Dying for Cupcakes

by Donna Doyle

  “I won’t turn that down.” Helen pulled out a chair at the little kitchen table while Sammy removed the big box and started the kettle. “Are you making any progress on your little investigation?”

  Sammy dug through the cabinet to look for the bottle of honey she had purchased down the street at the grocery store. “Not really. I haven’t broken into the hospital or hacked any computers, if it makes you feel any better.”

  “In a way, yes. In another way, no.”

  This answer surprised Sammy enough to make her turn around. “Really? I thought you wanted me to be careful.”

  “I do. But I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and it probably would be a very good thing if you managed to clear your name.” She accepted the mug of hot tea and stirred it absently.

  Sammy sat down. “I’m just not sure who to talk to. I mean, I’m from this town, but I don’t really know anybody anymore. Not like I used to. I spent some time talking to Austin Absher today, though. I hoped he would know something, since he seems to have the entire population of Sunny Cove memorized.”

  Helen raised an eyebrow. “I see. And did he have any hints for you?”

  “None that I could understand.” Sammy noticed that her companion’s lips were tight, and she didn’t have the homey attitude she usually did while working. “What’s wrong?”

  “I want to tell you something, but I’m concerned that it might be more than you can handle. Not that you aren’t grown-up enough to hear it, but that you might try to pursue it. I’m not sure it would be safe.” Her hand shook a little as she picked up her mug and took a sip.

  This only intrigued Sammy more. “Just tell me. I promise I won’t do anything stupid.”

  Helen hesitated before leaning forward and saying in a loud whisper, “I’ve heard rumors that there’s some sort of illegal gambling den around here. I don’t know where, but I assume it must be hidden. It’s not like you can just go driving down Main Street until you see the big sign telling you to come waste your money on a game of Black Jack.”

  “And you think Jones was looking into it?”

  “Well, he never told me anything about it directly,” she said dismissively. “He was always dedicated to his job, and he wouldn’t gossip about things he wasn’t supposed to. But you hear things when you work in a place like this, you know? Little snippets here and there about folks placing bets, how much they lost the night before, or what their weekend plans are. I can’t exactly ask them outright.”.

  “Do you think they would tell you if you did?” Sammy’s mind was churning, trying to find a way to locate this underground casino herself. She had never been much of a gambler, not even buying lottery tickets. But a club like the one Helen referred to couldn’t stay open if there weren’t any patrons.

  “I don’t know. Maybe not. Even so, I don’t want to get involved. No offense to you, dear, but I’ve got a business to run. I can’t scare off my customers when they think I’m accusing them of going against the law. They come to Grandma’s because it makes them feel like they’re at home, where they’re safe.” She wrapped her hands around her cup and stared down into the light brown liquid. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize,” Sammy insisted. “It’s still more of a lead than I’ve had with anything else. I know I didn’t put poison in that cupcake, so that means someone must have. Either that, or the doctors are wrong about what happened. Maybe the sheriff had some sort of reaction to something. I am due for a physical, so if I find out what doctor Jones sees—”

  “Oh, here we go again!” Helen said with a smile. “You keep talking like that, and one of these days I’m going to believe you’re really going to do it.”

  “And maybe one of these days I will,” Sammy said with a mischievous smile. “I’ll have to work on my spy skills. I’ll have to get a television so I can rent some secret agent movies.”

  “Just don’t practice with your grappling hook while you’re in the apartment,” Helen laughed. “That could make for some big holes in the wall.”

  “Not a problem.” She shook her head as she studied her current home. It really was nice to have someone to talk to, and even if she didn’t feel like Sunny Cove had exactly welcomed her with open arms, she knew there was potential for her here. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Helen. You’ve got to be the nicest person in the whole town.”

  The older woman reached across the table and patted her hand. “I’d like to see things get a little better for you. I remember all of that business with your father, and from what you told me before, things weren’t any better in New York. Sometimes, you have to come back home and get a good look at your roots before you can figure out where to grow your new branches.”

  “Speaking of new branches, I had a customer suggest to me the other day that I start selling donuts by the dozen. He talked about it like I should just leave here and open my own business, which is definitely not something I want to do at this time, but I thought it wasn’t a bad idea. It seems like we do well with serving meals, but it wouldn’t take much to expand. All it would take is to order some boxes to put the donuts in, and people could purchase them to go.” She bit her lip, wondering if her new boss would think she had crossed the line with the suggestion. Just because Helen had asked for her help with the menu didn’t mean she owned the place.

  But Helen’s sapphire eyes were sparkling. “That’s a wonderful idea! There’s space in the corner of the dining area for a shelf or a table where we could set out the baked goods. And you wouldn’t have to limit it to donuts. I imagine plenty of busy wives would like to buy a bag of your rolls to serve with dinners at home.” She folded her arms and sat back, clucking her tongue. “If I’m completely honest, I still just can’t believe how crazy people are for your confections. Not that they aren’t good, but we all know what the rumor is.”

