Cake and Punishment

by Maymee Bell

  “Sophia, these are a few friends who are on the Friends of the Library and here to help put up the free little libraries.” Bitsy gave some quick introductions, but it was Nora Kincaid, Carter’s mother, who caught my attention.

  I could see where Carter had gotten his dark looks. Nora’s black hair was straight, with a side part that fell past her shoulders. She had on a pair of white capris with a black scalloped top and a nice set of pearls around her neck.

  “Aren’t you every bit as lovely as I pictured.” She gave me a hug, which wasn’t unusual with southern folks. “Carter didn’t mention that you have such lovely dark brown hair.”

  “Carter mentioned me?” I asked.

  “Oh, yes. He said that you are ruining his investigation. Of course, I reminded him that you are Bitsy’s daughter.” She laughed and walked over to greet the other women walking in with their finished little libraries.

  I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment Nora had given me or a dig. It sure seemed like Carter wasn’t talking very favorably about me either.

  “Are you ladies ready?” Carter’s voice echoed above the chatter.

  I turned around to find him staring at me. His lips turned up into a smile. As much as I tried not to return one, my lips had a mind of their own.

  As the women gathered their belongings and their little library kits, Carter took the moment to walk over to me.

  “Who was the guy?” he asked.

  “My ex-boyfriend.”

  “You forgave him for cheating on you?” The words came out of his mouth and stung me, reminding me of the hurt.

  Carter Kincaid was jealous. Maybe the chemistry I’d been feeling from him wasn’t my imagination.

  “No. I didn’t, and we most certainly are not getting back together. Far from it.” I watched as his body relaxed. “He’s the chef Evelyn replaced Emile with. He claims that he didn’t know it was Rumford until he got off the plane.”

  “You believe him?” Carter was very interested.

  “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.” I peered over his shoulders where Cat, the head librarian, was standing at the door. Her head was bobbing over the group of women as if she were looking for someone. When our eyes caught, she saw I was with Carter and stalked toward us. “I’m leaving next week and he’s going to be your problem then,” I joked.

  “Are you ready? They are disturbing the library. All those women talk, talk, talk.” Cat used her hands in a talking gesture. “Don’t get me wrong. The library is grateful for them, but there is a short time period before the construction workers start. People are using this time wisely by getting in their reading and research.”

  “Do you have the map?” Carter asked Cat.

  “Map?” I asked.

  “Yes. The town council strategically placed each little library in Rumford. The map will tell them where to put their little library. You can grab it from the reference desk on your way out.” She turned to me. “I hear your ex is in town.”

  “News travels fast,” I chuckled.

  “I also heard you were run over.” Her head tilted to the side. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” I looked down at my shin. “Just a few cuts.”

  “Do you know who did it?” she asked, and looked between Carter and me.

  “Yes. The killer,” I blurted out.

  “The killer?” she asked. Her eyes popped.

  “No, no.” Carter tried to damp down the urgency in Cat’s voice. “We don’t know who did it. We are still investigating.”

  “Seems funny that I’ve been trying to get Evelyn off the hook and had a few suspects. After I did a little digging, I stepped on someone’s toes.”

  “You’ve been investigating?” Cat seemed interested. “That’s so fascinating. Kinda like the cozy mystery genre we have here at the library.”

  “Cozy mystery?” I laughed at the name.

  “Yeah. They are popular mysteries where the amateur sleuth has a job and happens upon a murder. Kinda like what you did. Then she takes the investigation into her own hands. Sorta like what you’re doing,” Cat’s voice rose. “I don’t know much about sleuthing, but I can point you in the right direction for good cozy mystery books.”

  “What. Stop. Stop.” Carter pushed between us. “Sophia is going to stick with baking Charlotte’s cake.”

  Cat and I smiled at each other and then looked at him.

  In unison, we both nodded.

  “Before you head out to put up the libraries, can I steal a second of your time?” Cat asked.

  “Sure,” I agreed. I walked to the reference desk with her.

