Bake Off

by S. Y. Robins

  She went back to her table as Jake found one of his own and pretended to be adding sums. She watched him and thought the lad was handsome, and as innocent looking as most teenage boys could pull off. She watched as he pulled headphones out of a pocket, and his expression turned to anger. Jake had a similar jaw to Callum but his looked like a rock as he clenched it and stared out of the window. He kept fiddling with his phone so Milly had to assume the person he was texting was causing his anger.

  Watching him, Milly almost wished she’d let Edgar out earlier. The cat had an instinct about people. She was heading to the door to let the cat out when the doorbell chimed again. Looking up she saw the detectives and her dread filled her chest. Not them again!

  Jake jumped too when he saw who was there and buried his head in his phone again. That didn’t bode well, Milly thought, as she greeted the newcomers.

  “What can I help you with?” She asked cordially.

  “Well, we walked around the wood where you found the shirt and found some more clothes. You said you weren’t sure if you’d seen the shirt before so we thought we’d bring it and the clothes in, see if it brought a memory back.”

  Milly slanted a glance over at Jake and saw the boy blanch as she held the shirt up still covered in clear plastic. His eyes grew wide and he quickly got up and left the shop. “Oh dear, um…” She tried to distract the detectives from Jake by making noise with the plastic from the bag. She also looked at the other clothes. These were burned and she couldn’t really tell anything about them.

  “No, I don’t recognize any of this. Maybe if the rest hadn’t been burned I could tell you something. Some of the regulars, you get to know the holes or marks on their pants. If they belonged to a tourist I wouldn’t know, but I might have been able to tell you that much. I’m sorry.” She finally said, hoping they’d leave so she could think. She knew Jake’s look and sudden escape meant something.

  “Thank you, Ms. Dupont. We’ll be in touch then. You know how to contact us if you need us.” Detective Barnes said as the pair left.

  Milly breathed a great sigh of relief as the door closed and the shop went quiet. What was she going to do now?

  3

  Milly worried for the rest of the evening. She knew she was breaking the law but she just couldn’t turn Jake in without more information. You always knew what the right thing to do was when it was someone else, you always say, “If it was me,” but until you’re in that position, you really don’t know what you’ll do, Milly thought to herself, staring into the mirror over her bathroom sink. The lad could be a killer and here she was letting him run loose. But she didn’t look at the boy and see a killer. She saw a child that was almost the exact miniature of Callum, only the miniature was a little shorter with blue eyes and was only 15 years old. She couldn’t do anything without talking to Callum first.

  She went to dinner with them, listening to the conversations going on around her. The speculation was running rampant now. There were no Satanists in the area, there weren’t even any pagans yet people were terrified. The ideas ranged from some old sect of old crones resurrecting an ancient religion to teenagers playing at being evil and taking it too far. The whole time Callum and Jake sat uncomfortably, none of them speaking in the strained silence. Milly, needing something to soothe her, ordered a glass of wine and sat listening people talk around her.

  She rolled her eyes as one of the women told her male companion about how he was going to have to stay with her because as sexy as she was, she just knew the Satanists were coming for her next. Another one caused her to almost choke on her wine as she told her female companions she was afraid because she was fat, and she knew she’d have more blood in her because of that, and she knew Satanists were after blood. The whole village was going mad. Still, she was glad the security company had installed her service today. Putting a hand to her throat, she tried her hand at conversation with her own companions.

  “So, bloody…um,” Milly meant to ask what the pair across from her thought of the latest football scores but the word “bloody” had slipped out and she’d lost her train of thought. She never swore so she knew it was a slip. “Football huh?” She finally ended with.

  “I thought you didn’t like football, Milly?” Callum asked, confused.

  “No, I don’t really care for it but the silence is killing me! The conversations going on around us are even worse so, please, one of you talk to me?” She pleaded.

  “What are you going to order?” Jake asked Callum, sparing a sympathetic glance at Milly.

  “I’ll have the lamb shank, what are you having?” Callum replied.

