Murder in Maine

by Danielle Collins

  Dexter had switched to a mountain camera on a bank across the street and they watched in silence as Vlad Petrov was arrested for conspiring to commit murder. It was just the beginning, Peter had assured them. He would then be charged with much more as his men would likely turn on him, but they had enough to lock him up for a long time even without that.

  Margot slumped back into her chair.

  “You all right?” Dexter asked, turning his concerned gaze on her.

  “It’s just tough watching someone negotiate your death.”

  “With Gandalf none the less.” Dexter gave a small smile that soon faded. “But at least you know he felt threatened by you.”

  She rolled her eyes. “That’s not exactly comforting.”

  “True,” he said. Then he leaned forward. “But you know what else?”

  “What?” she said, bracing herself for another silly joke.

  “You’re free to go home.”

  And with those words, she finally felt the release to leave. He was right. They had found Dexter’s sister, put an end to Vlad Petrov’s illegal actives in this town, and had made a way for Danielle to come back to her bakery.

  If nothing else, Margot would relax knowing that things would finally be able to go back to normal for all of them.

  “Are you sure you won’t come back to North Bank with me? Rosie would be so happy.”

  Margot looked up at Dexter, the sun shining on his golden hair and his blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

  “I need some time with my sister.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw covered in a day’s worth of growth. “I’m happy that you figured it all out, but I'm not sure that this was the best thing for us.”

  “You mean the reporters?”

  “That, and just everything that’s happening. I don’t know.”

  “Dex,” she said, using his nickname in a rare moment of transparency, “are you upset that they are engaged and only just told you?”

  “It’s not that so much.” He looked away. “Okay, maybe it is that. I mean, Pete’s a pretty good guy.” Margot shot him a look. “Okay, a really good guy. But I don’t like that she thought she could just up and disappear without telling me because it was for my safety. Whatever that means. We need to work out a few things before I can even think of what I’ll do next.”

  Margot could understand and respect that. “Just so you know, we all miss you.”

  “Are you going soft on me, Margie?”

  She laughed. “No. Just telling it like it is.”

  “Right, right.” He nodded and pulled her in for a hug. “Thanks for everything. For being willing to come up here on whim and for not leaving when things got tough. Though I never thought you would.”

  Margot felt the tug of her heart toward this young man. He had experienced a lot in his short life so far and she hoped more than anything that he could finally be able to settle down and do something he loved.

  “You’ll stay in contact now?” she asked, eying him as she pulled away.

  “You bet. I may even give you an unencrypted call sometime.”

  They shared a laugh and then she tugged the handle of her rolling suitcase. “Bye, Dexter.”

  “Bye, Margot.”

  Her heart was heavy as she boarded the plane. Her eyes roved over the vibrant landscape of Maine, the fall colors dimming but not yet gone. She had been gone much longer than she’d expected and yet it still felt like she was leaving too soon.

  Rosie would be devastated that she’d come back without Dexter, but she knew better than to force him to make any sort of decision. He was still likely reeling from the news of his sister’s engagement. It was the first thing she said when she saw Dexter after the FBI’s sting.

  Margot could still see the look of shock on his face and the look of worry on Peter’s. Things had smoothed over after the shock wore off, but she knew it was still a lot for him to adjust to. She only hoped that he would remember the good times he’d had in North Bank and want to come back.

  She’d never force him and she’d never guilt him into it. In fact, now that she had Julia, she didn’t really need Dexter, but she wanted him to want to come back.

  The flight attendant asked for her drink order and Margot passed, opting to stare off into the distance for as long as she could. She was tired, exhausted really, and her hands still hadn’t completely healed, though they were doing much better and the bandages she needed were much smaller. Her vacation to Maine had turned into much more than that.

  But she didn’t regret going. No, she’d never regret helping a friend in need. In fact, she’d always remember her time in Maine and the wild adventure that included pastries, flawed metal, a Russian mafia leader, and a missing sister.

  Chapter 15

  Adam’s warm embrace felt so right that Margot didn’t want to let go.

  “Miss me?” he teased, easing back so he could look into her face.

  “I did.” As she said the words, she felt how right they were. “I really did.”

  “Good,” he laughed and stepped back, reaching toward the mailbox to bring over a small bouquet of flowers. “Though I did just see you yesterday.”

  She laughed and accepted the flowers. “What’s this for?”

  “I just thought you should have flowers.” They were a stunning arrangement of brightly colored flowers that gave off a perfume-like scent.

  “Thank you,” she said, rushing toward the kitchen to get a vase before they had to go.

  It felt like yesterday that Adam had picked her up from the airport after her flight back from Maine, but in fact, it had been over a week now. They had gotten together several times, alternating between his place and hers for quiet dinners where she’d caught him up on what happened in Maine.

  One of the things he’d said had stayed with her. He didn’t want her going away on cases without him like that. He’d laughed at the time, making a joke out of it, but part of her had felt the same way. It hadn’t felt right being so far from him for so long. Not just because of the cause, but because she missed him.

  “What?” he said, making her blush.

