by Cindy Bell
“Excuse me?”
The woman looked at her with a strained expression. “What can I get for you?”
“Actually, I have something for you.” Ally held out the box of chocolates. “Would you like to try a few?”
“Oh yes! Thank you! I’ve barely had a chance to stop and eat. Ben, the manager, decided it would be a good idea to offer free drinks for everyone’s trouble. I haven’t been able to breathe between orders.” She snatched up a few of the chocolates. “You’re Ally right?”
“Yes. Did we meet before?”
“No, but I’ve heard about you.”
“How?”
“Oh, the rumors are flying around here, trust me. Everyone has a theory about who took out Dustin.”
“And you? Do you have a theory?”
“I don’t have time to have a theory.” The woman laughed. “I’m not even supposed to be working today.”
“Were you working the night that Dustin was killed?”
“No, I wasn’t. Another bartender was, which is why I’m here now.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand?”
“There was a new guy working, Phillip Robinsons. I guess Ben didn’t like what he was doing. Anyway, he was fired, and now I’m here covering his shift. I’m sure he’d rather be fired than dealing with this chaos.” She sighed as a few people yelled for her at the other end of the bar. “I’m sorry I have to get back to it. Thanks for the candy.”
“Take the rest of the box, I think you’re going to need it.”
“Thank you.” She smiled.
Ally fought her way through another crowd of people that entered the bar. She stepped out into the lobby just as her grandmother walked towards the bar.
“Anything?” Charlotte looked at her with hope in her eyes.
“Nothing much,” Ally said. “Just that the bartender that worked the night of the murder, no longer works here.”
“I didn’t get much, either. No one can recall seeing Dustin with anyone else.”
Ally sighed and scanned the lobby again.
“Look, there’s Ben.” Ally grabbed Charlotte’s arm. “I’d love to find out what he thinks about this situation. I should go talk to him.”
“He looks busy.” Charlotte smiled slightly. “It’s the perfect time to strike.”
“You are so cunning, Mee-Maw.”
“If he’s distracted, he might tell you more than he normally would. I’ll meet you in the parking lot when you’re done. I want to look over the valet area again.”
“Okay, I’ll just be a minute.” Ally walked towards Ben. He was occupied with three people that held out clipboards for his signature. She paused beside him as he took the last clipboard.
“Ben, I’m Ally Sweet from ‘Charlotte’s Chocolate Heaven’.”
“Nice to meet you, Ally,” Ben said but he did not sound genuine. “I am sorry but I can’t talk about the chocolates right now.”
“That’s okay, I don’t want to talk about that now. I was just wondering if I could have a minute of your time to ask you some questions about Dustin’s death.”
He scribbled his name on the piece of paper and refused to look up at her.
“I don’t have time for this. I’ve already spoken to the police.”
“Oh, I understand that.” Ally swallowed hard. She took a huge risk by confronting him. If he didn’t like the way that she spoke to him he could kill the chocolate deal. “It’s just that I’ve known Denise for a long time, and I’m certain that all of this must be some kind of mistake.”
“I suppose you know more than the police?” Ben looked up at her and met her eyes. “Do you have some kind of information that they don’t?”
“I just think that perhaps because Denise and Dustin had a brief relationship it’s far too easy to simply assume that she was involved somehow. The judgment seems a bit rushed.”
He shrugged. “That’s what trials are for. In the meantime, I have to try to save the reputation of this hotel. Do you know what it’s going to do to this place when it gets out that a staff member killed another staff member? It’s bad enough that people want to believe a construction worker was killed before this place was even completely built. I’m going to have all kinds of paranormal kooks trying to stay the night in Dustin’s room.”
Ally lifted an eyebrow. It seemed odd to her that Ben’s biggest concern was ghosts. “Did you know Dustin well?” She held his gaze.
“Not well at all. Honestly, I don’t know many of the staff members here well. The place is so new and my plate is full. At the moment it seems that the only people I really get to know are those that I have to fire.”
“Like Phillip, the bartender?” Ally pursed her lips.
“Yes, like the bartender. Which means I’m under the gun right now to hire another one. Unless you have a suggestion for me, I need to get back to the hunt.”
“Do you mind if I ask why you fired him?”
Ben licked his lips and then narrowed his eyes. “I’m trying to be patient here.”
“It’s the last question, I promise.” Ally smiled.
“Fine. I fired him because he was stealing from me. He was lucky I didn’t prosecute him. I gave him the opportunity to just walk out instead of ending up in handcuffs. So you see, I do try to be compassionate, but I can’t tolerate a thief.”
“Of course you can’t. I understand you’re busy. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me.” Ally offered what she hoped was a professional smile. As she walked away she wondered if the impression she had left was a good one or if she had just blown the contract. By the time she met up with her grandmother in the parking lot, she was determined to track down the bartender and find out his side of the story about why he was fired. She thought about asking Kylie about it, but she didn’t want Ben to see the two of them talking.
“How did it go with Ben?” Charlotte asked.
“I found out that he fired the bartender for stealing.”
“Do you think he might be involved?”
