by Cindy Bell
When they arrived at the class, Georgina greeted them both with a warm hug. There were several other students, none of whom Lucy recognized. As the class began Lucy decided to focus only on the subject at hand, and do her best to keep her mind off Hugo. After Georgina rattled off the recipe she planned to use, she turned to smile at her students.
“Okay, before any of you get overwhelmed, let me take you through this step-by-step process.” She reached into the apron tied around her waist and pulled out a marker. As she began to scrawl words across the board, Lucy’s eyes widened. Not only did she recognize the handwriting, but she also recognized the color. It was very similar to the color of the food coloring they’d used for the lemon cheesecake macarons. Lucy hadn’t found out what the results of the tests were of the orange liquid on Hugo’s clothes. Could it have been orange marker not food coloring? When Georgina turned back to face the class, she had a smear of the marker across the curve of the outside of her hand. Lucy’s heartbeat quickened. Was it possible? Could Georgina have been the one to kill Hugo? She knew no love was lost between them, but could this bubbly, entertaining woman, really be a murderer?
Lucy closed her eyes and thought about the handwriting on the recipe cards found in Hugo’s classroom. It seemed to be an exact match to the handwriting on the board. Could the recipes have been written down by Georgina when she was a young admirer of Hugo? Her ears throbbed with noise that drowned out Georgina’s words. She glanced over at Chantelle, who was busy taking notes on the steps that Georgina described. She didn’t seem to notice the same things that Lucy did. Was she letting her imagination run away with her?
“All right everyone, before we actually start cooking, why don’t we all take a brief break? Because once you come back in this room, I want all of your attention to be on this recipe for my signature beef wellington with homemade puff pastry. It is not meant to be slapped together. It’s meant to be created, with passion, and a delicate touch.”
The moment she stepped outside when there was a break, Lucy grabbed on to Chantelle’s hand and pulled her away from the rest of the students. “I need to talk to you.”
“What is it?” Chantelle frowned. “Is something wrong?”
“The orange marker.”
“Yes?”
“It could make similar stains on a shirt as yellow food coloring.”
“You think so?” Chantelle quirked a brow. “Are you sure about that?”
“I’m not sure, but I strongly suspect it. Did you see her handwriting?”
“Yes.”
“Didn’t it look familiar to you?”
“Should it?”
“The recipe cards. Hugo’s recipe cards. The handwriting is identical.”
“Are you sure? I mean how can you tell just from what she wrote on the board?”
“I can tell. It’s loopy and curvy and unique. I can picture it in my head and it’s exactly the same. What are the chances that someone would write the letter R exactly the same way in such an elaborate style?”
“Lots of people write that way.”
“Chantelle!” Lucy grabbed her hand and tugged her even further away. “Are you trying to tell me that you think I’ve lost my mind?”
“I’m not telling you that. I just think you’re seeing something that isn’t there. Sophia has already been arrested.”
“I know she has. I know that the police think she’s the one that did this, but I also know that they could be wrong. I just don’t believe that Sophia is guilty, I sense good around her, I think she’s innocent.”
“We’ve known Sophia for some time, maybe what you felt was loyalty. Just because she did something terrible that doesn’t mean that you stop caring about her.”
“Or maybe it was my intuition telling me that the wrong person is behind bars.”
“All right everyone, back to class!” Georgina waved from the door.
“Lucy, don’t think I’m telling you you’re wrong. I’m not. I just want to think this through. Accusing someone of murder is a huge deal.”
“I know.” Lucy frowned. “You’re right.” Silently she followed her sister back into the building. She did her best to pay attention through the rest of the process. But every time Georgina laughed, every time she did a little dance and tossed an ingredient into the bowl, it made her wonder why she was so cheerful. Was it because her rival was gone? By the end of the class she had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. That night, she had a difficult time sleeping. Mia paced back and forth along her back, as if she knew that there was a lot of tension in her body and on her mind. Once she finally fell asleep, the sound of Georgina’s laughter echoed through her dreams.
Chapter 16
The next morning when Lucy arrived at the patisserie, she was surprised to find Annaliese waiting for her.
“Are you that eager for macarons?” Lucy smiled, but Annaliese’s expression was grave.
“We found the clothes.”
“What?”
“We searched the school from top to bottom, and we found the clothes. Or at least what was left of them.”
“What do you mean?”
“The murderer burned them to get rid of the evidence.”
“Burned them? But wouldn’t someone have noticed that on the day of the murder?”
“The theory is that the killer came back on the day of the memorial and retrieved the clothing from wherever it was stashed, then set them on fire, which caused the sprinklers to go off.”
“So, it wasn’t the candles?”
“No, I don’t believe it was. The murderer burned these clothes, there was enough smoke to trigger the sprinkler system. With all of the candles burning, it would be hard for the people attending the memorial to detect smoke from an actual fire.”
“And you can’t tell anything about the clothing? I thought that Sophia had been arrested.”
“She has been, but she hasn’t been charged. Here, look at this.” Annaliese showed her a picture on her cell phone. “This is what we have to deal with. Any insight is more than welcome.”
