A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery Box Set

by Kate Bell

  I came and sat at the table across from him. “Then why lie about where he was? So, tell me. What have you learned while out investigating on your own?”

  He shrugged. “Not much.”

  I gasped. “You’re hiding something from me! What is it?”

  He shook his head. “I am doing no such thing. What I want to know is, how much information are you giving Mr. Winters and Lucy?”

  “Don’t change the subject, Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome,” I said, leaning in toward him. I had done my best not to spill the beans too much with Mr. Winters, but it was harder with Lucy. If she was going to help me with part of the investigation, then she would have to know at least something. And besides that, she was my best friend, and I couldn’t keep things from her. She would know if I was withholding something.

  He tried to suppress a smile. “Answer me.”

  “All I’ve done is ask Mr. Winters if he knew the people in question. He filled me in on the rest. I never tell him what I know. Lucy knows, well, she knows. Now, what do you know?” I asked.

  “You need to be careful what you’re telling and who you tell it to. Meg Cranston had her husband cremated today and there will be no funeral,” he said.

  “What? Just like that? How could she do that, and wouldn’t his co-workers want to attend? Or family from out of the area? What about their son?” I could hardly believe it. Even if they were having marital problems, they had shared a life together and she had to have some good memories. Wouldn’t she want to celebrate the good things, even if it was just for their son’s sake?

  “That’s the way she wanted it, I guess. Let’s go take a look at my new office. I’ve got the key,” he said, holding up a single silver key on a yellow plastic key fob.

  ***

  The stairs to Alec’s new office smelled stale and mildewy. The stairs opened into a lobby that served the mayor’s office, Alec’s office, and four other offices that were unoccupied.

  The lobby had dark 1970’s paneling and green shag carpet and was furnished with brown naugahyde furniture that had seen better days. Alec’s office was directly across from the mayor’s and I thought that might irritate Bob Payne since he had a hate-hate relationship with us.

  Alec slipped the key into the door, and turned. The key stuck and Alec had to wiggle it back and forth several times before it finally caught and unlocked the door.

  “Looks like we need a locksmith in here to fix that,” Alec said as he swung the door open.

  “Wow,” we both said in unison.

  Part of the ceiling had collapsed and a pile of thick, soggy insulation and shredded ceiling tiles sat in the middle of the floor. The mildew smell was overwhelming.

  “Did it look like that when you saw it?” I asked, taking a few steps inside.

  “Nope. The snow from the other day must have done it,” he said, going over to look up at the hole in the ceiling. He sighed. “I think we have our work cut out for us.”

  “I’ll say,” I agreed. I took a look around the room. The walls were done in the same dark paneling as the lobby and a faux wood desk stood near the pile of collapsed ceiling. A couple of visitors’ chairs had been pushed up against the walls and a hanging light fixture was suspended in the corner.

  I headed over to the door on the other side of the room and turned the knob. The bathroom was tiny and smelled of rodents and more mildew. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to clean this place. My head throbbed with each breath I took.

  “All I need is a bouffant hairdo and it would be like stepping back in time nearly fifty years,” I said. “And now that I think of it, that’s not a bad idea. I could buy a mini skirt and get my hair done up and we could have a theme PI business. Just think of all the possibilities. The sixties and seventies had lots of PI shows on TV and we could dress like different characters each week.”

  “Oh, that would be lots of fun all right,” Alec said, kicking at the pile of insulation on the floor. “We’re going to need a shovel and rake to clean this stuff up. I guess we better make a list of things to buy.”

  “You’re no fun,” I said, walking over to where he stood. “We could have a blast doing this. I want to wear cat eye glasses and big thick eyelashes. We can play Alice Cooper and Janis Joplin music, and we can charge extra because it would be like no other PI business around.”

  “That’s because there are no other PI businesses around,” Alec said. “And you’re nuts, in case I haven’t told you that lately.”

  I leaned up against him and he put his arm around me. “I’m so glad you’re getting to do this. But I don’t really want to get my hands dirty. This place is disgusting.”