  “We are having our big grand opening for the new addition. Rumford Library Association and Friends of the Library are hosting a huge celebration with some local bluegrass bands, locally made crafts, and food vendors.” She took a brochure out of one of those acrylic holders on the counter of the reference desk and handed it to me.

  The front of it had a mock image of what the library was going to look like.

  “We are doing all sorts of neat things.” She forced open the brochure in my hands, showing me the new green rooftop. “The large community room is going to benefit Rumford so much. The Quilter Club can come in and work on their quilts. We will have computer stations and those fancy interactive whiteboards for businesses to use and hold seminars and meetings. We want to have a little reception up there for the big donors—that’s where you come in.”

  “Me? I didn’t donate anything. I mean, I didn’t even know about the addition until I got here today.” I would be more than happy to donate a few bucks, but I was in no shape to just throw away my money when I had to go find a new apartment. “I’m not asking you to donate anything, silly.” Cat giggled. “We want to hire you to cater the desserts for the event. We are going to be hosting the big donors on the green roof before the ribbon cutting. I was interested in desserts that would go great with Kentucky bourbons, wine, and craft beers local to the area. Of course, soft drinks, tea, and water will be provided, but you have that special knack. In high school, I made it a point to sit next to you in our home economics class because, when we’d do the baking homework, I knew if I was next to you that Mrs. Fain would have me taste your stuff. I loved baking days.”

  “I’m flattered. I really am. And I love that you put that much thought into our homework,” I said, starting to decline her invitation.

  “I hear a ‘but’ coming,” she interrupted, eyeballing me.

  “But,” I said, drawing my head down for emphasis. “I’m going back to the city next week after Madison’s son’s birthday.”

  “You aren’t staying in town?” she asked with a perplexed look on her face. “I’d heard you were going to reopen Ford’s Bakery.”

  “Excuse me?” My head jutted forward. “Who on earth did you hear that from? Because that’s not true.”

  “That stinks to high heaven.” Her face contorted. “I was looking forward to getting to know you better and enjoying more of your amazing desserts.”

  “When is it?” The guilt was setting in. Cat had always been so nice and kind to me. I’d hate to let her down. “I might be able to fly in and do the event.”

  “You will?” her voice went up. She drew her hands up to her face and bounced on her toes.

  “You will what?” Carter just so happened to be walking by with the Friends of the Library group with his mother next to him.

  “She’s going to cater the donor event for the grand opening.” The excitement exuded from her.

  “That’s wonderful, Sophia,” Mrs. Kincaid said.

  “Yes, ma’am. It sure is.” Cat looked between us with a big smile on her face.

  “Nora, honey. Call me Nora,” Nora corrected her, only Cat and I knew better. No matter your age, “Yes, ma’am” was standard southern manners, and if Bitsy heard me call Mrs. Kincaid Nora, she’d fly off the handle.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Ahem. Cat cleared her throat. “Nora.”

  Nora and Cat carrie
d on about the addition. Carter looked fully into my eyes.

  “So you’re staying in town?” he asked with a low voice.

  “No. No.” I shook my head. “Cat and I went to high school together. She was always so kind, and I don’t want to let her down. I’d like to fly back in and do the event.”

  “I know you and Cat went to school together.” His eyes narrowed. “You don’t remember me at all, do you?”

  Oh, I’d remember if I met you, I thought. There weren’t too many men I’d met with dark eyes like his.

  “Huh?” I was confused.

  “We went to high school together.” He totally knocked me for a loop. “You don’t remember me because I wasn’t in your circle of friends.”

  “You’re pulling my leg.” I laughed. “You didn’t go to Rumford High.”

  “Yes. We graduated together.” His face had a blank stare. “I even asked you out once.”

  “What? Trust me, I’d remember if you asked me out,” I said. “You’ve got me mistaken with someone else.”

