The Cupcake Capers Box Set

by Polly Holmes

  “On the night Christina was killed, I wasn’t home alone in bed as I originally told you,” he said shyly.

  “Where were you?”

  “An AA meeting. When I moved here, my sponsor was worried that I’d fall back into my old ways, so we agreed that three times a month I would travel back home to attend a meeting with him. It just happened to fall on that night. I left early that morning and drove straight here. You can ask him if you want to.”

  Cassidy shook her head. While she’d hit another brick wall, she was secretly glad Daniel was innocent, for Suzi’s sake. “That’s okay, I believe you. I just want you to know that while Ashton Point is a small town and it has its gossip-mongers, on the whole, they’re good people. Even if they find out about your past—some may hold it against you—but most, like us, will commend you for turning your life around.”

  “That’s right. And if they don’t, they’ll have to deal with Cassidy and me,” Clair said in her best macho voice.

  Tears brimmed the edge of his eyes once more. “Thank you, you don’t know how much that means to me.”

  “Although,” Cassidy paused, eyeing Daniel suspiciously once more. “If you print any more information about me without checking with me first, that could be a deal breaker.”

  Daniel crossed his heart with his finger. “Never again. Promise.”

  “Then I think we’re done, here,” she said as she stood followed by Clair. Daniel showed them out, but just before they left he turned and said, “Don’t forget, you promised me to keep me in the loop on the big story.”

  Cassidy sighed. “Don’t worry. When we know something concrete, you’ll hear about it.”

  After Daniel had closed the door, she stood on the sidewalk for a moment processing all she’d just heard. “That was pretty intense.”

  Clair’s eyes clouded with sympathy. “You’re not wrong. Poor guy.”

  “I had no idea he’d been through so much. No wonder Suzi has been spending more time with him lately,” Cassidy said just as her phone rocked out Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic.

  “Hello. …oh my gosh, slow down.” Cassidy rolled her eyes.

  “Cassidy, are you even listening to me?” Charlotte snapped down the line.

  “If you’d slow down and breathe, maybe I would be able to hear you better.”

  What’s going on? Clair mouthed.

  “Suzi had to go, her mum’s not well and I need help to deliver an order to Margarete over at the Tea 4 Two Café before she closes. I’ve got about twenty-five minutes and I can’t leave this place looking the way it does. Pierre cancelled his trip to Sydney so he’ll be in tomorrow and he’ll have a conniption if I leave it in this state.” Charlotte’s frantic voice had Cassidy and Clair in fits of laughter.

  “Okay, calm down. I’m actually in town, so I can pop over and pick up the order and drop it off. How does that sound?” Cassidy asked, knowing full well she would be in Charlotte’s good books.

  “You’re a life saver. Okay, I’ll get them ready now. See you in a bit. Bye.” Charlotte hung up.

  Clair smiled and raised an eyebrow. “I’m guessing from that call, you’re off to see Charlotte to help deliver her order?”

  “Got it in one.” Cassidy leaned in, giving Clair a quick hug before they headed off in different directions.

  Chapter Thirteen

  By the time Cassidy arrived at the Tea 4 Two Café, it was ten minutes before closing, but there were still several customers enjoying Margarete’s delicious food. It never ceases to amaze me how popular this café is. The one delight they didn’t serve was cupcakes, which meant they were no competition for CC’s Simply Cupcakes. Not wanting to interrupt, Cassidy placed the boxes of cupcakes on the side counter and waited to catch Margarete’s eye. A cold chill scurried up her spine and she shivered as if someone had walked over her grave. Silly old wives’ tale.

  “Oh my gosh, Cassidy, I didn’t see you standing there,” Margarete said, coming around the counter. She peeked inside one of the boxes and gasped in delight. “They’re stunning. You’re a lifesaver. I owe you guys big-time. My cousin was supposed to organise the cake for Oma’s eightieth birthday dinner tonight but rang in a tizzy, freaking out that she didn’t have enough time to get it sorted and dumped it in my lap,” Margarete said as she squeezed the air out of Cassidy’s lungs in a giant-sized hug. “Thank goodness for Charlotte, I can’t believe how she was able to whip up these gorgeous cupcakes in such little time.”

