Strawberries and Sweet Lies

by Rosie Sams

  Blinded by her sudden need for justice, she made a spur of the moment decision and decided to head to the lake house on her own. Somebody had to do something, and there wasn’t time to sit around waiting.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Melody had decided earlier that evening to walk home, feeling that the fresh air and exercise would be good for her and Smudge. But in light of this new information, she quickly made her way back to her Tahoe. Finding it parked behind the shop exactly where she left it, she put Smudge in the passenger seat and sped off toward the lake house. Her heart was racing, and blood was pounding in her ears. She didn’t know what she would find, but she was determined not to let Grant get away with whatever he had done to Amelia.

  On her way there, her mind was a frenzy of chaotic thoughts. What would she do when she got there? What if Grant was there? How would she get in? She had so many questions, and not enough answers. But the one thing she knew was that she couldn’t let him get away with it. She should have taken the box of strawberries to the police the first day that she found it. Now the evidence was gone, unless she could find it. But most likely Grant had already destroyed it, just like he did their hopes of finding Amelia alive.

  There had to be something in that house that could incriminate him in Amelia’s murder. And if there was, she was going to find it. She wasn’t going to let him get away with this. He was probably already planning to leave town, but that wasn’t going to happen if she had anything to do with it.

  She parked the midnight blue Tahoe a safe distance away from the lake house. She didn’t want to alert Grant to her presence or give any surrounding neighbors a chance to warn him. Quickly and quietly, she cut the car’s engine and turned off the lights. With Smudge’s leash twisted tightly around her arm, she crept up towards the house. It was dark out now, and the only light was coming from the upper story window. Mel was thankful for the cover that night brought her. She easily made her way along the edge of the house without being noticed. When she reached the tall structure, she began to ponder ways to get in without causing alarm.

  She needed a way to get into the house and investigate without Grant finding out that she was there. She could break a window, but that would make a lot of noise. She couldn’t risk it. She silently approached the large chestnut door, twisting the knob to see if it would open. It didn’t. It was locked. Sudden disappointment washed over her.

  A soft noise made her jump. Looking down, Smudge had knocked a flowerpot off the porch into the grass revealing a spare key.

  “Smudge! You’re brilliant!” she whispered, patting the small dog on the head. The bulldog wagged her stubby tail and licked Mel’s hand in response. Picking up the key, Mel slowly slid it into the lock. Careful not to make a sound, she quickly opened the door and slipped inside, Smudge close behind her.

  She stood in the middle of an extravagant entryway, the house seemed dark and empty. Careful not to make any noise, Mel and Smudge make their way through the lower part of the house. A moment later, Mel found herself in the most incredible kitchen she had ever seen. The space was huge and was equipped with the most modern appliances. Under different circumstances, she would have taken a moment to enjoy being surrounded by such a magnificent kitchen. But there wasn’t time for that.

  Grant could come in at any second, and she didn’t want to be here when he did. Not sure what she was looking for, Mel swept through the kitchen looking for anything that could be used as evidence. She was about to give up and search another room when she noticed something taped to the refrigerator. Taking a step closer, Mel realized it was a travel itinerary for two. This is it, she thought, Grant is planning to leave the country.

  Sudden realization hit her. She was standing in the home of a murderer who could come back at any second. Fear rose in her throat, but she bravely pushed it down. She had to find out what happened to Amelia, even though she felt sure that she already knew. Amelia deserved justice. She wasn’t going to let Grant getaway.

  Carefully, she made her way up the elaborate staircase. When she reached the second platform, she looked around for the bedroom. The light that she had noticed earlier seemed to be coming from the master bedroom. She was pretty sure that Grant wasn’t home, but she still peeked quietly into the room just in case. Seeing that the coast was clear, she stepped into the room.