  “I know. But I’ve showed up on more than a few very early mornings to help you bake. Seems like it’s your turn to help me.”

  I sighed. “I guess you’ve got a point.”

  We had a lot of work to do. Work I really did not want to do. Maybe if I wore a dust mask, the place wouldn’t smell so bad.

  Alec’s phone went off and he pulled it out of his pocket. “It’s our friend Phil Jones,” he said, raising an eyebrow at me.

  Chapter Fourteen

  We hopped into Alec’s car and headed over to Phil’s house. He had said it was an emergency and Alec drove as fast as he dared. It was times like this that he needed one of those stick on sirens like Baretta used to have.

  He careened around a corner, and I screamed.

  “What?” he asked.

  “You’re scaring me! Slow down!”

  He grinned and pulled up in front of Phil’s house. “He said it was an emergency and you wanted to be an assistant PI. Let me know if you’ve changed your mind.”

  I gave him the evil eye and we got out of the car. Phil was standing on his front step, wringing his hands. It was cold out and he was in a t-shirt and stocking feet.

  “What’s going on, Phil?” Alec asked, all business now.

  “It’s Frito! He’s gone!” Phil said, his face twisting in pain.

  “What?” Alec asked.

  “Frito! He’s missing!” Phil repeated, looking at me and pleading with his eyes. A cold breeze kicked up and I wondered how he could stand to be out here without shoes or a coat.

  “You called us over here for your dog?” Alec asked.

  He nodded his head furiously. “He’s missing. He never goes missing. Something’s wrong!”

  Alec breathed out heavily. “You said it was an emergency.” Alec’s mouth formed a tight line.

  “It is an emergency! It’s Frito! Frito’s the only person that understands me! It’s extremely important that I find him before something dreadful happens to him!”

  I looked at Alec. He was staring at Phil, looking like he was trying to sort this thing out in his mind.

  “Frito? Frito’s your dog, right?” he asked for clarification.

  Phil nodded his head again. “That’s right. My Frito. My poor, poor Frito! And I know who took him!”

  Alec glanced at me.

  “Who took Frito?” I asked Phil.

  “That woman!” he said, pointing one chubby finger in Jenna Maple’s direction.

  I was afraid of that. Some neighbors just couldn’t find a way to get along.

  “Now, Mr. Jones. I think you’re getting carried away with this. When did you see Frito last?” Alec asked.

  “This morning when I fed him his Dog Chow. He ate half a cup, just like normal and then went to his bed and lay down and took his morning nap. Then, this afternoon when I realized I hadn’t heard anything from him for a while, I went to look for him. He’s gone,” he said. His bottom lip began to quiver on the last part. I felt bad for him. Some people really loved their dogs.

  “And what makes you think Miss Maples took him?” Alec asked.

  “She hates Frito. She’s always yelling at him through the fence. And, she teases him. She makes lots of noise when he’s out in the yard, daring him to bark. That’s why he gets so excited all the time. It’s because she teases him! She’s a ter
rible, terrible person.”

  “I see,” Alec said, glancing at the fence. “Is it possible he found a place to get out? Some dogs are escape artists. Maybe he found a place to get out and took a walk.”

  Phil shook his head. “No. My fence is secure. I’m quite sure of that. She had to have lured him out somehow and done who knows what to him.”

  The fence was six feet tall and solid wood without any spaces between the boards. Unless a board was broken somewhere along the bottom, it would have been impossible for Frito to escape.

  “How would she have lured him out?” I asked. If Frito couldn’t escape, it would be impossible for Jenna to lure him out unless she opened the gate, and I couldn’t see a gate.

  Phil breathed out hard through his mouth. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

  “Now, Phil, I didn’t say that,” I began, when Jenna stepped out onto her front steps. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the three of us without saying anything.

  “There she is! There she is! Ask her!” Phil said, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet and pointing at Jenna.

  “Ask me what?” Jenna asked.

