by Holly Plum
“Maybe not,” Edith agreed. “How is Randy these days?” She changed the subject. “I met his lovely fiancée the other day.”
Joy couldn’t help keeping the worried frown from her face. “I met her when they came into the bakery to pick out a wedding cake. Do you like her?”
"You don't?" Edith regarded Joy, her wise eyes not missing a thing.
Joy smirked at Edith’s ability to read her so well, and then sobered as she thought of what she knew of Daisy. “I don’t know her very well. And they got engaged awful fast.” She frowned. “I’m worried Randy doesn’t know her real well either.”
Edith nodded in agreement. “Yes.” She sighed. “That happens.” Edith toyed with the wedding ring she still wore though she had been a widow for several years. “I’ve only heard good things about her, though, and Daisy was nice when I met her.”
Joy was quiet, feeling slightly better about Daisy knowing Edith didn’t have any dirt on her. But Joy still couldn’t shake her unease at seeing Daisy with the man from the police sketch. Joy glanced at her phone, hoping to see Randy’s number. She took in the time.
“Oh, I need to get going,” Joy said, thinking of all the cakes she still had to bake.
“It was lovely talking to you, dear. I hope to see you again soon.” Edith smiled at her.
Joy returned her smile. “Good to see you too, Edith.” She watched as Cheesecake tore across the carpet after the string as his crowd of admirers laughed.
“Tell Randy and Daisy I said hi next time you see them,” Edith said. "And don't be a stranger, Joy."
“Okay,” Joy answered. She hoped she would be able to make good on her promise. Joy's mother had. She and Edith had been dear friends.
Joy took a deep breath.
She had to speak to Randy.
CHAPTER FIVE
Sara Beth had left about an hour earlier, her big cup of sweet tea dry. Joy had finished up their last specialty order for the day that was an early pick up for the next morning. Then she’d tidied up the bakery and shut things down, Cheesecake following her as she moved from room to room. He was restless and wanting to go home to his dinner. Joy finally got in her car. She drove toward home with music playing and Cheesecake sprawled out across the top of the backseat in his favorite spot.
Joy blew a wisp of hair out of her face as she stopped at a red light. She couldn’t wait to get home and sink into a nice, hot bath. She was exhausted. Even the sight of the last glowing rays of sun setting beyond the ocean didn’t rouse her tired soul. Sara Beth had stayed late with her to help finish up the specialty order cakes of the day, but tomorrow, they would have a fresh list. Thankfully, the new temporary employee was starting tomorrow. Joy had met her briefly just after lunch, and she had seemed competent enough to run the register.
Joy started forward, and then slammed on the brakes. Daisy was walking down Main Street as if she had somewhere important that she needed to be. What is she doing? Joy’s exhaustion evaporated as intense curiosity took hold of her. She changed her mind about going home. She was going to find out what her cousin’s fiancée was up to.
Before the car behind her started honking, Joy drove to the side of the road and parked, hoping Daisy wouldn’t notice her. Her eyes moved to the rearview mirror, seeing Cheesecake gazing back at her. Joy would have to take him with her. She couldn’t leave him in a hot car.
Joy got out of her car and shut the door as quietly as she could, then got Cheesecake out of the back. The cat’s eyes lit up with interest as he took in the busy streets. He purred away in Joy’s arms. Joy began walking down Main Street while scratching under Cheesecake’s chin. She tried to catch up to Daisy without drawing any attention to herself.
Suddenly, Daisy turned, causing Joy to stop. Daisy continued, to Joy’s dismay, toward The Sugar Room. Maple has started staying open later than Joy's bake shop. Another one of her under-handed tactics to put Patty Cakes Bake Shop out of business.
Well, there’s no way I’m following her in there, Joy thought. But even though she couldn’t stand the thought of seeing Maple’s face, Joy couldn’t help edging close enough to The Sugar Room to get a peek inside the window. She clutched Cheesecake tightly to her chest as she looked inside. He chirped a meow, making Joy realize she’d stopped scratching his chin. Joy resumed, shushing him softly.
