Shades Of Chocolate (The Bakery Romance Series Book 2)

by Cecelia Dowdy

  Sheila stuffed the paper back into the envelope. “Come and stay at my house for a while.”

  “No. I’m not leaving. I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m not so sure about that.” She eyed the front door. “What will you tell Jason when he gets here? He’s already worried to death about you.”

  “Jason hasn’t come back. Did he say where he was going?”

  “Nope, he didn’t say anything to me.”

  She finally convinced Sheila she’d be okay, and Sheila left. Toni set the alarm on the front and back doors, still wondering about Jason. Trudging up to her apartment, full of concern, she called him and it went straight to voicemail.

  She recalled Eva telling both her and Jason that she hated them. Was Jason okay? Had Eva and Hank done something to harm him? Once, when Eva was a teenager, she’d heard that her cousin had slashed the tires on someone’s car, but it could never be proven that she’d done it. Was it possible that she’d messed with Jason’s car and he’d crashed someplace? She glanced outside. Maybe he’d pull up to the curb any minute, apologizing for returning so late. She had to do something. “Mrs. Dukes. I’ll call her to see if she knows where Jason is.”

  Mrs. Dukes answered on the first ring. “Hi, Toni.”

  “Mrs. Dukes, do you know where Jason is?”

  “Honey, I thought he was helping you tonight.”

  She sighed. “He left hours ago. He was supposed to come back. I haven’t seen him. Are you sure he’s not in his room?”

  “His car isn’t here. Let me go check his room.”

  Toni took a few deep breaths. She really needed to calm down. Jason was probably fine.

  Mrs. Dukes came back on the line. “He’s not here. I knocked on his door. I used my master key to unlock his door, and it was empty.”

  She sniffed. “Thank you.”

  “Oh, Honey, what’s the matter?”

  “Oh, it’s probably nothing. Could you do me a favor? Call me when he gets in. Let him know that it’s important that I speak with him.”

  “Sure. If you want, you can come and spend the night if you wish.”

  Should she? No, she needed to spend the night at her own place. She had the security system, so things would be okay. “No thank you. But please call me when you hear from him.”

  “I sure will, Toni.”

  Chapter 34

  Jason ran down the side of the highway, breathing heavily. Well, one good thing about this unexpected, strange turn of events, at least he could get his daily jog into his schedule. He breathed deeply, his heart skipping when he spotted the next exit, wiping his sweaty brow.

  Toni and Sheila seemed to have everything under control at Shades of Chocolate. So it was okay for him to leave and run this errand. There was a plant nursery about an hour’s drive from Blue Spring. The nursery stocked a rare exotic plant. It was a perfect birthday gift for Trina He’d driven to the store, purchased the plant, and agreed to pay for the nursery’s overnight delivery service to Chicago.

  He ran up the ramp toward a gas station, figuring they’d allow him to use their phone. After his car had died, he’d pulled out his phone, finding that his phone was dead since he’d failed to recharge it. Now he just needed to call a tow truck to come and get his car, and then he’d need to find a rental car. When he arrived at the filling station, he saw the time. It was late. Toni would probably be asleep by now.

  But he knew he needed to call her. He was supposed to return to the bakery after he’d finished his errand. He figured Toni and Sheila would wonder where he’d gone. He spotted a tow truck at the gas station. Hopefully, he could make arrangements for the truck to pick up his car. He glanced around the gas station. He doubted that they fixed BMWs, so he’d need to figure out where to have his car towed. He approached the bored-looking clerk behind the desk. “Excuse me, I need a tow truck.”

  *

  Where was Jason? The thought swirled through Toni’s mind like batter spinning through a mixer blade. Against her better judgement, she took a couple of sleeping pills. She knew she’d be groggy in the morning, but she really needed to get some sleep.

  She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. A field filled with vivid flowers, daisies, daffodils, and tulips, bloomed in bright, bursting, rainbow colors, all over the massive field. She sniffed. The wonderfully pleasing aroma made her feel better. She fingered the carpet of grass, grass so green that it almost seemed like it wasn’t real.

