Pound Cake Predator

by Constance Barker

  I whipped my phone around and shone light all over the room trying to see if there was anything I could use to get out, and after only a few seconds, something in the corner of the room caught my eye.

  Up in the corner was a broken water main, and the water was gushing out of it at such an alarming rate that I knew I’d be underwater if I didn’t do something quick. A glance further to the left revealed a rusty wheel handle that had clearly been wedged open, and I was willing to bet that it was the person who knocked me down. They clearly must have known their way around because they knew to turn on the water and wedge the broken handle open.

  I darted over to the handle, water sloshing at my feet, and I tried my best to turn it but it just wouldn’t budge. I tried again and failed, huffing as I desperately looked around to try and figure out how I was going to get out of there. The water was only getting higher and I could feel my heart beating in my chest so hard that I thought it might burst. Fear was welling up and as much as I tried to fight the panic, I could feel it settling in. If I didn’t stop the water flow soon, I’d drown.

  I ran over to the ladder and scurried up, and I banged on the door with all my might. I yelled and hollered and screamed, but the sound clearly didn’t travel far enough because I didn’t hear a single response to my desperate cries for help.

  I whipped out my phone and started to dial 911, but there wasn’t enough signal to even make the call, and all I got was the droning beep from my phone telling me that I had no service.

  Panic had all but set in at that point when I suddenly remembered a conversation between Stella and Henry, and I immediately ran back down the cellar from the ladder to find the heaviest, bluntest object that I could. I managed to dig through some tools on a bench and find a large hammer, and I held the weighty steel in my hand, knowing that if my idea didn’t work I wouldn’t make it out of the cellar unless it was in a body bag.

  I wasn’t about to let that happen.

  I went back towards the door and swung the hammer as hard as I could, the loud clanging in my ears making me wince and hiss as it struck the hinges of the door. I had overheard Henry and Stella mentioning that it was the only way to get out of there at one point, and was I ever glad that I had chosen to eavesdrop.

  It took a few more heavy swings and a bit of yelling, but after a moment the pins from the hinges of the door finally snapped, freeing the door.

  “Oh, good.”

  I used what little strength I had left after swinging the heavy hammer to shove the door up, and thankfully it opened. I wasn’t about to waste any more time in that dank place so I tore off and ran out as fast as I could, and I slammed down the fire alarm on my way out.

  My heart was racing in my chest and I ran towards my car, breath heavy and chest heaving as I tried to calm myself down once I was in the driver seat. Panic and realization had set in that someone had just tried to kill me, and while I did manage to get myself out, it didn’t change the fact that someone was clearly trying to murder me for investigating.

  I just needed to find out who someone was.

  Chapter 22

  I managed to not crash Daisy on the way home despite how absolutely shaky and panicked I was, though by the time I got there I was in a state of shock. Which, given what had just happened to me, wasn’t really that surprising.

  I made my way inside my place and shut the door behind me, and then I leaned back against it with a heavy sigh and looked down at my hands. They were covered in mud, as was the rest of me, and for the first time since I had been locked in the cellar, I realized just how utterly and completely exhausted I was. So I decided that what I really needed right then to sort myself out, was a nice long and hot shower.

  I went into my bedroom and started to get undressed but then stopped, my heart beating in my chest as a sudden thought entered my mind. Had I locked my door? What if whoever tried to kill me followed me back?

  I hurriedly put my robe on and made my way around the place, locking all the doors and windows and double checking that no one was inside. Once I had satisfied my paranoia I got undressed again and into the shower.

  The hot water was exactly what I needed and as it washed the mud and grime away from that dank cellar, I felt some of the worry and stress washing away with it. Obviously I was still on edge and scared by the fact that someone had tried to kill me, but the shower was definitely helping. I took my time and didn’t get out until my fingers were pruned and my skin was pink from the hot water.

  Once I was out I decided that I needed to call and tell someone what happened, and naturally that person I needed to call was Rose. She answered on the second ring and I breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Oh, Rose, I’m so glad you picked up.”

  “Well of course I picked up, Coco. What's wrong?”

  I was pacing around my apartment in my towel, trying to settle my mind as I spoke to her.

  “I’ve just had an awful night is all, and I needed to hear your voice and talk to you.”

  “Coco I don’t like the way you sound, spill it.”

  I took a deep breath and finally stopped pacing, and sat down on my couch as I prepared to tell her about how I nearly died in the basement of the senior center.

  “Alright look,” I said with a sigh, fully expecting to be reprimanded, “I went to the senior center to check things out.”

  “Coco...”

  Her tone was gentle but firm and I knew that if I didn’t get out what I needed to say right away, I never would.

  “I know, I know. Anyway, I went to the senior center to look around in the basement, and someone jumped me from behind.”

  Rose gasped on the other line.

  “I’m fine now Rose, I promise, but...”

  I trailed off and wasn’t sure how to continue, but she definitely wasn’t about to let me off the hook.

  “But what, Coco?”