“Denise said that Dustin wanted to meet with her about one of the employees. Maybe it was about Phillip. If he was stealing, maybe Dustin found out about it and wanted to tell Denise first. Phillip could have panicked and decided to kill him,” Ally paused, “but the problem is he was fired before Dustin was killed. So why would he go to the trouble of killing Dustin if he’d already lost his job?”
“Maybe revenge?” Charlotte suggested. “People have killed for less.”
“Maybe. But he took a big risk by coming back to the hotel to kill Dustin. Why would he do that? He could have waited for him outside, or even gone to his home.”
“You’re right, it’s still possible though.” Charlotte squinted at the cars lined up in the valet parking lot. “He probably wouldn’t have had access to the keys to move your car.”
“Unless he got them somehow or even worked together with the valet.”
“No, I don’t think so.” Charlotte shook her head. “I think you’re getting too far into a conspiracy. That would have been too hard to pull off and keep quiet with more than one person. I think our best theory is that someone on the staff did it, and they worked alone.”
“But who? The only person I can think of that has a motive is Denise.” Ally cringed. “I hate to say it, but the more we dig, the worse she looks. I mean, her jacket was even wrapped around him.”
“Yes, I know,” Charlotte agreed. “That is why we need to be even more determined to get to the bottom of this. If we leave it to the Mainbry police they might just see it as an open and shut case.”
“I’m just going to let Luke know what we found.” Ally picked up the phone and dialed his number. It went straight to voicemail. She left a message saying that she wanted to update him on the case.
As Ally drove back to the cottage her mind churned through the new information they had gathered. It seemed to her that they had only added to the suspect list rather than narrowing it down. When she parked in front of the
cottage she handed the keys back to her grandmother. Then snapped her fingers.
“Actually, can I have those back? I think I’m going to go have a talk with Phillip.”
“If you’re going to talk to the bartender, I’d rather you take Luke with you.” Charlotte crossed her arms and held onto her van keys.
“Mee-Maw, I can’t wait for him. He is busy with another case. Besides, he’ll probably tell me to hand the information over to the Mainbry police department, and you know as well as I do where that will lead.”
“Ally, listen to me.” Charlotte spoke sternly. “You know that Luke will try and help you. He has a gun, you do not. He has a badge, you do not. What happens if you get to the bartender’s house and he is drunk and violent? What happens if he thinks you’re out to get him and decides to hurt you? How do you think Luke will feel knowing that he could have been there to protect you? The man cares about you, Ally, give him a chance to show that.”
“I’m trying to.” Ally sighed. “But I can’t be dependent on him, Mee-Maw.”
“This is the one part of the way I raised you that I regret.” She frowned.
“My stubbornness?”
“No, my singleness.” She hugged Ally close. “You never had the chance to see what a good healthy relationship is like. I wish you didn’t think you had to be so strong all the time.” She brushed her palm along Ally’s cheek. “It really makes a difference to have a partner you can trust in this life, sweetheart. I know that you didn’t have that with your first husband, but I promise that doesn’t mean you can’t have it with Luke.”
“Mee-Maw! Now who’s getting too far ahead of themselves? Luke and I are just friends, that is it. Nothing more.”
“Is that really true, Ally? I mean, I can tell that he wants more. He’s just waiting for the green light from you.”
“I thought you didn’t like cops?” Ally frowned and pulled away from her grandmother.
“It’s true I get nervous around anyone who has the authority to put me in handcuffs, but Luke has proven to us that he’s trustworthy, and that he is a good person beyond his badge, not to mention he’s a great cop who might just have changed my view of things a little. I don’t want to pressure you, Ally, but I don’t want you to miss out on something great either. I just want you to think about it. All right?”
“All right.” Ally smiled a little. She enjoyed the fact that her grandmother liked Luke so much. It made Ally like him even more. But there wasn’t time to think about what that meant.
“It’s late already why don’t you have something to eat and try to sleep. I’m sure Luke will contact you by morning.”
“But what happens if he hasn’t?”
“We’ll deal with it then,” Charlotte said. “I’ll pick you up in the morning and take you to the shop. Okay?”
“But if Luke can’t come with me because of work I’m going to see Phillip by myself. Is that a good compromise?”
“It’s a start.” Charlotte laughed. “And by the way, your stubbornness is one of the many things I admire about you, Ally.”
“Then you should know why I want to go talk to the bartender.”
“And you should know that I am far more stubborn than you.” Charlotte quirked her eyebrow.
“All right, all right. But I can’t just sit around here waiting.”
“I’ll pick you up first thing to open the shop. Maybe the locals will know something.”
“Good idea.” Ally nodded. She stepped inside the cottage. Arnold and Peaches walked over to say hello. She patted them both and then fed them. Maybe the rumor mill would work in her favor.
Chapter Eleven
When Ally checked her phone the following morning, Luke still hadn’t contacted her. She called him again, but it went straight to voicemail. She hung up before she left a message and then texted her grandmother saying she would walk to the shop. She wanted to clear her head.
After getting ready and feeding Peaches and Arnold she walked the short distance to the shop. When her phone chimed she looked at it quickly. It was from Luke.
Sorry I got caught up with something. I’ll call you later.