  “Where’s my Frito?” Phil said, pushing past Alec and I and heading toward Jenna.

  Jenna curled her lip at him. “How would I know where that dog is?”

  “Now, let’s all discuss this civilly,” Alec said, trying to catch up to Phil. Phil may have been short legged, but he could move when he wanted to.

  Phil approached Jenna with one finger pointed at her. “I want my Frito back! You took him!”

  “You better get that finger out of my face,” Jenna said coolly. She hadn’t budged an inch from where she stood and from the looks of it, she wasn’t going to.

  Phil stopped short in front of her.

  “Now listen, I want you to calm down, Phil,” Alec said, stepping between the two of them. Phil took a couple of steps back.

  “Why don’t we all discuss this nicely?” I asked, stepping next to Phil. Phil’s face had turned dark red and I was worried he might have heart failure over his missing little dog.

  “I want my dog back,” Phil whined to me.

  “I understand, and we’re going to try and help you find him,” I said, more calmly than I felt. I was glad Alec was here or there might have been a brawl between the two of them and I was pretty sure Jenna would win.

  “He needs to stay off my property,” Jenna said. I looked at her. Her face was blank, but her words sounded like a threat.

  “You took my Frito!” Phil said.

  “I did not,” Jenna said calmly.

  “Give me back my dog!” Phil screamed, taking a step closer to Jenna.

  Alec put a hand against Phil’s chest. “Slow down, Mr. Jones.”

  “She has my dog! She’ll hurt him!” he pleaded.

  “We don’t have any proof she took your dog,” Alec said, trying to remain calm. This situation was spiraling out of control. I wondered if I was going to have to call for backup for Alec. I wasn’t sure I could do much to help Alec if Phil completely lost it.

  “I know you took him,” Phil said, looking at Jenna. “If I find proof, I swear, you will lose something that you value.”

  “Don’t you threaten me, little man,” Jenna snapped, narrowing her eyes at him.

  “Now, stop right there, Mr. Jones. You cannot go threatening anyone. If you continue, I’ll have to call the police,” Alec said.

  Phil’s cheeks puffed out and he took a step back, but never took his eyes off of Jenna.

  “Now, Miss Maples,” Alec asked. “Have you seen Mr. Jones’s dog?”

  “Nope,” she replied, not taking her eyes off Phil.

  “If you see his dog, you’ll be sure and tell him, won’t you?” Alec asked.

  “Sure,” she said.

  Alec turned to Phil. “We’ll contact animal control in case they’ve found him and we’ll keep an eye out for him, Mr. Jones.”

  “What?” Phil nearly exploded. “That’s it? That’s all you’re going to do? She has my Frito!” Spittle flew from his mouth.

  “Please, Mr. Jones, I need you to calm down,” Alec said. “Why don’t we go over to your house and have a talk?”

  “What? No. Why would you want to come over to my house?” Phil asked, wide-eyed.

  Alec narrowed his eyes at him. “To talk about your dog,” he said calmly.

  Phil shook his head, looking from Alec to me and back. “That isn’t necessary. I know who has my Frito. There’s nothing to talk about.”

  Phil suddenly turned and strode back to his house. We watched as he opened his front door a crack and slid inside and closed the door. The deadbolt could be heard clicking locked.

  We stood and stared at the door for a minute, then turned back and looked at Jenna. She still had her arms folded over her chest.

  “Do you have his dog?” I finally asked her.

  She sighed and rolled her eyes. “No. I do not have his dog. Do you both see what I’ve had to deal with here?”

  I nodded my head. I certainly did. Neighbors that poked and prodded at one another would never get along. Both were to blame for the trouble they were having.

  “Do you have any idea what might have happened to his dog?” Alec asked.

  “Not one idea,” Jenna said. “I swear, I can’t stand the dog, but I’m not cruel. I don’t have a beef with an innocent animal.”

  “I suggest you try and stay clear of Mr. Jones for the time being. If he gives you any trouble though, don’t hesitate to call the police,” Alec advised.