  On the bed were several suitcases and travel bags. Opening one, she found two passports. “Smudge!” she whispered excitedly. “This is it! We have to get this to Alvin.” As the words left her mouth, she heard a growl stir next to her. Pulling her eyes away from the passports, she looked up to see a silhouette standing in the doorway.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Her heart froze in her chest, and her breath caught in her throat. There was nowhere for her to run. She was busted. Grant had caught her. What would he do to her? Would she suffer the same fate as Amelia? Would there be an investigation into her disappearance? Would they ever find her body? Mel’s mind raced with horrible thoughts as she watched the shadowy figure before her. Smudge began barking viciously at the figure, pulling at the leash. Drawing courage from the small bulldog, Mel found her voice.

  “How did you do it, Grant? How did you escape? Surely, Alvin suspected you, so how did you get away with it?” Thankfully, her voice sounded stronger than she felt.

  The figure stepped into the light, causing Mel to gasp in astonishment. The person standing before her wasn’t Grant at all, but Claire Reed.

  “Claire, what are you doing here?” Mel asked. “And what is your passport doing with Grant’s things?” She was confused, unsure of what was going on.

  “Funny, I could ask you the same thing, Melody. You shouldn’t have come here. But of course, you had to go sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong. Everything was finally falling into place, until you and that friend of yours began poking around in things that didn’t concern you.”

  There was a cruel grin locked across her face, and her eyes twinkled with mischief. Her eyes flickered down to Smudge, who was in a protective stance in front of Mel. The bulldog was still growling viciously, there appeared to be something about the long, dark jacket that Claire was wearing that bothered her. Then Mel realized what it was. It was Grant’s jacket that she was wearing.

  Not knowing what else to do, and knowing that she was in danger, Mel shoved past Claire and ran down the stairs to the kitchen. Panicking, she grabbed the only thing she could find which turned out to be a canister of flour. Smudge growled as Claire came into sight, not long after.

  The young woman, the spitting image of Amelia, let out a wicked laugh. “What’re you going to do, Mel, bake me to death?” She took a step toward her, Smudge barked, and Mel threw the canister of flour in Claire’s face. Disoriented, the woman tripped over Smudge and fell to the floor, her head slamming against the cold marble.

  Mel stood there for a moment, making sure Claire was unconscious before dragging her unmoving body over to the supply closet and locking her inside. She fumbled for her cellphone, finally pulling it from her back pocket, and did the only thing she could think of— she called the police station in hopes that for some reason, Alvin was still there.

  He answered on the first ring, “Alvin!” she gasped, out of breath. “You need to come to the lake house. Now!”

  “Melody?” His voice sounded puzzled. “What’s going on?”

  “I know what happened to Amelia,” Glancing over her shoulder at the closet, she added, “Hurry, Alvin. There isn’t much time.”

  Catching her urgency, Alvin quickly hung up the phone. Within moments, she heard a police siren wailing from outside, and she could see the neon blue lights through the window. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she was safe now.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Mel met Alvin at the door, and he wasn’t alone. There were almost half a dozen police cars parked in the street. Alvin had his hand on his gun holster and wore a grim expression across his face. Seeing Mel, his eyes melted with concern.


  He put his hands on her shoulders, looking her up and down. “Are you okay? What happened?” His eyes searched hers, looking for answers. She hadn’t had time to explain over the phone, but now that he was here, she couldn’t help but feel a sudden wave of relief. She hadn’t realized how terrified she had been until then.

  “It was Claire, she killed Amelia,” Mel’s voice croaked.

  Alvin’s expression hardened. “Where is she? Are you hurt?” His eyes searched hers.

  Mel shook her head. “No, I’m fine. She’s through there.” She pointed through the kitchen. “In the storage closet.”

  Alvin nodded, waving the other officers to follow him. They made their way through the kitchen; one officer raised his weapon as if expecting an attack. Alvin slowly opened the door, revealing Claire’s unconscious body. She was exactly where Mel left her, and she was a little surprised that she hadn’t woken up yet.