  The glow in Margarete’s eyes sent a bolt of satisfaction through Cassidy. The ability to make someone smile with your own creation hit Cassidy square in the chest, whether it be a newly-designed house or a box of cupcakes. “I’ll pass on your appreciation to Charlotte.”

  “Please do. I’ve got a little more to do here and there are a few customers still finishing up, but after they’ve gone I’ll give her a call myself and personally thank her,” Margarete said returning to the service counter.

  “I’m sure she’d love that. Have a great dinner.” Cassidy waved goodbye and headed for the door.

  “Excuse me. Miss.” The stark voice called from the side of the counter.

  “Yes?” Cassidy hadn’t seen the man around town before. Then again, it was coming into the Christmas season, but he wasn’t exactly dressed for the holidays. He was a middle-aged man, sporting a dark, navy, double-breasted suit and fedora. Cassidy’s interest was piqued, especially as her eye caught sight of his briefcase on the floor beside him. He pointed to the framed picture on the wall above the corner table. “Is that your local detective?”

  Cassidy nodded. “Yes, Detective Anderson. He was a hero that day. He saved young Missy from her house when it went up in flames.” She paused and waited for him to continue, but he stood as still as a statue staring at the picture seemingly lost in his own thoughts. “Can I help you with something?” she asked eager to find out his story.

  His head snapped around and he smiled, the frown marring his forehead melting away. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry. How rude of me.” He pulled a business card out of his coat pocket and handed it to her. “My name is Christopher Linnell.”

  She took the card and her gaze scanned the classic embossed print. Christopher Linnell, Attorney. “Cassidy McCorrson. Are you looking for Detective Anderson?”

  His stared at the picture like it would vanish at any second. “I wasn’t, but I am now.”

  “I’m sorry, I’m not following.” Cassidy felt like a fish out of water struggling to decipher a riddle.

  He chuckled and turned his warm smiling olive-green eyes toward her. “Forgive me. I am, or should I say was, Christina Jacobs’ lawyer.”

  Cassidy’s eyes widened and she just about fell over. Of course. How could I forget? It was right here in this very café where Christina had mentioned his name. “I seem to remember Christina mentioning you. Aren’t you some big-time lawyer in Sydney?” Her brow creased. “What are you doing in Ashton Point?”

  “I work for the Jacobs family. As you can imagine, they are extremely distressed about their daughter’s murder and haven’t been able to get any confirmed answers out of the police. They haven’t been able to get back from overseas as quickly as they’d hoped. Mrs Jacobs asked me to come up and see if I can expedite the situation.”

  Distressed? Me too, but for different reasons. Her suspicions grew and she felt her gut knot in two.

  His focus returned to the picture. “But now I see my job is going to be harder than I thought.”

  “You’ve lost me, I’m afraid,” Cassidy said, her nerves on edge.

  “That man in the picture isn’t who you think he is,” he said in a cautious tone.

  “He isn’t.”

  He shook his head. “No.” He pointed to the empty table under the picture. “Maybe we should sit.” Cassidy joined him at the table, her knots doubling in anticipation. “I know this may be hard to believe and I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but the man in that picture is a wanted criminal.”

 
; Cassidy felt the blood drain from her cheeks. What the… He can’t be serious?

  “Judging by the look on your face, you had no idea. Your beautiful coastal tourist town is secretly harbouring one of the most wanted men in Australia.”

  Cassidy swallowed the lump in her throat and she felt as if she’d just been thrown head first into the latest episode of Underbelly. This wasn’t real, it couldn’t be. Things like this don’t happen in Ashton Point. Do they?

  He took out his notepad and began scribbling notes. “How long ago did Detective Anderson arrive in Ashton Point?”

  “Um…my family has only lived here for three years and he’s been here for about five before that,” Cassidy said in a shaky voice.

