Chocolate Swirls and Murder

by K E O'Connor

I blinked several times. “Is this a dream?”

  She giggled. “No, silly! I’ve got you a surprise.”

  I yawned and checked the time. “Alice! It’s six o’clock in the morning.”

  “Which is the perfect time.”

  I groaned. “For what?”

  “Your special surprise. I almost couldn’t get in your apartment to give it to you,” she whispered.

  “Why not?” I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “Did Meatball try to bite you for breaking in?”

  “No! He licked my face.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Did you know that Saracen’s guarding your front door?”

  “What? No! Why is he doing that?”

  “Maybe he has a crush on you.” She giggled behind her hand. “He is awfully tall, though. I imagine you don’t even come up to his chest.”

  “I’ve never gotten that close to measure,” I said. “He’s not as scary as I first thought. He was a big help yesterday at the cake competition.”

  She grinned. “And the results will be out this morning. I hope you’ve made the finals.”

  I felt conflicted about that. Part of me did want to be in the finals, but that meant a lot more baking, which would take me away from figuring out Pete’s murder.

  I loved baking, but the thought of this unsolved murder hanging over my head loomed large. As much as I wanted to focus on my delicious desserts, Pete deserved justice.

  “So, you mentioned a surprise,” I said.

  “You’re going to love this. But we need to sneak out. We don’t want Saracen getting in the way.”

  “In the way of what?” I petted Meatball as he hopped onto the bed and came over for his morning cuddle.

  “I’m not telling you any more. Get up and dressed. Wear something stretchy.” Alice backed away from my bed.

  “What are you playing at?” I rolled out of bed and downed the glass of water I kept on my nightstand. I pulled out some comfortable yoga style workout clothes before heading into the attached bathroom.

  “I’m playing at being amazing,” she said as I closed the door and had a quick freshen up.

  I emerged five minutes later after washing my face and brushing my teeth. “How are we going to sneak past Saracen if he’s outside?”

  She pointed at the stone wall. “Easy. The same way I got in. We use the priest passages.”

  My eyebrows shot up, and I grinned. “You have secret hiding places in the castle walls?”

  “Of course. I spent my childhood racing around them with Rupert.”

  “How do we get into them?” I’d learned about priest holes and tunnels during my studies. They’d been created in the sixteenth century to hide Catholic priests during a time of persecution. It wasn’t uncommon for many great estates to have them. Some were simply spaces behind walls, while others were larger rooms and passages, allowing the priests to slip away without being caught.

  I stared at the solid brick wall she walked toward.

  “We shuffle our fingers behind this brick and press down hard.” Alice wiggled her eyebrows, and a slight grating sound drifted toward me. A lump of stone slid away from the wall, revealing an entrance.

  I hurried toward it and stared into the gloom. “Where does it lead to?”

  “They go off in all different directions. You’re lucky to have one in your apartment. They don’t all have them. This can take you to most of the castle if you know the way. But most importantly, it will take us outside.”

  I pulled on my sneakers, grabbed a white baseball cap to hide my bed-messy hair, and hurried after Alice.

  Meatball whined as he poked his nose into the tunnel. I scooped him up to make sure he didn’t get lost. Once he was tucked into my arms, he seemed as intrigued as I was.

  Alice pulled out her phone and used the torch function to light the way as we hurried along the gently sloping stone passageway. It was narrow—you could only fit one person at a time—and the ceilings were low and smelled of damp.

  “It’s horrible to think of all those poor priests who were forced to hide in places like this,” Alice said. “According to the old family record books, there were places where food and ale was left for the priests so they could survive in here for weeks.”

  I shivered. “That couldn’t have been much fun.”

  “Better that than be killed. It wouldn’t just be the priest who’d get in trouble if they were caught. The owners of the castle would be punished for harboring fugitives. There are records of beheadings, imprisonments, and hangings in my family. It was a terrible business. Still, the passageways are fun for us now. We get to sneak in and out and don’t have to answer to Saracen. You need to have a word with him about what he’s doing outside your apartment. You don’t want people to gossip that you’re having an illicit fling with a member of the security team.”