Maple filled a big box of donuts for Daisy. Randy must have been caught up in the murder case because he hadn’t called her all day. Joy had thought about trying to get ahold of him several times, but she just hadn’t had the chance to call him again with all of the extra work the donuts had caused.
Joy quickly ducked below the window when Daisy turned around to head for the door of the bakery. It would be weird if Daisy spotted her outside The Sugar Room. Joy couldn’t think of a good excuse for why she was there other than to check out Maple’s donuts – and Joy would never admit to doing that.
When the front door opened, Joy backed around the corner of the bakery so that Daisy wouldn’t see her and hoped Cheesecake would stay quiet. Daisy walked toward a car that was parked directly in front of Joy’s. Joy waited as she watched Daisy get into the blue sedan and start the engine. It wasn’t long before the car pulled away from the curb and started slowly down Main Street.
Joy let out a sigh of relief but then noticed another car behind her own pull away from the curb as if it were following Daisy. She would have chalked it up to coincidence, but Joy recognized the face of the man driving the car right away. It was him.
It was the same man from the police sketch.
CHAPTER SIX
Joy raced back to her car as fast as she could with a cat in her arms. She flung open her door and tossed Cheesecake inside before diving into the car herself. Cheesecake gave a grumble of a meow, clearly not pleased with being manhandled. But Joy couldn’t help it. She had to call Randy again. Joy reached for her purse, but her hands clutched nothing. She had left her purse back at the bakery, and her cell phone was in it. Her heart pounded.
Joy glanced up at the man’s car as it followed Daisy's car down the street. She made a split-second decision to follow him. Her car pulled away from the curb, and she sped up, running a red light for the first time in her life so she could catch up to him. When she’d managed to get close enough, Joy read the license plate number out loud, and then said it several times as she looked for something to write it down with. Of course, she didn’t have her purse where she knew she would have been able to find a pen. Regardless, Joy managed to dig a pen and a gum wrapper out of the center console. She wrote down the license plate number, glancing up at the road between each letter or number in hopes that she wasn’t swerving too severely.
It was obvious that the man from the police sketch Randy had shown Joy was following Daisy. Any time Daisy changed lanes or made a turn, he did the same. Joy tried to stay back far enough that he wouldn’t catch on that she was following him. Joy was careful to stay in her lane instead of shadowing the suspect's every move. As Daisy approached the police station, Joy hoped that someone would spot the man as he passed by, but the man turned a corner and went off in another direction. Joy hesitated for just a moment before turning the corner herself and following him further.
A sense of fear rose inside Joy as her surroundings grew less populated. The little beach town was already small, to begin with, but patches of countryside began to crop up. The man was heading for the outskirts of town. Joy eased off of the gas and let him have a lengthy lead.
Once Joy got to the highway, she could either continue on or circle back and head toward the other side of town. Joy wasn’t sure if she should follow him for much longer, but on the other hand, what would she tell Randy if she stopped? She wouldn’t be able to tell Randy where the man went.
Finally, the man pulled into a motel parking lot right before the road veered off onto the highway. For a moment, Joy was pleased with herself, knowing she would have some information for Randy. But then, the man jumped out of his car and stared ri
ght at Joy as if he was trying to get a good look at her.
Joy gulped as she slammed on the gas and sped onward. Maybe following a murder suspect was a huge mistake.
Joy looped around the highway, so it took her forever to get back to the bakery. When she arrived, she left Cheesecake in the car knowing she would be right back and hastily trotted to the door. She went to the back and found her purse right away, mumbling at her carelessness. Joy opened it and took out her cell phone. It was dead.
“Figures,” Joy said out loud.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Joy glanced at the clock as she cut up a few freshly fried donuts for her customers to sample. Her new menu item had put her fifteen minutes behind schedule so far. Joy hated being behind. At least it kept her mind busy. She still hadn’t gotten in touch with Randy. He hadn’t answered his phone when she’d tried calling him last night. It had been late. It wasn’t like him not to call back, but then, he was probably working overtime at the moment.