  “Fortunately, at least as far as I know, nobody else has gotten sick. You and Johnny each ate a cupcake. Heck, we served almost all the rest of them to customers that day. People have eaten rolls and donuts. Maybe I should point that out to Barnes. If I was so interested in poisoning people, then I could have easily done it to far more folks than just Jones.” She crossed the room to the bookshelf, where she had set the notebook she’d found earlier. “I need to start keeping track of all this.”

  “That’s fine, dear. You play private eye in the evenings, but don’t stay up too late. I’ll need you to start doing a lot more baking during the day, and I don’t want you to fall asleep in the dough.” She chuckled as she stood from the table. “Thanks for the tea. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Goodnight, Helen.” Sammy let her out, trying to be a good hostess, but then she immediately sat back down to write down everything she knew about the case. It was disappointingly little, but it was a start.

  Then she flipped the page and started a new list, this one consisting of supplies she would need to start her mini baking business.

  Chapter Eight

  It turned out that Helen was right. Her boss had let her come out to waitress during the busy hours. As she delivered plates of grilled cheese and bowls of tomato soup, her customers made idle small talk. She responded in kind, occasionally asking them what they would be doing over the weekend or if there was anything exciting to do in town. Nobody came right out and told her about the alleged casino, and she never heard any mention of bets, chips, or poker tables. Sammy knew she had to be discreet, as well. She didn’t want anyone realizing just what sort of information she was after.

  “All right. I’ve got one last customer at the counter and then that’s a wrap for the night,” Helen announced when she bustled into the kitchen at seven.

  Johnny gave a thumbs up and began cleaning his griddle.

  “Have any big plans?” Helen teased as she picked up a broom and began sweeping the floor. “Maybe reading an old Agatha Christie novel?”

  “Actually, I’m thinking about going to the movies.” Sammy had driven past the old St
argazer Theater several times as she ran her errands in town, and it brought back fond memories of hanging out with her friends back in high school. The show only cost a dollar fifty back in those days, and the concession wasn’t much more expensive, which made it perfect for young girls living it up on their allowance.

  “Really? No special missions tonight? I’m surprised, given how determined you sounded last night.” Ms. Honeycutt reached for the dustpan and collected the debris from the floor.

  Sammy shrugged. “I know. And I’m definitely not giving up on this whole idea. But when I sat down and wrote out all my leads, I realized that I’m not going to get anywhere without people to talk to. Right now, the only thing people around here know about me is that my dad had been in jail for a while and that I might or might not have tried to kill the sheriff. That’s not going to encourage anyone to give me any information.”

  “A wise observation,” Helen said with a nod of approval. “You can get out and mingle a little, remind people that you’re just a regular person.”

  “Exactly.” Sammy placed a plate in the drying rack. “It’s not the kind of thing that will get me any immediate results, I know. But I’ll feel like I’m at least making a little progress and having fun in the meantime.”

  “Why don’t you go ahead and go?” Helen washed her hands and picked up a nearby towel to dry them. “There’s not much left to do, and Johnny and I don’t mind cleaning up.”

  The cook shook his head in agreement.

  “I don’t want to skip out on you.”

  “Nonsense.” Helen flicked the towel at Sammy. “Get on out of here. Go to the movies and enjoy yourself. Lord knows you deserve it.”

  “Well, okay. If you’re sure.” Sammy had never had a boss who would let her leave early just for fun, and it was almost hard to believe. “Any good movies you can recommend?”

  “Honey, I don’t remember the last time I went to the theater. Sitting still in those little seats makes my knees hurt, so it’s easier for me to just put my feet up at home. But you go find something good, and then you can come to work tomorrow and tell me all about it.”

  “I’ll do that.” Sammy jogged up the stairs to grab her purse and straighten her hair before she headed out. The Stargazer, just like most of the other downtown businesses in Sunny Cove, was within easy walking distance, but she decided to drive since it would be late when the movie let out. She soon stood under the dazzling yellow lights of the marquee amongst couples and teenagers, all keen for a little bit of Friday night entertainment.

  A movie was just letting out, as evidenced by the flood of people coming out the double doors. Sammy waited patiently for the path to clear before she dove in and threaded her way to the ticket counter. She kept her eyes open for anyone she might know, perhaps an old friend from her childhood whom she had lost track of or someone she knew from Just Like Grandma’s. But the sea of faces all seemed to be strangers.

  The Stargazer had kept the old-fashioned theater look, unlike the larger venues she had been to in the city. The patterned red carpet and the red curtains that hung from the walls were a tribute to old Hollywood. The air smelled of popcorn and candy, which reminded her of days long ago.

  “One for Changing Seasons, please.” It looked like a romantic comedy, which was probably just what she needed to get her mind off of real life.

  The young clerk punched in her order, fiddling with the ticket printer. “I’m sorry. It’s acting funny tonight. Give me just a sec.”

  “No problem.” Sammy patiently occupied herself by people-watching. There were young couples with their arms around each other and parents trying to get their children to decide if they wanted buttered popcorn or nachos. Over by the restrooms, an old man leaned against the wall as he waited for his wife, looking like he was about to fall asleep.

  To the left of the concession stand, near a door that must have led to an office, a tall brunette wrapped her arms around an older man. “Daddy! I’m so glad to see you!”

