by Maymee Bell
“Does that include Ray Peel?” I asked and wondered if she was going to finally confess that she was dating Ray.
“I don’t know. Who would’ve wanted to date him?” she asked me but continued with her story. “Perry and I are …” Her lips curled in, and she bit down like she was trying to stop from crying. “We are an item, and Ray told Giles. I was so scared I was going to lose my job. Giles says that workplace relationships make for a messy office, but Perry doesn’t work at the winery. He only does the legal things.”
“You and Perry?” I asked.
“Yes,” she whispered, her eyes darting around the room. “The only thing is that now it looks like Perry had a motive to hurt Ray since Ray spilled the beans. But I would’ve quit before I broke up with Perry. Our age difference does play a part, but age is just a number. I feel alive and happy when I’m with him.”
“I’m sure Carter will get it all figured out,” I assured her. “Where was Perry at the time the coroner believes Ray was killed?”
“He’d come to the winery. While all the festivities were going on for the fund-raiser, we were going to have a little romantic time in the offices, but Tammy wouldn’t leave, and Cat came in upset, so Perry hid in his father’s office. That’s when all the scuttle went down with Ray.”
She’d just given me reason to take Perry off my list of suspects.
“Now I’m worried about whether Perry still wants to date me.” She sniffled.
“There’s no reason to keep you apart.” I ran my hand down her arm. “You’re free to date since the lease agreement is up.”
“About that.” Her brows pinched together in a frown. “There was a clause in the agreement that said Giles had the option to purchase the winery land if something happened to Ray.”
“But you said that Tammy and Perry were in the winery offices when Ray was killed. What about Giles?” I asked.
“They didn’t kill Ray. Giles was at home with his wife. The police have already cleared him,” she said.
“Then what are you upset about?” I asked.
“If the Dugans do buy the winery land, then Giles won’t take out the clause about no employees dating, and I’ll have to quit my job.” She put the last bite of the Flip-Flop in her mouth. “What if Perry and I break up anyway? Then I’ll have left a good job for nothing. It’s the age difference. What man wants to take care of a wrinkly old woman when he’s still young and handsome?”
“Can I ask you again why you were seen with Ray?”
“Whoever killed Ray Peel, I could kill them,” she spat. “Perry and I couldn’t wait until the lease was up. Then we wouldn’t have had to make choices about our relationship. We could date and enjoy each other.”
“That meant you’d have to find a new job anyway. Maybe it’s a good thing, and you can find another job. You’re amazing at your job.” Suddenly I had a brilliant thought. I snapped my finger. “I’ve got the perfect job for you.”
“What?” she asked eagerly.
“Effie Glass down at the sheriff’s department is retiring. They’re looking for a replacement. You’d be perfect, and I hear it’s great pay.” It was the perfect solution.
Reba grabbed me, wrapping her arms around me.
“Sophia Cummings, you are heaven-sent.” She squeezed me and hurried out the door.
While the women were debating the issue, I slipped out the door and ran right into Ella Capshaw.
“Sophia, I’m so thrilled to see you. I need to order a birthday cake for Grant. Something lavish.” She pronounced these words with a grand gesture.
“I don’t have any ordering pads on me, and I’d love for you to take a look at some of the cakes I’ve done for my New York City clients.” I knew that when I mentioned the city, she’d have to see the designs. She was so egotistical. “Why don’t you call Charlotte at the bakery and make an appointment? I couldn’t possibly give you the attention needed for such an extravagant cake right here in the middle of the library.”
“You are so professional. Thank you.” Southern charm dripped off her like the pearls on her neck.
“By the way, I found out who almost ran you and Grant off the road on your way to the fund-raiser.”
“Who?” she asked.
“There’s a wine convention in town, and it was the lady in charge. Her name is Lanie Truvinski. She admitted she was going a little too fast for being unfamiliar with the roads and swerved a few times.” It wasn’t a great excuse for her excessive speed, but it was the truth.
“She’s lucky she didn’t kill someone. But at least we’re all fine now.” Ella clasped her hands together.
Cat Fraxman walked up. Her face was blotchy red.
“I’ll give Charlotte a call.” Ella waved bye and headed back into the meeting room where the Garden Club was coming to an end.
“What is it with you and your mother? Are y’all trying to destroy me?” Cat asked through her tears.
“What?” I asked. “I’m sorry if you feel this way. But it has to be brought up to the community that their beloved library expansion is only going to happen on a broken promise from Ray Peel that he was going to pay your family back for putting up the money. You did the only thing you could think of, out of passion.” I patted my chest. “I get that. I did everything I could to buy the Fords’ bakery. It’s my passion. This is your passion.” I sucked in a deep breath. “Maybe the community will be able to come up with something to help pay down the loan. We can do more fund-raisers after the ribbon cutting. What if we went around to local businesses and asked for donations? Something at the RCC?”
I was grabbing at straws. There must be something the community could do for the Fraxmans.
“I can’t even think about this right now.” Cat shook her head and sauntered back to the reference desk.
