by Jessica Beck
I wasn’t sure what to do, so I put the tray on top of the bookshelf, and started getting things ready so we could make the donuts for another day.
Emma was ten minutes late, and I’d already started making my preparations without her.
I glanced at the clock as she walked in, and Emma said, “I know, I know. I’m sorry. I came as fast as I could.”
“Another late-night date?” I asked as I continued preparing the ingredients for the day’s cake donuts.
She frowned as she said, “No, Paul dropped me off at my house at nine.”
“Don’t tell me the bloom is wearing off the rose already?”
“I’m afraid it might be,” Emma said, and when I looked at her, I could see that she was really concerned about it.
“Come on, I was just teasing you,” I said.
She shrugged. “I know that.” After a moment’s pause, she said, “Suzanne, could I ask you something?”
I nodded absently as I weighed out the ingredients for my brand-new modified pumpkin donut recipe.
“What do men really expect in a relationship? And what makes them want to stay?”
I couldn’t help myself; a hearty laugh escaped my lips before I could rein it back in.
Emma frowned at me and said, “I’m serious. It’s not funny.”
“The question’s not, but you have to be able to pick someone better to give you advice about men. I’m not exactly the world’s leading authority on relationships.”
“You’ve been married, though,” she said.
“Need I remind you that it failed, and pretty miserably at that?”
Emma wasn’t going to let me off the hook that easily, though. “I’ve seen the way Max looks at you when he comes in here. He still has feelings for you, and that’s even after you divorced him.”
“Not without cause,” I said. I stopped what I was doing and looked hard at Emma. “My friend, there aren’t any easy answers. You’re going to have to find your own way. We all do, you know.”
“I guess,” she said with a frown. “I just didn’t think being a grownup was going to be all that hard.”
“It’s one of the toughest jobs there is,” I said. When I saw the gloom intensify, I added, “Don’t worry, it’s not all bad. There are a lot of fringe benefits, too.”
“Name one,” she said.
“You can have dessert for breakfast, if you want. That’s kind of what we do for the world, isn’t it?”
“I guess so,” she said.
I reached for her apron and threw it to her. “Then we’d better get to work, or we’re going to disappoint half of April Springs.”
“We wouldn’t want to do that, would we?”
“Don’t worry,” I said as I hugged her quickly. “Everything will all work out in the end. Trust me.”
“I can’t help wondering if Peg Masterson felt that way too, and we both know what happened to her.”
I said, “Emma, we can’t feel guilty about that. Someone killed her, but it wasn’t our fault they used a donut to deliver the poison to her system. All we can do is move on, and do the best we can with what we’ve got.”
“Is that what you’re doing?” she asked. “I thought you were looking for Peg’s killer yourself?”
“That’s different. There are good reasons for what I’m doing.” I dusted my hands together, then said, “Now, we can talk, or we can make donuts and earn a little money today. Which one is it going to be?”
“I vote for the money,” Emma said.
“That gets my vote, too, so let’s get started.”
As we worked on preparing today’s offerings, I couldn’t help wondering if Emma was right. Maybe I should let the police handle things and get on with my life. Then again, if I took a passive approach to the way things turned out, I never would have gotten where I was today. Which, come to think of it, was being locked into a marginal business that barely paid its way most days.
Those thoughts were too dark for such a happy task as making donuts, so I buried them and focused on making the best treats I could. Just because my life was suddenly covered in clouds was no reason not to try and brighten my customers’ existences.
By the time were ready to open the doors at 5:30, I was close to coming to terms with what had been happening around me lately. And then I saw Jake standing there waiting to get in, and it all came flooding back to me.
“Hi,” I said as I stepped aside to let him in.
“You have a second?” he asked.
I pretended to look around the empty shop. “At the moment, I’ve got all the time in the world.”
“And an assistant who likes to eavesdrop,” he said softly.
From the kitchen, Emma said, “I do not.”
Jake shrugged, and I said, “Point taken.” I turned and said, “Emma, you’ve got the front.”
She came out wiping her hands on one of our towels.
“Spoilsport,” she said to Jake, but he was already halfway outside.
“I’ll just be a minute,” I said.
“Take your time. I think I can handle the place on my own.”
I walked outside, and breathed in the chilled air. The promise of the day was heavy in the darkness, and I knew sunrise wasn’t far away. “What’s up?”
“You called me, remember? I hate it when a woman says we need to talk. I’d rather face down three angry thugs.”
I nodded, fighting to keep my smile to myself. “That’s probably a good call. Listen, I know you’re in town with a job to do, but to be honest with you, I miss you. Can we have dinner together tonight?”
“There’s nothing I’d like more, trust me, but you’re still one of my prime suspects in the case I’m working on, Suzanne.”
I grinned at him. “So, if anyone asks, you can say you were interrogating me. I’ve been craving spaghetti. Why don’t we go to Napoli’s?” That was the scene of our first real date and maybe, if only for a few hours, we could forget about everything else.
