by Rose Pressey
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to the ladies’ room.” I pushed to my feet.
“Sure,” he said and then took a drink of his coffee.
I grabbed my phone and hurried to the ladies’ room. As soon as I was behind the locked door I called my best friend. She would know what to do. Thank goodness she picked up right away.
“I’m in the women’s restroom.”
“Why are you whispering?’ she asked.
“Because I’m talking to a potential killer at a coffee shop and I had to get away from him.”
What if Adam was outside the door and eavesdropping?
“What the heck is going on over there?” she asked in a panic.
“Just work with me here. I need you to call and I’ll pretend like it’s an important call and I need to leave.”
“Do you actually think the killer is going to let you just leave?”
“Well, I have to give it a try. I don’t know,” I said. “I’m in a public place so how bad can it be?”
“Many people are murdered or kidnapped from public places,” she said.
“I see your point,” I said. “Regardless, I have to get out of here, so are you gonna call me?”
“Of course I’ll call you.”
“Give me two minutes and then call,” I said.
“Two minutes and no more,” she said. “What if I have to call the cops?”
“If I don’t answer in five minutes, please call the police. I’m at the Java Hut on Peach Grove Street.”
“Got it,” she said.
I knew she had written it down. She wrote down everything.
“Wish me luck,” I said.
“Good luck. I love you, Scarlet.”
She sounded as if she wasn’t sure she’d ever speak with me again. I inhaled a deep breath and released it as I walked out of the ladies’ room. I walked down the short hallway and stepped into the seating area of the coffee shop. When I looked over at the table, Adam was gone. The table wasn’t empty though because Finn was sitting there.
I rushed over to the table. “Where did he go?”
“Oh, you mean the camera dude?” Finn asked with a smile.
“Yes, I mean the camera dude.”
“I told him to get lost.” Finn leaned back in the chair.
“Why would you do that?” I asked.
“Because he’s been harassing you,” Finn said as if I should know why he did what he did.
“I was so close,” I said, tossing my hands up in exasperation.
“So close to what?” Finn asked.
“Getting information from him. He’s on my list of suspects, you know.”
“I figured as much. What were you close to finding out?”
“Okay, I suppose nothing specifically… technically I was ready to get away from him. But nevertheless, what if I’d changed my mind?”
“You’re kind of rambling now.”
“How did you know I was here?” I asked as I took a seat across from him.
“I didn’t know you were here. I just happened to see your car. When I stepped into the shop, I saw him sitting there and I knew it was trouble.”
“I’d just gone to the ladies’ room.” Just then my phone rang. “Oh, yeah, I forgot.”
I answered the call.
“Are you still alive?” Jamie asked.
“Oh, it’s okay, he’s gone.”
“Are you sure? Are you just telling me that?”
“No, I’m sitting here with Finn.”
“Oh, the good-looking co-host,” she said.
I knew she was wiggling her eyebrows when she said that.
“Yes, that’s the one,” I said, looking at him.
He smiled as if he knew we were talking about his good looks.
“I guess you don’t need me to rescue you from Finn,” she said.
“Not yet,” I said. “If anything changes, I’ll call you.”
“You worry me,” she said.
“I worry me too. I’ll call you when I leave here.”
“Talk to you soon,” she said around a sigh.
“You had a call to get you away from the cameraman?” Finn asked with an impish grin.
“How did you know that?” I asked.
“I could tell. It was the classic ‘call and get me out of here’ call from your friend. So you didn’t need me to rescue you from him, huh?”
“I’m saying nothing more about the call. What did you say to Adam?” I asked.
“I told him that you didn’t want to talk to him and that he should leave you alone.”
“Well, that’s probably the truth. You were right, I wanted to be rescued.”
“I knew it,” he said with a satisfied smile as he leaned back in the chair again. “Did you learn anything from him and why were you meeting him anyway?”
“Because I wanted to find out what he knew about the murder.”
“And what did he know about it?” Finn asked.
“Nothing that I found out.”
“Are you going to have your friend call back and save you from the conversation with me?”
“If you don’t behave, yes,” I said.
He chuckled, highlighting that dimple on the side of his cheek. Why did he have to be so irresistible? I was trying to focus. I wanted to tell him to stop smiling and stop being so darn charming.
“I can’t believe you didn’t want to stay and talk to me and then you came to meet him,” Finn said.
I rolled my eyes. “I told you why I did that.”
“Are you telling me the truth?”
“Are you calling me a liar?”
“No,” he said.
“Well, I need to get out of here,” I said. “I’ve got a bunch of stuff to do.”
“Yeah, me too,” he said. “Like finding a killer.”
“What do you mean?” I asked as I stared at him.
“I just want to check out a few things.”
“Without me?”
“You did it without me,” he said.
“It’s not a competition.”
