by Lyndsey Cole
“We’ll keep our eyes open for it. I’m sure it will turn up.” Annie opened the kitchen door, hoping Connie got the message to leave.
She did, along with her coffee and a second blueberry muffin.
“I bumped into Tyler when I arrived. What was he doing here this morning?” Annie washed the muffin pan and Leona wiped all the work surfaces.
“He checked the chef’s room again but it’s still off limits. And I think he had some additional questions for George and Sarah but I’ve been busy in here getting breakfast done and planning the cooking lessons. Oh, wait, there was one thing that was odd.” Leona leaned on the counter. “He wanted to know exactly how Jared got in and where Alex spent his time after he arrived.”
“Huh.” That made the hairs on Annie’s neck rise. Was Tyler focused on those two as the top suspects? Jared was in the wrong place at the wrong time as far as Annie was concerned.
But Alex presented a different scenario. He wasted no time making himself at home and becoming friendly in a brand-new setting. Was that so they put their guard down while he gained their trust? What was he really after?
17
By the time Leona had all the work spaces for her baking demonstration ready to go at ten o’clock, the guests were chomping at the bit with nervous energy.
At least one of them was anxious to begin baking.
Connie beamed brighter than the sunshine reflecting on the snow when Leona ushered them into the kitchen.
George grumbled that this wasn’t what he’d paid for.
Sarah fluttered around like an injured bird.
Robin shrugged and said, “Whatever,” whenever anyone tried to get her involved in a conversation.
Alex smiled and chose a frilly pink apron to wear.
Annie watched and wondered which one of these people might be Chef Marcel’s murderer.
“Okay,” Leona began. Five pairs of eyes focused on her at the table facing the work stations. “I thought we’d start with something fairly simple but super delicious and eye-catching.”
Connie grinned with delight. “I’m already drooling in anticipation.”
Robin rolled her eyes as she tapped something into her phone.
“You all have strawberries in front of you.”
Connie helped herself to one of them. Juice dribbled down her chin after she stuffed the whole thing in her mouth.
Robin held up her phone. “Do you mind if I make a video your demonstration?”
Leona smiled. “Great idea, Robin. We’re going to make chocolate covered strawberries. First, and I’ve already done this for you, the strawberries need to be absolutely dry or the chocolate won’t stick as well. It’s best to pat them gently after rinsing, then lay them on a clean dish towel until completely dry. Second, and this is a personal preference, is your chocolate selection. Today we’re using a gourmet semi-sweet chocolate which Annie chopped into small pieces for me.” Leona held up a small bowl of chocolate bits.
“I don’t have any chocolate,” George complained.
“Right. Annie is melting enough chocolate for everyone. Once it’s ready, you’ll all get a bowl for dipping.”
“This is a great gift idea,” Sarah said as she looked at everyone else. “Right?”
“Yes, Sarah. That’s what I was going to add. They are simple to make and the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate covering the sweet strawberry is impossible to resist.”
Annie poured melted chocolate into the individual bowls for each person.
“What I do, when I’m making a lot, is have the pan lined with parchment paper on my right.” Leona tilted her pan to show the others. “Now, grasp a strawberry by the leaves, dip and swirl in the chocolate to coat, gently shake off the excess, and lay it on the baking sheet.” Leona demonstrated her technique as she explained the process. “Easy peasy. Your turn.”
Annie walked around to offer help if needed. George dropped his strawberry in the chocolate. Connie licked the extra chocolate off her fingers. Sarah dipped her strawberry carefully but only got it half-way covered with chocolate. Alex executed a perfect chocolate covered strawberry. Robin filmed everyone with her phone.
The kitchen was surprisingly quiet as everyone concentrated on creating their masterpieces. Leona’s tray filled quickly and she slid it in the refrigerator to cool for the last step.
After many dropped strawberries, dripped chocolate, and sticky fingers, everyone managed to create a few beautiful chocolate covered strawberries, and many messy ones.