  Mel watched silently as Claire was cuffed and shoved in the back of a police car. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. After Alvin finished up with the other officers, and Claire was secured in the back of the vehicle, he made his way over to Mel. She was standing in the yard, watching silently.

  “We’re taking her down to the station; hopefully, we’ll be able to get a confession,” he said, looking back over his shoulder. Mel nodded. “It was really brave of you to come out here on your own, Mel. If it wasn’t for you, we probably never would have caught her. But what you did there could’ve put you in danger. I’m so relieved you were not harmed. We’re going to need you to come down to the station too so we can get your statement.”

  “Of course,” Mel said, rubbing her arms. She hadn’t realized how cold it had gotten. Or maybe it was just the ordeal she had been through that had given her goosebumps. “I’ll follow you there, my car is parked just down the road.”

  Alvin nodded, and they said a quick goodbye. When Mel reached her Tahoe, her hands were shaking as she tried to unlock the door. Once she was inside her car, the events of the night suddenly hit her. Against her best attempt, she broke down in tears.

  She had never been in danger like that before. She faced a murderer, all on her own. She could have ended up like Amelia. If it hadn’t been for Smudge, who knows what would have happened? The bulldog whimpered next to her, sensing her distress. Mel tried to smile, and patted her head reassuringly.

  She dried her eyes, trying to pull herself together. At that moment, she was more thankful for Alvin than she had ever been. She had never been so thankful to see someone in her entire life. She realized that perhaps there were feelings that she had been ignoring. She kept telling herself that she wasn’t interested in a relationship, but she couldn’t deny the way her heart throbbed when he smiled at her. Maybe it was time that she gave him a chance. Maybe she could be happy with him.

  She had been hurt in the past, and it was going to be hard for her to open her heart up again. But part of her thought that maybe it would be worth it. Deep down, she longed to be loved. To have someone that was her own. For so long, she convinced herself that she didn’t have time for a relationship. That running her own business was what was keeping her from getting involved with anyone. But the truth was, she was trying to protect herself from getting hurt again. She knew it was time to put the past behind her and try to move on with someone else.

  Her feelings terrified her. The whole situation made her want to run and hide, and keep her heart locked away and throw away the key. She didn’t want to be hurt again. But she knew Alvin well, and she didn’t think that he would intentionally do anything to cause her pain. Was he worth it? She wasn’t sure. But she felt that she owed it to herself to give him a chance. This could be her one chance at happiness.

  With a sigh, she pulled her thoughts away from Alvin. Returning to the moment and the events that had just unfolded, she started the car engine and slowly pulled away. When she arrived at the police station, the halls were bustling. She looked around for a sign of Alvin, but she didn’t see him anywhere. She took a seat in the lobby and waited.

  She wasn’t there for long when she heard a familiar voice call her name. Looking up and pulling herself from her thoughts, she saw Kerry rushing toward her.

  “Mel! I heard what happened! Are you okay? Is there anything I can do? I can’t believe that you went there on your own! Do you realize how dangerous that was? You could have called me, you know! I would have gone with you!” Ker’s face was a mask of concern for her employer and friend.

  “I know, I wasn’t thinking. I got caught up in the moment. I should have called you, or Alvin, but I was so focused on stopping Grant that I didn’t have time to think.” Mel looked down at her hands which were still shaking, but not as bad as they were before.

  “I’m just glad you’re okay,” Ker said, pulling Mel into a tight hug.

  Mel hesitated for a moment before putting her arms around her. It was comforting, and she hadn’t realized how much she had needed it. She felt a sudden wave of relief, knowing that she was safe and surrounded by people that cared about her.