  Yikes! I hadn’t thought about that. “I don’t know why he’s out there. I didn’t ask him to wait for me.”

  “Maybe he’s in love.” Alice giggled.

  “Less of that,” I muttered.

  “He’s not your type?” She turned a corner, and I hurried to keep up with her.

  “I prefer my men a little less ...” I wasn’t sure how to describe my taste in men. Eclectic could work.

  “Terrifying? Able to kill with a single blow?” Alice asked.

  I chuckled. “I’m sure Saracen will make someone the perfect husband, but it won’t be me.”

  “Here we go. This is the exit we need.” Alice fumbled against the wall for a few seconds before another door opened, leading to the outside. She grabbed my hand. “This way. We don’t want to be late.”

  I stumbled into the clean, fresh air of a summer’s dawn. The castle looked so beautiful, standing majestically in the still peacefulness of the new morning.

  A bleating sound drifted in the air, and I tilted my head. “What was that?”

  “Woof woof?” Meatball squirmed in my arms.

  “That’s your surprise. Come on.” Alice tugged me along.

  We rounded the corner into the private family garden, and I skidded to a halt. In front of me was a long-limbed, tanned woman dressed in designer yoga gear.

  She smiled and nodded as she saw Alice.

  But my attention was taken by the four pygmy goats wandering around the garden.

  “I don’t get it,” I said. “What are we supposed to do here?”

  Alice lightly smacked my arm. “I know you love all things bizarre when it comes to fitness. We’re having a session of goat yoga.”

  I stared at the goats and then at Alice. “That’s a thing?”

  “Of course it’s a thing,” she said. “There are all kinds of benefits to goat yoga. Our mats are waiting, as are the goats.”

  She led me over to a mat, and we both bowed to the yoga instructor.

  “Namaste,” the woman said. “I’m Natalie. I’ll be your instructor this morning. Our four assistants are these delightful goats. Today, we have the privilege of working with Miss Daisy, Clover, Bubbles, and Murphy.”

  Meatball shifted in my arms, his intense gaze on the goats.

  “Are they experienced in working with novices?” I watched the little goats scampering around.

  “They are patient with all abilities,” Natalie said. “Trust the goats. They’re naturally inquisitive and will enjoy joining you during this session of yoga. Are you both ready to begin?”

  I gulped. “I guess so.”

  “We absolutely are,” Alice said.

  I grinned at her enthusiasm. Yoga with goats could be fun. And Alice was right, I did have a weird interest in fitness trends. I was always looking for the one thing I could do that I enjoyed so much it didn’t feel like exercise.

  Natalie’s gaze went to Meatball. “You may find it easier to do the poses without your companion.”

  “Oh! He should be okay with the goats.” I placed Meatball on the ground.

  He immediately bounded over to the goats, his tail up and his whiskers quivering.

&
nbsp; A small black and white goat lowered her head and butted him in the side.

  “Woof!” Meatball jumped back before trying to sniff the goat’s backside.

  He got another couple of head butts, but after some more sniffing they settled next to each other.

  “We shall begin by lying on our backs, holding our knees against our chests and rocking slowly from side to side,” Natalie instructed us in a calm soothing voice. “This stretches out your muscles.”

  I laid and rolled. It was relaxing to be outside in the fresh morning air, no noise other than the gentle bleating of goats.

  “Stretch your legs and place them gently on the ground,” Natalie said. “Put your arms either side of you with your palms up. I want you to take five deep breaths, in through your nose, filling your lungs, and then out through your mouth.”

  I’d just taken my second large inhalation, when a small goat bounced on my stomach and bumped the air out of me.

  “Oomph!” A pair of curious eyes met mine. “Hello to you.” I patted the goat.

  The little chap bounced up and down several times before jumping off and scampering away.

  “That was Murphy. The goats will interact with you when they sense you have a need for extra support,” Natalie said. “They also stand on you when you need extra weight to be tested in a particular pose.”