  “No. You, me, and Cat had home economics together. You came in late one day because your flan didn’t have enough time to rise or something, so you had to sit next to me. You tasted my chocolate chip cookies.” The more he talked, the more I began to remember that day. “They were awful, but you were so kind and told me it was good after you took a bite. You didn’t want to hurt my feelings. I thought you were interested in me…”

  The memory of the scrawny kid with greasy long hair flooded over me.

  “Trey?” I remembered the boy, but he wasn’t the man with pretty teeth, thick dark hair, chocolate dream eyes, and a filled-out physique who stood before me.

  “My middle name is Trey. When I went to the academy, they called me by my first name, so now I go by Carter.” He continued to stare at me.

  “Oh my God.” I started laughing.

  “I’m glad you seem to think it’s funny, because at the time it was traumatizing.” He didn’t find the humor in it.

  “It’s just that you’re so … so … different.” I wanted to blurt out words like good-looking, hot, real hot, but contained myself.

  “I like that excuse. Not many women can say that.” He turned when someone called his name. It was one of the women from the Friends of the Library. She waved him to come on.

  “Are you coming to help put up the libraries?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  “Here is my number. Text me yours and I’ll be in touch about the grand opening event.” Cat wrote down her number on a piece of paper and handed it to me. “I truly appreciate it.”

  “Did I go out with Carter in high school?” I asked Cat in confidence. She’d know. She’d always had her hand on the pulse of romances when we were younger.

  “He asked you to prom, but no, you turned him down. I went with him.” She squinted with amusement. “You were too busy being crowned prom queen to even notice.”

  “I sound terrible.” I shook my head and felt really embarrassed.

  “You weren’t. Everyone liked you. You were always nice. I can’t say that about all your friends. But we’re older and wiser, right?” She graciously let me off the hook and I was grateful for that. “You better go grab the bus before they leave you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  There were a total of ten little libraries the town council had agreed to let the Friends of the Library distribute throughout the small town. Of course, Bitsy had already mapped out where every one of them would go and even went as far as renting a small bus to drive everyone around to help put them up. Poor Carter was the one who did all the digging with all the women fawning all over him. Cat was going to go around later tonight after the cement had hardened and start filling them with donated books.

  When we got back to the library, I had a little extra time before I had to be at the RCC, so I stopped by the Piggly Wiggly to get some ingredients to bake more Crunchies and get started on some ideas for the Big Bird cake. I didn’t want to be caught off guard next week when I went to get the stuff I needed for Bryce’s cake and have it not be in stock.

  I quickly texted Carter to let him know that I was at Ford’s Bakery just in case someone called in a burglar. All he texted back was the okay-fingers emoji. My stomach sank. I’d kind of been hoping he’d send a text asking what I was doing tonight. Then it would’ve opened the door to let him know that Madison and I were meeting for a drink in hopes he’d just show up.

  “What is wrong with you?” I asked myself and turned off the car. The more time I spent in Rumford, the more I was getting involved, and I was coming to the realization that it was going to be hard to leave.

  The empty bakery was so sad looking. The bare windows with the lights out was not how Ford’s had used to look. Madison, Cat, and Ella were right. Rumford needed another bakery. But it was silly to even think I could just drop everything in New York and open a bakery. I didn’t know the first thing about business. But I knew what pastries the Rumford residents loved. They were simple and delicious, which was all this bakery needed to be successful.

  I got out of the car with the plastic grocery bags hanging from elbow to wrists on both of my arms and gazed at the display window. My shadow from the late afternoon sun stared back at me in the glass. Images of twinkly lights around the window, freshly baked goods on stands, and pretty platters with Tiffany blue-colored accents made a perfect picture in my head.

  “You’re ridiculous.” I shook the image from my head and started toward the door.

  “Let me help you.” Nick appeared out of nowhere and took a couple of the grocery bags from me.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked. “You should be cooking for the RCC dinner rush.”