  “That sounds about right. He disappeared about eight or nine years ago after a major drug bust. He was a major dealer, very high up in the drug syndicate. He was known for bringing drugs into Melbourne on his boat but no-one could ever catch them in his possession. He and his boat were always clean. There was talk of inside connections. That’s why he always slipped through the system. He was the best at what he did. Not only did he ship drugs, but he was also known as The Enforcer. When Johnny was sent to deliver a message, you could be sure they knew it came from JBG. The corpses of his victims were always left unrecognisable. His crime scenes weren’t exactly for the faint hearted. We could never get the evidence we needed to prosecute, or the witnesses to testify.”

  Cassidy sat dumbfounded, the new information rolling around in her mind. “Are you sure Anderson is this guy you’re talking about? Maybe you could be mistaken?”

  He whipped out his phone and started to dial. “No, I’m certain. If what you say is true, the people in this town are in very serious danger. I’m calling it in.”

  Yeah, me, for starters.

  Linnell waited for someone to pick up his call. He sighed, frustrated. “Let me try my other contact,” he said, dialling again. He glanced toward the picture while he waited. “He looks different, older and his hair and complexion have changed, but I’d know those eyes anywhere. I’ve been trying to prosecute him for over fifteen years. His face is ingrained in my memory. I’d never forget those eyes. Sometimes, I can still see the faces of his victims when I go to sleep at night.”

  While he spoke, Cassidy’s gaze scanned the café and the laughing sounds of holidaymakers filled her heart. Holy cow, none of us are safe. Her heart clenched as she thought of her sisters in danger…and Finn. Something in Linnell’s explanation made her pause. He was known for bringing drugs into Melbourne on his boat but no-one could ever catch them in his possession. Anderson had a boat? The story he told about being stung by a jellyfish when he was eight was a complete lie.

  The room swayed around her and the continual flow of the final customer’s voices pounded her head. She gripped the edge of the table, sucking in a deep breath. “Oh my gosh,” she said her frightened gaze locking on to Christopher as he ended his call.

  He lied about the boat. Anderson found the money in my room and he was the only one to mention the note. It all adds up to Anderson. “It was Anderson, I mean Johnny. He killed Christina.”

  His brow creased. “How do you know?”

  “It has to be. It all makes sense now. He was here in the café when Christina returned. Christina and I had a kind of disagreement and she said her lawyer would be up at the end of the week. I said some things that I shouldn’t have and they could have been interpreted as a threat. He used that against me. Christina said your name and Anderson was here in the café.”

  He frowned. “She did?”

  Cassidy continued, adrenaline coursing through her body. “He knew that if you came to Ashton Point his secret would be out. That you’d discover his identity. So, he got rid of Christina and framed me. Maybe he thought she knew about his past identity, maybe she did. She had an uncanny way of finding the hidden dirt on people and then using it against them. For all he knew, she’d found out before coming back to Ashton Point. Either way, it paints a clear picture of Detective Anderson as the murderer.” Her gaze glanced up at the picture. “But he forgot about the picture…or maybe he thought he was safe after he murdered Christina.”

  “I have people on their way. Now, I suggest you go straight home and tell no-one of our conversation or that I’m in town,” Linnell said as he stood.

  “Christina wasn’t a silly woman. If she knew about Anderson’s past she would have had evidence. Blackmail was her speciality.” Cassidy said, the cogs in her brain spinning out of control.

  “Is there anyone at all at the Ashton Point Police station that you can trust?” Linnell asked.

  “Robert,” Cassidy said as she stood, her insides in knots. “I’ve known Robert since I moved here and I trust him.”

  Linnell nodded and picked up his briefcase ready to leave. “Okay, now, straight home and let me deal with Detective Anderson.”

  Cassidy drove toward home on autopilot, her mind running over her conversation with Linnell for the hundredth time. I can’t believe Detective Anderson is a mobster and that he killed Christina. She must have had some major evidence to blackmail him with. The question is, where is that evidence and has Anderson found it already? Maybe Christina still has it, hidden. If she could find it there’s no way Anderson would be able to deny his past. A quick detour on the way home couldn’t hurt. After all, Linnell said he would take care of Anderson.

