by Amber Crewes
Kirsty pointed a finger at the glass case behind Meghan. “Is that a peach tart?”
Meghan nodded. “I was inspired to perfect my peach desserts after the conference,” she admitted. “Do you want to try one?”
Kirsty laughed. “I don’t know how you think it could live up to the conference desserts; the chef there is world-renowned and a native of Istanbul. Istanbul! Can you imagine?”
“I’ll just bring a tart over to the table,” Meghan said, stepping behind the counter and retrieving a plate and two forks.
They sat down at a little white table. Kirsty gingerly took the fork. “I hope it’s good,” she commented as she took a bite. Her eyes bulged. “Meghan! This is incredible. You made this?”
Meghan resisted the urge to grin haughtily. “I did,” she humbly replied. “I was just playing around with some peach recipes and wanted to try my hand at this peach tart.”
“This is better than the dessert at the conference,” Kirsty complimented. “Really, you have outdone yourself. Brava, Meghan! See? That conference inspired you to become your best self, your best baker. Aren’t you glad you came with me?”
Meghan raised an eyebrow, amused and irritated that Kirsty was indirectly giving herself credit for Meghan’s new dessert. She decided to let it go, and she bade Kirsty farewell when she finished the tart.
As Kirsty left, a young man walked into the bakery. He was a rugged sort of handsome, with brown eyes and messy hair. His neck was covered in scruff, and while Meghan typically preferred clean cut men, his good looks caught her attention. “What can I do for you today?” she asked shyly.
He smiled, and she saw three dimples on his right cheek, and none on his left cheek. “My sweet tooth is out of control,” he said, feigning shame. “I need a cure, and I thought I would stop in. I’ve heard this place is out of this world.”
Meghan blushed. “We do our best.”
“I’d like to try your best,” he cooed. “Why don’t you give me two orange custard muffins, a Greek yogurt tart, three of the peach scones, and a marmalade biscuit?”
“That’s a lot,” Meghan teased. “You might need to make the dentist your next stop!”
He laughed. “We’ll see.”
She prepared the order, and after he paid, he reached into the yellow paper bag and took out one of the scones. He look a large bite, and she could see he was pleased. “This is insanely good,” he moaned. “Peaches are my favorite fruit. Do you have any more peach desserts?”
“We have some peach tarts left, and just a bit of peach mousse in the back. Shall I fetch some for you?”
He nodded vigorously. “Please.”
Meghan retrieved the peach treats. When she returned, he handed her a twenty dollar bill. “Here’s a little tip for you,” he told her, smiling brightly. “These are the best desserts I’ve ever had, and this bakery is so nice. I need to come here more often.”
“I wish every customer was as kind as you,” she praised. “I don’t believe we have met before. I am Meghan Truman, the founder and owner of Truly Sweet.”
The man’s eyes sparkled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Meghan,” he said, extending his hand to shake hers. “So you run the show here, huh? That’s pretty cool.”
“What do you do?” she asked with genuine curiosity.
“I install security cameras,” he informed her.
Her heart sank. “What’s your name?” she asked quietly.
He smiled wolfishly. “Declan,” he told her. “I’m Declan.”
11
“It’s nice to meet you,” she said nervously, remembering her conversation with Isla at the grocery store. “I hear you knew Jacob Chambers? I am so sorry for your loss.”
The smile vanished from his face. “Thank you,” he replied, his gaze shifting toward his boots. “It was a shock to hear that he passed away. He was a friend of mine. I feel bad for his lady. She doesn’t have a lot of family, and she really adored him.”
She nodded. “Isla seems upset,” she agreed. “She works at my barn.”
“Your barn?”
She bobbed her head. “Yes, my barn. My friend, Jackie, and I own the event barn where he died. He was installing security cameras for us.”
Declan raised an eyebrow. “That’s a nice building you have out there,” he told her. “Jacob was excited to do the job. He said you were paying him well, and he liked being out on that land.”
Meghan wrinkled her nose. “His death just seems a bit...curious to me,” she said. “He was an experienced installation guy, right?”