  “I thought I’d go for the pie but I’m not sure, you know how I am with beef. Sometimes it tastes nice, sometimes not. What about you Milly?”

  “Oh, well, I think I’ll have the chicken pie. It’s always good here.” Oh dear, this was almost worse than the silence. “Try the lasagne; it’s the best you’ll get in England.”

  “Cool, I’ll have that then, thanks.” Jake settled down and pulled his phone out to show Callum a picture he’d taken earlier while at school. They discussed the project Jake was currently working on, how to improve it, and Milly listened to them. She was pleased they were getting along so well and hated how the evidence was pointing at the boy. The child had a bright future ahead of him and this could ruin it.

  The rest of the evening went well, with no more mishaps and Callum walked her up to her flat, making sure the alarm was set for her and that the doors were all locked. Milly spent the rest of her night tossing and turning, contemplating what she should do. Finally around 3am, she came to a decision. There had to be an explanation, and surely it was best to go ahead and tell the police so they could clear the matter up. That would end the stress and the worry and clear Jake. She’d call Detective Barnes in the morning, even if it was a Saturday.

  * * *

  Milly got up the next morning, planning to call the detectives but for some reason, all the phones were off, even the landlines. The lines finally came back on around lunch time and Milly was trying to work up the courage to call the detective when Jake came in. Edgar had been in her lap, unable to settle because of all the tension she was exuding, and when the cat saw Jake he launched himself at the lad.

  “Edgar!” She shouted, thinking the cat was attacking the boy but she saw that Jake had caught the cat and was scratching at his ears, his face close to Edgar’s. The cat was purring louder than she’d ever heard him purring and he actually licked Jake’s nose!

  “Oh wow! I’ve never seen him do that!” Milly exclaimed, in complete awe.

  “Oh, Edgar here comes to visit me at night. He taps on my window until I let him in. We have a cuddle until I fall asleep. He’s always gone in the morning though so I guess he comes back to you.”

  “Pardon? He what?” Milly had no idea Edgar had even been gone.

  “Yeah, every night, since I’ve been here. He keeps me company.” Jake’s face was still smooshed up against Edgars and the two seemed to actually share a bond. Milly even felt a little tingle of jealousy as Edgar rolled in Jake’s arms, begging to have his tummy scratched. He’d as soon claw her eyes out as to let her scratch his tummy!

  Milly growled in their direction and muttered, “Traitor!” She might have even hissed a little at Edgar.

  She put the phone down and made Jake some tea and handed him a pastry. He looked hungry. He sat down at the table where she had her paperwork spread out and Edgar sat beside him happily, licking cream from the finger Jake held out to him.

  I hate you both, she thought at them. Shaking herself she laughed as Edgar demanded more cream by making a grab for the last bite of pastry Jake was lifting to his mouth. “I’ll give him his own later, don’t let him fool you.”

  The lad laughed and went back to scratching her cat. Watching the pair she knew Edgar was only giving the boy what he needed, some love and attention. If that meant he got attention too, so be it. She also knew now that Jake could not have b
een wrapped up in that murder business. Deciding to be bold for once, Milly cleared her throat and started to speak as Jake looked up.

  “About this shirt business, Jake. Callum hasn’t spoken to me anymore about it but I assume he asked you about it?”

  “Yes, we talked about it. And thank you for not saying anything; I know you didn’t have to. That shirt went missing after I wore it a second time. I put it out on the line to dry and it wasn’t there when I took the clothes down. It was pretty breezy that day so I assumed it just blew away. I guess someone else got it because I haven’t seen it since that day. I’ve been panicking because Callum doesn’t need his nephew getting arrested. I’m burden enough as it is.” The lad said, a sad note in his voice.

  “Oh darling, you aren’t a burden to your uncle at all. He loves you and he’s loved having you with him. It’s a bit tough, getting used to having a young one with you when you aren’t used to it but he’s doing an admirable job. Everyone thinks so.”