  “Sorry,” she continued her movements of cutting the stems and fitting them into the vase. He’d caught her staring at him.

  “Margot Durand, you’re blushing.”

  She felt her face heat up more at his words. “You stop it.”

  “I will not,” he said, spinning her around and peering down into her eyes. “What is it?”

  “I…” She wasn’t sure she could find the words to tell him. “Never mind. It’s nothing.”

  She still wasn’t sure if she was ready for him to ask her to marry him again, and yet something in her wished he would ask. Wished she could change her answer.

  “Ready?” he asked, mercifully changing the subject.

  “Yes.” She slipped the last stem in and reached for her purse and jacket. “Let’s go.”

  The restaurant was filled with noisy chatter as they sat down at a table that overlooked the Potomac River. It looked choppy and cold, and Margot remembered that winter was coming upon them quickly. It would soon be Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Where had the time gone?

  As they talked, she finally began to relax. The events of the past few weeks began to melt away and she almost forgot about the incidents in Maine. Not about Dexter, his sister, or even Shelly and her brother Craig, but about the fact that she had helped put away a high-ranking leader of the Russian mafia.

  “Earth to Margot,” Adam said, waving a hand in front of her face.

  “Sorry,” she said, blinking. It appeared she hadn’t completely forgotten the last few weeks.

  “What’s going on, Margie? Did something happen in Maine that I don’t know about?”

  He’d gotten ahold of information he probably shouldn’t have thanks to Dexter and knew all about what had gone down in Maine. He’d told her he was proud of what she’d done, but that he was also worried. The Russian mafia didn’t take locking up one of their own too
well.

  “I guess…” She trailed off as the waitress brought their entrees to the table. She started again, “I think I’m just ready for a quiet holiday.”

  “You mean you didn’t enjoy your Halloween sting operation?”

  She smiled, shaking her head as she took a forkful of mashed potatoes. “Not exactly.”

  “How about this?” he said, leaning forward and sliding his hand over hers. “Christmas with my family in Oregon.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, Adam...”

  “I know it may seem like a lot to ask, it’s not like it’s a quick drive.” He rushed on, not giving her time to answer. “You have your shop here and you were just gone for longer than you expected, I know that. But hear me out.” He straightened as if he’d become a lawyer presenting his case to her. “My parents are getting too old to travel very far and they have a huge house. My brother and his wife and my younger sister will all be there and they are begging me to invite you. You can’t say no to the Eastwood family, can you?”

  She tried to hold back the smile that was sneaking its way onto her lips, but she finally gave up. “I was going to say I’d love to come—before you cut me off.”

  “You were?”

  She nodded. “I think Christmas in Oregon would be perfect. But I have one condition?”

  “Anything,” he said before she could even try to get it out.

  “I ask that I get a chance to do some baking while I’m there.”

  “You are a saint,” he said, pressing his hands together in a mock prayer. “My father might try and marry you himself.”

  She burst into a fit of giggles at the thought, drawing attention from several other restaurant patrons. “How about we just stick to me making the pastries and him eating them.”

  “I get some too, don’t I?” Adam asked, looking so pathetic that Margot almost felt bad.

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “Hey, you two,” a cheerful voice said.

  Margot looked up and her eyes widened when she took in Julia dressed like a waitress. “Julia?”

  “Yep,” she said, reaching over to fill up Margot’s drinking glass with water. “At your service. Can I get you two anything?”

  “Wha… How? Why are you here?”

  Julia grinned, her nose ring missing and her sleeves pulled down to hide her tattooed forearms. “It’s my second job.”

  Margot’s eyes widened. “Your second job?”

  She nodded, checking over her shoulder. Margot assumed she was making sure that her manager didn’t see her lingering at a table too long. “I love working for you—it’s, like, my dream job—but I’ve got some massive bills to pay and…” She shrugged. “They were hiring.”

  Margot opened her mouth to say something, but Julia backed up. “I’ll see you bright and early.” She winked and moved to the next table.

  Adam leaned forward. “Doesn’t she have a son?”

  Margot nodded solemnly. When did Julia have time to see her son? Then she thought of what Rosie had said about Nick coming to the bakery. It hadn’t happened since she’d been back, but now Margot wondered what had changed to accommodate the boy not being there. Was it a hardship on Julia?

  “Whatever’s bothering you,” Adam said, reaching for her hand, “I know you’ll find a solution for it.”

  His unwavering confidence in her bolstered her confidence. “You bet I will. But, in the meantime, why don’t you tell me more about your family? If I’m going to visit, I should probably have a bit of insider information.”

  “With pleasure,” he said and his smile warmed her from the inside out.

  Monday morning was fresh and crisp. The kind of fall-almost-winter morning that promised clear, bright skies and cool temperatures once the sun rose. Margot pulled her thick cable scarf more tightly around her neck as she rushed to the door to unlock it and disarm the alarm. Her hopes were high for the day and she couldn’t wait to dig her fingers into dough and flour.