  “Toni!” Jason called her name, the sun shining on him. He wore a tee shirt and jeans, and the sun shone, highlighting the cross around his neck.

  She laughed. “There you are!” She’d been worried for nothing. Jason was right here, just like he’d promised.

  “Come on, let’s go.” He offered his hand. She rushed toward him, and he took both of her hands, squeezing them. He studied her with his beautiful, honey-colored eyes. “I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed—-” She couldn’t breathe. Bright orange sparks lit up the grass. “Jason! Help!” A loud, horn-like echo pierced the field.

  She couldn’t see Jason anymore. She couldn’t see anything. She couldn’t open her eyes. She coughed, the scent of smoking choking her throat, the loud horn droned in her ear. She opened her eyes, the scent of smoke clinging to her nose. Coughing, she rolled out of bed, hit the floor. Hacking, she crawled to the stairs. Bright orange flames licked toward the steps. Sparks of heat shot across her skin. She tried to breathe… Dear Lord, help me.

  She couldn’t go any further. She fell down the steps, her back shooting with sparks of pain before she blacked out.

  *

  The high-pitched pierce of fire alarms filled the air when Jason arrived in Blue Spring. His heart thundered in his chest when he spotted Shades of Chocolate on fire! He pulled up to the curb, spotted a paramedic placing an oxygen mask on Toni’s face. He pushed through the crowd, desperately trying to get to her.

  “Sorry, only family members can ride,” said the young paramedic to Jason. He just had to get to her!

  After finding out the name of the hospital, he rushed to his rental car, spotted Shelia pulling into the parking space behind his. “Come on, Sheila. Toni’s been hurt and I’m going to the hospital to see how she’s doing.”

  *

  Toni opened her eyes, blinking when the sunlight cascaded into the room. Sterile white walls surrounded her. What in the world had happened? She swallowed, wincing at the raw soreness of her throat. An IV needle poked her arm, and she was attached to an IV machine.

  Flowers. Jason had come to her in a field of flowers before hot flames of fire burst. She shook her head, confused. She glanced over at the chair beside her bed. Jason’s light, even breathing filled the room. Razor stubble covered his caramel-colored face. “Jason.”

  His eyes snapped open, and he abandoned the chair, was by her side. “Toni, how are you feeling?”

  She cleared her throat. “I need some water.”

  He rushed to the pitcher on the side table, poured a generous glass of water. She sipped the drink, and it cooled her parched throat. She studied her room, focused on Jason again. “I’m in the hospital?”

  He nodded. “You don’t remember the fire?”

  She winced, recalling her vivid dream and being awakened by hot, licking flames. “What about my bakery?”

  He took her hand, caressing her fingers. He took a deep breath. “Your bakery has had some smoke damage to it. You should probably call your insurance company to let them know.”

  Smoke damage? She groaned. No way could this have happened. How much income would she lose from closing her bakery? No way should she be lying in this hospital without seeing the damage to her bakery. She slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed, tried to sit up, bumping into the IV machine.

  “Whoa, what are you doing?”

  “I’m getting out of here. I need to go and see the damage to my bakery.”

  “Honey, lie down. You need to get better. Can’t you see that you’re hurt?”r />
  She shook her head. “I don’t care. Jason, I’m getting out of here. I don’t care what the doctor says.” She got out of bed and the room swayed. Dizziness swirled through her. Jason pulled her into his arms.

  “Stop being so stubborn. Lie down and rest. Don’t worry about your bakery right now.”

  How could he tell her not to worry about her bakery? “But—”

  “Don’t argue with me, Toni.” He gently settled her back into the hospital bed, covered her with a blanket. He lifted a small, button-like contraption from the side of the bed. “I need to buzz the nurse. The hospital staff wanted me to tell them when you woke up.”

  She shook her head, clamped her hand over his with all of her strength. “Please don’t. Can’t you just sit with me for a few minutes?” The muscles in his arms flexed as he dropped the contraption.

  “Only for a few minutes. We’ve been worried about you.”

