Chocolate Swirls and Murder

by K E O'Connor

  Saracen grunted, and a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face.

  I’d been surprised when he’d followed me back to the kitchen this morning, but he’d been my silent and efficient baking assistant for almost three hours.

  I’d expected him to snap as I’d kept bossing him about, but he liked taking orders. It must have been due to his military training. As long as I was clear and succinct and didn’t give him options, he did exactly what I told him.

  I had decided to expand Saracen’s knowledge into the fine art of cake decorating. The problem was, he was anything but delicate, and trying to get him to hold a tiny pastel pink rosebud without shattering it was proving tricky.

  “That’s it. Hold it right there. Don’t move. Don’t even breathe.” I swiftly iced the flower into place and stood back as my gaze ran over the cake.

  Six layers of sponge perfection sat in front of me. Two layers each of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla sponge. They were stacked on top of each other and filled with generous alternate layers of vanilla cream and chocolate chip mousse. The outside was coated in more cream and the top dotted with a bouquet of tiny blush pink rosebuds.

  “Okay, that’s got it. We’re ready to take the cake to the viewing table before the tasting session begins.”

  Saracen stood against the wall and clasped his hands behind his back.

  “Do you want to come and see the other cakes with me?” I asked.

  He grunted.

  I’d quickly learned that sound meant he wanted me to tell him what to do, not give him an option. “You’re coming with me. We’re taking the cake and having a look at all the other contestants’ entries. Let’s go.”

  Saracen instantly moved and opened the door for me as I carefully held the tray containing my cake.

  We walked toward the marquee where the contest was being held. I found the table with my name on it and slid my cake carefully to the center.

  I brushed my hands together as I turned and surveyed the marquee.

  There were twenty cake entries on display, alongside the savory treats, beverages, and sauces and chutneys.

  My confidence wavered as I studied some of my competition. There was a tower of angel cakes on a table of glitter and tiny white angels, several traditional fluffy sponge cakes, a big meringue dish covered in fresh berries, and a chocolate roulade.

  My mouth watered and my stomach grumbled. I’d been so busy concentrating on my cake that I’d forgotten to eat lunch. At least there’d be plenty of leftovers to enjoy after the tasting had finished.

  My gaze shifted as I spotted Maisie hurrying along the other side of the marquee. She was on Campbell’s suspect list. “Saracen, you guard the cake. Don’t move.”

  He adjusted his position and stood in front of the cake, his head swiveling from side to side as if checking there were no enemies creeping up and about to attack.

  I hurried over to Maisie, surprised to see her standing by a stall with her name on. Beside her was a large pie topped with a pastry lid.

  “Hey, Maisie. I didn’t know you were entering the contest.”

  She shrugged and glanced at the pie. “Why not? Since I’m here and that security guy doesn’t want me going anywhere, it seemed like a waste not to make the most of it.”

  “You’re entering one of Pete’s pies?”

  She snorted a laugh and shook her head. “Of course not. Those pies were nothing special, just generic meat pies with an unidentified filling. I rarely ate the freebies Pete gave me. Way too salty.”

  “You didn’t enjoy the pies you sold?”

  “Did you try one of Pete’s pies?” she asked.

  “No, although he gave me one to try. I dropped it on the ground. My dog wasn’t keen on eating it, though. Meatball normally loves anything like that.”

  “Then your dog has excellent taste,” Maisie said. “Pete’s pies were bland. He used spices and salt to give them flavor. I decided to enter my very own recipe. This is my pie. My recipe. My entry.”

  “That’s great,” I said. “How are you feeling after what happened to Pete?”

  “Not great. It was horrible.”

  “Have you been questioned about what you saw?”

  “I spoke to that scary security guy yesterday. He took my details and said he’d be in touch.”

  “I’m helping him with the investigation,” I said. “Have you got time to talk now?”

  “Oh! Sure. I didn’t know you were a part of the castle’s security team.” Her gaze went to my cake stand.