  “Someone tried to kill me, Rose. I was hit from behind and when I came to, whoever it was that hit me was running out of the basement and they locked me in there. They turned on the water main on the way out and it was jammed, the basement was filling up with water. I managed to bust the trap door open, but someone definitely didn’t want me making it out of there alive.”

  “That’s it, I’m coming over right now.”

  “No,” I said firmly, “I’d rather you stay put, Rose. At least for now and until morning. I don’t want us both to end up in danger.”

  It took a few more minutes of convincing but eventually Rose let up, and we said our goodbyes. I was exhausted mentally and physically, so the second I went to bed and my head hit the pillow I drifted off into a heavy sleep.

  I was woken up in the wee hours of the morning while it was still dark by the sound of my phone ringing, and I sleepily fumbled around until I found it.

  “Hello?”

  “Listen to me and listen to me clearly.”

  The voice on the other end sent a chill up my spine and my heart started to pound in my chest, and all I could manage was a tiny gasp.

  “You better keep your nose out of everyone’s business, Coco, or your friend Vivian will end up just like Franklin.”

  Before I had a chance to respond they hung up and I was left lying there in shock, wondering who had called and why they were now targeting Vivian. There was no way I was getting back to sleep after that so I got dressed right away and drove over to Vivian’s because I needed to know that she was safe.

  When Vivian opened the door she had a scowl on her face, and I could tell that she was cranky.

  “And why are you here at such an ungodly hour, Coco?”

  “Look Vivian I know this is going to sound crazy, but I needed to make sure that you were safe.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  I told her what had happened and about the call I’d just gotten, and she shook her head with a sigh and shrugged. She clearly wasn’t worried, though I didn’t understand why.

  “Look Coco, if I’m in any danger then
I’ve got Stella to protect me. No one in their right mind would start a fight with her, and you know it.”

  She had a fair point and I nodded.

  “Alright. I’ve got to go into town to open up the bakery for Valentine’s, but please promise me that you’ll make sure you have someone you trust with you at all times?”

  She rolled her eyes and I glared, to which she finally relented.

  “Alright, alright, I promise.”

  “Thank you.”

  We parted ways and I got back into Daisy to head to the Mad Batter, anxious to get the day over with. And maybe if I was lucky, I’d be too busy to focus on the fact that in the last 24 hours someone had tried to kill me, and threatened to murder a friend.

  Maybe.

  Chapter 23

  After my harrowing experience, it was a relief to enter into the familiar chaos of the Mad Batter. Customers crowded into the shop, and the pleasant sound of holiday chatter filled the room. Although I still had ill feelings towards Valentine’s Day, the smiling faces of my co-workers as I entered the shop filled me with nothing but joy.

  “Look at the display, I’m impressed.” I hugged Scooter and Masie tightly as I admired their handiwork. After hours of fighting with each other, they were finally able to work together long enough to create something beautiful.

  Scooter scrubbed the back of his neck as he smiled. “Yeah, Masie isn’t as bad with frosting as she is with chocolates so it worked out in the end.”

  Surprisingly, Masie laughed at his comment. “And when Scooter isn’t busy knocking over all our hard work, he’s pretty good with scones.”

  I shook my head, shocked that they were finally getting along. “Well, hopefully you two have put your squabbling behind you. You should be proud, the display looks great.”

  “Thanks Coco, and thank you for not giving up on us.” Masie grinned. “Come on, help us fill some orders. We have about a million today.”

  After admiring the display one last time, we all spread out about the store to assist the customers. Many commented on the festive decorations strung up on the walls and ceiling, but others opted for a darker topic of conversation. After straining my ears to listen to a few conversations, I picked up several pieces of gossip regarding Franklin’s death.

  “Did you hear that Franklin’s body was found on the toilet, just like Elvis?” One elderly woman gasped.

  “No, that’s not true. But I did hear that he lip synced all of his performances.” Another added.

  “That’s not true either, but I heard that it was a bad batch of seafood that killed him.” A third hollered.

  Despite all of the gossip, I concluded that not a single person knew what really happened. No reliable witnesses seemed to be puttering around the bakery, so I decided to stop eavesdropping for the day and do something productive. The trash was pretty full, so I focused my efforts on taking it out back.

  However, the moment I turned the corner into the back alley, I felt hands gripping my shoulders. My body froze, and I dropped the trash bag on the ground as I began to scream.

  “Coco, no need for all of that noise,” a classy voice crooned. With my back against the wall in fear, I realized it was Polly Smith who pulled me aside.

  “You scared me Polly, what do you want?” I was still shaken up by being nearly drowned last night, so being confronted by Polly in an alley frightened me despite the lack of immediate danger.

  The elegant woman pursed her lips, replacing her manicured hand on my shoulder and squeezing tightly. “I just wanted to be sure that you and I were on the same page.” She began, smiling coldly as she awaited my reply.

  “About what? I’m just trying to run my bakery and take out the trash.” I reached for the discarded bag, but Polly gently pushed my hand aside.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Stop pursuing the case.” Her eyes were icy, but her mouth was still pressed into a smile.