  Soon after, Julia came in. She was a few minutes late, but Margot wouldn’t hold it against her. She had been thinking a lot about the young woman’s plight and wanted to do something to help her, though she wasn’t sure if she knew what that was yet.

  “Morning,” she said, pulling the butter from the fridge.

  “Good morning. How was your dinner last night?”

  Margot smiled at the memory of the tasty meal and even better company. “Delightful.”

  “Glad to hear it. I love the food I get to take home from there. So does Nick,” Julia said with a light laugh as she tied her apron around her slim waist.

  “Julia,” Margot said, turning to face the young woman, “how are you doing?”

  “Uh, me?” A worried look crossed her features before she pushed it away and replaced it with a smile. “I’m great. Why do you ask?”

  Margot’s eyes narrowed. “Why don’t I believe you?”

  Julia just stared at her.

  “Look, Rosie told me that Nick was in here while I was gone and—”

  “I'm really sorry about that,” she interrupted. “I know that’s probably against some type of rule or something, but I honestly didn’t know what to do. My parents got sick and I couldn’t leave him with them. I really should have stayed home to help them, but couldn’t and…” She trailed off, tears filling her eyes.

  “Hey,” Margot said, coming closer. “Don’t worry. I’m not angry. I want to see if we can figure out a solution to all of this.”

  “Solution?”

  “You shouldn’t be working two jobs.” The moment she said it, she saw the shame that flooded Julia’s cheeks. “I’m sorry, I didn’t meant that to embarrass you. I just mean that I wish I could pay you what you need in order to not have to take on a second job.”

  Julia slumped onto one of the work stools. “Margot, I know you care, but it’s not your fault. Honestly, it's not anyone’s fault. My parents are the best and take great care of Nick, but they don't have much to live on. I’m the only one able to work and…it’s on me. That’s okay. I can handle it.” She sat up straighter, as if to prove to herself and Margot that she could.

  “You know what?” Margot staid. “I don’t doubt that for a second. I just want to help.”

  “How about this…” Julia said, offering a half-smile. “If I get to a point where I need help, I promise to ask.”

  Margot considered her offer for a moment. “A counter-offer,” she finally said. “You ask me if you need help, and Nick can come to the shop any time you need him to.”

  Tears flooded the woman’s eyes again, but Margot had a feeling they were tears of joy. “You’re the best, Margot. Seriously, like, the best.”

  Margot brushed off her comment but smiled all the same. “Anything for my friends.”

  The women went back to work, the morning baking going by faster than she’d expected. When the time to open the shop came, Julia went out to do the honors but came back soon after.

  “Hey, Margot, there’s some weird guy—”

  “Hey, Margie!”

  Margot whirled around at the sound of the male voice. “Dexter!”

  His grin spread but then he cocked his head to the side and turned to look at Julia. “Did you just call me weird?”

  Margot stopped partway toward Dexter, her arms ready for a hug.

  “Uh, yeah. You nearly pushed past me to get inside—weird. You’ve got this like bed-head, flyaway look going on—weird. And you’re kind of dressed like that preppy kid in that one movie. Also weird.”

  Dexter frowned and then turned to look at Margot. “Please tell me this is not who you got to replace me? Because…really?”

  Margot pressed her lips together to suppress her smile. “Dexter, meet Julia. Julia, meet Dexter.”

  They faced one another for a moment. Neither moved but were both looking at one another as if sizing up an opponent.

  Finally, Margot took a step forward. “No one is replacing anyone. There. Now be nice.”

 
Dexter finally thrust out his hand. “Dexter Ross. Nice to meet you.”

  “Julia Hageman,” she said begrudgingly. “Yeah, nice to meet you.”

  They both looked at one another for a moment longer before Dexter turned to look at Margot. “So, I guess this means I can have my job back?”

  Margot laughed. Rather than answer, she tossed him an apron, untied hers, and turned toward her office. “Don't burn the kitchen down,” was the last thing she said before she slipped into her small office space.

  Relaxing into her chair, she considered the fact that she now had more help than she’d ever had at the shop. And yet it felt right. Everything felt right. Even going to Adam’s family’s house for Christmas felt right despite that it would mean leaving her shop again. Then again, with double the help, maybe it would be good. Julia and Dexter could bond, because, despite how they’d first met, she had a feeling they were destined to be good friends.

  She closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the beauty of the upcoming season, just as she heard a pan clatter to the kitchen floor. It sounded like Julia and Dexter were blaming one another, but it only made her laugh because Dexter was family just like Julia was becoming family. They’d all learn to work together and they’d be stronger for it.

  Thanks for reading Murder in Maine. I hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, it would be awesome if you left a review for me on Amazon and/or Goodreads.

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  At the very end of the book, I have included a couple previews of books by friends and fellow authors at Fairfield Publishing. First is a preview of Up in Smoke by Shannon VanBergen - it’s the first book in the Glock Grannies Cozy Mystery series. Second is a preview of A Pie to Die For by Stacey Alabaster - it’s part of the popular Bakery Detectives Cozy Mystery series. I really hope you like the samples. If you do, both books are available on Amazon.