by Holly Plum
“Hello,” Joy said.
“You’re Miss Cooke?”
Joy’s heart dropped when the man didn’t smile at all. He appeared to be in his fifties, and he had sharp features - no nonsense, green eyes, and a strict expression to say the least. Joy nodded, feeling exhausted. She was shocked by the disdainful look the man gave her. He didn’t even know her. What had she done to him?
“My mother was even more foolish in the writing of her will than I thought," the man said rudely. "Unbelievable.”
“Excuse me,” Joy responded, shaking her head. “Who are you exactly?”
“Ross Wallace,” the man answered, impatiently, as if giving such information was inconvenient.
“Oh,” Joy said as understanding dawned on her. “You’re Dorothy Wallace’s son. I remember your name.”
Ross continued to look agitated. “My mother was old and easily swayed. We’ll just have to remedy this situation and put things right.”
“Put things right?” Joy felt a headache coming on. She longed to sit down but had no intention whatsoever of inviting this cold man into her living room.
“The fact that my mother assigned most of her estate to a single person that the rest of my family doesn’t even know is ridiculous. It will be dealt with.” Ross’s face was a cold mask of determination.
Joy’s head pounded steadily now. She pressed her fingers to her temples, trying hard not to lose her cool. “I never tried to convince your mother to leave me anything. I have never even met the lawyer who came to tell me—.”
Ross was already shaking his head, dismissing her words. “The whole thing is completely ridiculous. As her only son, I should be the one to inherit her fortune.”
Joy longed to spit out that he was acting childish about the whole situation. She reminded herself that it was a lot of money they were talking about. However, she still hadn’t grasped the situation herself and was finding it difficult even to imagine battling for the money when the idea of an inheritance was still so foreign to her.
“I’m meeting with James Sacks tomorrow morning," Ross went on. "This situation will be dealt with in the swiftest manner possible if I have anything to say about it.”
With that, Ross strode away, irritation punctuating his every step. Joy took a few shaky steps back inside her house. Before now she thought that nothing could make the events of the afternoon harder to swallow, but she’d been quite wrong. Quite wrong, indeed.
CHAPTER THREE
The moment Joy entered the bakery the following morning, she was wary of what the day had in store for her. Not even the heavy scent of apple fritters could comfort her. Sara Beth had arrived early and the concerned look she turned on her boss the moment she entered the room was almost too much.
“How are you?” Sara Beth asked, immediately.
Joy waited a moment to speak, putting away her purse and washing her hands, tying an apron in place before answering. “Fine.”
Sara Beth pursed her lips and shook a flour-covered finger at her like a mother hen. “You’re a whiz at many things, Joy, but you’re a terrible liar. Did that lawyer’s visit keep you up all night? You look exhausted.”
“It wasn’t the lawyer,” Joy muttered. “It was that Ross Wallace.”
“Who?”
Joy took a deep breath. She wouldn't be able to spend an entire day without mentioning what had happened the night before.
“Who came to see you, Joy?” Sara Beth pressed. When she used Joy’s given name instead of the usual doll or honey, it was obvious she meant business.
“Dorothy Wallace’s son, Ross.” Joy attempted to look calm, keeping herself busy with stirring the batter Sara Beth had started for cupcakes. But it only succeeded in making her appear more frantic, so she put the bowl aside. “He’s angry that Dorothy left me her money.”
Sara Beth scowled. “So he showed up at your house to talk about it?"
“He sure did.” Joy nodded. "He said he is going to fight Dorothy's will."
“That is nonsense,” Sara Beth said. “Ms. Wallace was in a perfectly rational state of mind when she wrote her will. She was always as sharp as a whistle when I saw her.”
“Ross thinks I somehow convinced Dorothy to leave me her fortune. But, how would I do that? Threats?” Joy stopped there, shaking her head and wishing she had bread dough in front of her to knead out her frustration.
“Good heavens,” Sara Beth murmured in astonishment. “What are we going to do?”