He returned my smile with one of his own. “Yeah, I’ve been dreaming about that place.” Then he hastily added, “You, too, of course.”
“So, what do you say?”
He was going to say yes, I could see it in his eyes, and then his telephone rang. “Hang on one second. I’ve got to take this.”
He turned away from me, whispered something for a few moments, then turned back to me. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go.”
“What happened? Is there a new development in the case?”
“No, it’s nothing like that. It’s something personal,” he said as he headed for his car.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I’ll call you later,” he said as he got in and drove off like he was being chased by the devil himself.
What was going on? Was he lying to keep me from knowing something that was going on in the investigation, or was there truly a personal emergency he was facing? If he was, why hadn’t he at least given me a hint what it was about? I was a part of his life, after all.
I was still standing there on the sidewalk when Max walked up. In all the years I’d known him, I’d never seen him awake before nine am, and here it was not even six yet. I asked, “Have you been out all night?”
He shook his head. “No, ma’am. I got to bed at a reasonable hour so I could come by and talk to you before things got busy here.”
“I don’t have time to talk to you right now, Max.”
He looked over my shoulder at the deserted donut shop. “Yeah, I can see you’re really jammed up.”
“Okay, maybe I’ve got the time, but I’ve long since lost the inclination.” What was it with men? When I wanted them around, they were as scarce as hen’s teeth, but when I was through with them for good, they wouldn’t leave me alone.
“Hear me out. I was not out on a date with Darlene yesterday.”
It was all I could do not to shout at him. “Max, it doesn’t matter what I think anymore, remember?”
“It matters to
me, and I’m not leaving until you tell me ‘I believe you.’ ”
I looked him dead in the eye. “Fine, I believe you.”
“You don’t mean it,” Max said.
I let out a sigh, then said, “Have it your way. If you say you aren’t dating Darlene, then I believe you. You don’t have any reason to lie to me anymore, do you?”
“Good. Now that we’ve got that settled, have dinner with me tonight.”
I walked up to him and put my face within two inches of his. “No, and stop asking. My answer isn’t going to change. Now go away.”
He laughed. “I’m leaving, but I’m not giving up.”
I couldn’t take his smugness. “Max, be serious. Why are you so interested in getting back together with me, anyway? I’m nice enough looking, but as handsome as you are, we both know you could do better than a donut maker.”
“You don’t get it, do you? It’s you, Suzanne. It’s always been you.”
“Maybe at one time that was the truth, but not anymore. Find someone else, Max. Anybody else but me, because I’m not interested.”
I walked back into the donut shop and saw that Emma was staring strangely at me.
“What’s wrong with you?” I asked her.
She looked at me carefully, then said, “I don’t see a gun.”
“Emma, what are you talking about?”
She shrugged. “Like I said, I’m looking in vain for some kind of weapon, but whatever you just said hit him harder than a bullet would have. I thought he was going to collapse on the sidewalk. So I can’t help wondering, what exactly did you just say to him?”
“I told him the truth,” I said flatly.
“No wonder he looked like he wanted to die,” she said.
“Don’t you have dishes to wash in back?” I asked her.
“I’m getting on it right now, ma’am,” she said as she ducked back into the kitchen.
I looked back outside, but Max wasn’t anywhere in sight. I’d bludgeoned him with the truth on purpose, trying to get his attention so he’d stop acting so foolishly. I just hoped that I really wanted to let him go in my heart of hearts—once and for all—and move on with my life.
George was conspicuously absent as the morning wore on, and many of the people who’d been so kind the day before were missing as well. It appeared that the show of support I’d enjoyed was over, and reality was starting to rear its ugly head. It wasn’t that we had no customers, but there wasn’t enough flow to break even if we kept going at the rate we were facing.
Promptly at ten, my donut shop book club group came in. I’d become a member almost by accident, but I loved the one hour every month when I could discuss the latest mystery pick with my new friends. I’d thought about inviting my mother, and maybe someday I would, but for now, I wanted this all to myself.
The three older women were fast becoming favorites of mine. Sure, they sported expensive clothing and had regal postures, but beneath it all, they were a lot like me.
Jennifer, the redhead and leader of the group, smiled warmly as she saw me. “Hello, Suzanne. Are you going to be able to join us today? We’re going to have to keep it to half an hour, but we’d love to have you.”
“Let me get Emma up here,” I said.
After she was safely ensconced at the front, I grabbed my copy of A Sudden Deadly End and joined them after pouring four coffees and grabbing some huge cinnamon buns.
“I’ve got treats,” I said as I joined Hazel and Elizabeth.
“You know you’re welcome without them,” Elizabeth said as she took one of the coffee cups.
“But it’s ever so nice with them,” Hazel added as she went straight for a bun. She noticed the other two women staring at her, then added, “Suzanne knows I’m teasing.” As recompense, she reached into her purse and pulled out a fifty.
“That’s too much,” I said.
“Please, I’d gladly pay twice that for just one of these creations.” After a moment, she added thoughtfully, “I shouldn’t have admitted that, should I?”