“Is it not?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
What was he thinking? That I was purposely excluding him from anything I discovered? The more I thought about it, the more I wondered if he was right. Maybe I was leaving him out. Was it because I thought he could potentially be the killer or was it because I wanted some kind of control since I couldn’t control the fact that he was co-host? I needed to stop wanting to do everything for myself. Then again, was it so bad to want things that way?
“I’ll talk to you soon,” he said with a wave of his hand.
I watched as Finn walked out of the coffee shop and got into his car. I hoped that Adam wasn’t waiting around the corner and ready to come back inside. Maybe I needed to get out of here now too. I stood up from the chair, but my foot kicked something under the table. I bent down to take a look. A cell phone was down there.
I picked up a small black phone. It looked like one of the ones with the prepaid minutes. I wondered if I would find the owner’s name if I checked. I’d seen Finn with an iPhone like me. Maybe it was Adam’s. Pushing the button a few times, I couldn’t find the name, so I decided to check the text messages. Needless to say, I was shocked at what I read.
I’ll meet you at the studio. And you’ll be sorry for what you did. Now you’ll know what it’s like to be stabbed in the back.
That sent a chill down my spine. This had to be either Finn’s or Adam’s phone. It specifically mentioned the studio. And there was a threat. I suspected I knew whose number was on the other side receiving the threat. I had to find the owner of this phone. Once I discovered that, I would have the killer.
The detective could probably track down information, but undoubtedly it would take some time. Was there anything else on the phone that would help me find the killer right away? I read through the other text messages. One of them was kind of interesting. It mentioned the phone’s owner had won a baking contest a couple wee
ks ago. I left a note on my phone of the date and time of the contest.
If I could find the results and find the winner, then I would have the killer. It looked as if at some point the killer and Corina had been on a friendly level. That was why the killer had told her this information. I would give the detective this phone as soon as I tracked him down, but in the meantime, I had to find out the winner of this contest. I hurried out the door and into my car. Though I couldn’t wait until I got home to look for this information. I had to research now.
I was so nervous to find out the truth that my hand shook as I typed on my phone. Unfortunately, I soon realized as I scrolled down the page that the contest results weren’t available online yet. I supposed it had been too soon. But I had to know now.
Could I actually go to the location and ask them for the information? Surely they would give me that basic information. I wouldn’t let them know I was trying to track down a killer. It was really my only option. I started the car and shoved it into reverse. In a hurry, I pulled out onto the street. It was only about a ten-minute drive to the location. Excitement and fear coursed through my body as I maneuvered the streets to the building. I couldn’t get there fast enough. Was this really happening? Would I really find the killer?
After a couple minutes, I arrived at the building. I whipped into the parking lot and found a spot. I sat there for a couple of seconds mentally preparing myself for what I was about to find out. As soon as I knew I’d have to tell the police what I found.
After releasing a deep breath, I got out of the car and headed toward the Chamber of Commerce entrance. My nerves were on edge as I stepped into the building. No one was there so I wasn’t sure what to do next.
“Hello?” I called out.
A tall, dark-haired woman peeked around the corner. “Oh, I wasn’t expecting anyone.”
“I’m sorry for bothering you, but I just have a question. I’m working on an article for the newspaper.”
Yes, I was making this up as I went along.
“I failed to get the name of the winner of the baking contest last week,” I said with a smile.
She frowned for a moment. “Oh, all right. Well, I suppose I can give you that information. You just need the name of the winner? Do you want second and third place as well?”
The second and third place information wouldn’t be necessary, but I didn’t tell her that. I wanted to go along with my story.
“Yes, I would like that as well,” I said with a grin.
“I have it written down at my desk, just let me check,” she said, motioning for me to follow her.
The suspense was getting to me. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could make it.
She opened up the book and scrolled down the page with her index finger. “Here it is. Third place goes to Max Spencer.”
Couldn’t she have started with first place? I couldn’t exactly tell her to rush and move forward to the first-place winner. I had to listen to the second name as well.
“Second place goes to Frank Waters.”
Okay, my stomach was twisted into a knot. Here we go, first place now. Please don’t let the winner be Finn, please don’t let it be Finn.
Just then the phone rang and she held up her index finger. “Oh, one minute, please.”
No! I wanted to scream. Don’t make me wait any longer. Couldn’t the phone hold on for just a moment? I might collapse from the suspense.
“Oh, I’m not sure I have that information,” she said into the phone. “But I could go find out for you. It might take a few minutes though.”
There was absolutely no way I could wait while she went to retrieve this information for the caller.
“Hold on for one moment, please.” She pushed the button and placed the caller on hold.
Chapter 24
“If you’ll excuse me for just a moment, I need to get something,” she said.
I couldn’t believe she was going to leave me like this. All she had to do was just give me that name real quick and I’d go about my business and leave her alone. I leaned closer, trying to get a glimpse of the name. The woman slammed the book shut and picked it up.
“Excuse me for just a moment.” She carried the book in her arms as she walked away.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mumbled.
