Baked to Death (Cookies & Chance Mysteries Book 2)

by Catherine Bruns

  "You must help him then."

  "How can I help him when I don't even know where he is?"

  "The killer is setting your man up for this horrible crime. Someone who may have been at the bar that night he and Colin fought. Does it not seem a little convenient to you that Colin died that very same evening?"

  Goosebumps dotted my arms. "But Mike went to his hotel room. His fingerprints were found in the room."

  She shrugged. "His going to Colin's room made things much worse, yes. Mike only helped the killer by doing that."

  I sighed. "Everything looks so bad for him."

  Grandma Rosa nodded. "Listen, my dear. Stop this moping around, and use your head. You need to find out who did this."

  "But I don't know where to even begin."

  My grandmother handed me a napkin so that I could dry my eyes. "You will talk to Krista at the wake tomorrow. She was always a very nice girl, and you two got along well. Do not forget you are leaving for Florida the next day. Maybe you could drive over to Tampa with Josie, and ask some questions. Perhaps Krista would know whom you should speak to."

  I blew my nose. "Well, it's a start, I guess."

  "But above all, you must stop feeling sorry for yourself. Mike feels like the whole world is against him right now. When he returns, you must be there for him."

  "Then I definitely shouldn't go to Florida. I need to be here when he comes back. If he comes back."

  My grandmother growled. "You are not listening to me. Mike will come back. I know this. Remember he is used to handling his own problems. He has been taking care of himself since he was a little boy. All he ever got from his parents were beatings. He is a survivor. And he will be all right."

  "I just wish he'd answer and let me know he's okay," I whispered.

  "He will, cara mia. Give him time. He has to figure out what to do first. But never doubt his love for you. And you must not doubt yours for him, either."

  Gianna peered around the kitchen doorway. "Can I come back in now?"

  My grandmother nodded. "Yes, dear heart. All is good."

  "You okay?" My sister sat next to me.

  I leaned over to hug her. "I've been so wrapped up in myself that I didn't even ask how you were doing. The test is next Monday, right?"

  She clasped her hands together as if in prayer. "Both Monday and Tuesday. I can't wait to live again."

  My grandmother waved a hand in the air. "You worry too much. You have been studying for months. You will place it."

  "She means ace it," I said to Gianna.

  Gianna sighed. "If I don't know the material by now, I never will. So I'm volunteering to help with the shop while you and Josie are away."

  I was thunderstruck. "I can't ask you to do that. It's way too much."

  She shook her head. "I think it will be good for me to keep busy. And Grandma has offered to help, too. When she's not babysitting Spike, that is."

  Hearing his name, Spike bounded in from the kitchen, barking up a storm. We all laughed.

  Grandma Rosa nodded in approval. "He is a good boy. We need a watch dog around here."

  Some watch dog. I smiled as Spike got up on his hind legs to beg for a piece of lasagna from my grandmother. He knew he had already won her over.

  My grandmother tossed a scrap in the air toward him. "If Mike returns home while you are in Florida, he will be sure to come here to get the puppy dog. I will have a talk with him, too—whether he likes it or not."

  When Gianna nudged me, I grinned. Mike had always been a big fan of my grandmother. Then again, everyone was. If anyone could talk some sense into him, she could.

  Grandma Rosa patted my knee and went into the kitchen to get me a coffee. I glanced down at my phone hopefully. No new messages. When I looked up again, a steaming mug was being placed in front of me.

  I poured some cream into my mug. "I can't thank you both enough for the offer. It's too much to ask though. Maybe it would be better if Josie and I shut down the place for a couple of days."

  "How's the new girl working out?" Gianna asked. "She can help. Then there wouldn't be as much for Grandma to do."

  Grandma Rosa snorted. "I can handle that shop fine. I will run squares around you both on a bad day."

  "Circles," Gianna muttered under her breath.

  "What did you say?" Grandma Rosa asked.

  "Nothing," she mumbled.

  "I have my doubts about this new girl," I confessed. "I'm not entirely comfortable with her. And that's another reason Josie and I fought. She thinks that Mitzi is terrific, but there's something about her that bothers me."

