by Ann S. Marie
No, it couldn’t go down like that.
How could fate suddenly pull the rug from under her? Dana didn’t want to believe it. Someone tried to deliberately frame her and she was going to find out who.
She had to get to the bottom of this, even if it killed her. Well, maybe not that. Even if it gave her a killer headache.
The door chime sounded again as Phil perused the shelf for a pain killer to help rid Dana of her worries.
It was Mike, the mail guy.
“Hey there,” Mike said to Dana cheerfully.
“Hey,” she murmured, trying to throttle the dizzying currents of sadness overwhelming her. She wanted to ask him why he told the officer that she’d been trying to take care of business at the Gazette. But then again, she’d only appear to be guilty if she did. She really didn’t want anyone to know how much it bothered her—even though it did.
As her nana would say, “It’s not enough to be doing the right thing, you also have to appear to be doing the right thing, too.” Appearance was everything in this town, or everywhere, wasn’t it?
“Hey, you all right? Oh, wait a minute. Don’t worry about that guy. No one in their right mind would think that you could have anything to do with the murder. He had it coming though.” Mike placed his carrier bag on the counter.
“Then why were you so quick to tell the detective that I was on my way to take care of business at the Gazette, Mike?”
Okay, she couldn’t help herself. She just had to blurt it all out, didn’t she? She was never the one to keep things covered if her feelings were strong about something. That would just give her high blood pressure. Let your feelings be known as nana would say.
“Huh?” was all Mike said. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, never mind,” she replied, feeling rather childish. After all, he was probably just answering police questions. Just routine procedures, she supposed. Who could blame him? Even though it could have been taken out of context, she did say those words, didn’t she?
Then Grandma Rae’s words came back to her. She’d always say “Remember to keep your words soft and tender, because tomorrow you might have to eat ‘em.” Dana grinned at the memory. But boy, could her words turn on her now if a grand jury ever heard it out of context.
“Hey, you’re back so soon?” Phil looked aghast and turned his attention to Mike and shook his head, giving him a tsk.
Phil then turned his attention back to Dana and he handed her some tablets. A generic pill container of ibuprofen for her headache. To which she paid via her credit card.
She had few funds in the bank right now. She was already in overdraft. She was counting on doing well with the grand opening this week. She needed the money badly, especially after she’d used up most of her savings to save Nana’s café.
Dana looked at the mailbag on the counter. Mike probably had some more bills to give to Phil. Who could blame Phil for not wanting to see the mailman everyday?
“Do you think it could be Phil, the pharmacist?” Katie said to Dana later as they sat in the kitchen of the Victorian. Katie had just baked some fresh chocolate chip and oats cookies in the oven.
Dana had made a pan of her special recipe spaghetti and bolognaise. It was nice way to end the evening after a busy day at the café.
Everything seemed normal at the Cozy Cupcakes except, of course, a few chatters here and there from customers about who they think could have done it.
“Phil, the pharmacist? Why would you think that?”
Truffles curled around Dana’s leg in the kitchen and it warmed her heart. Just moments before, Truffles had already been given her evening meal and snack and pampered. Earlier she was laying by the fireplace in her kitty basket but she must’ve woken up by the sound of them in the kitchen.
“Hey sweetie. Did you have a nice nap?”
Truffles purred gently.
Dana smiled warmly.
Katie then reached down to stroke Truffles fur and Truffles purred even more with delight.
“You know, I overheard a few of the customers talking about Phil’s niece who dated Brad once, then he dumped her in such a humiliating way, online. On some social networking site. Could you imagine? I had heard about them dating but I didn’t realize it was like that. I guess everything’s coming out in the open now. You know how it is with small town talk.”
“Well, isn’t that something?”
“What’s something?”
“The fact that this Brad character made enemies with just about anyone and everyone like it was some sort of hobby. It’s crazy to think about really. But...” Dana paused momentarily, her thoughts spinning about what Katie had just said. “No, of course not. And I don’t think it’s Phil.”
“And why not?”
“Because where would the opportunity be? Sure, he had a motive. But what about opportunity?”
“That’s true. You have a point, Dana.” Katie scooped up a mouthful of spaghetti after twirling it with her fork and shoved it into her mouth. “Hmm, very tasty sauce,” she commented with her mouth full.
“Why, thank you, cuz. I’m trying out some of Grandma Rae’s recipes. Back in New York with the crazy hours I worked at the office, cooking meant picking up the phone and ordering, instead of picking up the frying pan.”
Katie laughed.
Dana scooped up a mouthful and placed it into her mouth. The taste of the sauce melted on her tongue. If she were being honest with herself, she really outdid herself this time. After she’d finished munching down on her food Dana said, “One of the bakers at the Baxter Bakery was at our café early that day.”
“She was?”
“Yes. I was wondering what she was doing there. But I just figured, she just wanted to taste one of our treats. No harm in an employee of a competitor stopping by for some breakfast just like everyone else, is there?”
“Do you think it could have been her?”
“I don’t know, cuz.”