  “This is a ... freelance assignment,” I said.

  She shrugged. “What do you need to know?”

  I tried to remember the questions Campbell had put on the piece of paper he gave me. “What did you think of Pete?”

  Maisie looked at her pie. “Pete was a charming cad. When he wanted something, he’d turn on the charm. Once you’d been around him a while, it was easy to see it was just a front. That wasn’t the real Pete. He played a character. Once he’d gotten what he needed, he dumped you.”

  “Which you didn’t approve of?”

  “It annoyed me that people never saw through it, but I was the same. He promised me all sorts when I joined his business. Did I get to see them? Not a chance.”

  “What was he like as a boss?”

  She frowned. “Boss! More like I was his slave. The job wasn’t great. He took advantage of me and my eagerness to get work experience and a decent reference. He used me just like he used everybody else. Do you know how he paid me?”

  “Minimum wage I’m guessing.”

  “That would have been nice. Pete paid me in leftover food. He gave me those horrible pies and said they’d see me through. I forced down a few, but only when things got desperate. He was a bad boss. I was thinking of leaving but wanted to get another month or two of experience before I cut loose from the situation.”

  “You weren’t romantically involved with Pete?” I asked.

  She tipped back her head and laughed. “That’s a horrible thought. There was no way I’d have dated Pete. He was a good-looking guy and had that roguish charm he used. It worked on most women, but he was a fraud. Besides, he was old enough to be my dad. I might like a mature guy, but there’s mature and then there’s disturbingly old.”

  So much for my thoughts on an unrequited love gone bad. “Do you know of anybody who had a problem with Pete? Anyone who might be angry enough to kill him?”

  “I don’t know. I mean, he rubbed a few people up the wrong way, but only when they found out he’d used them. Most of the time, people were oblivious to what he did. Sure, he put noses out of joint, especially with the special deals he’d roll out when we’d get a job lot of cheap pies. Most of the other sellers simply couldn’t keep up.”

  “Any recent arguments that stand out?”

  “No, nothing new. He’d always talk them around, buy them a pint, and that would be an end to it. I can’t think of anyone who’d be angry enough to sneak into the food fair and stick a pie slicer in his back.”

  “May I ask where you were yesterday? I noticed you weren’t around when Pete’s body was discovered.”

  “I’d worked alongside Pete most of the day,” she said. “He ordered me to start loading up the van because the crowd was thinning out. I was walking backward and forward between the marquee and the truck. That’s when he was killed. Loads of people would have seen me.”

  “I didn’t see you,” I said. “And I discovered Pete’s body. You didn’t appear the whole time I was there.”

  She looked away. “Oh, well, I didn’t like to say, given that I’d been handling food all day, but I had an upset stomach. I blame one of Pete’s nasty pies. Anyway, I had to make an emergency dash to the loo. I was probably gone twenty minutes. When I felt better, I came back to the marquee. That was when I saw what had happened. I didn’t see you. You must have gone by then.”

  That wasn’t a great alibi. I’d be able to check if Maisie was seen loading up the truck
, but there was no way I could know for certain if she’d been in the toilet that whole time.

  “When you got back to the stall, did you see anything strange or out of place?” I asked.

  “Aside from Pete’s body and the mess?”

  “Yes. Had any money gone missing or anything like that?”

  “You’re thinking a robbery gone wrong?” Maisie shook her head. “No, we wear these satchels around our waists and keep the money in it to stop anyone with light fingers. I have one, so does Pete. His was around his waist. None of the money was taken according to the investigator.”

  “So, nothing missing?”

  She twisted the end of a curl around one finger. “His laptop wasn’t there. Pete always had it open and posted on his social media pages about how amazing his pies were. When I got back, it had gone.”

  I couldn’t recall seeing a laptop on the counter when I’d discovered Pete, but I’d been so shocked, I could have missed it. Would someone kill a person to get their hands on a laptop?

