Squeezing his mouth together, trying to hold back tears, he nodded. “Either, she tried the same trick on him, tried to blackmail him, or he found out what she was trying to do to me.”
“You two are best friends, right?”
“We are. We’ve been buddies ever since he moved into the area and joined the congregation.”
Bert tapped her foot on the carpeted floor. “Why do you think Talia got to him as well?” Then the realization swept over her, sending a shock through her system. “Wait. Are you saying you think this was murder?”
He squeezed the pew in front of them tightly, his knuckles turning white. “I hate to think of it, but maybe the guy who I’ve always considered my best friend is the one who killed Talia.”
CHAPTER 10
* * *
The next morning, Bert used a small paring knife to slice out shapes from the rolled-out pie dough, creating multiple triangles and jagged smiles for the larger sized jack-o’-lantern pies she was planning on serving at the shop that same day. It was the Saturday before Halloween and she was expecting it to be one of her busiest days yet.
She arrived extra early that same morning (despite her stressful night) to finish decorating the shop, an added touch to draw the readers in. Every bookshelf, table, and counter was covered in fake cobwebs with plastic spiders crawling through them. Rubber bats hung from the rafters of the high ceiling and plastic jack-o’-lanterns were hidden in various spots around the store, each with a flickering LED candle inside. This gave the small reading nooks a special atmosphere for customers who wanted to snuggle up with a spooky story and a slice of pie.
Additionally, her display shelf in the dining area—where she always had a featured set of books—was made up of all horror novels and classic gothic fiction she had handpicked. An orange and black banner said, Get Scared into Reading a Good Book.
Setting the facial cutouts aside in the fridge to keep them chilled, she pulled out the pie crust she had in there along with the filling. Carefully, she scooped the cool filling into the shell and spread it out evenly. The scent of cinnamon and cloves hung on the air, bringing a sense of calm to Bert.
The events from the evening before seemed like a blur, and she felt confused about the many conflicting things she had learned. She’d tossed and turned most of the evening as she considered whether this was truly a murder case or just one horrible accident.
If it was murder, did Talia’s supposed flirtatious actions have anything to do with it.
Was it possible that Kay really had planned this whole thing carefully?
Bert shook her head as she slipped the pie into the warm oven. She refused to believe that he was responsible. He was as an upstanding member of the congregation as Peter was. Both men contributed more time and service than any of the other members, except for the Pastor.
Almost as if someone were reading her mind, the phone began to ring. Bert quickly answered it, Pies and Pages, this is Bert speaking.
“Bert, it’s Kay from the zoo.”
“Kay,” Bert exclaimed, strangely surprised that he was calling so early. “It’s only six in the morning. What are you doing calling at this hour?”
“I knew you’d be awake and at the pie shop. Carla told me you’re there by five every morning.”
“I suppose so, but what about you?”
He let out a tired and audible groan.
“That bad, huh?”
“I’m not sure how it could be worse, Bert. I just needed to talk to someone, and I didn’t know anyone else who was awake.”
“I understand.”
“Besides, I know you’re at least one of the people who has a better understanding of everything that’s going on.”
Wiping her hands off on her apron, she switched the phone to her other ear. “I have an idea. If you’re not too busy, and your wife doesn’t mind, maybe you could come in and have a slice of pie and cup of coffee on the house. We can sit and talk about the whole thing then.”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll just leave Boka a note telling her where I’m at and that she can join me when she gets up.”
“Okay, good. See you soon.”
* * *
Bert was just pulling a cinnamon apple pie, a cherry pie, and a jack-o’-lantern pie out of the oven when there was knocking at the glass door. Quickly setting the pies down on the cooling rack, she darted over to and let Kay in. “Hey, come on in.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate this,” he said stepping past the threshold and limping around the tables.
“It’s my pleasure,” she replied, not mentioning how she had her own confusions and concerns about Talia’s death she wanted cleared up.
“Hey, this place looks pretty snazzy,” he commented, looking around at the array of decorations around him.
Slipping behind the counter, Bert couldn’t help but smile. “Yep, I’ve been here since four this morning decorating and cooking. I think today is going to be one of the busiest of the season, so I wanted it all to be as appealing as possible.”
Walking over to the book display, Kay looked over the titles and picked up the paperback collection of Poe. “I always enjoyed The Black Cat. It gave me nightmares as a kid. I swore I could hear a cat in my wall, meowing away.”
Bert couldn’t help but laugh as she pulled a jack-o’-lantern mini pie out of the warmer.
“I’m serious. I woke up my parents. I was dead certain that a body was walled up in there.” He chuckled himself. “How much?”
“Four dollars.”
“I’ll take it,” he smirked, digging into his pocket and producing his wallet.
“Oh, thank you. I guess I’ll need to find another book to fill that slot on the shelf.”
“I figured, you’re giving me free pie and coffee, I might as well offer you some compensation.” He flipped the wallet open, grabbing a five out and handing it to Bert. “Keep the change.”