  “Really? Uncle Callum likes having me here?” The boy sounded hopeful and that broke Milly’s heart.

  “Well, of course he does! He’s your uncle; he loves you, silly boy!” Milly reached across the table and took Jake’s hand, squeezing it with affection.

  “I thought, after Mum just left me, that I’d done something wrong. I know I didn’t but you can’t help but feel like it’s your fault can you, sometimes? I’ve been to visit with Uncle Callum before but I’ve never had to do it; it’s always been by choice. Mum just up and leaving, that’s taken some getting used to.” Jake looked out the window as he spoke and Milly looked away so he wouldn’t know she’d already spotted the tears in his eyes. Poor child.

  “Adults sometimes make crazy decisions, Jake. We always think when we’re your age that the people so much older than us are wiser and know what the right decisions are, but we have no idea that sometimes those adults are just as clueless as the kids they once were. Sometimes we hurt those around us deeply without ever meaning to. I can’t say that’s what your Mum has done but I’m certain she never meant to hurt you in anyway. Anyway! If you aren’t the culprit, who is?”

  “I don’t know but I’ve been thinking. All of those things going missing, then that family was murdered. Perhaps it’s all tied together. Has anyone told the police about that?”

  “I have no idea. I can ask at some point. So, a connection eh? Well, let’s think about that. The thief was growing bolder; I heard a television even went missing just before the murders. Maybe they were at the Andrews’s house, and the family surprised the thief and he killed them to keep it quiet?”

  “Maybe, why do you assume it was a man?” Jake asked.

  “Mainly because of the nature of the crime. From what I understand they were hit with something and then strangled. A woman wouldn’t have the power to overpower two men as big as Mrs. Andrews’s sons were. Then to strangle them and cart them around to arrange them as the killer did, that takes strength, maybe even two people. So definitely a man, perhaps two. I know women can be killers but I don’t think there’s any woman in the village that has that kind of strength.”

  “Maybe a man and a woman?” Jake asked.

  “Perhaps. It could be that new couple but they don’t look the type do they? And they have money, why steal?”

  “For the thrill of it?” Jake pondered.

  “No,” Milly dismissed Jake’s answer, “that kind of thing usually involves cars, jewellery, things like that. No, this is something else.”

  “Maybe it’s someone from outside of the village? We always assume it’s the people closest to us when these kind of things happen, but maybe it’s not? Maybe it was some random attack? The world is going crazy out there.” It was a very astute observation from one so young, Milly thought.

  “Colour me impressed! You’re very much right about the state of the world. But I have a feeling you’re more right about the connection there. I think you’re bang on the money for why the Andrews were killed.”

  “We just disagree on who it was then. Is there anyone in the village you suspect at all?” Jake asked. “I’m new here after all, I don’t know everybody yet. I could be staring right at them and I’d never know it.”

  “We had some problems with one lady not long ago. She murdered my friend next door, Davina, but I’m sure you heard about that.” Milly broke off, tears making her throat swell.

  “Yes, I’m very sorry about that. I’m glad the woman is in jail. Is her husband walking yet? What a thing to do, shoot your own husband in the knee!” Jake sounded like he was astounded by the idea.

  Milly smiled and told him, “Oh, Mr. Carpenter’s fine. Apparently it was all an accident, or so she’s saying now. That she and Davina argued but then Davina slipped and hit her head. I don’t know if I believe the “I destroyed the shop to throw you off the trail then hid her body because you might think I killed her” story she’s spreading but I know she meant to kill me so she’ll get time for that, at least. I hope.”

  “I hope she does too. How very crazy!” Jake could still sound like the child he was even after coming out with some very adult ideas and observations Milly decided.

  “I’m sure she will,” trying to change the subject, “now, what are you boys eating this eve…” Milly broke off as the new couple in the village walked into the shop. The Hendersons. Oh dear.

  Edgar didn’t appear happy about the intrusion either. He arched his back from his position in Jake’s lap and hissed at the couple before he took off up the stairs.

