Cherry Filled Charges

by Jessica Beck

  “Momma, I was in the eighth grade. Surely the statute of limitations on that has run out by now.”

  “My dear, sweet child, when it comes to mothers and daughters, there is no statute of limitations,” she said.

  Phillip touched her shoulder lightly. “Dot, it’s late, and unless I miss my guess, Suzanne is going to be getting up soon to make donuts. Let’s leave the girl in peace.”

  “You seem awfully cavalier about my daughter’s well-being,” she said fiercely.

  Before he could answer, I hugged her, which effectively shut her up. “Momma, he’s right. I need my sleep. Besides, the chief is going to be sending a patrol car out here whenever he can. I’m safer here than I would be at the cottage.”

  “Perhaps,” Momma said. She turned to Grace and asked, “Are you all right with accepting this danger as well?”

  “Hey, nobody attacked me,” Grace said.

  “Yet,” Momma added.

  “Don’t go getting her riled up,” I said. “We’re going to be fine. I promise.”

  “I don’t know how you can fulfill that particular promise, but fine. We’ll leave you two in peace.”

  After they were gone, I wasn’t in any mood to go back to bed. “Why don’t we sit up out here a little?” I suggested.

  Grace glanced at her clock. “I’d love to, but Phillip was right. You’re getting up soon.”

  “I can spare a few more minutes,” I assured her. “I’d like to talk about our suspects more. Maybe it will help me get to sleep.”

  “Sure. Why wouldn’t it? The folks who count sheep are really missing the boat, aren’t they? Let’s discuss murder suspects.”

  It was clear she was being sarcastic, but I wasn’t going to let that distract me. “Okay. Besides Sherry, we’ve got the husband-and-wife team of Rosa and David Clifton. I can see either one of them doing it, but at least we know they didn’t conspire to do it together.”

  “How do we know that?” Grace asked.

  “Can you honestly see that pair cooperating on anything?” I asked.

  “No, now that you mention it, I can’t. Let’s see. That leaves us with Clint Harpold, Theodore Reed, and Shalimar Davis, besides Sherry. They each had their reasons, didn’t they?”

  “Theodore was having a fight about money with his brother, and don’t forget, it appears that he’s on the run right now, which can’t be good. Clint could have been jealous of Simon and killed him in a rage, and Shalimar is volatile enough to be capable of bursting into a fit of anger at a moment’s notice, based on what we’ve seen and heard.”

  “So, what should we do with our final six suspects?” Grace asked me.

  “Tomorrow, as soon as I finish up with Donut Hearts, I say we press each and every one of them except Theodore. We might just have to leave him up to the police. In the meantime, we start implying that we know more than we do and see where that gets us. I have a feeling we’ve got the killer spooked. If we push them hard enough, somebody’s going to snap.”

  “Wow, that sounds like a dangerous game we’re about to play,” Grace said.

  “Any objections?” I asked her.

  “Not from me. I like living on the edge.” She glanced at her clock again. “I hate to break this party up, but if you’re going to get any sleep at all, you’d better hit the hay.”

  As I stood, I heard a noise on the front porch.

  The only problem was no one rang the bell.

  Clearly whoever was there didn’t want us to know that we were onto them.

  “Whoever is out there had better run. I’ve got a gun this time,” I said loudly.

  “I hope you’re lying,” I heard a familiar voice say. “But just in case you’re not, don’t shoot. It’s only me.”

  I opened the door and found my stepfather looking sheepish. “I didn’t mean to scrape the chair on the porch floor. You weren’t even supposed to know I was out here.”

  “What are you doing, Phillip?”

  “I’m standing guard until morning,” he said.

  “I told you both before. We don’t need protection.”

  “Suzanne, what’s it going to cost you? Your mother is worried about you, so I volunteered to stand guard duty.”

  “But you won’t get any sleep,” I protested.

  “I don’t need nearly as much as I used to,” Phillip said. “Besides, it will give me a good excuse to take a nap in the morning after you’re safely at Donut Hearts.”

  “I’m not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?” I asked.

  “You know your mother. How many arguments have you ever won with her?” he asked wryly.

  “You could count them on one hand and have several fingers left over,” I admitted. “At least come inside.”

  “No, ma’am. I can’t be a preventative measure if they don’t know I’m out here,” he insisted. “Besides, it’s a nice night. I’m looking forward to a little peace and quiet.”

  “Unless they come back,” Grace said.

  “I doubt they will, but if they do, I’ll be ready for them,” he said as he showed us his holstered weapon. “I used to be the police chief around here, remember? I think I can handle an amateur with a stick.”

  “What if they come back with something a little more threatening this time?” I asked. I didn’t want Phillip hurt on our account, even if he was there protecting us.