“That was fun,” Connie announced after she dropped her last berry on her tray. “When can we eat one?” the chocolate smear on her chin revealed that she had sampled hers already.
“The chocolate needs to set and then we can drizzle white chocolate on top if you want, for a fancier presentation. We’ll eat them later.”
Leona wiped her brow with the back of her hand. Annie could tell that this lesson had drained her even though it was a relatively easy project. She wondered what other baking ideas Leona had planned for the afternoon or if she would abandon the whole idea.
Annie heard scratching on the kitchen door. “I’ll take the dogs out for a few minutes.”
Alex wiped his hands on his frilly apron. “I don’t mind helping with clean-up.”
Leona sent him a silent thank you that Annie sensed before she turned her back.
Everyone else washed up and headed into the living room.
“I guess that wasn’t so bad,” Annie heard George say to Sarah as they left the kitchen. “At least we didn’t have to listen to the chef’s ridiculous fake accent.”
That caught Annie’s attention. Chef Marcel wasn’t really French? She hadn’t considered that possibility, which reminded her that she had planned to do some research on his background. She sent a text to Jason and asked him to do that since she didn’t have time at the moment. As she got her boots on, Jason replied that he’d get right on it.
Roxy, with Buddy close behind, dashed through the door into the sunshine. Annie took a deep cleansing breath as she enjoyed watching the dogs frolic in the snow. Well, Roxy frolicked and Buddy disappeared. Annie laughed.
“He’s a funny guy,” Danny said as he headed toward Annie. “How’s it going inside? Thanks for coming today to help; I was just getting in Leona’s way.”
“You gave her that break last night which she desperately needed. How was it being here by yourself with the guests?”
“Okay, I guess. That Robin is an odd one. She kept asking if she could take a picture of the chef’s room. Why would she want to do that?”
Annie shook her head. “She’s writing a novel, so who knows what information she’ll find useful. She just filmed Leona’s whole lesson. Maybe she thinks she can solve this crime? I don’t know.”
“Or she committed the crime,” Danny said. “She could have, right?”
“Any one of them had the opportunity to sneak into the chef’s room and kill him, but why? Plus, Robin’s boyfriend who snuck in here Friday night is a suspect, too. He had a nervous twitch and shifty eyes that made him look guilty of something.”
Danny pointed to a black Dodge Charger pulling into the driveway. “Company’s coming.”
“Oh, great. This I could do without,” Annie said as Detective Crank parked in the spot where Tyler had been earlier. “I wonder what she’s after now.”
Christy took her time getting out of her car. She carried a notebook, camera, and a plastic bag. “Nice day,” she said to Annie and Danny.
Buddy rushed over, barking ferociously.
Christy bent down. “Forgot me already?” She held her hand out, Buddy sniffed, wagged his tail, jumped, and licked Christy from chin to forehead. “Eww.” She stood and wiped the dog slime off her face. “Not again. I thought we worked that out on Friday.” She laughed as she wagged her finger at the dog.
Annie watched the interaction patiently, glad that Christy tolerated nonsense from dogs even if she didn’t from their two-legged owners. “How is y
our investigation going?” The words flopped out without an expectation of a response.
“Great. That’s exactly why I’m here. Another poke around for the murder weapon.”
“Oh?”
Christy crouched and patted Buddy. “Does this little guy have a leash?”
“Connie has a whole wardrobe for him.” Something clicked in Annie’s mind. Connie said she couldn’t find Buddy’s leash. Annie stuck her hands in her coat pockets.
“I’m sure she does, but I’m only interested in his leash. Anyone traveling with a dog would have a leash,” Christy stated.
Annie’s hand slowly came out of her pocket. A blue leash with dog bone designs dangled from her fingers. “I forgot I tucked this in my pocket Friday night when I took the dogs out. It’s Buddy’s favorite leash. Connie said it went missing.” Annie turned the leash over in her hand. Dog hairs were embedded on the underside.