  “Isn’t this marvelous?”

  I glanced over to see Alice cuddling Clover. “I thought this was goat yoga not goat cuddling. Is that allowed?”

  “Of course it is.” Alice nuzzled her nose against the goat’s head.

  Natalie nodded. “People gain comfort from the goats in different ways during this practice. The goat will tell you when you’ve had enough physical contact and you can move seamlessly into the next move. When you’re ready, roll onto your hands and knees, and we’ll move into the cat pose.”

  “More like the goat pose,” Alice said as the goat bounced away from her.

  I settled on my hands and knees and tried to align myself as I was bounced on by yet another goat.

  While I was trying to even out my weight and settle into a secure pose as the goat wobbled on top of me, Meatball wriggled under my belly, rolled onto his back, and stared up with an adorable look on his face.

  I lowered myself and kissed his belly several times. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. I’m not falling in love with the goats.”

  Meatball licked my chin as I rose back into the cat pose. He remained where he was, wriggling backward and forward to get my attention.

  “When you’re ready, slowly lift the opposite arm and leg and hold that pose for thirty seconds. Keep your core tight.”

  I was constantly wobbly as the goat bounced on my back and Meatball wriggled beneath me, trying to get more belly kisses. I’d never felt so challenged during yoga.

  “Lower that arm and leg and repeat on the other side,” Natalie said.

  “Phew!” Alice collapsed as Bubbles bounced on top of her.

  “This isn’t as easy as I thought it would be,” I panted, sweat developing around my hairline.

  We ran through several more poses, Meatball and the goats competing for my attention as we did the downward facing dog, the salute to the sun, and the cobra.

  “Time for a five-minute break,” Alice said. “I’m exhausted from all this goat exercise.”

  “Who knew little goats could be so heavy.” I flopped onto the mat and cuddled Meatball as he squirmed onto my stomach, still jealous of all the attention the goats had been paying me.

  “Are you having fun?” Alice asked.

  “Yes! This was a great idea. Thanks for thinking of me when you planned it.”

  She waved a hand in the air. “You needed a way to de-stress. Campbell has put a lot of pressure on your shoulders. I have to make sure my favorite baker doesn’t crack. I’d miss my brownies too much if you went into therapy.”

  I had to chuckle. “Well, I’m grateful for my goat experience.”

  “So, any progress?” Alice crossed her legs and leaned toward me.

  Clover ambled over and bounced into her lap.

  “I’m still asking questions and trying to figure out who’d most want Pete dead.”

  “Are you leaning toward anyone in particular? Did Granny’s message about figs and wigs not help?”

  I scrubbed my fingers through Meatball’s fur. “Not really. I’m not sure how it can be related to this murder. Pete didn’t sell fruit.”

  “Did he sell fig pies?”

  “He only did savory pies.”

  “Do figs and meat go together?”

  “It’s not a combination I’ve tried to make. And even if they do, where does the wig fit?”

  Alice played with Clover, who hopped around in her lap. “Campbell must trust you to figure this out on your own.”

  “He doesn’t expect me to solve this. I’m just his information gatherer.”

  “Wouldn’t it feel great if we did solve it for him, though? Imagine his face when he gets back, and the murderer has been arrested, and it’s all thanks to us.”

  My eyes narrowed. I wasn’t all that keen on Alice getting involved in this mystery. With the killer still out there, it put her at risk. It also put me at risk, but I wasn’t in line for the throne.

  “Investigating murder isn’t a job for a princess,” a deep male voice rumbled.

  My shoulders tightened, undoing the excellent work of the yoga instructor. I turned to see Saracen standing next to a bush, his hands clasped in front of him.

  “Oh, Saracen! You silly thing.” Alice climbed to her feet, Clover cuddled in her arms. “Of course, I wasn’t suggesting I go hunting for a killer. I’d issue instructions from a safe distance. You don’t need to worry about me.”

  “It’s my job to worry,” he said.