We all laughed, and Jennifer got out her notes. “The first question I have is why would any woman go in that house after she hears the gunshot in chapter one?”
“I’d dive in the bushes,” I admitted.
“Or drive away,” Hazel said.
“Sure, but then he could see you leave, so he’d know you were there. I’d wait until I was sure he couldn’t see me, then I’d leave.”
Jennifer nodded. “I hadn’t thought of that. Sometimes I think authors have their characters do foolish things just to advance the plot.”
I smiled. “It wouldn’t be a very big book if the heroine called the police at the first sign of trouble, though. I think we have to suspend our disbelief while we’re reading, don’t you all agree?”
There were solemn nods, and I felt right at home.
Too soon, it was time to break up for another month. “We hate to go, but Hazel’s uncle is in the hospital, and we promised to visit. You’re welcome to come with us,” she added brightly. “We can continue our discussion in the car on the way over.”
“I’d love to, but I’m afraid I have to stay here. Thanks for asking.”
Jennifer put a hand on mine. “Suzanne, you’re a member of our group. Wherever we go, you’re always welcome to join us.”
After the ladies left, I felt so fortunate to be included in their group. I enjoyed being among bright and energetic people. It had been a lucky day for me when they’d first stumbled into my donut shop looking for a place to hold their meeting.
When the door chimed a little just after eleven, I would have welcomed a band of first-graders, if it meant selling them each a donut.
Instead of a customer, though, it was Janice Deal, the owner of Patty Cakes, and I wondered what was on her mind this morning.
“Hello, Suzanne.”
“Hi,” I said, trying my best not to show that I was cringing inside. Janice had an attitude that was accompanied by a chip on her shoulder that barely fit through doorways, and I wasn’t in the mood to spar with her today. “What can I get you?”
She looked around the deserted shop, then said, “I don’t suppose you’d give me some advice,” she said.
“Concerning what in particular?” I asked. This was uncharted territory for us, and I wasn’t sure I liked covering new ground with her.
“How do you glaze your yeast donuts after you make them? Krispy Kreme has a waterfall system, but I can’t imagine you being able to afford something that complex, and glazing them one at time looks like it would take forever.”
“Why do you want to know?” Emma asked as she came out of the kitchen. “You’re making donuts yourself, aren’t you?”
“Emma, be nice,” I said.
“Yes, you should learn how to at least be polite to your customers,” Janice snapped at her.
“Funny, I didn’t hear you order anything,” Emma said.
“Go back to the kitchen,” I said to my employee.
“But she’s . . .”
I wasn’t about to have that conversation right now. “Emma. Please do as I ask.”
“Fine, you’re the boss,” she said as she walked back through the door to the kitchen. I noticed that it hadn’t closed all the way, and I was certain she was still listening. Good, I wanted her to hear what I had to say next.
“It’s good to know that you understand how to keep your employees in line,” Janice said.
I took my apron off and slammed it on the counter. “How dare you come in here and insult my staff. She’s not just an employee, Janice, she’s my friend, and she was only looking out for me.”
“What’s the matter? Is it possible that you’re afraid of a little competition?” Janice asked snidely.
“From you? Hardly. You might as well try to learn to make a decent donut, since your cakes taste like sawdust, and your icing resembles toothpaste. Would you like to discuss your cookies? I’ve got notes somewhere we could go over if you’ve got an hou
r or two.”
Her face had paled during my diatribe, and she left my shop without another word, nearly knocking David Shelby over as she stormed off.
As he walked in, Emma started applauding.
“Wow, that’s some greeting,” he said. “Do you clap for every customer who comes through the door?”
Emma walked out and said, “It’s not for you, it’s for Suzanne. She just spanked Janice Deal.”
I shook my head. “Emma, I’m not exactly proud of the way I handled that,” I said. “But she deserved it. I can’t believe she thought she could get away with talking to you like that.”
“She won’t make that mistake twice,” Emma said.
My assistant looked at David, then said, “Excuse me; I’ve got dishes to wash.”
After she was gone, David asked, “What exactly did you say to her, anyway? She left like you’d just flayed her alive.”
“I attacked her baking skills, or lack thereof, which is pretty much the same thing,” I said. “Sometimes I wish the gear between my mouth and my brain worked a little better at shutting me up.”
He laughed. “What kind of fun would that be? What did she say to get you so riled up?”
“She wanted some tips on making donuts,” I said. “It’s bad enough that she wants to put me out of business, but it takes some kind of nerve to ask me for my hard-fought knowledge to do it.”
David frowned out the window toward her place. “Just for that, I’m not going to shop in her store.”
“Have a big need for decorated cakes and cookies, do you?” I asked.
“No, but you never know what might come up.” He looked around the shop, then added, “Do I even need to ask how business is going?”
“The full trays and the empty seats say it all, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Tell you what,” he said as he studied the case. “I’ll take a dozen donuts to go. Mix and match them for me, would you?”
“Having a party?” I asked as I got out a box.