The Cupcake Capers Box Set

by Polly Holmes

  He frowned. “We’re still waiting on the results.”

  Caroline smirked and a sliver of relief skittled up Cassidy’s spine. “That would be a no then, Detective?” He grunted. “What else do you have?”

  He continued. “There was the public argument between Cassidy and the victim where she threatened to get her money one way or another. The scarf was tied with a very distinctive knot, a knot used in sailing. A bowline knot, I think it’s called.”

  Cassidy’s blood froze as she glanced toward Caroline. Oh no, why that knot? She knew it well. It was a favourite of their father’s. They used to sail a lot when they were younger and it was one of the knots their dad had taught them.

  “What’s so special about a bowline knot?” Caroline asked.

  Detective Anderson cleared his throat, his gaze drilling into Caroline as if no-one else were in the room. “It’s special because it’s a loop knot allowing the end to be threaded through the loop, thus making a noose or a weapon. It can be tied easily with one hand, for instance, if someone were holding another down with one hand, they could easily tie the knot with the other. It’s often known as King of the Knots and works extremely well under load. And would someone who has owned various types of sailing vessels over the years be privy to this information?”

  “Really, Detective. Does my client look like a person who could hold down a struggling body with one hand, while tying a knot with the other? If that’s all you have to go on? It’s flimsy at best, not to mention circumstantial,” Caroline said calmly but the twitch in her jaw let Anderson know she was anything but. “We live on the central coast of New South Wales. Most people in Ashton Point own a boat. I own a boat and I know how to tie a bowline knot. Does that mean I’m a murderer as well? What about you Detective? Do you own a boat?”

  “No,” he snapped.

  “Why is that, Detective? Do you not like the ocean?” Caroline asked smugly. It was like a sparring match between two archenemies.

  “Although it’s none of your business, when I was around eight years old, I was stung by a box jellyfish in north Queensland while on holiday with my family. It nearly killed me and I haven’t been able to go back out on the ocean since,” he said.

  “Yet you work in a coastal town, where boating is the number one tourist attraction. How interesting,” Charlotte said under her breath.

  His glare darkened. “Doesn’t mean I have to go out on the water. That’s what the water police are for.” His gaze turned back to Cassidy. “Do you know a woman by the name of Agnus Willowbrook, Miss McCorrson?”

  The name Agnus Willowbrook brought back wonderful memories of a lovely lady. One that reminded her of her own grandmother. Cassidy had redesigned the interior of her home to cater to her wheelchair. “Yes, I know Angus Willowbrook. I worked on her house about six months ago.”

  “She passed away about two months ago.”

  Cassidy’s heart clenched and her hand flew to her chest. “Oh no, that poor woman.”

  “If we look into your past clients, how many more bodies do you think we’ll find?” he asked, his tone menacing.

  Her jaw dropped open. “None.”

  “Detective, if you are going to arrest my client for this woman’s death, please do. And by my calculations, your time is up for holding Cassidy in relation to Miss Jacob’s murder.”

  He squeezed the bridge of his nose. “No, Ms Tuscon, I am not arresting Cassidy in association to Mrs Willowbrook death, at least not yet, but I will be looking into it further.”

  “What about Miss Jacob’s murder?” Caroline asked.

  “Although it’s against my better judgement, Cassidy is free to go at this time. I won’t be charging her just yet.” His gaze turned on Cassidy. “But don’t leave town. And it might be an idea to let your lawyer know your whereabouts.”

  What am I, a child? Fury burned in her veins. Cassidy wanted to tell him exactly what he could do with his proviso.

  “Well, it’s about time,” Caroline said smugly as she stood. “And if you have any further questions for my client, please direct them to me.” She trotted from the room, Cassidy in tow.

  Caroline’s flowy silver hair swished back and forth across her shoulders as they walked out to meet the others. “That man is the most irritating person I know.”

  “What happened?” Finn asked as they all converged on them when they exited.

  Cassidy’s heart melted just a little at the concern etched in his gaze. “Caroline was amazing. She handled him like he was putty in her hands.”