  Grandma Rosa nodded. "I will keep an eye on her. Do not worry."

  Gianna's eyes bugged out of her head. "Wait a second. You and Josie had a fight? For real?"

  The doorbell rang, and Grandma Rosa gestured to Gianna. "Go see who that is."

  Gianna walked out of the room as I gave my grandmother another hug. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You've made me feel so much better."

  She kissed my cheek. "What would I do without you and your sister, my sweet girl? Everything will look better tomorrow. I promise."

  I reached for my phone. "I need to call Josie and apologize."

  "That won't be necessary." A voice came from the doorway.

  I whirled around to see Gianna and Josie watching me.

  Grandma Rosa eased herself out of the chair. "I will bring more dessert. Gianna, come and help."

  When they both left the room, I was alone with my best friend. I got to my feet and stared at her. A huge lump formed in my throat, and "I'm sorry" was all I could manage before the tears came.

  Josie rushed forward and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm the one who's sorry. I never meant to imply anything. I know Mike didn't do this."

  We stood together, sobbing into each other's shoulders, until Grandma Rosa came back in the room. "Okay. I am glad that this is all settled. Such good friends fighting makes me very upset. Now you two need to stop acting like a bunch of ninnies. Go to Florida, and win that contest."

  "Yes, ma'am," Josie grinned at her.

  Grandma Rosa patted the seat of my father's chair. "Josie, sit down here, and have some cheesecake with Sally."

  My appetite had returned, and I dug into my piece with a vengeance. "You told Josie to come over, didn't you?"

  "Of course." Grandma Rosa looked pleased as she tapped the side of her white head with her finger. "I always know best."

  Josie gave my grandmother a hug and a kiss and sat next to me. "Rosa, is it any wonder I adore you?"

  Grandma Rosa folded her hands on the table and watched us devour the cheesecake. "I always said you were very smart, Josie."

  After I had eaten my piece in record time, I pushed my chair back from the table. "I should take Spike outside for a few minutes. I'll be right back."

  I picked the dog up in my arms and trudged through the snow to my parents' fenced-in backyard. My father had cleared a path for the tiny dog earlier, so I let Spike down for a few minutes to do his business as I stared out into the frosty night.

  Several stars dotted the blackened sky. There was also a full moon, which gave me hope. Thanks to my grandmother, I was now slightly more optimistic about the future. As usual, she was right. I had to find a way to help Mike.

  My phone pinged. When I saw Mike's name on the screen, my heart stopped beating for a few seconds. The message was only eight words long, but it made all the difference.

  I'm okay. Need time to think. Love you.

  A tear of relief leaked out of my left eye and fell onto the screen. My fingers flew to type out the words, Please come home. Love you. I waited a few minutes, staring at the screen, not daring to breathe, but no new message appeared.

  In resignation, I returned the phone to my pocket, lifted Spike into my arms, and turned to go inside. A new determination had filled me. I was going to find out who had killed Colin and was trying to frame Mike. Nothing would stop me, even if I died trying.

  Lit
tle did I know how likely that might be.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  "Some employee," Josie mumbled as she scrubbed down the block table. "Works one day, and then she calls and asks for the next day off. Must be nice."

  "You were the one who wanted to hire her," I teased as I washed the last few bowls in the sink.

  Her face was somber as she glanced at mine. "I'll go put the Closed sign on the door. Do you want me to leave a little note saying the shop is closing early today due to a death in the family?" Josie's hands flew to her mouth. "Oh gosh, Sal. I don't know why I said that."

  I blew out a sigh. "It's all right. I'll probably hear all kinds of things like that tonight."

  The bells over the door announced we had another customer. Josie glanced at the clock. "We won't get there until after five at this rate. What time are your parents coming?"

  "Four thirty." I dried my hands on a dishcloth. "And my father wasn't happy about it. He hates going to wakes late."

  "Yoo-hoo," a voice called out as Josie and I both walked out to the storefront.

  A man about my father's age stood in front of the counter, covered casserole dish in hand. I'd seen him in the shop before, but his name escaped me at the moment.