  They sat down together and waited. Mel filled Ker in on everything that happened, starting with running into Sam after closing up the shop. Ker wanted every detail of the events that had taken place that evening. Mel tried to tell the story the best she remembered it, knowing she would have to do it again when they took her statement. Talking about it seemed to help relieve some of the pressure that had built in her chest. She still couldn’t believe that this had happened to her. She was just an ordinary baker, not a detective. But she had solved a murder. Amelia would be getting justice because of her. It was still hard to believe that a few short days ago she was standing in her shop talking to Amelia only moments before her death.

  Mel didn’t understand how Claire could have done that to her own aunt. They had all been fooled by the young woman. She played the part of the grieving niece well, making them all buy into her story. Mel was glad that she declined her offer to help her expand her business. But now that she was thinking about it, that was probably part of Claire’s plan to get them off her trail.

  “What about Grant? Has anyone seen him? I don’t understand his part in all of this. Did he and Claire plan it all together?” Ker asked.

  Mel hadn’t thought about it, but she was right. No one had seen Grant. What was his part in all of this? She had seen his passport and bags packed along with Claire’s, so obviously he had some part in Amelia’s murder. But where was he? Did he get away? Was he hiding, letting Claire take the fall for both of their actions? She made a mental note to ask Alvin about it when she saw him.

  It wasn’t long after that that she saw him. He came down the hall, a grim expression on his face. When he saw her, there was a slight twinkle in his eyes and Mel’s heart gave a small throb. Thinking of her earlier decision to give him a chance, she told herself that when all of this was over, she would ask him out.

  Behind him, Claire was being escorted to a cell, her hands cuffed behind her back. Mel stood and met Alvin halfway.

  “Well, we got a confession out of her. She and Grant planned it together, they wanted Amelia’s money. But Claire says that Grant fell in love with Amelia and messed their whole plan up. That’s when she took matters into her own hands and killed Amelia, dumping her body in the lake. If it wasn’t for you, Mel, we probably never would have caught her. Her and Grant were planning to flee the country. It was lucky that you showed up when you did. Otherwise, we never would have got justice for Amelia.”

  “I’m just glad that we finally caught her,” Mel said, glancing over at Claire who was staring at her.

  “She wants to talk to you,” Alvin said, shocking Mel. “But it’s up to you, you don’t have to.”

  “No, it’s okay. I want to hear what she has to say.”

  Alvin nodded. “I’ll be by your side the entire time.” He squeezed her arm for good luck.

  As they approached Claire, a wicked grin lit up her face.

&n
bsp; “Well, if it isn’t little Miss Mystery Solver. I was wondering when I would see you. It seems you always find a way to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. There’s just one thing I want to know. How did you know? What made you come back to the lake house?” There was a madness twinkling behind her eyes, one that made Mel shiver. She was thankful to have Alvin by her side.

  “It was the strawberries. They were gone, and I wanted to find out why. I wasn’t expecting all of this to happen.” She tried to stop her voice from shaking, but it still held a slight tremor which made Claire’s smile widen.

  “Yes, that seems to be the one mistake that I made. I had to go back for them. It was the only thing I touched before hiding her body. It’s funny that it was you that caught me. Who knows, if it wasn’t for you and that pesky dog, I would have been halfway to India by now.” There was something about Claire that made her seem like she was getting away with the crime, even as she stood handcuffed in the police station.

  “That’s enough,” Alvin said, stepping forward. “Take her away.”

  As they took her away, Mel reached down and scratched behind Smudge’s ears, the little dog wagging her tail in delight. “You know, it was Smudge that figured it out first. She definitely deserves some butter cookies after this.” Mel grinned, happy to have the little dog as a companion. At least one good thing came out of this entire mess, she thought.

  After giving her statement, and reassuring Alvin and Kerry that she was fine to drive, Mel and Smudge made their way home. Mel stopped at the pet shop on the way, feeling that Smudge deserved a treat. Inside, she picked out a few new puppy toys, a dog bed, and a shiny new food bowl to match. She also had a name tag made for the little bulldog. Once she had paid for all the new items, they loaded everything into the car and finally made their way home.