“We?” Joy repeated. “There’s no we, Sara Beth. I don’t want you involved at all with Ross Wallace. That guy was scary. He practically threatened me.”
“Okay, then what are you going to do?” Sara Beth asked.
“I’m going to give him what he wants. Dorothy wouldn't want her family fighting over this”
Sara Beth raised her eyebrows, looking dissatisfied. “But, Ms. Wallace wanted you to have that money.”
“I know, but Ross is her son. And I’m not sure I want all that money anyway. Spending it wouldn't feel right.”
Sara Beth still looked unconvinced. Some would have wanted to talk the matter over more. However, when Sara Beth changed the subject, Joy was more than ready to oblige.
“Can I borrow your cat Cheesecake for a couple of days?” Sara Beth asked.
Joy gave her a confused smile. “That’s random. Why would you want to do that?”
“Rebecca’s thinking of getting a cat. I’m all for it, but I’d like to have some sort of test run to see what it would be like to be a pet owner.”
“You talk about the cat as if it would be yours and not your roommates,” Joy remarked.
Sara Beth rolled her eyes. “You know how Rebecca is. She’s gone with that boyfriend of hers so much that the little tike will practically call me mama. I need to know if I’ll be able to pull my weight as kitty companion.”
“Didn’t you have pets as a kid?”
“Pop couldn’t stand them," Sara Beth replied. "I've never had a dog or cat. Nothing. Not even a fish. I bet Pop was allergic to them too.”
In spite of the shadow hanging over her from the happenings of the previous day, Joy couldn’t help smiling. “Feel free to take Cheesecake for a test run. But consider yourself warned. He’s a bit difficult to handle and hates change. He might be a little terror for you.”
“Then it’ll leave me prepared for anything. If I can survive the Cheese-monster, then I can survive whatever Rebecca decides to bring home.”
Since Sara Beth was so sure, Joy agreed. She knew there would be a funny story to go with the adventure once it was all through.
When the bell on the front door chimed, Joy didn’t feel ready to start the day but knew she needed to. She groaned inwardly when it was another unfamiliar face. “Hello. How can I help you?”
The woman appeared to be about Joy’s age. She had thick, platinum blonde hair which was swept up into a ponytail and showed off long, silver earrings and a slender neck. She wore casual, blue jeans and a white, button-up shirt. “Hi, Joy?”
Joy nodded.
“I’m Violet Wallace,” the woman said, extending a hand.
Joy hesitated. Violet seemed nice enough, but the mention of her last name being Ross caused Sara Beth to study her suspiciously. Joy wasn’t ready to handle another confrontation like the one she’d had with Ross. Did the entire family intend to bombard her about Dorothy's will? Joy gingerly returned the handshake.
“I believe my father, Ross, came to see you last night,” Violet mentioned.
"Yes, he did." Again, Joy nodded. She was surprised by the look of concern that came over the woman’s face.
“I have to apologize for the way he acted. It was completely uncalled for and not the way my grandmother would have wanted this handled at all.”
Joy found herself speechless. “No,” she said when she finally gained her voice. “I don’t think it is.”
Violet thought for a moment. “I trust my grandmother completely. I don't think she made a mi
stake while writing her will.”
Just when Joy was beginning to believe that this conversation might be one of complete understanding with no further mention of the money, Violet asked a question. “Do you know why she left you so much money?”
If Violet had presented herself as more of a threat like her father had, Joy would have been devastated by the question. However, it appeared to be only one of curiosity.
“I don’t know,” Joy admitted. “All I ever did was bring her a batch of double chocolate brownies each Friday. That’s all….”
Silence had lingered for a few moments before Violet extended her hand again. “Good to meet you, Ms. Cooke, and, again, I’m very sorry for the way my dad handled this situation. Have a good day.”
Before Joy had the chance to say that she was sorry for the woman’s loss, Violet Wallace was gone. Joy tried to shake off their meeting, but she thought of nothing else all day. Which member of the Wallace family would find her next? And would any of them do something stupid? Joy knew all too well that money made people do crazy things sometimes.