  "Hey, Mr. Seymour," Josie said. "Sorry. We're getting ready to close."

  Mr. Seymour nodded and placed the dish on the table nearest to him. He reached for my hand. "My wife and I were so sorry to hear about your loss. She made this for you. Her specialty. Chicken and broccoli casserole. May God be with you at this terrible time."

  Josie and I exchanged horrified glances. We hadn't counted on this happening.

  "Thank you very much," I stammered. "It really wasn't necessary. You see—"

  He cut me off. "Funny, I didn't even know you were still married. I was going to fix you up with my son. He's a great catch. Well, maybe now, huh?"

  "Mr. Seymour," Josie interrupted. "Sally is not married."

  "Well, technically, no, she isn't anymore," Mr. Seymour agreed. "She's a widow." He stared at my jeans and woolen sweater in interest. "I guess modern-day widows don't do the mourning bit anymore, eh? Anyhow, when you're comfortable, we'd love to have Roger bring you over for dinner. After you and him go out a few times, of course."

  I couldn't stand it anymore. "I was divorced from Colin. Months ago. The obituary got it all wrong."

  He looked at me doubtfully. "Sure, honey. Whatever you say."

  "Thanks for stopping by, Mr. Seymour." Despite the biting cold outside, Josie ran to the door and held it open for him.

  Mr. Seymour grinned and took a step toward the door. "Good luck, dear. Remember, Roger's a great catch. And he won't last long on the market, either. I'm betting the ladies are all going to be lining up now that he got himself a job."

  Josie rolled her eyes in my direction. "Isn't Roger almost forty, Mr. Seymour?"

  He nodded eagerly. "Yeah, but it took him a while to find his calling. He's really liking the gig at the meat processing plant now."

  Mr. Seymour smiled at Josie as he walked past her. From the look on her face, I was afraid she might push him into the nearest snowbank. The bells jingled merrily with his departure.

  I let out a groan. "My God, I had no idea it was going to be this bad."

  "We'll just explain things to people at the service tonight," Josie said. "Don't worry. It will be fine."

  I threw up my arms in pantomime. "How is this going to be fine? My parents will cause a scene. Everyone will be talking about me. And Mike." I slumped into a chair. "I don't know how I'm going to get through this. I wish he was here." Then I smacked my forehead with the back of my hand. "What am I saying? He couldn't go with me even if he was here. Colin's relatives would drag him outside and lynch him."

  Josie sat across from me and patted my hand. "At least you know he's okay now. That's something, right? And your parents might be nuts, but they happen to love you very much. And so do I." She grinned. "No one's going to mess with you if I'm there."

  I knew the evening would be a disaster from the word go, but managed to laugh at her last statement. "Thanks, Jos."

  She examined her watch. "I'm going to run upstairs to freshen up. Or do you want to go first? I could stay down here and watch for your parents."

  "You go ahead." My cell started ringing from my jeans pocket, and I grimaced as Josie started upstairs. "Please let it be a wrong number."

  I stared at the screen. My former sister-in-law. I still had her contact information in my phone. This couldn't be good. "Krista?"

  "Hey," she said quietly. "The wake has started, and I wanted to warn you. People are asking why you're not here. My mother is getting very upset."

  My stomach churned. Because of nerves, I'd had no appetite and hadn't eaten all day. Instead, I'd consumed six cups of coffee today and was starting to think a nip of something stronger might help take the edge off. "I'm on my way. We'll be there by five thirty. I'm so sorry, Krista."

  "Oh, I'm not blaming you." She paused and then exhaled a deep breath. I guessed she was outside the funeral home, inhaling a cigarette. I'd always been fond of her but hated the fact that she smoked around her kids. "Sal, I'm the one who's sorry. I had no idea my mother was going to list you in the obit. If I'd been there, I would have talked her out of it."

  "She went by herself?" I couldn't believe that Elizabeth's children would have trusted her to make funeral arrangements alone when she was in such a fragile state.