  “I’ll be ready for them,” he said, slapping his holster gently. “Don’t worry about me. Now go get some sleep. I’m going to want some donuts after we’re finished up here,” he said with a grin. “Dot told me as a reward I could get any three donuts I wanted without recrimination. That’s how I’m going to stay alert all night, pondering my choices.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure,” I said as I reached up and kissed his cheek. Grace did the same thing on the other side, and when we took a step back, the man was actually blushing.

  “Go on now, you two,” he said abashedly.

  “Okay,” I said.

  “Thanks for looking out for us, Phillip,” Grace said.

  “The truth of the matter is that there’s no place I’d rather be,” he said.

  Once we were inside and the door was locked, I had to admit that I felt better about the situation. After all, what could it hurt having Phillip outside? I didn’t think the killer was coming back, but why take the chance? If Grace and I were still stymied by five the next evening, I was going to call Jake and tell him everything. I didn’t need a man to protect me, but his presence would be welcome regardless. I prided myself on my independence, but only a fool wouldn’t take help when it was offered, and I knew that Jake would die for me just as surely as I would die for him.

  I had no trouble getting to sleep, and when I woke up the next morning, I found a note from Grace on the kitchen table.

  “Suzanne,

  I got the afternoon off, so I’ll be by the donut shop when you close. Until then, stay out of trouble!

  If you can. Hahaha.

  Grace”

  I left a little addendum to it.

  “Grace,

  What can I say? Trouble seems to follow me around.

  See you later, and thanks for investigating this murder with me.

  Until we find the killer, we both need to watch our backs!

  Suzanne.”

  I walked out of the house and found Phillip smiling at me.

  “How was your night?” he asked me.

  “Better than yours, I’ll bet,” I said. “How did you manage to stay awake all night?”

  “That’s the thing. It’s not all night yet,” he said after checking his watch.

  I glanced back at the closed door. “I feel bad about leaving Grace exposed like this.”

  “Don
’t be. I’m going to the shop with you, and once you’re safely inside, I’m heading back over here. I’ve had my fair share of stakeouts over the years, so what’s another all-nighter to me?”

  “You really are great for doing this,” I said as we walked down the darkened street. I felt safer being with him, though I hated that Grace was unguarded, even if it was only for a few minutes.

  “All part of the friends and family protection service,” he said. “It’s a nice night, isn’t it? By the way, how’s your shoulder doing?”

  “It’s a little stiff,” I admitted as I tried to flex my arm a little. It was going to make things tougher at the shop, especially since I’d be working alone, but I’d manage. I always did.

  “Keep moving it,” Phillip said. “That’s the best way to get it to loosen up.”

  As we neared the shop, I turned to face him. “Am I crazy not calling Jake right away?”

  “That’s your business, Suzanne. I make it a point not to get in the middle of anyone else’s marriage if I can help it.”

  “That’s probably a good idea, but I’d still like to know your opinion. Is Jake going to be upset when he finds out I withheld this from him?”

  Phillip took a moment to consider my question before answering. “He might get upset for a little bit, but I think he’ll understand. Suzanne, he knew what kind of woman he was marrying from the start, so it’s not as though this should come as a shock to him.”

  “I can’t tell. Is that a good thing, or a bad one?” I asked as we neared the Donut Hearts front door. I was relieved to see that at least the shop appeared to be fine. A part of me had been worried that I’d find the front window shattered, or the door kicked in, but it looked normal enough to me, at least as far as I could see.

  “It’s a good thing, as far as I’m concerned. You want to handle this on your own. I can respect that, and I’m sure that Jake will, too.”

  “But am I really handling it myself? I didn’t call Jake, but you stepped in, and if you hadn’t, I’m sure the mayor or the police chief would have.”

  Phillip didn’t even have to think about that. “Asking for help, or accepting it, is not a sign of weakness, at least as far as I’m concerned. Sometimes it just makes sense to take a hand when it’s offered to you.”

  “I know, but it’s hard, isn’t it?” I asked as I pulled out my keys.

  “It’s pretty close to impossible,” he said with a grin. “Let me go in first, okay?” he asked as I unlocked the door and opened it.

  “Fine, but don’t ask me to stay out here alone,” I said, glancing around at the shadows, especially those coming from the park across the street.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said as he pulled out his weapon. It was easy enough searching the donut shop, and soon enough, his handgun was back in its holster. “Everything checks out here. Are you going to be okay being here alone all day?”

  “No worries,” I said. “I can handle it. After all, I do it once a week anyway.”

  “Maybe so, but not after just being attacked on your own front porch,” he said. “I’m sure if you ask your mother, she’d be glad to come over and keep you company.”

  “Thanks for the suggestion, but I’m good,” I said. “Hadn’t you better be getting back to Grace’s front porch?”

  “I’m on my way,” he said. “One thing. If you see anything suspicious, call Chief Grant, even if you feel foolish doing it. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

  “Yes, sir, I will,” I said. I gave him a nice hug, which he seemed to appreciate more than the kiss I’d given him earlier with Grace, and soon enough, he was on his way back to her place.

