Chocolate Cadavers

by Constance Barker

  “Thank you both.” I wasn’t sure how helpful the cops would be to me now, but hopefully they wouldn’t use the investigation against me when it came to my bakery being robbed. “Is anything missing?”

  “We took inventory and everything is accounted for except for that display that fell over.” Scooter confirmed. “I guess they heard the alarm going off or something and backed out.”

  Although I believed them, I combed the shop myself. They seemed to be right, all of the money was in the register and all of the supplies and baked goods were still there. However, I got a hunch that the robber wasn’t looking for cookies.

  “Whoever came in here might have been looking for the photos of Daniel and Angie.”

  Masie gasped. “You think the murderer was here?”

  “I know the murderer was here, and I can’t believe they’ve gone this far. At least we know that the murderer is someone that knows about the pictures.” I stroked my chin as I tried to piece the evidence together.

  “Maybe it was someone in the pictures that didn’t want them getting out. We know it can’t be Daniel,” Scooter said.

  As much as it hurt to put her there, Angie was already on my suspect list, and this event didn’t help her status. “Good point, but it could still be anyone. Maybe the same person who broke into the Grove house.”

  The color drained from Masie’s face. “Someone broke into the big house? Coco, you’re in over your head you’re not safe anymore.”

  “You should tell Logan,” Scooter urged.

  “You should tell Detective Spinner,” Masie added.

  My blood boiled. “I would, if Detective Spinner hadn’t arrested Logan yesterday.”

  The other two looked at me sadly and silently until Masie found words. “So that’s why you were so out of it. I’m so sorry Coco.”

  “The only thing left to do is solve this case myself. You’re right, I am in too deep. But with Logan gone, it’s all up to me.”

  “How do you plan to do that?” Masie challenged, and I shook my head.

  “I wish I knew. But I do know that whining to Detective Spinner is going to have nothing to do with my plan. I’ll think about it while we finish cleaning up.”

  Everyone agreed to clean up the remaining glass and start revamping the display. I went through different plans in my mind, but kept coming to Detective Spinner. However, since his strategy was locking Logan up and throwing away the key, I knew I had to prove that the murderer was still afoot although Logan was behind bars.

  Chapter 24

  Of course, while all this was happening, I still needed to keep control of the Harvest Festival. I couldn’t let Masie and Scooter down just because it felt like the world was crashing around me. I didn’t have the time for that.

  Ignoring the concerned looks from my employees, I gathered them around a table and laid out the rest of the plan.

  “Alright. Masie, you’re taking point on sugar decorations and the cookies. Scooter’s going to get to work on prepping the filling and pie crusts for the sweet potato pies. And I’m...well, I’m going to figure out how much mousse we need and make sure we’ve got space in the walk-in cooler. And,” I said, remembering, “I’m going to find out about a rental cooler with racks in it for ease of transport.”

  Scooter nodded and disappeared into the kitchen in search of pie dough. Masie watched me for a minute and I gave her the best encouraging smile I could manage. She leaned in and gave me a one-armed hug but didn’t say anything else.

  I was grateful. I think I was one kind word away from a breakdown but for the moment I was holding strong.

  For the next several hours, we worked diligently and didn’t have too much to say to each other beyond quick questions and quiet groaning on Scooter’s part as he worked his way slowly through dozens of mini pie crusts.

  I must have zoned out at some point because it took a moment to register the voices coming from the front of the shop. Wandering out to the front, I wiped my hands on my apron and saw Laurel, red-faced and loud walking in with a trio of people. After a second, I recognized them as the Harvest Festival Committee and my heart dropped.

  Laurel caught sight of me and rushed up to the counter. “The Committee,” she said, with more spite than I had ever heard in her voice, “wants to cancel the order for the Harvest Festival. And revoke your booth permit.”

  I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as one of the men came up and cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for the short notice Colleen, but the committee has decided to take our business elsewhere. The Harvest Festival is a very public event for the city and any...connection to this terrible mess with Daniel will bring a shadow over the whole thing.”

  To my credit, I managed to let him finish his whole spiel before I spoke loudly over him. “And I’m sorry, sir that you and the rest of the committee are so concerned with appearance that you don’t bother to form your own opinions or even take into consideration the actual people that make up the town. We have been working all week on these pastries and even now are mid-way through preparations for your order. If you think I’m going to just sit down and let you run my business into the ground because you think the town’s own officer is even remotely capable of the things you’re suggesting and that my relationship with him is worthy of cancelling such a huge order on such short notice, you—!” I had run out of air. “You have another think coming.” I finished, rather lamely.

  Luckily, Laurel stepped in for me. “If you cancelled the order, you would have to pay at least half the cost which would take out of the budget for anyone else you would get. Assuming anyone else in town is even willing to take business away from Coco. Plus, I’m sure Clive would love the opportunity to share the biased committee practices against the friend of a man who hasn’t even been put to trial. You have to at least give it a couple more days.”

  The short man in front of me looked as though he had swallowed his tongue and when he glanced backward at the other committee members, they had no support for him at all. He cleared his throat again and tapped a finger on the counter. “Consider this notice. We will cancel our order in three days if the...situation hasn’t changed.” He exited as quickly as he could, waving off my objection.