  “We?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Who do you think? Me, Sheila, Mrs. Dukes and most of the people in Blue Spring.” He pointed to the door. “You had some flower deliveries, but the nurses said that you weren’t allowed to receive flowers yet.”

  The residents of Blue Spring worried about her…being so concerned for her welfare, and her health…She closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths. She needed to start appreciating the good things in life. Amidst all that she’d been going through these last few months, it just made her speechless knowing that Blue Spring residents cared for her so much. She finally managed to speak. “How long have I been in the hospital?”

  “Only for a day. But I’ve been by your side the entire time.” He took her hand again.

  “They don’t know who started the fire?”

  He shook his head. “But they suspect arson. I told them about Hank and Eva’s recent visit to the bakery, and I reminded them about Eva’s threats. They’ve been searching for Eva and Hank, but so far, they have not been able to find them.”

  Toni sniffed, her throat feeling dry. She coughed, drank some more water.

  “Toni, I’m calling the nurse. We can talk later.” He pushed the button, and seconds later a nurse breezed into the room.

  “It’s so good to see you awake. Your husband hasn’t left your side since you’ve been in here.”

  Husband? Why would they think she was married to Jason? His caramel-colored eyes appeared worried while the nurse was taking her vitals. Her heart skipped when she realized he was still wearing the same clothes from the Fourth of July. He had not been home all this time? No wonder he looked so frazzled.

  She’d been so focused on Jason that she had not been listening to the nurse. All she heard was “released tomorrow.”

  She snapped out of her reverie. “I’ll be released tomorrow?”

  The nurse shrugged. “That’s what we’re aiming for. You inhaled a lot of smoke, but it’s a good thing you had those smoke detectors in your bakery. Probably saved your life.”

  Toni’s breath caught, and she glanced at Jason. He’d been the one to insist that she get an alarm system installed with the new smoke detectors. His concern had saved her life. He’d said that he’d been praying for her since he’d come to Blue Spring. Had Jason’s prayers to God, coupled with his actions, really saved her life?

  Her eyes watered, and tears rushed down her cheeks. “Baby, what’s wrong?” Jason kissed her tears, and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. “I’m just happy to be alive.”

  “Well—”

  A police officer strolled into the room. He was the officer she’d spoken with about Eva’s attack. His blue uniform bulged over his large stomach. “Hi, Toni. I’m Officer Stubbins. I needed to let you know that Hank is here to see you.”

  “Hank!” Toni and Jason both said the name at the same time.

  Toni’s heart thundered.

  Jason groaned. “What kind of police department are you running? Shouldn’t you be questioning him about the crime? You should be trying to find his wife, too.”

  The officer approached the bed, sighing, shaking his head. “We don’t have any evidence to indicate that Hank started the fire. He came into the station to let us know some information he had about his wife. He insisted on speaking with you. You don’t have to talk to him if you don’t want to.”

  Jason balled his hands into fists. “Tell him he needs to leave—”

  “Jason, I want to hear what he has to say. You can stay here with me, and the officer is here, too, if Hank gets out of hand.” Her life was such a mess, and she had so many unanswered questions. Maybe Hank could clear things up and put her mind at ease.

  The officer finally opened the door, and Hank strolled into the room. He seemed…clean. His hair had been cut, and his jeans and shirt appeared frayed, but otherwise, his appearance had definitely improved. He kept his hands shoved into his pockets, staring at the walls before eyeing Toni and Jason. He cleared his throat, licked his lips. “Toni, I needed to talk to you about Eva.”

  “What about her?”

  “I have a lead about who set the fire to your bakery. I’ve already told the police.”

  Jason narrowed his eyes, glaring at Hank. “What do you know about the fire?”

  Hank ducked his head, as if embarrassed. Toni eyed him from head to toe. “I’m pretty sure Eva set the fire.” His shoulders slumped with apparent dejection. He finally met her intense gaze. “Eva has a problem with fire.”

  Toni shook her head, tried to clear her mind. “What do you mean she has a problem with fire?”