It was better to just walk away instead of trying to apologize. If I was in Cat’s shoes, I’d be really upset too. She should have known better, but this community wasn’t going to let her parents take the fall due to Ray Peel’s ignorance.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“How could I have been so wrong about all those people?” I asked Duchess. She was sitting next to my feet while I stirred the Maple Long John ingredients in a medium saucepan so the milk wouldn’t scald.
I’d already added the shortening, sugar, and salt.
“I truly thought one of them had killed Ray.” There was something so unsettling about how I thought I could just figure out who killed Ray like I’d done before with Emile. It just proved I was no sleuth, and baking was my job.
I took the saucepan off the stove so it could cool to a lukewarm temperature. I reached up into a cabinet for a larger mixing bowl, ready to add in the water and yeast. I stirred more sugar into the yeast and whisked it all together.
“Everyone has an alibi.” I whisked faster and faster because the mixture needed to become foamy, according to Dixie’s recipe. Duchess looked up at me with her big blue eyes. Her squishy face made me smile. “At least we know that our house wasn’t broken into because of Ray, so we just need to go on with our lives and let Carter do his job.”
Now that her belly was full, Duchess ran off to the window seat and found a comfy spot to nap while I finished adding the eggs to the yeast, along with more milk, cinnamon, and flour. Kneading the dough was the perfect therapy for me to relax and get all the nonsense out of my head.
The dough had to rise for an hour before I could cut it into large rectangles. It was just enough time for me to get some comfy clothes on, put on makeup, and try to look decent for my dinner date with Carter.
After I’d gotten ready, I put the to-go containers that I’d picked up from Café Italia for our supper in one of my double ovens to start heating. Carter texted to say he was running a few minutes late, which I didn’t mind since I wanted to get the maple glaze made for the Long Johns. I was eager to see just how it would turn out when I added salt to the maple glaze.
I used a small saucepan to add the butt
er, brown sugar, and milk before I brought it to a boil and simmered. I said a little prayer before I added the salt to the maple and powdered sugar. It was an odd combination, but I trusted Dixie Ford.
I used a hand mixer, just like her recipe called for. I closed my eyes and stuck my finger in the maple glaze and gently brought it up to my mouth so none would drip off.
“Mmm.” My soul soared with the deliciousness. “I’ll be,” I whispered and stuck my finger in again, this time getting a little more to taste. “She was right. The salt takes out the too-sweet taste, and it’s perfect.”
It was one of those rare times that I wished I didn’t have plans with Carter because I wanted to go to the bakery and just start cranking out the Maple Long Johns. That’s how excited I was.
But I knew I couldn’t do that. Now that I’d hung up my sleuthing cap for good, since all of my suspects weren’t the killer and I’d found the culprit who’d broken into my house, I had plenty of time to be in the kitchen. And enjoying time with Carter was a number-one priority. I had just enough time to bake the Long Johns for seven minutes and get the glaze on them before Carter was at the door.
We headed outside to the lake behind my house, where I’d set up a little romantic table for us to enjoy a cocktail before we ate.
“This is a great night to sit out here.” Carter uncorked the bottle of red wine, and I held the glasses.
“I’ve not taken full advantage of this house and this cute little pier, so I thought we could have supper out here tonight.” I knew he was going to be so happy that I’d finally crossed off all the suspects on my list. It was going to be cause for celebration. “And I even ordered out from Café Italia. The food’s in the oven, keeping warm.”
“Sophia Cummings, just when I get a little upset with you, you go and do something so sweet I can’t even recall what it was that I was upset about.” He took his glass from me, and we clinked them together.
After a couple of sips, we each settled into the Adirondack chairs that Madison had given me as a housewarming gift. They were the perfect size for the little pier that jutted out into the small lake behind my house. I’d even found a small table to put between them, where Carter and I could set our wine glasses.
The lake was still. The last of the sun’s rays exploded across the water in vibrant yellows and oranges. The chirps of the crickets grew louder and louder as the sun went down. Soon it would be dark.
“I have to tell you, this is a little celebratory supper.” I pulled my feet up into the chair and sat sideways on my hip to face him. “I figured out who broke into my house and threw the brick into the bakery.”
“You did?” he asked flatly and gave me a yeah right look.
“Yes. Dixie Ford’s granddaughter,” I said.
Carter sat still in awe, shaking his head, as I told him about it.
“I never saw that coming.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I’ve got to call the station and let them know, so they can stop going around looking for that type of brick.” He hit a button and put it up to his ear. “Are you sure you don’t want to press charges?” he asked.
“Positive.” I sucked in a deep breath of the cool spring air and turned myself back around in the chair to face the lake.
I finally felt calm, sitting there taking in the sights and sounds of my amazing property. A feeling of gratitude covered my soul and warmed my insides like a quilt. Never in a million years would I have imagined living in Rumford would make me this happy.
Finding out who Ray’s killer was would’ve helped, though.
“I brought Perry into the department today,” Carter said when he got off the phone.
“Really?” I asked, as if I didn’t know. I felt it was better to let him tell me about it. I didn’t know that outcome, and I wanted to. “About the lease agreement?”