  “Oh, don’t worry. I won’t hesitate,” she said.

  I wasn’t sure how Alec felt, but I felt like we had our prime murder suspect in Phil Jones. The guy was out of control.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I took a deep breath, inhaling the clean air. The sky had finally cleared up and the air was fresh and clean. I was driving over to Lucy’s house to pick her up and a banana chocolate chip bundt cake sat on the seat next to me. We were going to pay Meg Cranston a visit. I just wanted to check up on her and drop off the bundt cake. Nothing says “thinking of you” like a bundt cake.

  Lucy was standing on the curb when I pulled up. She opened the door, picked up the cake and sat down. “We’re going on an investigation! Yay!” she said.

  “What happened to your hair?” I asked as she buckled her seatbelt one handed and closed the door.

  “Oh, the puce was nice, but Ed said it was giving him nightmares. You know how he is. So I thought I’d try royal blue. Only puce and royal blue make, well, something close to rotting meat green.”

  “Ah, well, um, it looks nice,” I said, pulling away from the curb.

  “Yeah. Sure. Thanks,” she answered. “This cake smells awesome. I love banana cake. So catch me up on what all has been happening.”

  So I did. I know Alec doesn’t like for me to tell all, but this was Lucy. She was my best friend and she knew how to keep a secret. As long as I specified that it was a secret, she would keep her mouth shut.

  “That Phil sounds like a definite suspect,” she said when I had finished telling her all that I knew.

  “Yup, he sure does.”

  We pulled up to Meg Cranston’s house and got out of the car.

  “I can’t believe she just torched her husband without a funeral or anything,” Lucy whispered.

  “Me either,” I whispered back. “Seems odd, if you ask me.”

  I rang the doorbell and held the cake in front of me.

  Meg Cranston was wearing a cute exercise outfit, complete with spandex pants and a nylon flowered top.

  “Hi, Meg,” I said. “I hope you don’t mind us stopping by, but I brought you a banana chocolate chip bundt cake. And this is my friend Lucy.”

  “Oh, hello,” she said to Lucy. “Come on in.”

  We followed Meg into the living room. There was a cardboard box with books in it sitting on the living room floor.

  “Would you like some coffee? We can try a p
iece of your cake. It smells really good,” she said.

  I nodded. “That sounds great,” I said. “I just wanted to check in on you, and see how you were doing. I’m so sorry about your husband.”

  She sighed. “It’s still hard to believe he’s gone. I’ve started packing my things. I can’t wait to be out of here. Let me get some plates.”

  “Let me help you,” I said.

  I followed Meg into the kitchen and helped myself to the plates and a knife. “I hope you like banana,” I said. “Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll handle this?”

  “Are you sure?” she asked.

  I nodded. “I’ve got this.”

  “Okay, well, cups are in that cupboard,” she said, pointing.

  She went to join Lucy in the living room and I poured the already made coffee into three cups. Meg had a neat kitchen done in red and white. The house was older and the kitchen was small.

  I found a tray in a lower cupboard and loaded it up with the coffee, cream, and sugar, then cut three slices of cake. The cake did smell good. I could smell undertones of real butter beneath the banana and chocolate. My grandmama used to make this very same cake for me when I was sad and it always brightened my day. I had spent the ninth grade breaking up with the same boyfriend six times and this cake had become one of my favorites. It took me most of the following summer to lose the ten pounds I had gained from this very recipe.

  “Here we are,” I said, carrying the tray into the living room.

  Meg gave me a tired smile. “Lucy was just telling me about your baking blog. That sounds like fun.”

  “Oh, it is,” I said. “There’s nothing I love more than baking.”

  “Do you work, Meg?” Lucy asked, picking up a cup of coffee.

  “No. I hadn’t been able to find anything here in Sandy Harbor. Before we left Florida, I worked in a bookstore. Spencer was the real breadwinner. I have started and stopped college more times than I care to admit. I always thought I would get into some career or other, but all I really ever did was take on low paying, meaningless jobs.”