At least Joy had finally managed to call the general police line to report seeing the man from the police sketch, but she hadn’t told them about how she’d seen him with Daisy. Joy wanted to tell Randy that bit of information herself, though the suspense of waiting was killing her. She wanted to know what Daisy and the man had been arguing about, and she assumed Daisy would tell Randy when confronted.
The bell on the front door chimed and shortly after, Sara Beth walked in. The straw of a giant cup of sweet tea was in her mouth. Cheesecake looked up from his usual spot of sun streaming in through the front windows.
“Good morning,” Joy greeted her, taking in the size of Sara Beth’s morning beverage. "I see you're ready for a long day of baking."
As if sensing her thoughts, Sara Beth lifted the cup in the air slightly. “I’m ready for cakes, cakes, and more cakes, and I know your donuts are going to fly off the shelves. I'm betting we'll have to make extra later this morning.” She popped a sample in her mouth. “Oh my frosting, that is good." Sara Beth raised her eyebrows. "Lucky for us, Teresa starts today."
“What time is she coming in?” Joy arranged the samples on a doily-lined tray.
“She’ll be in before the lunch rush.”
Joy took a deep breath and nodded. Sara Beth had assured Joy earlier that Teresa wouldn’t need much training. “Maybe we should look into hiring someone more permanent.”
“That wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Sara Beth said over her shoulder as the bell on the front door chimed.
Joy grabbed the tray of donut samples and brought it to the front. She almost dropped the tray when she saw Daisy smiling at her from the opposite end of the counter. Joy’s eyes narrowed as she studied Daisy's expression.
“I just thought I would pop by,” Daisy said, her voice overly cheerful. “Wow, I would love to try some of those donuts.”
Joy’s eyes fell to the samples she had so carefully arranged. She forced her feet to move forward and set the tray in front of Daisy. Joy couldn’t bring herself to tell Daisy that it was nice to see her again. Joy wasn't sure that it was.
“Of course,” Joy responded.
Daisy just smiled as she chewed the donut. She put a hand to her mouth. “These are just divine, Joy. I really mean it.”
Joy forced a smile. “Thank you. Where’s Randy this morning?”
“Oh,” Daisy replied, her eyes widening. “They’re just swamped down there at the station right now.” She selected a different donut flavor to sample. “I love your apron.”
Joy’s apron had a giant bass on it with the words size matters printed across the top. She hadn’t been able to find her nice buns apron that morning. The fishing apron was a little out of place at the bakery, but it had been a present Joy's mother had received from an admirer. Her mother used to laugh at the apron's expense whenever she wore it. Strangely, the apron reminded Joy of her mother.
“Thanks.” Joy accepted the compliment whether or not Daisy had meant it.
“Well,” Daisy said as she removed a small paper sack from her purse. “I brought you a gift.” She smirked as she handed it to Joy.
Joy, full of reluctance, hesitated to open it.
“Look inside,” Daisy said with a nod.
Joy unrolled the top of the sack and peered inside. It held a simple cinnamon and sugar crusted donut.
“I figured you could study your competition.” Daisy winked.
“Thank you,” Joy responded, feeling strange to be holding a donut made by Maple McWayne.
Daisy turned to Sara Beth who was still standing at the cash register, watching the exchange with guarded interest.
“Can I get one of your chocolate glazed donuts, please?” Daisy asked.
Sara Beth nodded and picked up Daisy’s selection. She placed it in a bag. “Anything else?”
Daisy gave a wide smile. “That’ll be it, thanks.”
The bell on the front door chimed as an older man who many of the customers referred to as Old Joe stepped inside. Daisy moved out of the way and then strode over to a table to enjoy her donut.
“I think I left a wallet here yesterday," Old Joe said. "At least, the last time I remember seeing it I was here.”
Sara Beth frowned.
“No one has turned anything in,” Sara Beth said. “I’m sorry.”
The Joe’s face fell, but he was quick to recover. “Thanks anyway, sweet cakes.” He pulled out a card from his back pocket. “You have my number in case it turns up. It's a black leather bifold.”
"You got it," Sara Beth replied.
After the Old Joe had left, Joy put a hand on Sara Beth’s arm.
“I’ll take over the front for a while,” Joy stated.