  Laurel puffed out a frustrated breath and gestured after them. “Can you believe that? What a bunch of chumps, that’s completely unfair.”

  I groaned and collapsed over the counter towards her. “It’s impossible. Spinner isn’t even looking for another suspect. And three days? I’m supposed to plan for both continuing the Festival and getting our order cancelled?” I glared at the door of the shop and pulled out my phone. “Time for an emergency meeting.”

  Rose showed up quickly, and after a few choice words about the committee she asked. “So what are you going to do?”

  I looked around at Masie and Scooter. Laurel had left before Rose arrived after a bit more sympathetic anger. “I can’t do both. So we force the issue. Solve the murder quick and I can get back to my regular pastry panic. Let’s go through suspects.”

  “Angie,” Masie offered. “And Sam. They both had things to hide.”

  Rose ticked off on her fingers, “Clive or Laurel. If Daniel was abusive towards her, she might have fought back.”

  Scooter jumped in, “But she did just argue for you for the festival. Clive is a jerk, through and through. Why was he around with a camera, right? I mean, that's pervy.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, but we’re not deciding based on who we like, we’re basing off of who was willing to murder Daniel. And I think the person I’m most suspicious about is Alric. There’s still something I’m missing about him and he’s where I’m going to start.”

  We talked for another couple minutes but my mind was made up. We held hands tightly for a moment before I stood from my chair. “Alright, Masie? If I’m not in touch within an hour, call the police. Tell them I went to talk to Alric Hoffstedter at Down Home Real Estate.”

  I felt a little as though I was walking into battl
e as I left my friends sitting in the well-lit and sweet smelling bakery and got into my car. But Logan was in trouble and my business was in trouble and apparently, I was the only one willing to fix it.

  Chapter 25

  I made my way over to the real estate office so I could confront Alric, and on the way over, I mentally went over how I would justify things and get past Laurel. Lucky for me though, when I got to the office she wasn’t there, so I was able to simply barge straight in.

  Alric looked up from his desk with a smirk and a cocked brow, clearly surprised by the fact that I had come over and was so purposely walking in towards him. He smiled at me pleasantly and I sneered, and I splayed my palms flat on his desk and glared at him as I spoke.

  “Alric, I’m here because I think you killed Daniel and are trying to frame Logan for it, so I want to prove that.”

  Straight and to the point seemed like the best method in that situation.

  He gasped and looked honestly shocked, his eyes going wide as he stammered and shook his head. I wasn’t about to let him spew out a bunch of excuses though so I cut him off and shook my head.

  “No, you don’t get to speak until I’m done. Listen Alric I know about it all.”

  “All what?” he asked incredulously, chest heaving. “You sound insane.”

  “I’ll tell you what. The thefts from your company, the fact that I know you like Laurel and hate the fact that Daniel didn’t treat her well, not to mention the fact that Daniel promised you that you could look through my house that my Aunt left me.”

  He started to sputter and stammer, his voice wavering.

  “Coco, I don’t know what you think-”

  I cut him off with a wave of my hand, and shook my head.

  “No, Alric, I don’t want any lies. I’m done with hearing excuses.”

  He scoffed and glanced around desperately, clearly hoping that someone would barge in and interrupt my visit.

  “I’m not giving you excuses, I swear.”

  “Oh really?” I snapped, eyes narrowing as I leaned in. “Then why did you break into my house the night that I was there? You don’t think that I know it was you, and that you were coming to take me out of the picture so I didn’t bring your guilt to light?”

  He huffed and shook his head, looking like he was disgusted.

  “Coco what are you even going on about?”

  “Listen Alric, the person who broke in was using a key that only I and the real estate people had. And guess what? You’re the one in the real estate office.”

  He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly stressed and I felt a bit of smug pride wash over me as I watched him mentally flounder and try to figure out what to say. I had caught him red-handed, obviously, and I couldn’t wait to drag him off to the police.

  Or so I thought, until he spoke.

  “Coco,” he said it firmly and looked me in the eye. “I don’t know why you think I would do this, but this wasn’t me. Honestly I’m offended that you think this poorly of me.”

  I just squinted at him and waited for him to continue, which he did after a few seconds of gathering his thoughts.

  “Coco, I didn’t kill Daniel and I can prove it. I was at the local pound, getting my latest adoption settled into my place. I was dealing with a representative there who can confirm that, and I’m sure they have security cameras to back up what I’ve said.”

  I stared at him for a moment to see if he was bluffing, but he almost seemed genuine. If he was guilty I would have seen the sweat on his brow, his chest heaving and his eyes darting all over the place looking for an escape. I saw none of that. Before I could say anything else though, he continued.

  “Look I’ll admit that I had interest in your Aunt’s—in your house. It would have been mine, but your Aunt won it off of my grandfather in a gamble.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing: my house was supposed to go to Alric? How did that make any sense? He clearly saw the confused look on my face and continued, shrugging.