Lucy gazed at the pile of ash that was once clothing. There were a few scraps of material, but it was impossible to tell what it looked like.
“Forensics can’t help?”
“They’re working on it, but I thought maybe you would get a, well, a feeling.”
“Annaliese.”
“I know, I’m sorry, Lucy. Normally I don’t even believe in things like this. But for some reason I trust you.”
Lucy met Annaliese’s eyes for a moment. “I appreciate that Annaliese, but if you’re expecting me to just whip out the killer’s name and confirm if it’s Sophia or not, it’s not going to happen.” She paused for a moment, then spoke in a quieter tone. “Hugo doesn’t even know who killed him. His back was turned when he was stabbed and then he was knocked out before he died.”
“How did you know that?” Annaliese stared at her. “I never told you any of that.”
“What is that?” Lucy pointed to what looked like a spike in the picture.
“Oh, we’re guessing it’s the heel from a shoe. It’s hard to tell as its charred so bad, but that’s what we’re assuming until the testing is complete.”
“A heel? Like a high heel?”
“Yes.”
“Sophia wasn’t wearing high heels.”
“Honestly, we don’t know what she was wearing before she apparently threw these clothes in the garbage. Maybe she changed her footwear as well.”
“I didn’t consider that.” Lucy shook her head and tried to get her thoughts under control. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think that Sophia could be guilty of this crime.”
“Lucy, we have everything we need to prove that she is the killer.” Annaliese frowned. “Now you’re saying you don’t believe it?”
“Sophia was hosting the memorial, how would she have had time to slip away and burn her clothes?”
“It was very crowded, and other people gave speeches. It only takes a second
to light a match.”
“That’s true.”
“So tell me the real reason you don’t think she did it. Not what you think I want to hear. Tell me why you don’t believe it.” Annaliese tucked her phone back into her pocket. “I’m listening.”
“It’s just.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “I just don’t believe it was her. It’s a feeling I have, with no way to prove it.”
“Okay.”
“See? What’s the point of telling you that?”
“Hey.” Annaliese touched her shoulder and looked into her eyes. “I’m listening. I’ll go over everything again and see if anything comes up short. Let me know if you have any more insight to offer.”
“All right, I will.” She watched as Annaliese walked out of the patisserie. A part of her wanted to call her back and tell her that of course she could be wrong, it could be Sophia after all. But there was a deep down knowing within her that stopped her. As much as she didn’t want to believe it, she was finally certain of who the murderer was, but she didn’t want to say anything to Annaliese without proof. Her hand shook as she called her sister.
“Hmm?” Chantelle’s sleepy greeting let her know that she was not awake yet.
“Chantelle, I need you to cover my shift for me.”
“Oh. When?”
“Now.”
“No, please, I want to sleep just a little longer.”
“I’m sorry, Chantelle. But I need to look into something, and fast.”
“Is this about the murder?”
“Yes, I’m afraid it is. I really don’t want to bother you, but I need to go and look into something or I feel like my head is going to burst.”
“All right, all right. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
“Thanks, Chantelle.” Lucy hung up the phone and took a deep breath. Just as she released it the door to the patisserie swung open. Georgina strode inside, her heels clacking with every step.
“Hi Lucy, can I get some more of that coffee?”
“Uh, sure.” Lucy stared at her. She wasn’t sure how to react, but she was certain that she didn’t want to confront Georgina while she was alone in the patisserie. She poured her a cup of coffee in a to-go cup and offered it to her.
“Thanks.” She leaned against the counter. “Did you hear about Sophia being arrested?”
“Yes, I did.”
“I guess she had it in her after all.” Georgina clucked her tongue. “You think you know someone.”
“Yes, I do. I think she’s innocent.”
“What?” Georgina laughed. “Why would you think that? You think you know more than the police?”
“I think it’s easy to make someone look guilty.”
“Make them look guilty? How?” She narrowed her eyes.
“I wouldn’t know, I’m not the one who did it.”
“So who do you think did?” She took another sip of her coffee.
“All I know is that it wasn’t Sophia. I believe she’s innocent.”
“Oh, if she’s so innocent, why is there tons of proof piled up against her?”
“At least it looks that way to the naked eye, doesn’t it?”
“So you think she was framed? That’s a bit of a stretch.”
“It’s been done before. It’s one of the best ways to cover up a murder.”
“Look, I get that you are friends with Sophia, but you can’t let that make you blind to the facts. She was there when Hugo died, and clearly she has some problems with him. I mean, yes, a lot of people had problems with him. But that’s no excuse to kill, is it?”
“No, it isn’t. But sometimes things happen that make us very angry, and it’s very hard to stay in control.”
“Have you experienced that kind of anger, Lucy? You seem like such a mellow person.”
“I can’t say that I have. But I have witnessed it in other people. It’s like snapping, and afterwards maybe the person doesn’t feel responsible for what they did. Maybe they convince themselves that whatever happened, wasn’t really their fault.”
“Maybe. Well, I’m off to do the show.” Just as she stepped out of the patisserie, Chantelle stepped in. They offered each other a friendly greeting that made Lucy shudder. The last thing she wanted was her sister so close to a possible murderer.