  Cassidy dialled Finn’s number. Two pairs of eyes searching were better than one. Great, voicemail. “Finn, it’s Cassidy. Detective Anderson is the murderer. Don’t ask me how I know, it’s a long story, but trust me. He’s the one. I’m on my way home and I’ll explain everything, but first I’m just making a short detour via Christina’s house. I think she was blackmailing him, just as she was Emmerson and Daniel, and if she was, there has to be evidence somewhere... Call me when you get this message.”

  Cassidy’s hands shook as she drove in the direction of Christina’s house. Her body was so tense it was like a volcano ready to erupt any second. She drove down the street, scoping out the scene for anything out of the ordinary before she turned into Christina’s driveway. It all appeared calm. Her hands stuck to the steering wheel, excitement worked its way up to her throat from her belly. She sucked in a deep breath and centred herself, pulling Christina’s house key from her bag.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Finn knocked back the last drop in his water bottle and grabbed his wallet and keys off the garden bench. “Looks like I might be hanging around Ashton Point for a while longer, so if you need any more help, let me know,” he said as he and Liam headed toward the car loaded up with tools.

  Liam smirked. “Ah, I thought that might be the case. A cute little red-head caught your attention, has she?”

  No use hiding the truth. He chuckled. “I think it was pretty obvious from the start how I felt about Cassidy.”

  “Yeah and judging by what I walked in on earlier, I think Cassidy’s worked it out too,” Liam said as he threw his tools in the back of his ute.

  A shiver crossed his chest. She will when I get the time to show her how good it can be between us. Maybe she’d like to do dinner out? “I’m just gonna give Cass a quick call to see if she wants to grab a bite to eat.”

  “No worries.”

  Finn pulled out his phone and saw that it was still on silent from when they’d snuck up on Emmerson. “What the?” he muttered. A missed call and a message from Cassidy. He felt the blood run cold in his veins as he listened to her animated voice. Finn’s heart plummeted as he processed her words. Fear for her safety festered deep in his belly. “I don’t believe that woman.”

  Liam paused and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “We need to go. Now,” Finn said moving double time to help Liam with the last of the tools.

  “What are you talking about? Go where?” Liam asked, unease lacing his words.

  “That message was from Cassidy and somehow, she didn’t say how, but she’s dead set sure Detecti
ve Anderson murdered Christina.” Liam’s eyes widened. “And she’s got it into her head that Christina might have been blackmailing him. She’s gone back to Christina’s house to look for evidence.”

  “Are you serious?” Liam said starting the engine.

  Finn’s voice was almost frantic. “I know I’m probably blowing this way out of proportion but the thought of Cassidy snooping around that house alone scares the living daylights out of me.” Finn began dialling. First, Cassidy. His heart skipped a beat when it rang out. Maybe she told Clair what happened. Next, he dialled her number and waited.

  Liam stepped on the accelerator. “I know the feeling well, she sounds just like her sister. I’m on it. We’ll be at Christina’s in twenty-five.” Liam huffed and shook his head. “What is with McCorrson women and murder? It seems to find them wherever they go.”

  ****

  Everywhere Cassidy looked she came up empty-handed. Frustration dampened her enthusiasm for the search. She hoped Linnell had better luck apprehending Anderson than she had finding the evidence. Christina’s house came up empty, and the retreat seems to be heading the same way. “Maybe I was wrong,” she muttered, glancing at her watch. “Where are you, Finn? I need help, I can’t do this by myself.” Ten more minutes and I’m out of here.

  She mentally crossed off each piece of furniture as she searched it. Coffee table draw, hall cupboard, kitchen dresser. “Nothing.” She sighed, closing the last of the sideboard drawers. Maybe The Chronicle might hold more answers. “Once Linnell nails Anderson to the wall, it won’t be my problem anymore. This will be over.”

  Cassidy spotted her toolbox under the table by the lounge. Last time she and Finn were here with Emmerson, she’d walked out empty handed. “This time I’m taking you with me. This job has cost me enough already.” In her haste, she pulled the box out and the latch unclipped itself. The entire contents spilled out onto the Lugano shaggy rug. “Great…that’s all I need to put me behind schedule.”