  A crimson blush worked its way across Caroline’s cheeks and she brushed the comment aside with a casual swish of her hand.

  “Don’t be so blasé about it, Caroline, if it weren’t for you, I’d be charged with murder right now and back in that cell. And I can tell you, that is a place I do not want to revisit.”

  “Not an option, young lady. I will not let that happen.” Caroline gave each woman a hug. “Gentlemen, take these women home. I think they’ve had enough excitement for one night. I’ll get to work but call me if you need anything or if Detective Anderson makes another unscheduled visit.”

  Exhaustion hit Cassidy and it was as if she’d suddenly been dumped by a ten-foot wave. “Home sounds good to me.”

  “Definitely,” Charlotte said, threading her arm around Liam. “Do you need a lift or will you ride back with Finn?”

  All eyes turned to Cassidy, waiting for her answer. Why wouldn’t I go back with Finn? After all, he is a good friend. “Yes, as long as it’s all right with Finn.”

  Finn smiled. “Of course. It will give us a little more time to chat.”

  Her stomach coiled. She knew exactly what he wanted to chat about. Todd.

  “Okay, see you at home,” Clair said turning to Mason. “Shall we?” he nodded and they followed Charlotte and Liam out.

  “What a day, possibly one of the worst days of my life.” Cassidy sighed, closing her eyes and leaning her head back on the seat.

  “Worse than what happened with Todd?” he asked.

  Cassidy’s eyes opened and her head snapped up. “What has Todd got to do with any of this?”

  “Well, it wasn’t hard to work out that you left because of him. One day you were madly in love, preparing to spend a white Christmas with the love of your life, and the next you were gone. I just don’t know why or if I need to beat him to a pulp…again, for hurting you.”

  Cassidy’s brow creased. “Again. What do you mean, again? What did you do?” His lips tightened and Cassidy felt the tension between them skyrocket. “Finn… What happened after I left New York? You said Todd came around and blamed me for ruining his life.”

  Finn nodded. “Yes, he did. The first time he came to find you.”

  “First?” she said as she pulled back, her shoulder butting up against the window.

  “He came back again the next day. He was looking for your parents, all apologetic, wanting you back and hoping they would put in a good word for him.”

  Nervous tension rifled up her spine. “He didn’t speak to them, did he?” she asked, distress edging her words.

  He shook his head. “No, he found me first. We had a ‘discussion’ and came to a mutual agreement. While he won’t be calling on you again, he also didn’t tell me what happened. But I figured he stuffed up somehow and came begging your forgiveness.”

  Her brow creased and she crossed her arms, waiting for further explanation. “By ‘discussion,’ do you mean fight?”

  No lies, just tell me the truth.

  “Sort of. I mean he tried to deck me but it was pretty obvious he was not that good with his fists. All I was doing was defending myself, honest. He may have walked away with a black eye and a few bruised ribs. Nothing too drastic.”

  “Finn!” Cassidy sat staring out the window, processing his words, and her head started to pound. “I can’t believe you did that.”

  “I know you’ve had a pretty trying day, but what happened between you two? The least yo
u could do is fill your friend in on the details. Especially after I put my body on the line for you.”

  The air thickened and the last thing she wanted was for Todd to become a bigger thorn in her friendship with Finn. “Okay, let’s get it out in the open once and for all.” Cassidy saw Finn’s hands clench the steering wheel, but she forged ahead. “Do you remember me telling you that Todd and I were supposed to attend his work dinner before I left?”

  “Yes, I remember. You were so excited to be finally meeting his big bosses.”

  She huffed and folded her arms across her tightened chest. The pain of Todd’s betrayal was a memory she hadn’t wanted to relive. “I couldn’t decide on a dress for the event, so I called in to see Todd at work, to get his opinion. But he wasn’t there. Apparently, he was working in the downtown office that day. So, I went to see him there.” She paused, swallowing back the nausea that threatened to surface. “Turns out he was in a ‘meeting’ with his boss’ wife, and when I say meeting, I think you can guess what sort of meeting I’m talking about.”