“Or maybe Bianca’s mother set the girl up to it to spy on us. Or maybe it was Bianca who set her up to spy on us.”
“But why would Bianca or her mother set her up to do this?”
“I don’t know but I just heard Gerdie-Sue say something like Brad had something over Bianca and she couldn’t get out of the wedding so easy.”
“Really now?” Dana’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe her ears. It seemed like Brad had his share of those who wanted him out of the way. There was, unfortunate for him, no shortage of enemies there.
“Really,” Katie affirmed and nodded slowly.
“Well then that is a new development.”
Truffles left the dining room and kitchen and scurried away.
“I wonder what’s gotten into Truffs, there?” Katie said.
“I don’t know.”
Dana got up from the table scraping the heavy wooden Victorian-made antique chair on the tile of the kitchen. “Truffles.”
Truffles looked at the back door and hissed loudly.
“Truffles, sweetie, what’s wrong?”
Dana drew in a deep breath. Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched through the small window at the back as something moved in the bushes.
“Should we call the police?”
“It could be a raccoon or something.” Dana grabbed the long wooden broom from the corner and proceeded to open the back door.
“Dana!”
“Shh.”
Truffles ran out before Dana could stop her. Dana’s heart thrashed in her chest. “Oh, no. Truffles, come back!”
She feared for her kitty’s life and ran out after her. Dana tripped on something in the dark and fell over. The broom went flying and she could see that the rake had lifted up and wacked whoever it was in the bushes right in the head.
“Ow!” the man’s voice said and ran.
Dana heard Katie’s steps coming after her. The rest was a blur.
The police were there shortly after, looking outside for any clues.
&n
bsp; “So you said, you saw a man in the bushes?” Detective Evan clarified.
“Yes, well, no not quite.”
He sighed deeply and put his notepad away. “Dana, I really think it’s best that you leave the police work up to us. You should never have tried to approach a possible criminal by yourself. What would have happened if he’d confronted you with a weapon?”
“I had this.” Dana picked up her Grandmother’s antique wooden broom.
Detective Evan grinned and shook his head. “I hardly think you could stop a hardened criminal with that?”
Dana growled.
Detective Evan looked around the garden which was now lit up with the back porch lights. He kept looking at the bushes and pushing his hands through it. What was he looking for? Dana wondered. She also tried to observe him for any signs of head trauma.
Don’t be silly, Dana. Why would he be sneaking around in your garden late at night?
She sighed deeply.
After they finished their investigation, she was warned to stay out of trouble and leave everything to the police.
“By the way, we’re going to be needing you to stick around a while. You’re not planning on going out of town, are you?”
“No, why?”
“Good.”
After he left, Dana spoke to Katie in the study. “You know, until this thing’s been cleared up, we need to postpone the grand opening.”
“But why?”
“For one thing, we should at least wait until after the memorial service. I forgot to mention that Aunt Nia came by with the notice that was in the papers. I mean everyone in the town is still buzzed about the murder.”
“Isn’t that going to hurt sales?”
Dana shrugged. “I really don’t want anything to mar the feeling of the grand opening. We should really give it a bit of time. I just hope that everything goes well.”
“You and me both,” Katie said. “The economy is tight right now and this is the only job I have. I really need it to pay off my student loans. Mom and pops are not doing well right now, too.”
“I know,” Dana said, quietly. “I hear you, cuz. I really need this to work, too. I used up all my savings trying to keep things afloat.”
With those words, Katie, headed off to bed.
Dana then scooped up Truffles. “Truffles, my dear friend. What would I do without you?”
The kitty purred as Dana stroked her ginger mane.
Truffles was trying to warn her. She was glad to have her furry four-legged friend. Before dozing off to sleep, Dana entered some more notes about her recent mishap into her shiny silver aluminum friend, her MacBook Air which she simply referred to as Mac, and then dozed off to sleep.
But what she couldn’t help was that nagging feeling inside her of what else was hiding around the corner for her?
Chapter 9
The following week, most of the towns people met at the Keptons & Keptons Memorial House for Brad’s memorial service. The funeral home was filled with oak design interior and fresh flowers that adorned the hallways.
It was, as expected, very quiet and peaceful interior design. But Dana could tell as she walked in with Katie that there was nothing peaceful about the way most people felt.
She couldn’t help but overhear some of the whispers of the guests.
“I’m so glad he’s gone. The guy was a total menace.” One woman whispered to her friend.
Dana was aghast. She wondered why they had even bothered to come then since he was, as they had said, a total menace.
She tried to think of something positive to say.
But that was nothing compared to his viewing. She still couldn’t get over the fact that his fiancée insisted on the new drive-through viewing.
The drive-through viewing was a brand new service that was offered by Keptons & Keptons for busy mourners who’d rather drive through with a window of the coffin at the side of the building to view. It was just in time for his college mates from back where he was originally from to pull up to a drive through at the Keptons, who tried hard to be the most unique funeral home this side of town.
Apparently, when the front wheels of the vehicle pulled up to the side, the window blinds where his coffin would lay would open up so that those who want to say their farewell could do so.