  Alice giggled and looked at me. “Isn’t it wonderful having all these dreamy men protecting me? I feel positively spoiled.”

  “It must be great.” I stood, my gaze still on Saracen. Would he think this was my fault, and I’d snuck Alice out of the castle?

  “You should join us,” Alice said. “You look like you hold a lot of tension around your shoulders. Goat yoga is just the cure you need to get rid of that.”

  A series of expressions flashed across Saracen’s face before the usual blank mask slid into place. “Goat yoga wouldn’t be appropriate while on duty.”

  I bit my lip to stop from smiling and turned away. “I found it very relaxing.”

  Alice nodded enthusiastically. “Isn’t it? We shall have to do it again. Maybe we could get our own goats at the castle. We could have private sessions whenever we liked. We could get everyone involved, Saracen included.”

  “I’d definitely come along to that.” I glanced at Saracen. His shoulders definitely looked tight now.

  Miss Daisy trotted over to him, took one look at the man mountain, and sprung in the air, obviously mistaking him for a summit she needed to reach.

  Saracen’s arms shot out, and he caught the goat mid-flight.

  The goat gave a startled bleat before nestling into Saracen’s arms and butting her head against his solid chest.

  “See! You’re a natural with the goats,” Alice said. “You must be a part of our goat yoga team.”

  Saracen carefully set Miss Daisy back on the ground before returning to his stiff guard position.

  “Goodness, what’s going on here?” Rupert ambled around the bushes, still dressed in what looked like his pajamas. He had on an oversized white T-shirt and a pair of checked pants. His hair looked like he’d recently stuck his finger into a plug socket.

  “Goat yoga,” Alice said. “I arranged it for Holly.”

  “I didn’t know you liked goats,” he said to me.

  “Sure. What’s not to like? These are particularly cute.”

  “Well, that’s an interesting thought.” Rupert scrubbed his hands through his hair. “Goats, eh? I always knew you liked animals.”

  “You’re r
ight. I love all animals,” I said.

  “Good to know.” He nodded at Saracen. “How’s the investigation going into what happened to that chap at the food fair? Got any leads?”

  That was something I needed to get back to.

  “We’re figuring it out,” Alice said. “We’ll have it sorted before Campbell comes back. He’ll be so proud of us.”

  Saracen quietly cleared his throat and shook his head.

  Alice waved a hand in the air. “You know what I mean. We’ll be very safe and there is zero risk in solving this murder. Come on, Holly. We’ve got forty minutes of goat yoga to finish.”

  I shook my head and backed away, even though I was tempted to spend more time with the cute goats. “I should go. I’ve got a busy day.”

  “Oh! That’s a shame. I distracted you by talking about that silly murder. Rupert, you take Holly’s place,” Alice said.

  “Oh! Goat yoga. I’m not sure I’m coordinated enough.” Rupert looked cautiously at Bubbles, who was repeatedly head-butting Saracen in the shin.

  Alice grabbed Rupert and dragged him over to the mat. “Of course you are. Stand upright, hold your core muscles in, and remember to breathe deeply. There’s nothing to it.”

  “It sounds complicated,” he said.

  “You’ll be great,” I said. “I’ll leave you to it.” I didn’t glance at Saracen as I hurried away.

  I half-expected him to grill me about how I’d snuck out of my apartment without him noticing, but he didn’t say a word as he followed Meatball and me.

  Maybe he knew about the secret passages or had a tracker on me, so he’d detected my movements as soon as I’d left. He’d been trained by Campbell, so that was a definite possibility.

  I had to refocus. It was time to get sleuthing and baking.

  Chapter 10

  “Good news, Holmes.” Chef Heston slapped his hand on the counter. “You made the finals of the food fair competition. Congratulations.”

  I stared up at him from the stack of cupcakes I was decorating with chocolate icing, not sure I’d heard him right. “How do you know?”

  “Because I’m your boss. I know everything. You’re one step nearer to avoiding double shifts. Good for you.” He smacked me on the back before striding away.