  Finn’s jaw clenched and he sucked in a deep breath. “Could you have been mistaken?”

  “Mistaken? I hardly think so. I really don’t want to have to explain what I saw. I’m sure you can guess. I was so embarrassed and I could just feel everyone laughing at me. What a fool I’d made of myself, especially in front of you.”

  “Me?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

  She shook her head, her mind full of horrible images of Todd and that woman. “You tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen. I couldn’t face you or my parents after I raved about how in love I was and that I’d met the man of my dreams. I was a gullible sucker who’d fallen for the image, not the real person.” Cassidy gazed out the side window, her damp eyes threatening to expose her heartache.

  “Todd was a fool to let you slip through his fingers,” Finn said as he turned down her street. “That was his mistake. I should have given him two black eyes.”

  She gave a little giggle, imaging Todd walking into work with two black eyes and having to explain to his boss how he’d gotten them. “The fact that you defended me is something I will never forget. It means the world to me. Thank you,” she said as she wiped her eyes, refusing to shed another tear over that man.

  “I’ll always have your back, you never have to ask,” Finn said with a smile as he turned the ignition off.

  Cassidy’s tummy did a somersault and she held her breath a moment as his words washed over her. She’d never doubt his faith in her again. “Would you like to come in for a nightcap?”

  “Sure.”

  Finn followed Cassidy down the hall and into the kitchen. The sweet aroma of hazelnut hung thick in the air, tickling her nose. Clair’s been at the coffee machine again. They both jumped in unison, startled by Clair’s voice behind them.

  “There you are,” Clair said as she popped her head around the corner, a mug of steaming coffee in hand. “What took you so long?”

  “Yeah, sorry about that. The trip took a little longer than expected.” Cassidy said, glaring at her sister and hoping she’d take the hint. Turning to Finn, she asked, “Coffee?”

  “Love one,” he said taking a seat at the table.

  “So, tell me, Finn, which hotel are you staying at?” Clair asked as she joined him.

  His eyes widened and he looked from Clair to Cassidy and back again. Oh no, he hasn’t booked a hotel yet.

  Finn cleared his throat. “Who needs a hotel, when I have my swag in the back of my Jeep? Best thing about travelling in Australia, you can pitch your tent just about anywhere.”

  Cassidy handed Finn his coffee and joined them at the table. “You always did say you liked to sleep under the stars.”

  “Guess the stars were hard to see in New York, amongst the buildings?” Clair said.

  He shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. That’s what makes my job exciting. I get to visit different, wonderful locations and meet amazing, interesting people. But I know none of it compares to what Australia has to offer.”

  His eyes sparkled as he glanced in Cassidy’s direction as he spoke. His words held a double meaning that was not lost on her.

  “Why pitch your tent, when we have a perfectly good spare room sitting waiting to be used? Cassidy would love to have you stay and I know Charlotte and I would feel a lot better if you hung around until this mess is sorted out,” Clair said. Her sheepish gaze caught Cassidy’s eye.

  Why that little matchmaker. Her heart overflowed with love for her sister. Even though Cassidy was facing a murder charge, her big sister still had time to play the guardian angel. I can play along.

  “Yes, you may as well use the room,” Cassidy said casually. “After all, it just sits there, empty. I’m surprised it doesn’t have cobwebs growing in it from lack of use.”

  “What do you say, Finn?” Clair asked.

  Finn smiled and placed his coffee mug down on the table. “I say…it sounds perfect.”

  Clair shot up like a firecracker and headed for the dishwasher. “Great, it’s all settled.”

  “What’s all settled?” Charlotte asked as she entered, placing her empty mug in the dishwasher.

  Clair grinned at Charlotte. “We were just convincing Finn, here, to stay in the spare room instead of pitching his tent.”

  Charlotte clasped her hands together in agreement. “What a great idea. Besides, wouldn’t you rather the comfort of a nice, king-sized bed, instead of the rocky earth under your body?”

  Finn’s eyes widened. “When you put it like that, how can I say no?”