  The man looked tentatively around the lobby. “What are you doing home, Sonya? You’re supposed to be in California.”

  “Oh, I know, but I wanted to come home for your birthday.”

  “Okay, but let’s not celebrate here.” He put his arm around her waist and escorted her off to the side, disappearing through an unmarked door. Sammy noticed how beautiful the woman was, with big, catlike eyes and waves of dark hair. She was a little familiar, but Sammy couldn’t figure out where she knew her from.

  “Here we go.” The clerk finally handed her a ticket. “Sorry about that. You’re in theater two on the right.”

  “Thanks.” Sammy skipped the concession counter and headed straight into the big room. The rows of seats were already filling up quickly, and it was difficult to find a seat where she wouldn’t feel like she was in the way. Settling down in the middle with a couple of seats between her and the next viewer, she pulled her phone out of her purse to turn off her ringer.

  “Hey!” came a loud whisper to her right. “Have you seen this movie before?”

  Sammy turned to see a man in his forties looking at her and pointing at the screen. He wore a white polo shirt with a Cricker Dairy Farms logo on the breast.

  “Um, no. I can’t say I have.” She refrained from explaining that most people didn’t go to the theater to watch a movie they had already seen.

  “It’s a good one,” he enthused, his words a little slurred. “I won’t spoil it for you, but you’re going to cry at the ending.” A wave of his pungent breath slammed into her face, letting Sammy know just why he was acting this way. The man had been drinking. Heavily.

  “Okay, well, I’ll try not to cry too loudly then.”

  “Nah, you’re okay. Just let it out. That’s what you’ve got to do when you’re feeling it. Excuse me, I gotta get more popcorn.” He got up and stumbled past her, nearly falling as he stepped over her feet. As he made his way down the aisle, he bumped into a woman coming the opposite way. “Sorry, ma’am. They made this floor all slanted.”

  “You’re drunk again, Bob,” the woman retorted, rolling her eyes.

  Sammy settled in to watch the movie, glad that Bob, whoever he was, must have decided to sit somewhere else. The ending didn’t make her cry, and instead she felt quite happy and relaxed as she made her way out of the theater with the rest of the crowd.

  But then she noticed a man break off from the surge toward the front door and head off to the right. Everyone else was either going towards the bathrooms on the left or leaving, and the man looked furtively behind him before disappearing through an unmarked door. It was the same door that the man from the office and his daughter had gone through.

  Sammy couldn’t say just what had made her so curious, but she turned off toward the left as well. Her heart thumped in her chest, even though she knew she was jumping to conclusions. She would probably find a hallway that led to a back exit or a break room just for employees. Still, she hoped nobody was watching her as she opened the door and slipped inside.

  It took her eyes a moment to adjust from the brightness of the lobby to the dark interior of the room she now stood in. It was so dark that she didn’t think anyone noticed her as she stepped to the side and stayed near the wall. Long tables were arranged around the room, single lights hanging over them to illuminate the cards and chips on the table but keeping the players who stood around them in the shadows. Girls in short skirts carried trays of drinks to the people who tossed dice and pulled at slot levers. Across the room, a man threw a ball into a roulette wheel, chanting at the machine to win his bet for him.

  Sammy didn’t need to ask around to know exactly where she was. This was the illegal gambling den Helen had speculated about. The roulette table was the “big wheel” Austin had referred to, although how he had come to know about it was a new mystery. Her throat closed as she looked around. What was she going to do about this?

  She turned to leave, but a man stepped into her path before she could reach the door s
he had entered through. It was the same man who had come out of the office. His daughter was nowhere in sight. “Hi, there. Can I get you some chips?” He waved her toward a table.

  “Oh, no thanks. I’m not very good at gambling. I’m just here because…a friend recommended this place to me.” She hoped he couldn’t see just how much she was shaking now. The dim light would hopefully help.

  “Wonderful!” He held out his arms as though he was truly excited to hear such a thing. “I’m Henry McTavish, the owner of this place, but you probably already know that if you’re here. Can I ask the name of your friend?”

  “My friend?”

  “The one who recommended my little establishment.” His smile faded slightly. “We don’t let just anyone come in off the streets. As a matter of fact, I’ll have to speak to my man about why he wasn’t at the door.”

  “Oh, right. Well, I don’t know if I should say.” She didn’t want to get anyone in trouble. Heather was the only person she could think of who might know about this place, but even so Sammy wasn’t going to throw her under the bus.

  “An understandable concern. Tell me, what’s your game of choice, Miss…?”

  “Baker,” she replied automatically. At least most of the people who had known her from before would think of her as Beaumont. “And I’m not sure.”

  “Come on over here, then.” He showed her to a bank of slot machines and practically forced her onto a stool. McTavish pulled a token out of his pocket and pressed it into her palm. “The first one is on the house. After that, you can use your debit or credit card right here in this slot, or you can use the machine over there to get chips. I’ll come check on you in a little bit, but remember: the higher the bid, the bigger the win!” He chuckled to himself as he strolled off across the room.