Ally was relieved he was okay, but annoyed that he didn’t seem to have time for her.
When she got to the shop her grandmother was already there.
“Morning, sweetheart,” Charlotte said.
“Morning, Mee-Maw.” Ally tried to sound cheerful.
“Did you hear from Luke?” Charlotte asked.
“He just sent me a text to say he was caught up with something.”
“Oh good. Hopefully he’ll call you later and then you can see the bartender together.”
“I hope so,” Ally said as she began opening the shop.
After the morning rush Charlotte worked on making more chocolates to replenish their supply and Ally tidied up the display cabinets while trying to figure out who had the strongest motive. Denise topped the list because of the breakup. However, the bartender’s desire for revenge might be on the list as well. If Dustin was the one to point out that he was stealing, then he probably had a score to settle. Ally straightened up the counter. She wiped down the surfaces and set about dusting the knickknacks on the shelf.
At that time of day, there were never very many customers. There was always a lull between lunch and school release. She actually enjoyed the quiet as it gave her a chance to think back over the events of the morning. If she was right about her hunch that the bartender knew something about the crime, she hoped that by the evening Denise would be out of jail. As she set down a wooden clock on one of the shelves the bell above the door rang. It signaled the entrance of three very familiar women. One by one, Mrs. White, Mrs. Cale and Mrs. Bing, walked into the shop. Ally smiled fondly at them as they headed straight for the sample platter on the counter.
“Afternoon ladies, you’re early today.”
“Oh, we couldn’t wait any longer to get in here and try some chocolates,” Mrs. Bing said.
“Here is a new flavor, caramel mousse,” Ally said as she gestured to the samples. “You’re the first customers to try them.”
“Oh, how exciting.” Mrs. White popped one into her mouth. Both of the other women did as well. Ally walked behind the counter and began to replenish the supply. Although the three women went through a lot of samples, they were not shy about purchasing large quantities for themselves and to give as gifts. It balanced out in the end, and the pleasure they got from being able to enjoy the samples was enough to make Ally smile.
“So, what do you think?” Ally asked.
“Mm.” Mrs. Bing smiled around the chocolate? “So sweet, much better than that coffee disaster.”
“It was not a disaster, it’s my favorite,” Mrs. Cale snapped. “But this is good, too.”
“Very good.” Mrs. Bing grabbed another sample just as Ally placed it on the platter. “Oh Ally, I’m just so anxious.”
“Why?” Ally frowned. “Is something wrong?”
“Haven’t you heard about the murder?” Her eyes widened and her voice fell into a dramatic hush.
“Of course she has, everyone has.” Mrs. White clucked her tongue. “It is a terrible tragedy. A young man like that, gone too soon.”
“It is.” Ally nodded. “What have you heard?”
“Oh, just that an ex-lover was involved.” Ally cringed at Mrs. Cale’s description. “All those movies on television are right you know, love can be very dangerous.”
“You think so?” Ally grinned at her. “I tend to agree.”
“Pish, love is beautiful.” Mrs. White sighed. “When it’s with the right person of course.”
Ally hadn’t ever really thought about the three women being in love with anyone. They had always been a fixture in the shop and a big part of her childhood. But she barely remembered their husbands.
“Do you really think so, Mrs. White?” Ally leaned on the counter.
“I do. There’s nothing more precious than the love of a genuine, honest ma
n.”
“If you get a good one.” Mrs. Cale lifted her nose in the air. “Not all of us do you know.”
“Enough of that chatter.” Mrs. Bing waved her hand through the air. “I want to buy a box of these chocolates for Melly.”
“Melly? Why?” Mrs. White raised an eyebrow.
“After what she is going through with her son, she deserves some of these chocolates.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Mrs. White shook her head.
“Why not?” Mrs. Bing frowned. “It’s not her fault her son got into so much trouble. The poor woman must be beyond embarrassed. The whole town will know about it soon enough. I tell you sometimes I think having children is a big joke on all of us.”
“Careful there.” Mrs. Cale tightened her lips. “Phillip insists that he is innocent.”
“Why wouldn’t he? It’s not as if he’s going to waltz around admitting to theft.” Mrs. Bing shrugged. “Anyway, it doesn’t really matter if he is or isn’t. All that matters is that Melly has to face the embarrassment. Chocolate won’t fix everything, but it might make things a little better.”
“Who are you talking about?” Ally leaned forward and listened in to the conversation more closely. The three ladies were always gossiping about someone or something. They never meant any harm by it.
“We’re talking about Melly Robinsons, and her boy Phillip.”
“Phillip Robinsons?” Ally’s eyes widened. “Was he a bartender?”
“Yes, he was, until he was fired.” Mrs. Bing shook her head. “Could you imagine? Stealing from your own place of work? Who does such a thing?”
“We don’t know for sure that he did.” Mrs. White crossed her arms. “Melly insists that he wouldn’t have stolen from anyone.”
“Melly insists because she’s his mother.” Mrs. Cale smiled. “All mothers want to defend their children, but they shouldn’t always do that. If Phillip did wrong, then he needs to pay the consequences for it. Honestly, who would make that up?”