Dana didn’t want to comment but she thought she would be mortified if anyone had done that to her.
Still, Brad was an unusual guy in life, she supposed. He liked to do things differently, didn’t he?
Dana couldn’t bear any more. She took her glass of orange juice and walked over to see the flowers when she noticed Bianca and her mother talking outside the reception area with another woman.
“Well, what’s done is done. It’s all for the best.”
“I know,” Mrs. Baxter said, stern. “At least it’s all over. Now the secret will be buried with him.”
“Mother!” Bianca protested.
“Oh, never mind, Bianca,” Mrs. Baxter attempted to pacify her. “It’s for the best and you know it. I’m just glad it’s all over now.”
“Yes, but mother. It’s his memorial. For goodness sake.” Bianca then stormed away from the conversation and before she knew it, Dana was hit by her as she bumped into her.
“You?” Bianca shouted. “What are you doing here? Haven’t you done enough with your poisonous cupcakes?”
“Now that’s not fair,” Katie came to Dana’s defense before she could say anything else.
“Bianca, I’m truly sorry about what happened to Brad.” Dana was genuinely heartbroken over the murder.
“I’ll bet you are. He told the truth about your tacky tactics and trashy cakes and you’re here now to gloat. Go away.”
“Is there a problem here, ma’am?” The funeral director came rushing to Bianca’s side bumping into a mourner. Rushing like a customer service manager to the aide of a high-paying customer. Mrs. Baxter later came out to see what all the commotion was about.
“I want these people out of here now. How dare they show up here?”
“We came to pay our respects, Bianca. But we’ll leave now.” Dana kept her voice as caring and calm as she could. She didn’t blame Bianca who after all lost her fiancé, though she wasn’t sure now after what she’d just overheard if it was as traumatic for her as it appeared.
Still, Dana really did want to keep the peace in there. The last thing she would want would be to be a crasher at a memorial, of all events.
She nodded politely and placed her glass of orange juice on the counter by the door before heading away with Katie. So much for wanting to support the bereaved.
There was something very odd about that whole situation. For instance, where on earth were Brad’s parents?
“Hey, is everything all right?” Detective Evan approached them in the parking lot of the memorial. “I’d like to have a word with you, Miss Sweet, if you don’t mind.”
“Yes, everything is...um...good, thank you,” Dana responded.
“You sure, now?” Evan arched a brow. His attention seemed focused on Dana.
Dana sighed. She didn’t want to get all emotional right now. But she couldn’t help but feel a little deflated after being thrown out of a memorial service.
“It’s just been a crazy morning, detective,” Katie offered. “Dana, I’ll be right over there if you need me.”
Katie then walked over to the car and left Dana alone with the detective.
“I understand.” Evan stroked the chin of his chiseled jaw. His handsome face showed a flicker of apprehension.
“Is something wrong, detective?” Dana asked, boldly.
“Well, I know I shouldn’t be telling you this but...well, it’ll be public information soon enough.”
“Tell me what?”
“Well, the lab saw traces of digoxin sprinkled on the cupcake.”
“Traces of digoxin?” Dana’s jaw fell open.
“Yes, ma’am. It was powdered down obviously and sprinkled on the cake. It�
�s not too hard to find out who has a prescription for the pill soon enough but I’ll appreciate you keeping that to yourself for now.”
“Of course.” Dana didn’t know what to think but she felt relieved that Evan trusted her enough to tell her this bit of information.
“You’re not thinking...”
“That you could have done it. We have a lead. But I’m not saying anything more on the subject for now. I’ll keep you posted. Troy and myself.”
“Of course.”
Dana swallowed hard. The reality hit her full force. So this confirmed it then. Brad really was poisoned and all sticky fingers were pointing to a frame-up!
Chapter 10
“What are you doing?” Katie asked her cousin.
Dana was curled up on the sofa in the grand living room by the fireplace later that evening. Her MacBook in her lap. She was keying in some words to try to figure out where to go next. It was really weird because she had her online mystery riddles website and this seemed like a page off her own website.
“Well, just like in the mysteries I create for my blog, I’m trying to see if I can fit the pieces of the puzzle together so that it at least makes a bit of sense.”
“Oh, how so?”
“Well, for one thing, I noticed that Mike had to have an early refill of his prescriptions.”
“So? What’s wrong with that?”
“Now, it didn’t quite hit me at first but then I realize that Detective Evan mentioned that Brad was poisoned by Digoxin.”
“Oh, my goodness. That’s that heart pill, isn’t it?”
“Precisely. Now, I spoke to Phil the pharmacist later that day when I went in for some headache pills.”
“And?”
“And I questioned him about his conversation with Mike.”
“And what did he say?”
“Well, he was good enough to trust where I was going with this as I had suspected something funny going on and how someone was trying to frame me. Luckily, Phil was a good friend of my grandmother so he was all too happy to help me out. He told me that Mike was acting a bit strangely lately. He purchased a pill crusher recently for his medication and Digoxin is a pretty tiny pill. It should be easy to swallow, right?”