Sara Beth studied her for a moment before shrugging. “Suit yourself. I’ll work on some of those cake orders.” Sara Beth went to the back of the shop.
Joy took off her apron and busied herself with cleaning up the front counter while keeping Daisy in view. Joy wanted to keep an eye on her, and Cheesecake took it upon himself to glare at her as she ate.
A steady stream of customers came and went as Joy manned the register. Daisy sat at the corner table, taking her time. Joy wondered how long she planned on staying. Every time Daisy looked as if she was ready to leave, she would pull out her cell phone or sort through her purse.
Joy couldn't help but wonder what her cousin saw in Daisy. Of course, Daisy was pretty. But she was too bubbly compared to the other woman Randy had dated. Then again, Joy had been so busy with the bakery that it had been a long time since she had seen her cousin. Maybe Daisy was exactly his type?
Daisy flashed Joy a smile when she finally stood to leave. Joy waved goodbye and Cheesecake meowed.
Joy frowned at herself as soon as Daisy had gone. Was she too harsh? Was Joy judging Daisy prematurely? Only time could reveal what Daisy was really up to. If she was up to anything.
Joy glanced at the paper sack Daisy had brought her. She stared at the simple donut before finally removing it from the bag. It was light, with no hole in the middle. Cinnamon and sugar clung to Joy's fingertips as she studied the pastry and took a bite.
Joy rolled her eyes.
The donut wasn't completely terrible.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Teresa was a pleasant woman with a round face, long brown hair, and soft green eyes. Sara Beth introduced her to Joy and then got to work showing her the cash register. It sounded like Sara Beth’s assessment that Teresa wasn’t going to need too much training to get up to speed was correct. Teresa had been a cashier at a craft store in a nearby town. Joy began to wonder if Teresa might be able to stay on long term. Even Cheesecake had taken a shining to her when they’d met briefly. He’d chirped a hello meow and purred happily when Teresa had stroked his velvety fur. It pleased Joy that Teresa’s enthusiasm for meeting Cheesecake seemed genuine.
The rest of the day went smoothly. It was a welcomed change to the hectic day Joy had yesterday. Sara Beth stayed up front for an hour to make sure Teresa got the hang of th
ings and popped in and out throughout the lunch rush. Other than that, Sara Beth was free to focus all her efforts baking with Joy. It was amazing how much they were able to accomplish with Teresa’s help up front. They made it through all of their orders for the day and had time to catch up on tomorrows. Sara Beth even went home on time.
Joy stayed behind after they'd closed up the shop to work on Randy and Daisy’s donut display. She still found it strange that they were marrying and couldn’t help feeling panicky at the thought of it happening so soon. It would have been one thing if she’d met Daisy and had been immediately won over, but that wasn’t the case. Joy wished Randy would call her back. Joy had tried calling again after the lunch rush. Things had gone too far and soon she knew she’d have to bite the bullet and track him down at the station.
But for now, Joy focused on the task at hand so that she could finally go home at a reasonable hour. She sat flipping through her mom’s old cookbook for different donut flavors and comparing them to similar recipes she had found online. She’d already drawn out what the display would look like. Now, Joy just had to come up with a variety of interesting flavors. Her mom had been notorious for coming up with new flavor twists, and it was a tradition Joy enjoyed carrying on.
A rustling sound from out front startled Joy, making her pause. Nothing but silence greeted her ears and assuming Cheesecake was exploring the front now that it was vacant of customers, she resumed her quest for ways to tweak her mother’s recipes to make them more eye-catching.
Joy studied a recipe for lemon crème filled donuts and wondered if she could make an orange crème version. When Randy and Joy were very young, they’d spent a week at their great grandmother’s farm, and Joy still remembered the orange creamsicles that had filled her freezer. The memory was burned in her mind because Randy passed out on the porch with orange goo around his mouth was a favorite family story.
Another strange noise brought Joy out of her reminiscing, and she again stopped what she was doing to listen. This time, she wasn’t as easily convinced and decided to see what Cheesecake was up to. Maybe he was stuck somewhere. It wouldn’t be the first time his exploring got him into trouble.