Now what would I do? I had to wait until she came back. There was no telling how long that would take. I was kind of in a hurry. As far as I was concerned this could be life or death. Maybe I could save whoever was next on the killer’s list. I tapped my foot against the floor impatiently, waiting for her to come back. I had no choice other than to wait for her to return.
I paced in front of the desk. Back and forth I moved, checking the time on my phone. It had been a minute. How long did it take for her to get that information? Perhaps I should’ve volunteered to help her look for whatever it was she wanted to find. I paced more. Soon I would make a path in front of the desk from all my pacing.
I absolutely couldn’t wait another minute. Just as I turned to head down the hallway to find the woman, she came back toward me. She frowned when she saw me standing there. Surprisingly she said nothing as she breezed by and back to the desk. She didn’t place the book down either. I supposed she thought I was going to take it.
She picked the phone and spoke with the person on the other end of the line. It seemed as if she was taking her time on purpose. I had a feeling that this woman had taken a dislike to me from that moment she saw me. I wasn’t sure why, but oh, well, if I got the information then I would be out of there and leave her alone.
A couple more seconds passed, she set the phone down and turned her attention to me. “Now, where were we?”
“I was asking for the name of the winner,” I said, trying to plaster the sweetest smile on my face.
I would attempt to be as nice as possible. Being anything other than nice would get me nowhere. She placed the book back on top of the desk and opened the cover. This was like starting all over again. I hoped she didn’t go through two and three all over again.
She scrolled down with her index finger. “One, two, three. The name of the winner is Kristen Smith.”
My mouth dropped open. “Are you sure?”
She raised an eyebrow. “I’m absolutely certain. That’s the name.” She spun the book around and let me look for myself. “Take a look for yourself.”
I peered down at the page and saw the name. Who had left her phone at the coffee shop? Kristen hadn’t been there, so either Finn had had the phone or Adam. I wanted to know who and why. I had to call the detective and tell him immediately that I knew who the killer was. My chest felt tight, as if I couldn’t breathe. This explained why I smelled vanilla extract on my attacker. Kristen had to have been the one who had assaulted me. She was obviously involved with baking too.
“Thank you for the information,” I managed.
It was hard to talk when I could barely breathe.
“You’re welcome,” she said a bit unenthusiastically.
I ran out of the building and toward the car. In a frantic state, I jumped in and immediately dialed the detective’s number. Unfortunately, he didn’t answer. I had to leave a voicemail.
“This is Scarlet Baker,” I said breathlessly. “I know who the killer is. It’s Kristen Smith. I have to explain how I know but I have proof. I don’t know what to do next. I don’t want to go back to the studio. What if she’s there? I’ll wait to hear from you.”
After ending the call, I sat there for a moment, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel. What would I do now? The woman from inside the building stood at the door watching me. I supposed she was suspicious of me. I had to leave the parking lot, but I had no idea where I was going.
After starting the car and backing out, I headed out of the parking lot. I couldn’t go to back to the coffee shop because I never knew when the cameraman might pop in there. Although he had just been there. Maybe he would come back for the phone.
T
hen again, what if Finn had been the one with the phone? I’d checked on the phone and found its number. It wasn’t the number I had for Finn. Maybe he would come back for it. Should I call and confront him with this information? I supposed I didn’t have to tell him whose phone I found, just that I’d found one. If he said it was his, then I would know that he was involved in this somehow. I shivered at the thought.
I didn’t want him to be involved. I hated having to co-host, but I kind of thought he was charming. I needed to push that idea out of my head. Nevertheless, I couldn’t get rid of the thought. It was there, and it seemed as if it was there to stay. I pulled over to the side of the road and dialed his number. Unfortunately, he didn’t answer either. Where was everyone when I needed them?
“Hey, Finn, it’s Scarlet again. I have a question for you. Call me when you get this message.”
He probably would be surprised to hear from me. Especially so soon after I had seen him and taken off in a hurry. I sat there for a bit with the phone in my hand, hoping that he would call right back.
Chapter 25
Should I call Adam and ask him if he’d had Kristen’s phone? I doubted he would give me an answer though. I’d found his number on Kristen’s desk. Was there some connection outside of just working on the set together? If not, Adam wouldn’t have had her phone. I felt as if I had nowhere to go. I didn’t want to go to my parents’ place because I was in the middle of a murder investigation. I didn’t want to bring that stuff to my parents’ house. My mother had already had the suspicious car at their house.
I didn’t want to go to my house either because what if poor Lucille came across the street and the killer came to my house? Then again, Kristen had never been to my house that I knew of. So how had the notes and pie gotten there if she hadn’t left them? Who was the man Lucille had seen at the house? Going to the studio was out of the question. I supposed I would just go to the coffee shop and hang around until I got a call back. Adam surely wouldn’t return now. It was the only place I knew right now.