  Krista blew into the phone. I could mentally picture her sucking the life out of that cigarette. "Kyle was with her, but it's pretty much the same as if I'd let her go alone. He's another one who only cares about himself." She paused. "It'll be good to see you. Let me warn you though. People are not thinking kind thoughts about you. I've tried to explain, but no one wants to listen."

  I looked up to see my mother, father, Gianna, and Grandma Rosa waiting at the front door. I walked over to unlock it and let them in. "Thanks for the tip. I'll see you soon." I disconnected.

  My father pointed at the case. "We all need fortune cookies, Sal. Break them out."

  I groaned. "Dad, if you want one, that's fine. But I have no desire to see what else is in store for me this evening. Krista just called. It seems people are lying in wait at the funeral home to crucify me."

  "This is crazy," Gianna remarked. "Maybe you should bring your divorce decree with you and staple it to your forehead."

  That brought a smile to my lips. "It's tempting, but I only want to get in and out of there. You know, pay my respects and then leave."

  My mother's nostrils flared. "They'd better not start anything with you. I'll set them straight."

  My father swatted her behind. "That's my girl."

  "Good grief." Gianna glared at our parents and went behind the display case to grab a piece of waxed paper. She handed a fortune cookie to my father and opened another one for herself. My mother and Grandma Rosa declined.

  "Come on, Grandma," Gianna said. "They're fun."

  Grandma Rosa frowned. "They are not fun. Those cookies bother me."

  I felt myself shiver inwardly. "What do you mean?"

  As her gaze met mine, she smiled. "It is nothing. Sometimes they are a little rough on my stomach. That is all."

  I wasn't so sure that was what she really meant but didn't press the issue. We could get into this later. "How's Spike? Do you want me to bring him back here tonight?"

  Grandma Rosa shook her head. "He was napping when we left. Leave him at the house. It is silly for you to bring him back over so early tomorrow morning before the plane ride."

  My mother smoothed the short leather coat she was wearing. It came down to about mid-thigh on her, and I could see no signs of a skirt underneath. I winced, wondering how short the outfit she had on really was. My mother had fabulous legs, and I couldn't blame her for wanting to show them off, but tonight was not the time. In addition, she wore black stockings and four-inch stiletto heels.

  "Mom, aren't you freezing?" I aske
d. "Plus there's ice on the sidewalks outside."

  She brushed my comments aside. "I'm fine, honey. I'm used to walking in heels in all kinds of weather."

  My grandmother looked at her daughter in disdain. "You should have dressed more practically. There are going to be many people who have it in for Sally tonight because of that shameful obituary, and you are not helping."

  My mother pulled a lipstick from her pocketbook. "Oh, pooh. They're not going to bother my baby. I won't let them."

  Gianna broke her cookie open and read, "Just breathe. You know more than you think." She put the slip in her coat pocket. "Well, this makes me feel a little better about the exam."

  "You'll do great, honey." My father grinned as he read his. "Holy cow. I don't believe this."

  My grandmother shook her head while I braced myself for my father's newest fortune. "What does it say, Dad?"

  He nudged my mother, who leaned over his shoulder to read the strip. They looked at each other, and both laughed together at some private joke.

  Gianna put her hands over her ears. "If it's sex related, I don't want to know."

  Dad chuckled, and my mother smiled while he read the strip aloud. "It says, 'You deserve a break today.'"

  I was confused. "Okay, that's nice."

  "You're retired. Every day is a break for you," Gianna said.

  He put the slip of paper in his pants pocket and put his arm around my mother. "We were going to wait until tomorrow to tell you, but now's as good a time as any." He nodded to Josie, who had reentered the room. "Your mother and I have decided we are coming with you tomorrow."

  Josie gasped audibly behind me while I reached for the back of the chair to steady myself. "G-going where? You don't mean—"

  My mother's face was glowing. "That's right, honey. I just booked us two tickets on a flight to Orlando. And we'll be staying at the same hotel as you and Josie. The flight you're on was booked, so we'll be there a couple of hours later. Won't this be fun?"

  I counted to ten before I said anything. Everyone else in the room was silent. Gianna glanced at me with pity while Josie stared at the floor.