“The Dugans do have the option to buy the property now that Ray’s dead, but all their alibis check out.” He ran his hand through his hair. “This case is just a dead end, and the mayor is breathing down my neck to get it solved.”
“I’m confident something will turn up.” I took another sip of wine. “Did you know that Perry and Reba are an item?”
“Yep. You thought it was Reba and Ray.” He laughed.
“Yep. Forbidden love and all.” I finished off my glass. “Sounded like a good motive for murder to me.”
“You already knew I talked to Perry?” He shook his head. “Of course you did.”
“I saw Reba at the garden club meeting. She spilled the beans about their relationship. I just can’t believe that they had all these stipulations in the employee contract and the lease agreement.”
“The department doesn’t want us to date other officers if we can help it.” He reached over to pick up the wine bottle and pour us some more. “That’s why you can’t take over Effie’s job.”
“Speaking of Effie, did Reba come down and apply?” I asked.
“She did, and you’ll be happy to know that she’s got an interview in a couple of days.” He stood up and held out his hand. “I’m starving. Let’s go eat.”
“Sounds good.” I took the opportunity to hold his hand.
We walked back to the house, side by side.
“I do have to say that I’m surprised none of your suspects panned out.” Carter stood in front of the screen pantry door, looking at the chalkboard. “You had Tammy because of her son’s tuition.”
“Plus, she said that she would take care of Ray if her father wasn’t going to.” I took the lasagna for two out of the oven and turned it off. “You can mark her off since she, Reba, and Tammy were in the offices at the time of death.”
The parmesan, mozzarella, and garlic aroma floated up from the dish, making my taste buds water. The cabinet door squeaked when I opened it to retrieve two dinner plates.
“You can scratch all of them off. And Perry while you’re at it.” I used a spatula to cut the lasagna and scoop some onto each plate. A long foil bag with two buttered breadsticks remained in the to-go bag.
“I feel bad for Catherine Fraxman.” He drew a chalk line through her name. “I can’t believe that Ray Peel left her parents with all that debt.”
“And that’s the key to your killer.” I took both plates over to the bar. “All of the people that I thought were suspects had one thing in common. They were all promised something from Ray Peel, and he didn’t follow through.”
“I’ve looked through all his contacts. My men have combed his house. We’ve practically torn apart the winery. There’s no hard evidence except the forensics that prove he was hit in the head with an object.”
“You’ve looked into the Café Italia?” I was more thinking out loud than really asking.
“Everything.” He opened the pantry door and got another bottle of wine from the small wine rack. “I guess we can cross off Lanie Truvinski.”
“Yep.” I set our wine glasses in front of our plates and took a seat on one of the stools.
Carter poured each of us a very generous glass of wine. It wasn’t turning out to be the romantic and celebratory night that I’d assumed we were going to have. Instead, we sat in silence, taking mindless bites of our food. Both of us stared at the chalkboard with the crossed-out names.
* * *
“Duchess,” I said as I looked at her standing at the front door after Carter left. I bent down and picked her up. “It appears we are safe, and we don’t have to worry about anyone breaking in.”
The past couple of nights it’d been hard to sleep because I was a little on edge that someone was truly trying to send me a message about my snooping. I was looking forward to a solid night sleep now that I knew better.
My cell phone chirped as I was turning down the bed and making a place for Duchess. It was a text from Madison. She said that she’d gotten a late-night call from Perry Dugan, and he wanted to see her in his office first thing in the morning. She told him that she had a breakfast date with me. She didn’t, but she didn’t want
to go to his office alone. He told her I could come with her, but I couldn’t attend the meeting. I texted her back, asking if she knew what this was about. She thought it could be her big break. Since the lease agreement had given the Dugans the option to purchase the property, she thought they might want to use her services.
The last thing she texted was to meet her at eight AM at Perry’s office. Of course, I agreed. I was curious to see what he wanted.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Good morning,” I sang out to Duchess when I realized we’d slept all the way until the alarm had gone off.
She purred and stretched her front legs out in front of her, spreading her paws right before she raked the bedspread.
I gave her a couple of good rubs down her back before I got up and quickly texted Charlotte to make sure everything at the bakery was okay. It was her day to open early. I felt bad because she’d been doing a lot more openings ever since I’d stuck my nose into Ray Peel’s murder. Not that she hadn’t egged me on.
Charlotte said everything was good and that we’d already gotten a couple of orders from people who’d been to the wine convention. Apparently, Lanie Truvinski had raved about my pastries, although participants had to take her word for it since none of my sweets were at the event.
I didn’t want to spill the beans about the Long Johns. I wanted to surprise her. The thought that I was going to get to eat one this morning along with my coffee made me rush off to shower and get dressed.
* * *
“These are so good.” I slowly chewed and savored every bite. Duchess meowed with her head hung over her bowl of kibble. “Trust me, my food is much better than yours today.”
After I’d eaten two, I had to force myself to put the rest in a container so I could take them to the bakery when I was finished with Madison this morning.
“I’m going to have to start running again,” I said to Duchess, who was now full and happy, licking her paws before she rubbed them along the back of her ears. “Especially now that I know how to make these.” I held the container up, but she didn’t look like she cared in the least little bit.