“Definitely,” Declan agreed. “He’s been installing cameras for years. At least, that’s what he told me.”
“Then how did he fall off of the ladder?” she asked. “Wouldn’t an experienced installation guy know how to fall correctly? Or, wouldn’t he know how to prevent falls in the first place? Or maybe there was a problem with the ladder…?”
“I don’t know,” Declan told her. “He borrowed my ladder, and it’s a little old, but yeah, I don’t know why he fell. He shouldn’t have fallen…”
Meghan could see that Declan was upset. “I’m sorry,” she offered again.
“The ladder belonged to me,” he told her. “But it was supplied through our company. They don’t provide the best equipment, and that brand has been faulty in the past. They don’t care about us, and they don’t replace our stuff when it breaks. That’s why my ladder was in bad shape.”
Meghan raised an eyebrow. “You think it’s the company’s fault?”
“Maybe not directly,” Declan admitted. “I’m just upset he’s gone and am looking for someone to blame. I’ve never liked our company, so they’re an easy lot to blame.”
“Where were you on the day Jacob died?” Meghan asked. “Did you see him?”
Declan’s face darkened. “Ummm….”
His phone began to ring, and he looked relieved as he reached into his pocket. “Oh, sorry,” he mouthed to her. “Have to take this.”
He ran out of the bakery, leaving his treats on the counter. “That seemed odd,” Meghan thought to herself as she watched him race away. “He seems like he knows something. That whole bit about his company seemed well-rehearsed...a little too well rehearsed.”
Meghan’s phone began to ring. “Meghan? It’s me.”
“Hey, Jackie,” she answered. “What’s up?”
“You’re running late,” Jackie grumbled. “Lee is here and is waiting to speak with us.”
“Lee? What are you talking about?”
“I texted you,” Jackie insisted. “I set up a meeting with Lee to discuss other options for setting up a security system at the barn. He is so smart and is a subject matter expert in security, and I think it would be a shame to not capitalize on his knowledge! Besides, he agreed to meet with us for free.”
Meghan put the call on hold and scrolled through her phone. “I don’t see any texts from you about a meeting with Lee,” she told Jackie when she got back on the call. “Are you sure you let me know?”
“I...I think I did,” Jackie said unconvincingly. “Meghan, it’s important that we do this, and you know it. Lee has just arrived at the barn right now. If you hurry, you’ll be able to make this meeting.”
Meghan looked at her watch. “Jackie, it’s the middle of the day, and I have a lot to do here.”
“The barn is important, too,” Jackie said defensively. “I feel like you prioritize the bakery and not the barn. That isn’t fair, Meghan. You would do the meeting with Lee if you knew it would help the bakery, and we both know that. Why can’t you care about the barn as much?”
Meghan stifled a groan. She knew Jackie was right; she had poured her blood, sweat, and tears into the bakery, and as the sole founder and owner, the bakery felt like an extension of herself. The barn was different; she enjoyed co-owning the barn, but she didn’t possess the same passion for event planning and coordination as Jackie did. Eventually, when the barn became more profitable, she hoped to sell he
r share back to Jackie, but for now, she enjoyed it enough.
“I will wrap up the afternoon here,” Meghan told her. “I can’t just leave Pamela and Trudy on their own without direction. I will get them settled, and I’ll try to be at the barn as soon as I can. Is that fair?”
“I guess,” Jackie pouted. “Then again, that leaves more time for me to chat with Lee, and you know how handsome I think he is…”
“See? We all win in this situation,” Meghan declared. “You start the meeting with Lee, and I will make every effort to be there as fast as I can.”
12
Meghan blinked as she stepped into the sunshine; it was an unusually warm day in Sandy Bay, and she enjoyed the warmth of the sun on her cheeks as she exited her car and walked to the barn doors. She took a deep breath, inhaling the smells of the nearby Pacific Ocean, as well as the woods outside of the barn.
“I hope this meeting is productive,” she thought to herself as she walked inside.