  “I’m so sorry, he doesn’t usually react to strangers that way. Can I get you anything?” Milly asked, hoping she was masking her own moment of panic at seeing the couple. She studied them as they told her what they wanted and she started to prepare their order.

  Mr. Henderson was about 45, tall, once fit but now turning to fat. Mrs. Henderson was the typical rich man’s wife, blonde hair, big chest, lots of makeup and over-inflated lips. Milly couldn’t tell anything about the woman’s eyes because she had them hidden, as usual, behind a very large pair of sunglasses that she apparently never took off. None of the villagers had seen her without the glasses. She was tall and strong looking but Milly didn’t think she was strong enough to kill anyone.

  The couple ignored Milly and Jake and talked quietly at their own table, over in a corner, and didn’t look around at all. They just sat quietly chatting away to each other. Milly wasn’t sure they could be killers but Edgar certainly didn’t like them, and for that alone, Milly was determined to keep an eye on them.

  Jake stayed with Milly, whispering to her at one point that maybe the Hendersons had killed the Andrews. His suspicions seemed to grow as he watched the couple and he told Milly after they left that there was something off about them. He asked why Mrs. Henderson didn’t take her sunglasses off but Milly couldn’t explain it either. Finally, the couple left and Jake went back to the shop, promising Milly that Callum was ordering food in for them tonight so she didn’t need to cook for them.

  “Well, I’ll be glad to, so if you change your minds just let me know.” Milly called after the lad as he left. She didn’t want them over there going hungry she thought, as she began to shut down the shop for the evening.

  As she cleared away the Henderson’s dishes she noted that Mr. Henderson’s napkin was covered in what looked like black grease. What was a man with all that money doing working with grease, she wondered? She’d never seen a napkin so filthy. Most people that came in either had clean hands to begin with or went to the washroom and washed their dirty mitts. This man had just ruined a perfectly good napkin with grease! If nothing else brought him down in Milly’s opinion, leaving her napkins that filthy certainly did!

  4

  Milly heard her phone chirping just before 9pm and picked it up to see that Callum was calling her. Knowing it was too late for Callum to be calling looking for a meal, Milly began to worry straight away. She quickly clicked the button to accept the call and answered.

  “
What’s wrong?” Not very sophisticated but Milly didn’t believe in wasting time.

  “Have you seen Jake?” Callum’s worried voice came over the line.

  “What do you mean? He was in earlier today but he went back to the shop after that.” Milly said, her worry now growing.

  “Yes, well, he came home and we had some food then he said he was going to bed because he didn’t feel well. I went up to check on him just now and he’s not in his room; he’s not in the flat at all. I was hoping you’d seen him.”

  “No, not since earlier. Did he tell you what we talked about? Maybe he’s done something very silly.”

  “Yes, that’s what I’m worried about. I’ll call you back in an hour or so, alright? You stay put.”

  “Oh sure, leave me…” Milly broke off when she heard the line go dead. She knew Callum was worried so she didn’t get angry but she did launch herself off of her couch where she’d been reading and headed to the door to grab her shoes and a torch. She had an idea she knew where Jake was.

  Convincing the animals to stay in took some doing but she was finally able to get out the door on her own. She walked quietly down the stairs and to the alarm system, quickly turning it off. She wasn’t sure why she was sneaking around her own shop but she didn’t stop doing it. Milly let herself out of the shop, closing the door and locking in as she slid her coat on. The night air was certainly warning of winter’s approach.

  Milly quietly walked down the sidewalk, not looking into any of the windows she passed, and hoped nobody saw her walking by either. She didn’t see Callum and she wasn’t sure where he’d gone but decided he’d likely headed to the Henderson’s house as well. She followed the sidewalk until it ended then followed the curve in the road up to the large house that sat on top of a low-grade hill. She stayed within the treeline and kept the torch off. She wasn’t actually sure why she’d brought it; she wasn’t going to use it. The weight of the torch in her pocket was reassuring, however, so she was glad she had it with her.