appointment to see me…”
“Shut up,” Jackie hissed as she stormed into the office and slammed the door. “We need to have a little chat with you, Kayley.”
The color drained f
rom her face. “What are you talking about? How dare you both march in here unannounced? I have a secretary for a reason, you know.”
“You know exactly what we’re talking about,” Meghan replied, her hands on her hips. “Tell us your plan, Kayley. Tell us why you are trying to sabotage our barn. We know you have something to do with it, and we want answers.”
Kayley raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” she sniffed, looking down to examine her long, red nails. “Why would I have any interest in that? That barn would be a pain to sabotage. Though, I hear it practically sabotaged itself with that disaster of a wedding for Mrs. Sheridan. What a pity…”
Jackie banged her fist on Kayley’s large oak desk. “Tell us the truth,” she ordered, her eyebrows arched. “We know you are involved, Kayley. Tell us what your problem is, or else.”
“Or else? Or else what? What are you and little Miss Bakery girl going to do?”
Meghan pulled out her cell phone and showed Kayley the background picture. It was a photo from a wedding last winter, and Meghan and Jack were locked in an embrace, their heads turned sideways to grin at the camera. “As you know, I have a very close connection with the Sandy Bay Police, Kayley…”
“And?”
Jackie laughed. “You really don’t get it, do you?”
“If I don’t hear what I want to hear, I am going straight to the police, Kayley,” Meghan declared. “You have something to do with the sabotage of our barn, don’t you? Tell the truth, or you will be getting very closely acquainted with my dear friend, Chief Nunan. I’m sure she would love to hear about your little plot to ruin my business.”
“Our business,” Jackie corrected.
“Our business,” Meghan continued. “Tell us everything you know, or I will call the chief immediately.”
Kayley’s angular face darkened. “I said, I don’t know what you are talking about?”
Just then, the door burst open and a young blonde woman rushed in. “I thought you were supposed to lock the door,” Meghan hissed to Jackie.
“Kayley? What’s going on? You have a meeting on your calendar in ten minutes.”