Her heart sank as she saw Isla’s desk in the corner of the main room; Isla had requested another few days away from work, and Meghan had hastily granted the request. She thought about how upset Isla had been at the grocery, and she frowned as she recounted her encounter with Declan at the bakery.
She heard the distinctively loud sound of Jackie’s laughter from the loft upstairs. “Jackie?” she called. “I’m here.”
“We’re upstairs, Meghan!”
Meghan climbed the grand staircase. The loft, which was nearly the size of the barn’s main room, served several purposes; brides used it as an additional reception space for big weddings, it was used occasionally for storage, and it was also the location of Meghan and Jackie’s office. They had purchased two matching white desks, a white book shelf, and a white armchair, and they were able to partition off the area when events were being held.
Jackie was sitting at her desk. Meghan could see she had a full face of makeup on, and her hair was done in an intricate style. She wore a low-cut blouse, and Meghan raised an eyebrow when she caught a peak of her cleavage.
“We were just catching up,” Jackie giggled as Lee rose from the white armchair and walked toward Meghan. “We’re glad you made it, Meghan. It’s a pity you couldn’t make it on time, but we’re glad you could join us.”
“It’s good to see you,” he said as he gave Meghan a hug. “Jackie, give her a break; Meghan is a business woman. I understand that she has other commitments.”
“I’m a business woman too,” Jackie grumbled.”
“Nice to see you,” Meghan greeted.
“Sit, sit!” Jackie commanded. Meghan took her place at her desk, and Lee returned to the armchair. “Lee was just telling me about a security company based in Omaha. He says it’s the best of the best.”
“You really should look into them,” he told Meghan. “They are a bit pricey, but they are the best of the best.”
Meghan turned to stare at Jackie. “We can’t afford that,” she said incredulously. “To hire a company based out of state? How would we pay for that?”
“We have the money,” Jackie replied coolly. “I think it is worth the investment, especially if it saves us the heartache of having our business vandalized again.”
“What are our other options?” Meghan asked. “Do you have any other suggestions?”
Lee shifted in the chair. “You could look into securing your fence with barbed wire,” he advised. “Securing your fence with barbed wire, or putting up an electric fence would surely deter trespassers.”
“An electric fence?” Meghan gasped. “That sounds so brutal. And barbed wire would look scary next to our pretty barn! Are there any other choices, Lee? I want this to be a good decision for both our business and the barn’s aesthetic...”
Lee clasped his hands together. “I do know another security camera company on the west coast,” he told them. “I could have them do a free estimate; I went to college with the CFO, and he and I are still golf buddies. He owes me a few favors. What do you say?”
Meghan raised an eyebrow. “I just hope it’s better than the first recommendation,” she said bluntly. “Jacob Chambers’ disposition was...unfavorable, and Declan, his colleague, had nothing but bad things to say about their company.”
“Meghan! Don’t be rude,” Jackie chided. “I’m sure Lee wanted to help us when he recommended Jacob. Let’s hear him out.”
“Just give me a chance,” Lee told Meghan. “I won’t let you down. You’ll get the cameras you need, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing the barn is secure. This company is one of the best in the area, and I have worked with them on several projects. I only initially recommend Jacob because I wanted to help you stay on track with your budget and get the job done quickly.”
“That’s fair,” Jackie said. “Right, Meghan?”
“Trust me,” Lee commanded as he stared into Meghan’s dark eyes. “I know what I am talking about.”
Just then, the front door of the barn opened. “Hello?” Meghan called out, peering over the railing of the loft. “Isla, what are you doing here?”
“I just stopped by to pick up my phone charger,” Isla told her. “My charger at home is broken, and I need to use the one I have here.”
“Why don’t you come up here for a second?” Jackie called out. “Come say hello?”
Isla came upstairs. She gasped as she saw Lee. She stared at him, her eyes cold. “What are you doing here?”
Lee stood. “I’m having a business meeting,” he replied matter-of-factly. “Which I have every right to do. What I want to know is why you would point me out as a murderer when I wasn’t even in the vicinity when your boyfriend died. Why did you say that?”
Isla placed her hands on her hips. “I don’t understand,” she stammered. “How can you speak to me like this? I saw you!”