“Thanks,” she said, taking the money.
“Did you hurt your hand?” she asked, noticing the gauze bandages.
“Oh this? I caught it on one of the cages at work and it cut me clean open. I had to have a few stitches.”
“Was it like that last night?” she asked, setting the pie on the table. “I’ll grab you a coffee really quick.”
“Thanks. But yes, it was like this. I just had a smaller bandage on it. It started bleeding again, so I took the liberty of wrapping it.” He sat and smiled at the pie. “This is cute.”
“It’s one of the leftovers from the trunk-or-treat last night. Needless to say, I have quite a few left over after the . . . incident.” She poured the coffee from the carafe into two mugs and walked over to the table. While there was still a lot of work to be done before the shop opened, she was grateful for the little break.
“That’s actually what I wanted to talk about.”
“Everything that happened last night?”
He nodded.
“I figured as much,” she affirmed, sipping from her own mug and enjoying the dark flavors. She preferred her coffee black above all else.
Sighing, his shoulder dropped. His genial demeanor melted, showing how he was really feeling. “You know, I could lose my job.”
“No, you’re kidding,” she gasped, setting her mug down.
“I’m on temporary probation while they decide if they’re going to keep me on or not.”
“What for? Because the snake got out?”
Picking up the fork, he cut into the steaming hot pie. “That’s exactly right, and we weren’t able to track the animal down last night. I spoke to Karson at animal control and they’ve not had any better luck.”
Bert felt a shiver running down her spine just imagining that huge twelve-foot thing somewhere out there among the buildings and trees of Culver’s Hood. How long before it hurt, possibly killed, someone else? “That is disturbing,” she admitted.
“I couldn’t agree more. I know firsthand what kind of power one of these snakes has.” He patted his ba
d leg.
Bert’s jaw dropped wide. “You were bitten by a black mamba?”
“It’s why I stopped working overseas and became a zoo handler.”
“But you’re not dead?” she asked, feeling kind of silly for having to even bring it up.
He half smirked, obviously remembering a memory that was both harrowing and exciting all at once. “It got me right in an artery, so the wound bled like mad. The doctor’s believed I only survived because the bleeding flushed out the poison before it could get to my heart.”
Bert leaned back in her chair, unaware of just how interesting a life Kay had up to this point.
“Of course, it didn’t leave me without a present. There was nerve damage afterwards, either because of the wound itself or the poison, I never learned.” He patted his leg. “Either way, I now have a nice limp to remind me of just how dangerous those snakes are.”
“And yet you still worked with one on a daily basis at the zoo.”
“That wasn’t so hard. Besides, I love my work. One little snakebite isn’t going to hold me back.” Suddenly, his smile faded again, remembering that his job was on the brink of self-destruction.
“I’m sorry. I hope they allow you to stay on.”
“Me too. That detective of yours breathing down my neck doesn’t help either.”
Bert breathed out heavily, shaking her head. “He stopped by?”
“Last night. He insisted on talking to me about what had happened at the trunk-or-treat, like I had something to do with the whole thing—like I let out the snake on purpose or something. I have no idea where he got that in his head.”
Bert knew exactly where Detective Mannor had gotten that idea. Peter had probably shared everything he’d said to Bert with the detective as well. She knew Peter would never want to purposefully point the finger at his best friend, but he may have done just that inadvertently. She chewed her bottom lip, wondering if she should ask the next question. “Did you have any kind of relationship with Talia Grundy?”
“What?” Kay blurted out, being taken by surprise. “What the heck do you mean by that?”
“I mean were you friends, acquaintances, more than that?”
Turning his head, he looked at Bert sideways. “I’m happily married, Bert. I’m not interested in an affair.”
“But what about as friends?”
She shook his head. “I barely knew the woman. Why?”
“Just something Peter said.”
“Peter?” he exploded, his face flushing red.
Bert hesitated. “Are you okay?”
“What did Peter say about me?”
Bert nervously rubbed her feet together, feeling like she’d hit a tender spot. “I thought you guys were friends?”
“We were, but Mr. Hollier-Than-Thou has a habit of saying things about me that I don’t care for. What was it this time?”
She put up her hands defensively, totally caught off-guard by this outburst. “Nothing about you, really. He claimed Talia had just made a pass at him.”
There was a moment of thought in Kay’s face that Bert couldn’t read. “Oh, he said that?” he asked, his anger receding slightly.
“Yes, he was worried that she’d tried the same thing on you.”
Leaning back in his chair, he folded his arms. “No, not at all. Nothing like that happened.”
Bert let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, I understand.”
Suddenly, Kay squinted. “Why would he say that?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure,” she lied.
Realization overcame him and he closed his eyes, shaking his head. “I see. He was worried I tried to kill her?”
Bert couldn’t but help but nod. “He would never want to accuse you of anything, but it was a thought he’d had.”
“I bet.”
“Did something happen between you two?”
“Why did he say it? Because I’m the zoo keeper over the snake house? Well, I’ll tell you something, Bert. Peter may not be a zoologist, but he does know how to handle snakes. I should know. I taught him.”