“I’ll bet she did.” Christy’s voice hardened. “Where is Connie?”
Christy reached for the leash. Annie gave it to her.
“Inside. Leona just finished a chocolate covered strawberry demonstration and now she’s getting lunch ready. The guests were waiting in the living room.”
“Good. I’ll find her.” Christy, with her no-nonsense stride, went to the kitchen door and let herself in.
“What was that all about?” Danny asked.
“I’m not one hundred percent certain, but my best guess is that Detective Crank suspects that leash is the murder weapon.”
“A dog leash? The chef was strangled?”
“He drank a lot of wine so it might not have been too difficult to finish him off. But Connie? She doesn’t seem like a murderer. She’s friendly, chatty, and always in a good mood. Besides, what could she have against the chef?”
“Maybe it wasn’t Connie. Someone might have taken the leash from her room,” Danny suggested.
“I think that’s a strong possibility.” Annie’s mind swirled. “Connie was one of the last people to go upstairs. Jared was upstairs the longest and then Alex went up not long after he arrived. Either of them could have gone into her room. George and Sarah went up before Connie and the chef so they would have had time, too.”
“So, it doesn’t really narrow anything down, does it?”
“Except that I helped Connie to her room after she passed out from the wine and heat. She fell asleep as soon as she landed on her bed. I would say she wasn’t in any shape to murder anyone.”
“Well, that’s one less suspect,” Danny said. “Who would have taken the leash?”
“Good question that I don’t have an answer for.”
Lunch was on the table by the time Annie and Danny took the dogs inside. She looked at everyone with new eyes.
Annie wondered, who could strangle someone and, more importantly, why would they?
18
Leona had a beautiful meal on the table—lasagna, a big bowl of Caesar salad, garlic bread, and a plate of chocolate covered strawberries. She pulled Annie away from the table and back into the kitchen.
“What’s going on?” Leona hissed. “Christy came in all puffed up and strutting like a peacock. Did she talk to you outside?”
“Unfortunately, I did bump into her. It’s not what we talked about though, as much as what I found in my pocket—Buddy’s missing leash.”
“Big deal. Did you tell Connie?” Then Leona’s mouth formed into an O as she figured out the significance. She glanced around, checking to be sure they were alone. “It’s connected to the chef’s murder?” she whispered.
“I think so. At least, that’s how Christy acted.”
“How did it get in your pocket?”
“I must have shoved it in there Friday night when I took the dogs out. Remember? When Connie got Buddy’s sweater and booties. I never hooked him up to the leash because, really, where was he going to go on those short legs during the snowstorm?”
Leona cracked the kitchen door leading into the dining room and peeked through before she asked her next question. “Christy thinks Connie is the killer?”
“I have no idea what Christy is thinking but when I pulled that leash out of my pocket, she had a grin like she’d just opened a box full of gooey chocolate brownies. There must have been some reason they were looking for a dog leash.”
The door from the dining room swung toward them, knocking into Leona’s back. She spun around.
“Just who I was looking for. Do you mind if I help myself to some of your lunch spread?” Detective Crank asked. “I’m not sure your guests have much of an appetite and it would be a shame for that delicious food to go to waste.”
Leona looked at Annie but no words came out.
Annie handed Christy a plate. “Help yourself but I hope you aren’t planning to sit at the table with the guests. There’s a table in here.”
Christy frowned. “I don’t want to be rude. I’ll sit in the dining room.” Christy disappeared into the dining room.
“We’d better get out there too before, well, I don’t know what might happen with her sitting with everyone,” Leona said. She handed Annie a pitcher of ice water and she carried a fresh pot of coffee. “Ready to run some interference?”
“I’ll do my best. At least we’ll be able to hear any conversation first hand but I’m afraid I just lost my appetite.” The thought of Leona’s cooking normally made Annie’s stomach grumble but at the moment she was too stressed to eat.
As the door opened, the first sight that met Annie was Connie’s white face and frightened eyes. “Yes. That’s Buddy’s leash,” she mumbled. “Why do you have it?”