  I locked the front door behind him, took three steps, and then double-checked it once, twice, and then a third and final time. If someone got in, they were going to have to make a ruckus doing it.

  I had the jitters at first, but as I started into my routine, flipping on the coffee pot out front and the fryer in back, my nerves started to settle down. By the time I’d dropped all of my cake donuts, I was back in full donut-making mode, lost in the art and the craft of what I did for a living. Besides, I didn’t have a whole lot of time to dawdle and dwell on what had happened to me the night before. There were dishes to wash and yeast donuts still to make. I was going to have my hands full, but I didn’t mind.

  Maybe it would allow me to put the trauma of what had happened to me in the past.

  Being obsessed with my donuts was something that would work in my favor, and I decided to take advantage of every last minute of it.

  Chapter 16

  I thought about staying inside during the break I had coming to me as the yeast donuts went through their first rise, but in the end, I decided that I was just being foolish. I needed that time away from the shop, even if it was only a few steps. It helped me focus on the tasks still ahead of me and forget any troubles that I might have had earlier.

  At least it was relatively warm.

  I knew cool and then cold weather would be coming soon enough to April Springs, and Emma and I would be bundling up when we took our breaks, but at the moment, there was just enough of a pleasant breeze, and very little humidity, to make the night air just about perfect. As I sat there, I thought about how much my life had changed since I’d divorced Max and bought the shop. It was amazing how much I’d retooled my entire existence in such a short period of time, but that was my norm. I’d think long and hard about a decision before I made it, chewing it over and dissecting it from every angle, but when I was ready to move, it was always done with great speed and confidence.

  I was smiling about just that thing when I suddenly saw movement across the road beside the bookstore.

  At first I thought it was simply a shadow, but then it began to creep steadily out of the darkness and get closer and closer to the light. Whoever was stalking me was clearly unaware of the configuration of lighting and greenery around them. They might have been under the impression that they were being stealthy, but I knew better.

  At least I’d brought a heavy ladle with me. It might not have looked like much, but I was willing to wager that it would be effective if I used it against someone. I owed whoever had attacked me a headache at the very least, and I planned to return it with interest.

  I stood up from the outdoor chair, but instead of going into the shop, I walked out onto the street, swinging my ladle as I did so. “I’m not afraid of you. Come out of the shadows and take the beating you so richly deserve.”

  Whether my words or my actions prompted the stranger in the shadows to move I had no way of knowing, but there was a sudden release of air, and whoever had been stalking me darted off into the woods.

  What they didn’t know was they were on my home turf now. I knew those woods from ages and ages of playing in the park, and nobody was going to lose me in those trees.

  Only they did.

  I wasn’t sure how they managed it, but I couldn’t find them, something I would have bet was impossible just minutes before. I had a choice to make. In my haste to take the ladle weapon from the kitchen, I’d forgotten to take my phone. Cursing myself for leaving it behind a second time, I turned suddenly and made a mad dash for the donut shop door. I expected at any second to feel a hand reach out and grab my shoulder, and as I put the key in the door lock, it took everything in my power not to turn to see if the stranger had decided to come after me yet again.

  I got inside and slammed the door shut, locking it in place before it really had a chance to settle back into its frame.

  As I looked back into the park, I could swear I caught a glimpse of a face, but then again, it could have just been wishful thinking on my part.

  Had I really just spotted Theodore Reed, the victim’s brother and current fugitive, or had my imagination just supplied his face because I’d wanted to see it so badly?

/>   Either way, I couldn’t just stand there.

  I had to call the chief of police and rouse him from his sleep. I felt badly about doing it, but really, what choice did I have? If I had really seen Theodore Reed lurking in the shadows, the police chief needed to know, and the sooner the better. However, if I’d been mistaken and the man was nowhere to be found, I could live with the embarrassment.

  After all, finding the killer was all that counted at the moment.

  I started to dial the chief’s familiar number, but it took a second for my hands to stop shaking long enough for me to do it.

  “Yes? What is it, Suzanne?” the chief asked groggily. I’d clearly just woken him up.

  “Someone’s lurking outside the donut shop,” I said. “Can you send someone over here?”

  “I’ll be there myself in three minutes. Are they still there?”

  “No, I was outside, and when I spotted them and shouted, they took off,” I admitted.

  “Toward the park or downtown?”

  “Toward the park,” I replied. “I chased them, but they got away. You know what? Forget it. Whoever it was is probably long gone by now.”

  “We don’t know that, though. See you in a minute.”

  After he hung up, I peered out the window, searching for some sign that anyone was still out there.

  I couldn’t see a thing out of the ordinary, and I wasn’t about to go back out again for a closer look.

  Two minutes later, the chief drove up, but instead of coming straight to the shop, he used the powerful light on the side of his car to scan the park, the bookstore, and the open areas around Donut Hearts. He drove at a crawl, but I couldn’t see anything out of place from where I was watching.

  Five minutes later, he pulled up in front of the shop.