by Sandy Vale
“This is delicious. Can’t wait to pour it on my pancakes tomorrow morning.” Alex licked the sweet sticky syrup off his lips.
Corey’s phone buzzed. “I’ve got a text from Craig.” She read it out loud, “Meet me in thirty. Alone. Parking lot.” She looked at Kitty, worried.
Kitty put her arm around Corey. “It wil be okay. Don’t let him see you looking worried. You have to act tough even if you don’t feel it inside. Once he hands the money to Tonya and gets the drugs, he’l be arrested.”
“Okay, I can do this.”
Corey went out to the parking lot, waiting for Craig. It wasn’t long before he drove in and parked in the shadows.
“Why are we meeting here? There are too many people around.” Craig sounded mad.
“It’s what Tonya insisted on. I did my part, made the contact.”
Craig pul ed a gun and held it against Corey’s side. “Yeah, you did your part and I’m using you for some extra insurance. We’l just stand here, nice and calm, til Tonya gets here.”
Corey said nothing. She focused on her breathing to stay calm. “Craig, here comes a car. Is it Tonya?”
“Looks like it. Don’t move. She’l come to us.”
“I can’t move with your gun in my side. Do you have the money?”
“I have it. Don’t worry.”
Tonya’s car pul ed up next to Craig and Corey. She got out. “Hey. Where’s the money? Let’s get this done.”
“Here. It’s al in this bag.” Craig shoved a black bag into Tonya’s hand.
“I’l have to count it before I give you the goods.”
“Hurry up then. I want to get out of here.” Craig was getting agitated.
“Looks good,” Tonya said. “Here’s your stuff.” Tonya handed a bag to Craig. He threw it into his car and pushed Corey in too.
“What are you doing? Let me out!” Corey was starting to panic. It wasn’t supposed to go like this.
Before Craig could answer, a flash of fur flew through the air and knocked him over. Max grabbed Craig’s arm, pinning him to the ground. Cleo was right behind Max and grabbed Craig’s pant leg. Police cars arrived, sirens blaring. Alex opened the car door and helped Corey out of Craig’s car. Everything was a blur of activity.
Kitty ran to Corey. “Are you okay?”
Cleo and Max were licking her face. “I think so. What’s going to happen to Craig?”
“It looks like Tonya is arresting him on possession of drugs.”
“Tonya?”
“She’s real y an undercover detective. She’s been working with me al along. I couldn’t tel anyone, didn’t want Craig to get suspicious.” Kitty smiled, happy that this part had worked out as planned. Was Craig the killer? If not, then who was? She wondered.
Chapter 11
Corey slept wel with Cleo curled up at the foot of her bed. She slept wel knowing that Craig was in jail. Had Craig killed Brad? That was the last piece to solve to get her life back.
Cars were fil ing the sugar shack parking area by nine in the morning when Corey arrived with Cleo happily trotting by her side. Kitty was already hard at work flipping pancakes while Gloria and Tina served everyone at the tables. A long line of people were waiting for seats. This was going to be a big hit. Corey went to the gril .
“I can take over for a while if you want a break Kitty.” Corey reached for the spatula.
“That would be great. I’d like to say hel o to people as they come in.” Herb cornered Kitty. “Thanks for helping set up that sting to catch Craig. We’l have enough to keep him in jail for quite a while. There’s one thing troubling me, though. He showed me a bloody t-shirt that he says is Corey’s. He said it’s Brad’s blood. Know anything about that? We’l have to test the blood. But it doesn’t look good for Corey. Especial y since Sam told me he saw her kneeling over the body holding the knife.”
“What about Craig? He came here with Brad. He wanted to cut Brad out of his half of the money.”
“I thought of that too but Tonya was fol owing Craig and he wasn’t at the sugar shack the day Brad was kil ed.”
“How would Craig get that t shirt then? He could have had it from when they stil lived in Colorado.”
“I know. Just letting you know that we’l have to look into it. By the way, these pancakes and syrup are delicious. I think people wil be buying al the syrup you can produce.”
Kitty saw Frank outside and went to join him. “How did you sleep? I came down here before you were up.”
“Your house is so quiet, I slept like a baby. Ya know, you constantly amaze me. You had that whole sting planned and it worked perfectly. Plus you got the sap col ected and boiled for this pancake breakfast. You should do a training course on how to multi task.” Kitty was beaming from the praise.
Frank looked around at the sugar shack and up toward Kitty’s house. “I’ve been thinking about moving here to Wil ow Fal s. It’s a great community and I’d like to be closer to you. What do you think?”
It took a moment for Kitty to respond. “I’m almost speechless.” She looked into his eyes and held his hand. “I would like it a lot.”
“Excuse me. Hate to interrupt. But I have something for Kitty.” Gloria stood off to the side looking a little sheepish.
“Oh, Gloria. Did you see how happy Corey is with Cleo? You certainly picked the right pup for her.”
“Any pup would have been the right one, I think, but Cleo is special. Like Max. Look at them curled up together over next to the griddle while Corey’s flipping pancakes. That girl loves animals. Hey, I almost forgot to give you these photos of the sugar shack. I only used one for the fliers but I took a bunch more. You may as wel keep them. I’ve got to go to the shelter but I’l come back later to help clean up.”
“Thanks.” Kitty slipped the photos into her pocket and hugged her friend. “See you later. I’d better get back inside and see if there’s enough pancake batter. Lisa said she’d bring more over if we needed it. Did you have any yet Frank?”
“No, not yet. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.” Frank put his hand on the smal of Kitty’s back and guided her back into the sugar shack.
Most of the people had found seats. Tina was serving as fast as Corey got them off the griddle.
“Are we running out of batter yet Corey?”