CHAPTER FOUR
After leaving the bakery early to fetch her cat Cheesecake, Joy opened the door to her beach bungalow and called for him. Cheesecake didn’t answer with his usual meow, so Joy checked the kitchen.
“Cheesecake? Where are you, kitty?”
Joy moved through the living room and searched around the sofa, but still came up empty-handed. She went back toward the front door and opened the hallway closet for the cat treats. She normally kept them on the top shelf. Realizing that she was out, she resorted to searching for her cat again in all of the same places. She opened the front door and called for Cheesecake, wondering if he might have somehow escaped outside. The next thing Joy knew, Cheesecake made a mad dash out of the house and leaped off of the porch.
“Cheesecake!” Joy yelled. The cat didn’t turn back but ran on the beach. Joy took off after him, grateful she still had her work shoes on as she sprinted toward the shoreline. The weight of her footwear made running slightly more cumbersome once she reached the deep sand of the shore, but she continued. She squinted to see her white cat against the sugar sand. She was completely unaware of the beaches other occupants as she raced after her runaway, practically face planting in the sand when she finally reached him.
“You, crazy cat!” Joy scolded Cheesecake who was meowing in protest. “I might just let Sara Beth keep you forever.”
“Are you alright?” said an unfamiliar voice.
Joy looked up to see three surfers moving toward her. For one brief moment, she found the situation humorous. It was like a scene from a movie when the heroine meets the leading man under awkward circumstances. Only, each surfer looked a little too young for her.
“Yes, I’m fine. Cats are very unpredictable.” Joy stood, glad that Cheesecake had stopped meowing. One of the men stared at Joy.
“You own a bakery in town, don’t you?” the man asked. He was tall and blonde – a similar shade of blonde as Violet's had been.
“That’s right," Joy answered. "I run Patty Cakes Bake Shop. Not The Sugar Room. I have no association with The Sugar Room whatsoever."
The man nodded. “I thought so.” He studied her for a moment longer. Joy didn’t like his expression. “I’m Zinny Wallace.”
Wallace, Joy repeated in her head. She braced herself for another argument.
“Of course, you are a Wallace. How many of you are there?” Joy didn’t even try to cover the harsh tone of her voice.
“I’m Ross’s son,” Zinny said.
“And Violet’s brother.” Joy was annoyed, tired, and ready to lock herself in her room for the night.
“My dad told me he went to see you,” Zinny said. “He’s very shocked about the entire situation with my grandmother’s will.”
“Yes, well, it seems we all are.”
“Why are you shocked?” Zinny asked. "You must have been expecting the money. I'm sure Grandma Dorothy discussed it with you."
Joy was shocked by his accusatory statement though she realized that she should have expected it by now.
“Hold on,” Joy interrupted him. “I knew nothing about Dorothy Wallace leaving me a single penny until her lawyer showed up at my bakery yesterday. All I did was deliver brownies to her door every Friday. She was a good friend of my mother's. I never expected her to leave me her fortune so I would appreciate it if your family would stop assuming I tricked her into changing her will.”
"I just meant…" Zinny stammered.
"Nice to meet you," Joy lied as she walked back to her house, holding her cat tight. "Come on, Cheesecake. You're going on a little field trip for a few days."
Next time someone knocked on Joy's door, she wasn't going to answer it.
CHAPTER FIVE
Joy’s determination to make it through an entire day at the bakery without seeing another member of the Wallace family evaporated when Fern walked through the door.
“You're here early. Your cake won't be ready today.” Joy’s mind had jumped to conclusions so quickly that she hadn’t even noted the genuine smile on Fern's face. It faded a little.
“I know," Fern responded. "I hope you don’t mind me coming in today, but I wanted to talk to you.”
Joy’s heart sank. “This is about your grandmother's will, isn't it?"
Fern looked surprised, and she shook her head.
“I’m sorry it’s been such an ordeal,” Fern said, her expression turning to one of resigned regret.