“Chantelle, I have to go.” She grabbed her purse.
“Wait a minute, aren’t you going to tell me what this is about?” She tried to grab her arm.
“Can’t talk now, have to run.”
“Lucy!”
Lucy pulled the door closed behind her and ran for her car. She managed to pull out of the parking lot fast enough to catch up with Georgina. She had no idea how else to prove that she was responsible for Hugo’s murder.
Chapter 17
After about a half hour of driving Georgina turned into a large parking lot. From the signs Lucy worked out it was the studio where her cooking show was being filmed. Knowing she probably wouldn’t be allowed on the set, she continued to drive past the studio. She parked in the next lot, and watched as Georgina parked near the front and disappeared inside.
Lucy settled in for a long wait. As she did she noticed a few texts on her phone from Chantelle. She replied to them with an explanation, that she believed Georgina was the killer and she needed to find out the truth. As expected, Chantelle reminded her that Sophia had already been arrested and of the proof that was stacked against her. Instead of responding Lucy searched the internet for the address of Georgina’s restaurant. When she found it, she put it in her GPS. There was no point to sitting in an empty parking lot. She intended to just go have a look around the restaurant. However, when she arrived the restaurant was closed. One glance at the time reminded her that it was only a little before ten. Far too early for a restaurant to be open. For a moment she entertained the idea of finding a way in, but she didn’t dare risk it. As she turned the car back on, she caught sight of Georgina’s car as it pulled into the parking lot. Her hand froze on the keys. There was no way that Georgina didn’t see her there. She pulled the car up beside Lucy’s, and rolled down the window. Lucy rolled down hers as well.
“Lucy, what are you doing here?”
“I just wanted to see the place.” Lucy forced a smile. “I was curious, I’ve never been here before.”
“It doesn’t open until four.” Georgina quirked a brow. “Did you want a reservation?”
“I’m sorry, you’re probably going to think I’m ridiculous for this, but I was going to snap a selfie of me in front of the sign.”
“Oh!” She laughed, then licked her heavily painted lips. “Don’t be silly. I’ll give you a tour and you can take as many selfies as you want.”
“I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”
“It’s no trouble at all.”
Lucy hesitated. She could make up an excuse as to why she had to decline. But the truth was, she wanted to see inside. She wanted to know if there was any evidence that she could use to prove Sophia’s innocence or Georgina’s guilt. Though she sensed that Georgina’s smile wasn’t quite genuine, she still wanted to know more about her and the best way to find out information was to be alone with her.
“Let’s go in through the back. I don’t want anyone to see me going inside and think the restaurant is open early. I’ve had people lined up in the parking lot before.”
“Wow, I didn’t realize your restaurant was so popular.”
“Yes, well I try not to brag.” Georgina led her around the back of the large building. “This is also where I create and package my recipes for the products I sell to the public.”
“That’s nice that you can combine the two.”
“Yes, it is, it saves on rent.” She winked at her, then unlocked the back door. Once inside, she flipped on a light switch and revealed what appeared to be a small warehouse and industrial kitchen.
“What kind of products do you sell?”
“Gravies, meal kits, and of course, sauces.”
“
Dessert sauces?”
“Actually, no.” She offered a strained smile. “That is something I haven’t been able to launch just yet.”
“Was that because of Hugo?”
“I’d rather not talk about it. So about that tour?”
“Sure. Thanks for bringing me here, Georgina.”
“It’s my pleasure. In fact, I’ve been meaning to get you alone.”
“Oh?” Lucy followed her towards the kitchen area.
“Yes, you see, everything is looking so bright for me right now. Brighter than I ever expected. Yes, it is.” She smiled. “I do however have one small problem. One thing that could keep me from finally achieving everything I’ve ever dreamed of, and that’s not something I can allow to happen. I’m sure you’ve felt passionate about something before in your life, haven’t you, Lucy?”
“Sure, I guess. What do you think will stop you?”
“The problem I’m dealing with is a delicate one. It’s one that I wish didn’t exist, but it does, and I can’t just ignore it.”
“Do you want to talk about it? Maybe there’s something I can do to help.”
“Actually, I think that you can help. In fact, you’re the most important part of the solution.” She reached out and grabbed a door handle. “First, I want to share with you one of my newest dessert recipes.”
“Okay. I didn’t know you were working on any.”
“You just have to taste this.” She opened the door to a closet and held it open for Lucy. Lucy’s heart pounded as she stepped inside. There was just enough room for her to fit. All she could see was boxes.
“Where is it?” She turned around to face Georgina.
“Lucy, I like you. That’s why I’m going to share my secret with you. Yes, I killed Hugo. He had it coming. Yes, I framed Sophia, she had it coming, too. I gave Hugo those dessert sauce recipes, because he promised me we would be partners. But he lied, and stole them to use as his own. Then I went to Sophia about it, but she refused to back me up. She said he was too big of a celebrity to go against. There was nothing I could do. He was going to make himself rich off my recipes. How could I just stand by and take that? No one could!” She shook her head. “He was a greedy, selfish man, and he drove me to do what I did.” She sighed. “It feels so much better now that I’ve told someone.”