“I think we’l have enough. It’s slowing down final y. Can you take over so I can get a bite to eat?”
“Sure. Take this plate to Frank. He hasn’t had any yet either. Looks like you better grab another plate. Alex is here too.” This was turning out to be a perfect day. A great turn out for the pancake breakfast, which meant money for Gloria’s shelter dogs and cats.
Frank thinking of moving to Wil ow Fal s. Maybe they could have a quiet dinner together later so she could get to know more about him. She wondered, does he want more than a friendship? Do I?
***
Kitty final y got a chance to put her feet up and rest after bringing five hundred dol ars to Gloria’s shelter from the breakfast. She knew Gloria operated on a tight budget and this extra money was targeted for veterinarian bil s. Tina had stayed to the end, helping with the cleanup, but was excited to whisper to Kitty that Aaron was taking her out for dinner. Kitty and Sam watched them drive off together. She knew Sam was hoping that Aaron would stay in Wil ow Fal s and get his life back on track. Maybe Tina would help with that. Alex shyly hung around too, convincing Corey to go with him for a pizza.
Max sat up when the door opened. The tip of his tail wagged but he didn’t even get off the couch. “Who’s here Max? Go say hel o,” Kitty told him to no avail.
Frank came in with a bottle of wine and a six pack of beer. “I wasn’t sure what you would want so I got both,” he told Kitty sheepishly. “Or would you rather go out for something to eat?”
“Not real y. I’m looking forward to sitting here. Just the two of us. Wel , the four of us if you count Max and Cleo. I‘ve got a mushroom quiche in the oven if that sounds okay to you.�
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“Sounds great. Would you like me to pour you some wine?”
“That sounds like a perfect way to end the day.” Frank poured two glasses of wine while Kitty took the quiche out and got ingredients for a salad.
She noticed the photos from Gloria on the counter where she’d put them when she had come home.
“What are you looking at?” Frank walked up behind her with the wine.
“This is interesting.” Kitty lined up the photos on the counter, dinner forgotten.
“Here’s the photo Gloria used for the flier. It’s just the sugar shack with no people or vehicles. This next one shows a person off to the side heading toward the sugar shack and the corner of a car. The next one shows Brad’s truck with the corner of the car stil showing. The last one is a different angle with Brad’s truck but no car.”
“Who is that other person?” Frank held the photo studying it careful y. “It’s out of focus. Kind of blurry.”
“I’m not sure. But I have an idea. Let’s go.” Kitty grabbed her keys and was out the door.
“Where are we going?”
“You’l see. Trust me.”
Kitty pul ed into the pizza parlor. “Frank, look over there at that car. Does it look like the one in the photo to you?” Frank held up the photo looking from it to the car. “Could be. Whose car is it?”
“Come on. This is al starting to make sense.” Kitty walked to the door with Frank close behind.
“Corey. Alex. Is there room for us to join you?” Kitty sat down, not waiting for an answer.
Corey was smiling. “I guess you changed your mind. We’ve already ordered. Do you know what you want?” Kitty kept her eyes on Alex. She put the photo on the table. “Alex. You need to explain this.” His eyes darted from Kitty to Frank, then focused on Corey’s puzzled look.
“Corey. Do you remember when Brad was kil ed? I came to your apartment wanting to talk but you didn’t have time?”
“I remember. I was going to the sugar shack to find my phone. It was just before I found Brad dead inside.” As she recal ed the events, it dawned on her what must have happened.
“You, Alex? You kil ed Brad?”
Alex’s shoulders slumped. “This has been a terrible burden. Especial y after Sam confessed. I was too scared to say anything.” Kitty gently urged him to keep talking.
“I thought Corey was working at the sugar shack so I stopped there to see her. No one was inside. When I turned to leave, someone grabbed me. He was yel ing at me, wanting to know who I was, why I was looking for Corey. I didn’t know who he was. I was scared and I just reacted.
Grabbed whatever was close by to defend myself. It was that knife. I didn’t mean to kil him. It al happened so fast.” Corey put her hand over his. “Alex. You were protecting yourself. Brad might have kil ed you.”
“What wil happen now, Frank?” Alex whispered.
“Kitty and I wil take you to the police station. You need to tel Herb everything you just told us. It sounds like it was self-defense.”
“This secret has been kil ing me. I’m glad you figured it out, Kitty.”
***
Kitty and Frank sank into the soft couch with a plate of cold quiche, salad and the wine that had been poured hours earlier.
“You are amazing. I’m the detective but you solve the crimes.”
“It’s my farm and my friends. Maybe that’s why I can put it al together.” Kitty sipped her wine, lost in thought.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said about moving to Wil ow Fal s. What made you think this is where you want to live?”
“I’d like to spend more time with you. And I want you to know more about me.”
“Okay. Spit it out Frank.”
“You certainly have a way with words.” He chuckled, then paused to gather his thoughts, and his nerves. “You should know that I’ve been married. My divorce was recently finalized.” He looked at Kitty.
“That’s no big deal.” She smiled.
“And I have a seven year old daughter. Madeline. Maddie, for short. She’s a great little girl and I know she’d love you and your farm.” His expression was hoping for a positive response.
“You have a daughter?”
Frank’s face fel .
“That’s great! Girls love animals. Especial y ponies. I’m sure I can win her heart. I always wanted kids but Roger was dead set against it.”
“This was so much easier than I expected it would be. My ex is getting remarried and I’l have Maddy for a few weeks. You can meet her then.
I’ve already found a house I want to buy in town but was waiting for your reaction.” Kitty grinned from ear to ear. “Sounds like a plan I could be happy with. In the meantime, since you’re divorced and I’m single . . .”
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11