  I realized I was trembling out of fear of an elderly woman, but her intensity terrified me. However, it was a perfect time to get some information out of her. “And why is that, do you have something to hide?”

  She laughed lightly, as if I had just told her a joke. “I have nothing to hide dear. If you drop the case then you don’t have to worry about getting hurt.”

  If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought that Polly was used to making threats. She had spoken so calmly, as if she were ordering a sandwich. In return, I acted calmly too as I finally picked up the trash bag. “Thanks for your concern but I have work to do.”

  She stuck her nose in the air as she watched me toss the bag into the dumpster. “That’s fine, but you should leave things to the police and keep your little nose out of their business or this case might be your last.”

  With those chilling words, Polly disappeared down the street. I hurried into the shop, my lips buzzing with anticipation as I told the others about the threat. “She definitely said that if I don’t drop the case I’d get hurt, whatever that means.”

  Masie stared back at me wide-eyed. “You have to call Logan, Coco. He’ll know what to do. It’s too dangerous handling things on your own.”

  Scooter nodded in agreement. “I’ll take care of your pastry orders for a few minutes while you make that phone call.”

  After thanking them, I slipped into the back room to dial Logan. He answered on the first ring. “Happy Valentine’s Day Coco, is everything alright?”

  If I wasn’t so shaken up, I would have smiled. Instead, I launched straight into telling Logan about my interaction with Polly. “She definitely threatened me, but I won’t back down easily.”

  Logan paused, taking a moment to clear his throat. “That’s important information. The police here are being told by supervisors to call the death an accident and move on, so there’s certainly something strange going on.”

  The news worried me as much as my tip had worried Logan. “So you think that Polly is convincing the police to drop the case?”

  “It might be a lead worth re-investigating. Also interesting to note, is that the cops found a small gang tattoo on Franklin’s body. Belongs to a gang out in Las Vegas, where you mentioned that Polly came from.”

  I frowned, trying to put the pieces together in my head but failing to do so. “This is all very suspicious, I just don’t know what to make of it yet.”

  Logan sighed on the other line. “Neither do I. We’ll just have to keep working. Call me back if Polly returns or if you hear anything else.”

  “I will. Thank you Logan, be safe out there.”

  I could practically hear his grin over the phone. “You too.”

  We hung up, and I couldn’t help but feel frustrated. Even with all the pieces in front of me, I couldn’t manage to complete the puzzle. No matter how terrifying Polly Smith was, or what threats lay ahead of me, I swore that I would press on to clear Vivian’s name and find out who tried to drown me.

  Chapter 24

  Valentine’s Day was a huge whirlwind. I felt a sense of relief as it started to wind down. The shop continued to be crowded, but the constant chaos had mostly died down.

  I heard a bell ring as Shirley walked into The Mad Batter. Her scowl was in noticeable contrast to the Valentine’s Day decorations.

  A part of me wondered if Shirley was here to yell at me. It was one thing when it was at her diner but quite another if she did it in my own bakery.

  However, her look softened as she came up to the counter. Even the grumpiest of diner owners could have their hearts melted by my macaroons and chocolate covered strawberries.

  I smiled at her. “Hi, Shirley. What can I get for you?”

  She looked over the display case. “You have so many things here. What do you recommend?”

  “Well, I love our chocolate-covered fruits and petit-fours. But I think the chocolate poppers are the real crowd pleaser. They were one of the recipes in my cousin’s cookbook, and we’ve gotten a lot of good feedback on them.”

  Shirley ro
lled her eyes. “For goodness sake, Coco, stop being such a glory hound.”

  “A glory hound?”

  “Do you really need to bring your cookbook up at every opportunity?”

  “Um...” I wasn’t sure how to respond. She began to tap her foot impatiently. “So can I wrap up half a dozen poppers for you?”

  She sighed and rolled her eyes again. “Yes, obviously I would like the poppers. I did ask what you recommended after all.”

  It seemed that the heart-melting powers of my pink macaroons did not last long. I wrapped up the poppers and put them in a cute pink bag for her.

  “Have a good day,” I said.

  She turned on her heel and walked out of the store.

  I was fairly low on all of my products. It was close to closing time when I saw Red, Henry, Stella, and Vivian walk up to the bakery. I opened the door to let them in.

  “We were hoping we would make it just in time,” said Red rubbing his hands together.

  “I can stay open as long as you guys want to be here,” I said. “You four are easily my best customers.”

  Stella looked around the bakery. “Best customers or not, it seems you’ve been fairly well cleared out of your stores, my dear.”

  There was still be a few other customers milling about the bakery and sitting at tables. “Please take a seat wherever you would like,” I said. “Let me go get you guys some treats.”

  I went to go get orders for everyone when I heard someone shout murderer from the front of the bakery. I ran out to find a cacophony of yelling. Stella was brandishing her umbrella at two other old women in the bakery, and everyone was talking over each other at once.

  “Hold on,” I shouted as I ran over to mediate. “What on earth is going on here?”