  “Your ex sent me out to get coconut oil. When I was driving by, I saw you, so I stopped. I figure I have a couple of minutes since everything I had to prep for is ready to go for tonight.” He turned the knob of the bakery door after I’d turned the key. He held the door open for me. “What are you doing here?”

  “Madison is the listing agent for the bakery and I’m testing out the ovens for future owners while I bake her son’s birthday cake.” I laughed while I set down the bags on one of the café tables and flipped on the lights. “I had a silly thought.”

  “What’s that?” Nick asked, seeming very interested.

  “I can totally picture myself moving home and opening up a bakery.” I rolled my eyes so hard I made myself dizzy.

  “That’s not silly. I think you’d rock it.” He helped unpack the bags, putting the ingredients behind the counter.

  “Yeah, but I have a real nice-paying job in New York. I thought it was my dream job. Being back home has me questioning my true heart’s calling. I don’t know,” I muttered under my breath and took a look around. It did feel so much like home here, but it was probably because I’d spent so much time in here as a kid. “I think I’ve let everyone get into my head while I’ve been here, and this time next week, I’ll be back in my comfort zone.”

  “You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. Life’s too short. Take Emile, for instance.” He shrugged. “Is that cop any closer to solving his murder?”

  “I don’t think so. I checked out Natalie Devin and Ella Capshaw.” I grabbed a few bowls to start mixing the dry ingredients for the Crunchies.

  “I saw your dad and that cop in Evelyn’s office today.” Nick handed me items as I pointed to them. “It sounds like she’s the one who did it.”

  I pushed the measured mixture to him with a spoon to stir while I worked on the wet ingredients.

  “I don’t believe it. I told you I think the whole unseasoned skillet thing is wrong. Evelyn knows how to cook. Ella has an alibi. She’s got a new rich guy who owns the Piggly Wiggly.”

  “Grant. Yep. I saw them together after Emile went nuts on him.” He smirked at the memory.

  “She dumped Emile, saying he was a fun fling, but Grant could offer her the future she wanted.” I shrugged. “Then there’s Na
talie and her husband, who both have motives. Though when I asked her about it, she got all offended and called the cops.”

  “You asked her?” Nick laughed out loud. “You’ve got some spunk.”

  “When it comes to my friends, I’m passionate.” I stirred the wet ingredients together and took the bowl of dry ingredients. “Can you grab a few cookie sheets and line them with paper?”

  “That ex of yours, he’s pretty much a jerk,” Nick said as we got the cookie dough on the cookie sheets.

  “He was never one to talk to the staff at The Manhattan. That was my job. He was a bit like Emile, I guess. Focused on the quality of the food.”

  “That’s why I think Evelyn did it,” Nick said, cleaning his hands off under the warm water coming from the sink faucet.

  “I thought you thought it was Patrick,” I said, putting the trays in the ovens.

  “I told the cop about that. Patrick hasn’t been to work since.” Nick’s words caught me off guard. I could’ve sworn Carter had said Patrick was supposed to be at work today.

  “Really?” I asked. “Did you know that he loved cooking?”

  “Patrick?” Nick looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. “The boy couldn’t start a microwave.”

  “Apparently, that’s not true.” I gave him a quick rundown about what I’d learned about Patrick’s secret desire to cook. “I wonder if his dad killed Emile.”

  “Wow.” Nick’s jaw dropped. “I never would’ve thought that. Maybe you need to stop baking and become a detective,” he joked.

  “Let me know if he does come back to work.” I’d jump in the car and run over there to ask my own questions.

  He looked at his watch. “Speaking of work, I’ve got to get out of here before I get canned.”

  “Tell the jerk to kiss my grits.” I winked and followed him out to the door. There wasn’t any way I was going to take a chance on anyone coming in here, mainly the killer, and catching me off guard. “And don’t forget I made all the desserts for tonight. They’re in the freezer.”

  “I guess I’ll see you there in the morning? Before the big day?” he asked.

  “Yes, you will.” I sighed. The surreal thought that I couldn’t get Evelyn off the hook weighed heavily on me.