"It's okay. I understand that your family is frustrated. It's just that I get the impression that some of them think I'm hiding something. I'm not. I was just as shocked as everyone else by Dorothy's dying wishes." Joy shrugged, wondering how she’d managed to get herself into this mess. Why had Dorothy done what she did?
“I want to extend an invitation," Fern replied. "As our distinguished cake decorator and especially as a good friend of Dorothy’s, I think you should be at the pre-wedding dinner we’re holding at the Diamond Shell Hotel. I was also hoping you would make some sort of special dessert for the occasion. Maybe some of those brownies that Grandma seemed to love so much?”
Joy pondered the suggestion, never having been one to deny a client's request. “Are you sure? I mean, members of the Wallace family haven’t exactly been friendly toward me since Dorothy’s will was announced and I don’t want to cause any more trouble."
Fern was already shaking her head in objection. “I already told you not to be worried about the will. They’re all adults. My family will behave themselves. Besides, it’s my wedding, and I would feel terrible if you weren’t in attendance. An invitation is the least I can do to express my thanks.”
Joy still wasn’t sure that going to the dinner was smart, but how could she refuse? She could always leave early if things became heated. Fern’s happiness at Joy’s acceptance was almost enough to make the baker believe that her appearance at this event would be a success. Still, Joy's unfortunate encounters with the other members of the Wallace family replayed in her mind. Now that she’d agreed, she decided the only thing to do was remember that she’d had nothing to do with Dorothy’s will and remain confident in that. Joy had done nothing wrong.
The rest of the day, Joy felt like she could breathe easy. By closing time, Joy had managed to convince herself that Fern and Ivan's pre-wedding dinner would be the perfect place to explain her side of the story to the entire Wallace family. She had also listened to Sara Beth's praises of Cheesecake for far too long. In Sara Beth's care, Cheesecake sounded like a furry, little angel. But just when Joy was about to lock the front door, Detective Sugar arrived.
“Hello, Joy," the detective said.
“Detective Sugar, it’s been far too long since you’ve stopped by. Please, come in.” Joy set aside the empty brownie tray she was holding.
The detective looked around the bake shop, taking an appreciative sniff of the fragrant bakery. “Afternoon, Sara Beth.” He greeted Joy’s assistant as she a
ppeared from the back room.
“Hello, Detective," Sara Beth responded. "I trust you're here for a tasty treat and nothing more."
“Take a seat," Joy added. "How about some key lime pie?”
Joy’s mouth watered at her own suggestion when she thought about the creamy, lime green filling she’d poured into a crunchy, homemade graham cracker crust just that afternoon. She realized that she hadn’t eaten much of a lunch and a piece of pie suddenly sounded irresistible. Feeling instantly ravenous, she disappeared into the kitchen and returned with three pieces of pie.
“Thanks, Joy,” the detective said. “But, unfortunately, I’m not here on a social call.”
“What’s wrong, Detective?” Joy had picked the perfect time to take a sugar break.
“Sit down, Joy.”
Joy wordlessly placed the plates of pie on the table. Only a week like this one had the ability to make her lose her appetite for key lime.
“I understand you received a visit from a member of Dorothy Wallace’s family,” the detective said.
Joy sighed. “Which one? I've met a few now.”
Detective Sugar’s brow knit in concern. “I heard that Ross Wallace was rather upset about his mother's will.”
“He threatened her,” Sara Beth chimed in, her tone filled with righteous indignation.
“It could have been worse,” Joy was quick to add. “He was just frustrated.”
“Be that as it may,” Detective Sugar said. “That family has something far more serious than a fortune to figure out.”
Joy glanced at Sara Beth before looking back at the detective in bewilderment. “What do you mean?”
Detective Sugar’s expression made Joy’s heart sink. “Joy, it looks like Dorothy Wallace was murdered. And you, being the beneficiary of her will, are a suspect.”
CHAPTER SIX
“Murder?” Sara Beth exclaimed, her eyes as big as saucers. “I'm going to need an extra cup of sweet tea to process all of this."