Jackie looked from Lee to Isla. “Are you sure?” she asked Isla. “You are sure Lee was there? He’s a good guy, Isla. I don’t believe he would do anything to hurt anyone.”
Isla’s body began to shake, and her eyes began to flutter. “I can’t breathe,” she cried as her head began to loll back and forth from shoulder to shoulder. “Help, I can’t breathe.”
Before anyone could reach her, Isla had fallen to the ground. “She’s fainted!” Meghan cried. “Jackie, call 911!”
“She isn’t breathing!” Jackie screeched. “Look at her chest!”
They stared at Isla’s chest. It was still.
“We need to resuscitate her!” Lee declared. “Meghan, why don’t you do it?”
“I don’t know how to do mouth-to-mouth,” Meghan exclaimed. “Jackie? Do you?”
“I...I have a cold sore,” Jackie announced. “I can’t do it. Lee?”
“I have an idea,” Meghan yelled as she ran to the bathroom. She filled a bucket of water and raced back to the loft, dumping the contents on Isla.
“You got us wet!” Jackie complained. “Meghan!”
“Hush, Jackie,” Meghan scolded her. “We are taking care of Isla right now. I don’t give two cents if you got wet.”
Meghan got down on her knees and began to shake Isla. “Isla? Isla, wake up! Wake up, Isla.”
They gasped when Isla stirred. “She’s alive,” Meghan breathed in relief. “Isla? Are you okay?”
Her eyelids opened, and Isla slowly sat up. “I’m fine,” she coughed. “I’m so sorry.”
Jackie stared at her. “What happened? Were you in shock because Lee is here?”
Isla shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “I haven’t been feeling well lately. With Jacob gone…”
“We understand,” Meghan comforted. “Don’t explain.
“It’s more than that,” Isla confessed, her eyes wide. “I’m pregnant.”
13
As Meghan lay wrapped in her down comforter, she beamed when she realized what day it was. “My day off,” she murmured to herself as Siesta, one of her two little dogs, licked her cheek. “Finally, a day off.”
Sunshi
ne streamed into the apartment, and she checked the weather online. “A sunny day,” she commented to Fiesta, her other dog. “We should get outside. What do you think about a long walk on the beach, my loves?”
The dogs wagged their tails, and Meghan took it as a sign of their agreement. She dressed in a dusty rose colored sherpa, navy leggings, and a pair of hiking boots. She fastened her hair into a braid trailing down her back, and after buttoning the dogs into their matching pink plaid coats, they set off for the beach.
It was a stunning day at Sandy Bay Beach; the skies were blue, the water was calm, and the shoreline was lined with picnickers, hikers, and joggers. Meghan freed Fiesta and Siesta from their leashes, and the twin dogs sprinted off, darting through the waves and barking happily as they chased each other.
A few hours later, Meghan checked her watch. “Two hours on the beach,” she commented to herself as she realized it was nearly noon. “I need to make it to the library and the dry cleaners….I think it’s time to go. Fiesta! Siesta!”
The dog dogs came running toward her, their tongues out and their tails wagging. “Did you have fun, my babies?” she asked them. “Did you have a good day?”
The dogs shook with excitement, and Meghan reached down to attach their leash. “Ugh,” she moaned as she brushed against Fiesta’s fur. “You are filthy! Did you roll in something dead?”
She leaned in toward Siesta and gagged as she caught a whiff of the dog’s paws. “Siesta, you smell even worse. What happened?”
The dogs shook their bottoms happily, and Meghan pressed her palm to her forehead. “I can’t take you two home like this,” she muttered. “We’re going to have to go to the groomer’s.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She dialed the groomer’s number, dismayed when she was directed to their voicemail. “It’s closed today.”
She checked online for another groomer, and she found a new location that was close to the police station. “I should try this one,” she thought as she dialed the number and made an appointment. “Hmmm. It’s so close to the station, and it is almost lunch time. Maybe I should see if Jack wants to come. He loves the dogs, and we really need to clear the air between us…”