  A murmur from the other contestants in the marquee had me turning, and I gulped. The Duke and Duchess were by my stand, examining my cake!

  I took a step toward them, then froze to the spot. I’d gotten distracted by Pete’s murder and forgotten all about my entry.

  “Thanks, Maisie. Good luck with your pie.” I dashed over, trying to calm my racing heartbeat as I neared.

  I slowed and tilted my head. Saracen was talking to the Duke and Duchess. I’d never seen him so animated. He was smiling, nodding, and waving his arms around. Whatever had possessed him?

  As I drew nearer, I could hear what he was saying. He was describing my cake like a professional chef.

  “The sponge is especially light because of the special whipping technique. It’s whipped first by hand and then machine. It’s that extra effort that adds the lightness.”

  “This is possibly the lightest sponge cake I’ve ever tried,” the Duchess said.

  “The decorations are made by hand. Each rosebud was expertly crafted by the skilled designer. She glued each one on individually,” Saracen said.

  “And where did you say the filling was from?” The Duke examined the cake, bringing a piece to eye level and squinting at it.

  “The fruit’s locally sourced. You get a perfect mix of tart and sweet from the strawberries,” Saracen said.

  “It’s absolutely delicious,” the Duchess said.

  Saracen caught my eye and winked. “And you’ll be pleased to know the baker of this wonderful cake has just arrived.” He gestured me over before standing to one side.

  I still couldn’t believe what I’d heard. I stuffed down my shock and smiled brightly at the Duchess and the Duke. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived to look at my cake.”

  “That’s quite all right,” the Duchess said. “Your ... assistant was very helpful. Although he looks awfully familiar. He must have an identical twin who works in the castle security team.”

  Saracen ducked his head.

  The Duchess smiled indulgently. “Not to worry. We all need hobbies to indulge in. It’s good to learn my security have other interests. It’s important to have a well-rounded character.”

  “He’s been a great assistant,” I said.

  “You’ve done wonders with this cake, Holly,” the Duchess said. “Light, just the right level of sweetness, and entirely moreish. This will be hard to beat.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” I said. “I wanted to make something classic but memorable.”

  “You’ve definitely done that.” The Duchess touched her husband’s arm. “Let’s move on to the next stand, my dear.”

  “Just one more piece of this cake before we go,” the Duke said.

  “Save your appetite,” the Duchess said. “You need to keep a clean palate so we give everyone a fair chance.”

  The Duke reluctantly placed his piece of cake down. He nodded at me. “The best yet.” He wandered away with his wife.

  I turned to Saracen, still tingling with shock and surprise. “You do speak in complete sentences.”

  He shrugged. “Only in emergencies.”

  “This was definitely an emergency. I got distracted. I saw Maisie and got talking about what happened to Pete.”

  “What did she tell you?”

  “That she was unwell at the time of the murder, and Pete’s laptop is missing.”

  Saracen nodded. “Interesting.”

  “Would someone have killed him for his laptop?”

  “That depends what’s on it.”

  “What do you think could be on it?”

  “Blackmail files. Dodgy pictures. Records of corrupt business dealings. Threatening letters. Anything’s possible.”

  A talking Saracen was much more fun. I cut off a large slice of cake and handed it to him. “My way of saying thank you for promoting my cake.”

  He grinned and scooped the cake up before biting into it.

  I blew out a breath and looked around the marquee. My cake had been tasted by the first round of judges. There were two more judges coming to sample my entry, then it was up to all of them to vote on their favorites.

  From the comments the Duke and Duchess had made, I was hopeful I’d get placed. Even if I just got a rosette, or a highly commended, that would be enough. Although I remembered Chef Heston’s threat. If I didn’t win, it was double shifts and peeling duty.

  “Are you happy to stay with the cake?” I asked Saracen. “There are two more judges coming to taste it, and there’s someone I want to speak to.”

  He nodded, his mouth full of cake.

  I hurried back to the savory section and over to Colin Cheeseman’s table. “Hey, Colin. I didn’t know you were entering.”