  “I know how crazy it sounds, but it’s true. Your Aunt and my grandfather used to bet and gamble together frequently, and she regularly lost. My father assumed it was because she was a terrible gambler and never weighed her odds correctly. So, when she bet her wedding ring and my father bet the house, he figured it was a sure win.”

  He shrugged his shoulders with a heavy sigh.

  “Turns out your Aunt was fooling everyone, and had been losing on purpose to bait my father into betting something she wanted. The house. The reason I broke in, was because I wanted to find papers that linked my family to the ownership. I wanted a piece of my family’s history.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing and I stared back at him in disbelief, shaking my head. The whole situation was a mess and I didn’t really know what to make of it, or even which answers I was looking for anymore.

  “Why wouldn’t you just come and talk to me? Why go through all this trouble and sneak around? I would have checked for you, Alric.”

  “Honestly, my grandfather painted your family out to be awful, so I assumed that you were just like the rest of them and wouldn’t have given me the time of day.”

  Couldn’t I just have one day where I wasn’t trying to solve some backwards logic and feud between people?

  “Alright Alric, I’m going to go and confirm your alibi with the shelter, so don’t leave town.”

  “I wasn’t planning on it.”

  He gave me a look that made me doubt everything I’d thought up to that point, and I sighed as I made my way out of the office.

  I needed to sort this out, and I needed to do it fast.

  Chapter 26

  After leaving the real estate office I quickly drove over to the shelter, hoping that I’d get there and find out that Alric was feeding me lies. Then I could call the police, get back there, clear Logan’s name and things would go back to normal.

  I walked inside and found a group of ladies there working and cleaning, and once I got their attention one of them asked me if I needed a hand.

  “Actually yes,” I said with a gentle smile, looking around. “I was hoping that you could tell me more about Alric Hoffstedter. He works at the local real estate office.”

  The girl’s eyes instantly lit up and I raised my brows in surprise, not expecting such a happy response to dropping his name.

  “Oh Alric is such a dear.”

  “Really?” I asked incredulously, already feeling defeated. “You know him that well?”

  The girl rolled her eyes with a giggle and shrugged, and leaned over on the desk she was working at.

  “I don’t know him well, no, but he’s a wonderful man. He’s adopted so many of our senior dogs, as well as ones who have been here for an extended amount of time. He’s got a real heart of gold, that one.”

  Another girl chimed in with a sigh, nodding as she smiled.

  “She’s right. In fact, he was here the other night while he swooped in and picked up another one of our dogs. Actually,” she added with wide eyes, “it was the night of that awful murder.”

  “That’s right.” The first girl added with a laugh. “Our boss joked that she refused to buy her house until he adopted the dog, and so he did.”

  Well, so much for strutting back to his office and hauling him into the police. Clearly he had been telling the truth, and I could feel my heart sink as the hopelessness started to set in. He was the strongest lead I had, and now I was left with nothing.

  Well, nothing aside from Angie and Sam.

  But could I really consider Angie, my cousin, as a murder suspect in this case? It seemed so farfetched and yet I couldn’t help but wonder if she really was capable of such a thing. It was a scary thought to think that someone so close to you could commit something so heinous, but I supposed I would have to start pursuing that lead if I wanted to help Logan.

  “I see. Well,” I said with a forced smile as I made my way towards the door, “thank you so much for your time.”
<
br />   They waved me off with curious smiles and I got back into my car, and slumped into the seat with defeat as I tried to figure out what I would do next. I could feel my mind floundering and I had almost felt like I needed to give up, but my phone rang and I jumped, answering it with a jarred reply.

  “Coco? It’s Detective Spinner.”

  My heart leapt around in my chest, equal amounts of hope and dread swirling together in the perfect storm. Was he calling to tell me that Logan had been booked in? Would I need to start planning our dates for viewing between steel bars?

  “Hello Detective, I assume you have news about Logan?”

  “I do. I thought you’d like to know that he’s been let out on bail.”

  My eyes went wide and I barely stifled the happy squeal that wanted to escape, instead settling for a shaky word of thanks as I hung up the phone. It was excellent news and I quickly drove over to Logan’s place, wanting to see how he was.

  When I got there however, he wasn’t there. The place was empty and it didn’t look like he had packed or taken anything, and I felt myself starting to worry. I picked up my phone and dialed his number, but there was no answer. The good feeling of knowing he’d been let out on bail was starting to fade away, and a heavy feeling of dread was filling my chest. Why wasn’t he picking up?

  Then I had a thought. We had agreed to go to my apartment just before he was arrested, so he had probably gone there. I jumped back into my car and sped over, my heart sinking when he wasn’t there either. Where was he, and why wasn’t he answering my calls?

  I quickly pulled out my phone and called Masie’s cell.

  “Masie, it’s Coco, no time to explain. Have you heard from or seen Logan?”

  “No I haven’t but Rose is here so let me ask her.”

  There was a few seconds of murmured voices while she asked Rose and then she came back with a sigh, and my heart sank.

  “No Coco, Rose hasn’t seen him either. Why?”

  “I don’t have time right now, I’ll explain later.”