  Cassidy shook her head and her lips curled upward into a grin. Oh, boy. You two are going to get it when I get five minutes alone with you.

  “I’m going to call it a night,” Charlotte said heading toward the hallway. “I’ve Jessica’s sixteenth birthday cake to complete and Pierre is only working a half day, as he is off to Sydney for a few days leave.”

  Gratitude bubbled in Cassidy’s stomach and her throat clogged with built-up emotion. “Wait. Before you go,” she said, standing to join them. “I just wanted to say thank you for believing in me and coming through tonight with Caroline. I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

  Charlotte pulled Cassidy to her chest as tears welled in her eyes. “That’s what sisters are for, You Big Wally.” Within seconds, Clair had joined in and they were laughing and squeezing each other tight.

  Finn’s soft voice broke the moment. “If you three need a moment, I’m happy to step out for a few minutes.”

  “Oh, haha,” Cassidy said, play-punching him in the bicep. Oww, that hurt. When did his biceps become rocks?

  Clair chuckled and continued. “About tomorrow. I know Charlotte’s busy at the shop and I know you’ve only just arrived in town, but I thought Cassidy and I could make a trip to the mayor’s office. The sooner we get to the bottom of the scene between him and Christina at the gala dinner the better.”

  “Of course, you need to do what you have to do. What can I do to help?” he asked.

  “I could use your muscles,” Clair said with a chuckle.

  Excuse me? Cassidy pulled back and raised an eyebrow at her sister.

  “What I mean is, I am desperate to get CC’s Cupcake Haven up and running as soon as possible and I know Cassidy is working on the final touches of her designs for the interior. I have Mason heading over to meet some contractors and Liam is working on the back landscaping. He could use an extra set of hands. Cassidy and I can meet you there after we finish chatting with the mayor. What do you say?”

  “Clair!” Cassidy said, folding her arms across her chest, a frown marring her expression. “Finn did not come to stay just so you can put him to work.” Cassidy’s gut tightened when a bright shade of red coloured Clair’s face.

  “Hey, it’s fine. I don’t mind at all. In fact, it will be a great workout,” Finn said, easing the tension. He placed a calming hand on Cassidy’s shoulder and she felt it all the way to her big toe. “Honest, Cass, it’s c
ool.” Goosebumps assailed her body. She’d never had that reaction to his touch or his pet name for her before. Her feelings for Finn were changing in a big way, but was it a direction she wanted to take?

  “Thank you,” Clair said, a smile brimming from ear to ear. “Okay, good night. I’m going before Cassidy flattens me with her death stare.”

  Cassidy’s jaw dropped, but before she could say a word, her gaze caught the wispy tendrils of Clair’s red hair flitting out of the kitchen, closely followed by Charlotte.

  “Night,” Charlotte called over her shoulder.

  “Thank you for offering to help out tomorrow,” Cassidy said, still jittery from her unexpected reaction to his touch. “Follow me, I’ll show you to the spare room.” Finn followed and he was so close she could feel him shuffle up behind her. Oh gosh, having Finn stay in the room opposite mine is going to be harder than I thought.

  “Are you sure you’re okay with me staying?” Finn asked, his breath skimming her neck.

  Noooooo, bellowed like an air siren blasting in her head. “Of course, no problem. It’s the least I can do to say thank you for being there this evening.” Reaching the door, she spun right into Finn’s firm torso and her body fell back against the wall. She gasped and he made a grab for her before she landed on her backside on the tiled floor.

  “Easy there,” he said holding her still with his strong hands. A warm smile eased his lip up and the cutest dimple in his right cheek surfaced.

  His cobalt-blue eyes held hers and for a moment she forgot to breathe. Cassidy’s head swam with all the reasons why it shouldn’t feel this good in his arms. One reason in particular. Murder. She shook off her thoughts and opened the door behind her. “Here we are. I hope this is okay?”

  Finn followed her in and gazed around the room. It had a country charm to it, but mixed with a new, contemporary interior design, it would please even the fussiest house guest. “It’s perfect,” he said, his gaze glued to hers.