  “I need to get the word out about my cashew nut cheeses,” he said. “I didn’t want to miss out on this. Getting a commendation from the Duchess will do my reputation wonders.”

  “And how are you holding up?”

  He sighed and adjusted the cap on his head. “I’m still in shock. I mean, it’s only been a day and so much has happened. Is there any update on what’s going on?”

  “I’m sort of helping with the investigation, actually,” I said. “I wondered if you could help me confirm a couple of alibis.”

  He nodded. “Of course. Anything that can help. Who’s in the frame for this?”

  “There are several people we’re interested in,” I said. “Did you see Maisie around just before Pete was murdered?”

  He glanced over to her table before looking away. “I saw her at Pete’s truck not long before I found him. We weren’t parked far from each other. She was loading something in the back. Although it was busy at that time, and I was focused on getting my own things packed away.”

  “Could you have missed her going back to Pete’s stand if it was so busy?”

  “It’s possible. I wasn’t looking out for her in particular. Despite her faults, she’s not a bad girl. She just has a bit of growing up to do, but she’ll get there. I can’t see her as the killer.”

  I couldn’t either. Maisie seemed like a bright, intelligent young woman. Although she’d been clear that she wasn’t happy that Pete had paid her in leftover meat pies. Despite that, she seemed calm and level-headed. Maisie was going places.

  I mentally shifted her to the bottom of my suspect list.

  “What about Pete’s ex-girlfriend, Jessica?” I asked. “Did you see her around Pete’s stall?”

  Colin shook his head, and his bottom lip wobbled. “I didn’t see her. I mean, I saw her earlier in the day. She was browsing the other stalls, but I don’t know if she made contact with Pete while she was at the food fair. Pete would have only been nice to her if they’d met. He never liked to make an enemy. If he ever had an argument with anyone, he was quick to smooth things over. He was just that kind of guy.” The wobble in his voice suggested he was close to breaking down.

  “How much longer are you staying?”

  “I have a sleeping
area in my food truck, so I can stay as long as needed. I’m going to see some potential clients with my nut cheese while I’m here to make the most of my visit.”

  “Your business sounds like it’s doing well,” I said. “That must be exciting. Focus on the positive. I know this is a horrible time, but you’ll get through it.”

  He looked around, his face full of despair. “It feels different now. I’m not sure I’ll keep doing these food fairs. It was Pete who pushed me into this event. He always was the confident one, up for a laugh and making me try new things. I was his calm anchor. Sometimes, Pete got a bit outrageous, but I ensured he didn’t cross the line. I’m not sure I’ll find anyone to have fun with again.”

  The poor guy. I felt so sorry for him. “Wait right there.” I hurried back to my stand and cut off another piece of cake before returning to Colin and handing it to him. “This won’t solve all your problems, but cake always makes me feel better when I’m sad.”

  Tears filled his eyes, and he blinked them away. “That’s kind of you. Thank you. And if there’s anything I can do to help with the investigation, please do ask. I keep going over it in my head to see if I missed anything, but nothing springs to mind. It’s still a mystery as to what happened.”

  “It’s a mystery I plan to figure out. Don’t worry, we’ll get this solved soon enough.”

  He bit into the cake and smiled at me. “Let’s hope so.”

  I nodded goodbye and hurried back to my table. I needed to narrow down my suspects. It looked like Maisie was out, but Jessica was still in the frame if I couldn’t confirm her alibi. Then there was the shady business partner, Ricky, who was still snooping around. That was suspicious. And Dennis Lambeth, who’d been vocal about his dislike of Pete. It had to be one of them.

  I just needed to figure out a way to find the proof, so I knew who did it.

  Chapter 9

  “Wake up!”

  A hand shook me from my slumber. I groaned and rolled over, coming face-to-face with Princess Alice. Her blonde hair was tied off her face in a high ponytail, and she wore what looked like pajama bottoms, a vest top, and a bright pink hoodie.