Detective Crank, who was holding a plastic evidence bag with the leash inside for all to see, sat opposite Connie. “Was this in your room before the chef was found dead?”
“I, um, I’m not sure. I’ll have to think back. When are you asking me about?” Connie’s eyes blinked rapidly.
Detective Crank put the evidence bag on her lap. She took a big forkful of lasagna. Chewed. Swallowed. Tension escalated in the room. “Friday, Ms. Cook. The first day of the workshop. The day of the snowstorm. The day of the power outage. The day Chef Marcel was killed. I can’t make it any clearer than that. So, let me ask you again. Was this leash in your room on Friday?”
“I suppose it was at least some of the time.”
“Some of the time,” Christy repeated. She barely tried to hide her annoyance.
Annie and Leona took the two empty chairs at the table. Annie sat next to Robin and Leona sat next to Alex.
“Um,” Connie swallowed and started again. “You see, Detective Crank. I wasn’t in my room that whole time so how can I know if someone took the leash out?”
A grin spread on the detective’s face. “Clever answer, but who do you think might have taken it out of your room?” Christy helped herself to several chocolate covered strawberries even though she hadn’t finished her lasagna or salad.
“Well, I don’t know.” Connie looked around the table, stopping when she faced Robin. “I suppose anyone here could have gone in my room. I didn’t lock the door. If I recall correctly, Robin’s boyfriend was in her room hiding and she went up before the rest of us.” Her head swiveled to look at Alex who sat next to her. “And Alex went upstairs soon after he arrived.”
“It might help if you can remember when you last used the leash to take Buddy outside,” Annie prompted.
Christy glared at her.
Annie continued anyway, turning away from Christy’s stare. “Did you take Buddy out when you arrived here at the Blackbird? I would expect he might have needed a quick walk before you went in or maybe after you let Leona know you’d arrived.”
Connie smiled. She pointed her finger at Annie. “You are brilliant. Of course, that’s what happened. I went inside and dropped my bags near the stairs and let Leona know I’d made it safely. The roads were already pretty bad by then. I did take Buddy out but, with the snow, I didn’t bother with his leash which I looped on the coat tr
ee near the door.” She took a chocolate covered strawberry and popped it in her mouth. She had a self-satisfied look that must have meant she’d wiggled out of that awkward situation somewhat gracefully.
“Okay,” Christy said. Annie could tell she was putting this all together. “The leash ended up in your pocket, Annie. Did you take it off the coat tree?”
Interesting question, Annie thought. Where did Connie get the leash when she brought Buddy’s outside paraphernalia for Annie to take the dog out on Friday? “No. Connie gave me the leash, along with Buddy’s other outside gear.”
Christy’s eyebrows jerked up. “Other outside gear?”
“Yeah. His sweater and booties. I didn’t use the leash and must have shoved it in my pocket and forgot about it with all the stuff going on that night.”
Christy jotted some notes in her little black notebook before she asked her next question. “Connie. Where did you find the leash when you gave all of Buddy’s gear to Annie? Was it still on the coat tree?”
Connie stopped chewing her strawberry. It made a big lump in her cheek. She closed her eyes. “I never went to the coat tree. I went upstairs.” She opened her eyes but she wasn’t looking at anyone in particular, it was more like she was reliving her actions from Friday night as she finished her strawberry. “Buddy’s gear bag was on my bed and I chose his red and black sweater with the matching red booties. I didn’t take the red leash which matches better because he prefers the blue one but I couldn’t find it in the bag so I dumped everything out on my bed. One of his toys fell off and rolled across the room, stopping when it hit the blue leash coiled at one side of the door. You know,” she focused on Annie, “it was odd that it was there, but I didn’t think about it at the time because you were waiting downstairs and I wanted to sit by the fire again to warm up. The power was still off and it was cold upstairs.”
Christy jotted more notes. She looked at Annie. “Who else was upstairs then?”