Bert’s jaw dropped open. “You did?”
All the anger seemed to finally flow out of Kay and transform into a subdued sadness in its place. “Yeah. He was really interested in what I did for work, so I showed him. He volunteered at the zoo every week just so we could spend time together and I could share all about the snakes. I never let him handle the really dangerous snakes, but he knows all the protocols and he’s practiced on the less venomous snakes.”
Bert blinked a few times. “He didn’t mention that.”
“I’m not surprised.” Sitting forward again, he picked up his fork and stabbed into the pie, taking a bite.
“I’m sure this whole thing is just one big misunderstanding. It’s a tragedy that Talia died, but I’m not sure we should go around blaming anyone. Peter is probably just scared and Detective Mannor will see that there is nothing to investigate soon enough.” Although she knew she was saying the words, she just didn’t honestly believe them. More and more, there seemed to be something fishy going on here.
“Well, I hope you’re right, especially since I’m not the one who let that snake out.”
This caused Bert to pause. “What do you mean?”
“When I’m working, I’m thorough—very thorough. Ever since my injury, I never take chances unless I have to. I always double and triple check the cages.” He shook his head, setting his fork down.
“So, you mean . . .?”
“I think someone else let him out. Either that, or stole him on purpose.”
“But who? Who else has access to those cages?” she asked.
Kay pointed with his fork. “Peter may not have a key, but he was at the zoo last night before the trunk-or-treat. He was taking a bunch of plastic novelty snakes I always hand out to kids during presentations. I offered them to him because I thought all the children at church might enjoy them as handouts, but not because I was on great terms with him.”
“And you think he let the snake out.”
“There were a few minutes that I was not in the room with him, I was looking for the snakes. He could have easily let the black mamba out while I was gone.”
CHAPTER 11
* * *
The entire day had gone by in a blur of orange and blacks. All sorts of families and groups of teens had come into the shop for a slice of pie, and Bert had sold more books than ever before, thanks to her Halloween display rack. She’d had to refill it multiple times with other spooky titles.
The adults liked the classics such as Poe, James, Dickens, and Lovecraft. However, most of the teenagers were looking for something darker and scarier to read—something with gore.
Bert wasn’t completely familiar with works in these veins, but she managed to find some good tales to sell them. She was just glad to see the younger generation even picking up books instead of tablets, smart phones, or computers.
Bert was working on refilling the display again, this time with some more violent tales, as they seemed to be selling the best.
“They still haven’t found the black mamba,” Carla declared as she walked into the shop around four in the afternoon.
“You’re kidding?”
“I wish I was, but I’m not. I just talked to that Karson fellow myself on the phone. I guess his team is regrouping to figure out where the snake may have hidden. The zoo is helping, too, of course.”
“Well, I’m sure it’s not like tracking a big bear or something. I mean, this is a snake we’re talking about. Also, it’s been chilly here and its cold blooded, right? Doesn’t that mean it’ll hide out in someplace warm?”
“I’m sure they’ve thought of that. They’re experts, you know?”
Bert added the last book to fill out the Halloween book display, taking a step back and examining it, but not really looking. Tapping her foot, she thought out loud. “They should have Kay help out. He’s the expert on the thing.”
“That’s what I said,
but I guess because of his probation, the zoo doesn’t want him involved. I assume they have any information animal control might need.”
“That’s true, but no one has the firsthand experience that Kay does. Heck, he was bitten by one when he was working in Africa.”
Carla gasped, putting a hand over her mouth. “Really?”
“Yes. That’s why he has a limp, actually. He told me all about it this morning.”
“Wow,” Carla said, sitting down at a nearby table.
“You want a slice?”
“Sure thing. Got any more of those cute jack-o’-lanterns left?”
“Plenty,” she sighed, heading over and pulling out another one from the warmer. “Luckily, all the kids who’ve come in today are enamored with these little pies, so I’ve made up for what I didn’t hand out last night in sales.”
“Are you going to make more for Tuesday?”
“Definitely. I assume you’re participating in the Old Market trick or treat?”
“You’ve got it, but maybe I should hand out candy over here with your pies. I mean, my Christmas shop doesn’t really flow with the whole spooky theme.”
Bert set the pie and a fork down in front of her friend. “You could just do a spooky Christmas tree or something.”
“Maybe, but I love the atmosphere of your place so much better for Halloween.”
“Well, whatever makes you happy,” Bert said, sitting down at the table.
There were only a few customers in the shop and they were all browsing books. Things would pick up again around dinner time in an hour.
“So, does Detective Mannor seriously think this was a murder?” Carla asked, sliding the first tasty bite into her mouth.
“Who knows? I’m beginning to wonder myself.”
“You’re not serious, are you?”
Bert shrugged. “I respect Peter and Kay, but they are both acting a little weird, if you ask me.”
“Peter and Kay? There is no way it’s one of them.”
Killer Halloween Pie Page 5