  Hank sighed. “Eva, she has a condition called pyromania.”

  Jason raised his eyebrows. “Pyro…what?”

  “Pyromania. She’s been like this since she was a kid. She had it under control. I don’t think she’s ever hurt anybody. When things spin out of control, and she gets really angry, she likes to set fires to make herself feel better.”

  This sounded so absurd. Toni didn’t know if she wanted to laugh or cry. But why would Hank benefit if he was lying? “If this is true, then why don’t I know about it? My aunt and uncle never said anything about this, and, neither has Eva.”

  “Eva was adopted by your aunt and uncle when she was twelve, right?”

  “Yes, but wouldn’t social services let her parents know about her problems?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. But I do know that Eva loves setting fires. Since we’ve been living in the abandoned trailer in the woods—”

  Toni’s head filled with questions, so many questions she thought her head would burst. “What?”

  Hank’s Adam’s apple bobbed while he scratched the back of his neck. He took a deep breath, scuffed the toe of his sneaker against the floor. “We won the lottery a few years back, remember?”

  Toni nodded.

  “Well, Eva mentioned to you that we’re broke now, right?”

  “Yes. She came to me asking for a job the last time the two of you came to the bakery.”

  “Well, she was pretty pissed off when you turned her down, and that’s why she set fire to the bakery.” He paused, took a deep breath. “Since we don’t have any place to live and it’s hard for us to find jobs, we’ve been living in an old trailer that a friend of mine owns. Since we don’t have electricity, we’ve been cooking outside over a fire. Eva has to set the fire for us to cook our food. If I light the fire, she freaks out. Seeing the fire gives her a thrill.” He took another deep breath, licked his lips. “She also vandalized your bakery. She still had the key to the bakery since you’d never gotten the locks changed.” He shrugged. “I knew she was doing the vandalism, but honest to God, I didn’t know she’d burn the bakery down. She’s never blatantly burned a building down before. I know she likes setting fires but…I never realized that she was an arsonist. She’s always been fascinated with fire. She was always burning fires in our fireplace when we were in the house we got after we won the lottery.”

  “Where is Eva?” Jason asked the question before Toni could.

 
“I don’t know. After our last visit to the bakery, she left. I haven’t seen her since. And when I heard about the fire…that’s when I figured I should say something.”

  Toni had another question “What about the phone calls?”

  Hank furrowed his brow. “What phone calls?”

  Toni explained about the crank calls she’d been getting, in addition to the note that’d been left at the bakery on the Fourth of July.

  Hank shook his head. “I don’t know about that. Eva hasn’t had a phone since we lost our house. We barely have enough food to eat. It’s pretty dismal for us.” He focused directly on Toni. “Things have been rough for us. Both of us have been in trouble with the law, so we have a hard time finding jobs. That’s why Eva got so mad at you when you wouldn’t give her a job.” Hank touched Toni’s arm, his dark eyes pleading with her. “I know I made mistakes in my life, but I ain’t no arsonist.” He paused, licked his lips. “I wanted to tell you that I’m leaving Eva for good. No way can I stay with her if she’s determined to destroy people’s lives.”

  “Are you serious?”

  He nodded. “I can’t stay with her anymore. Besides, what if she gets mad at me one day, sets fire to the trailer while I’m asleep? Her burning your bakery was a danger to your life. No way can I deal with a lunatic like that anymore.”

  Before either of them could speak Hank rushed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

  Chapter 35

  Jason lounged at Henderson’s lunch counter, waiting for his takeout order. After their talk with Hank, he’d managed to return the rental car and pick up his repaired BMW. His conversation with Hank earlier that day had been playing through his mind like a broken record. He’d researched pyromania, and just reading about the condition made his skin crawl. It was terrible that Eva had been after Toni all of this time, and they’d had no knowledge about her condition.

  The identity of the prank caller was still unclear. Strange that Hank rushed away before Toni could question him further. He figured the guy was just ashamed and wanted to get out of that room. Maybe he felt responsible for not being able to control Eva’s erratic behavior.