Even so, it was clear Katie had made the right choice in interviewing possible helpers later that afternoon. It’d been a couple of months since her other assistant baker had been murdered. Though it felt disrespectful to think of replacing Sammy, we couldn’t keep going like we were. Still, watching Carla made me question if it was really all that much help doing interviews.
She was flitting back and forth between her three employees. One second growling something in irritation at Tiffany, then rolling her eyes at Nick, only to seem close to frustrated tears at something her grandfather did. And through it all, she was doing her best to smile and be welcoming to all the friends and customers crowding her shop.
I’d have to make sure to find the right person to help me at the bookshop, or it would simply cause more work.
Carla truly did seem frazzled and overwhelmed, alternating between a frantic smile and her cheeks flushing in what appeared to be temper. I’d noticed that temper many times before, but it seemed even closer to the surface than usual. Granted, given the exchange with her father-in-law, I couldn’t blame her. Especially with him still standing there scowling in the middle of it all.
Even as I watched, he left his wife’s side from their position of judgment to join Carla behind the counter, where he began to quietly rail at something Nick had done, all the while holding his plated scone.
For his part, the teenager simply ducked his eyes and nodded, clearly humiliated, but not like he was about to talk back. It was almost impressive, the kid had more restraint than me.
Carla said something to Eustace that I couldn’t hear, but she looked furious as she stomped off toward the backroom again.
Her grandfather started to follow her, concern etched over his old face, but at a snarl from Eustace, he stayed where he was.
For his part, Eustace picked up his scone, took a bite, and leaned against the back counter to observe. His judgmental stare traveled over the three employees, then met mine. He took another bite and kept staring.
I started to turn away like I had the first two times, then felt like it was almost a dare. As if he was testing me somehow. I lifted my chin and stared back. I’d allowed myself to be bullied by my ex-husband from time to time, and I promised I’d never let anyone do that to me again. And though no words were tossed in my direction, his intention was clear.
He cocked an eyebrow, almost seemed surprised, but only took another bite of the scone.
It was a strange sensation, this moment linking Eustace and me, both of us situated across the coffee shop from each other with several people between. This challenge with a man I hadn’t interacted with yet had been caught eavesdropping on as he berated his daughter-in-law.
Katie was saying something to me, but I didn’t respond, didn’t even catch her words. Maybe it was ridiculous or silly, although it didn’t feel like it, but I was not going to lose the battle of wills with Mr. Beaker, even if I had to sit there staring at him until closing.
He took another bite of the scone. It looked like the white chocolate cranberry with the crusting of powdered sugar over the top.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and then Eustace lost the staring match.
He choked, let out a cough, and blinked.
Okay, maybe he lost the staring match by default, but still.
He choked again, beat on his chest a couple of times, and then took off toward the hallway leading to the lavatory and storeroom.
Well, choked or not, he’d remember that I hadn’t blinked. I sat back, oddly satisfied.
“What in the green blazes was that?” Katie stared at me.
I started to answer, then paused. “You know… I’m not exactly sure. But whatever it was, I won.” I couldn’t keep from grinning.
“I guess that’s all that matters. Turns out, I’m not the only competitive one.” She grinned as she patted my hand. “Ready to go? I heard a rumor that you sell books and I make pastries. I suppose we should act like it.”
“Yes. Let’s.” I glanced at her companions. “It was great to see you again, Paulie. And a pleasure to meet you, Athena.”
“Was good to see you too, Fred. How about a playdate for the pups soon?”
Before I could figure out an excuse, Athena rescued me. “Trust me, sweetie, the pleasure was all mine. You just keep making the obituaries more interesting for me, and we’ll be in good shape.” She turned to Paulie. “Darling, do you think you can fetch me a fresh Earl Grey?”
“Of course.” Paulie offered a smile to Katie and me and didn’t wait to confirm the playdate.
A cut of guilt sliced through me; it was probably obvious I’d been avoiding answering. In my defense, Watson really truly detested Flotsam and Jetsam.
Katie and I had just stood, and I was gathering up Watson’s leash from under the table, when a scream cut through the coffee shop.
The second scream of the day didn’t startle me like the first, and somehow I recognized the voice, although I suppose how wasn’t a mystery, considering I’d heard Carla’s raised tone more than once.
The entire coffee shop froze in place, every voice stilled. After the scene I’d just witnessed between Carla and her father-in-law, I had a vision of him slapping her or something. Dropping the leash, I rushed from our table toward the hallway that led to the backroom, Watson on my heels. Not only was I going to show Eustace Beaker that I wasn’t going to be beaten down in a staring contest, but that no matter the strain in his daughter-in-law’s and my relationship, I wasn’t going to let him trounce all over her when I was present.
As I rounded the hallway, such thoughts fled as I found Eustace sprawled on the floor in front of the bathroom door, Carla standing over him. Her hand was over her mouth, and she looked up at me, her eyes wide once more. “He’s dead. I think he’s dead.”
Watson tromping down the steps alerted me that he and Leo were coming from the bakery. Despite park ranger Leo Lopez’s muscular frame, he could move as silently as a ghost through the forest or a bookshop. My furry, possibly overly fluffy, little man… not so much.
I watched them approach from my spot reading by the fire. The interruption was welcome. It wasn’t like I’d been able to concentrate on the book anyway—too many thoughts rolling around in my head.
Leo didn’t have to search to find me. Where else would I be other than tucked away in my favorite spot of the store? He motioned to the other end of the antique sofa, as Watson pranced adoringly at his feet. “Do you mind if I join you?”
I’d abandoned my boots at the counter half an hour before, so I moved my socked feet over, making room. “Katie kick you out?”
He nodded with a grin. “I can’t tell if she’s more nervous or more guilty. Either way, I guarantee you she’s more of a mess than the people she’s going to interview shortly. Between feeling like she’s betraying Sammy and now wondering about continuing with the scheduled interviews on the same day as another death, she’s overthinking everything.”
She must be struggling more than I’d realized if she’d shoved Leo aside. “Maybe I should go talk to her again.”
“No.” Leo reached out a hand and touched my wrist, halting me. “I think she just needs to work through it on her own for a little bit. She still wants you there during the interviews.” He withdrew his hand almost instantly and lowered it to stroke Watson who sat by Leo’s feet. He refocused on the fire. “It’s the middle of May, Fred. I know it’s not beach weather, but surely you’re not cold.”
“I know, but it’s just so beautiful and relaxing. Granted, I’m not in a rush for the snow to come back, but there really is nothing like reading by a fire.” That was the other reason I’d taken off my boots. The hair at the back of my neck was damp with sweat. I was warm enough that the fire was the furthest thing from relaxing. More like stifling, but I was stubborn. Hopefully I’d let that go by the time July hit.
With his free hand, Leo unfastened the second button of his shirt and fanned the fabric to cool himself off while unintentionally rev
ealing a flash of honey-brown skin.
I averted my eyes. I wasn’t sure what was going on between him and Katie. The three of us had most definitely become the Three Amigos of Estes Park over the past several months, and half the time I was certain that was all that was happening with him and Katie, but then at others, it seemed like more. And even if I’d thought Leo was interested in me at the beginning, I wasn’t going to stand in my friend’s way. Not that there was any reason to. Leo and I were just friends. And if I wore the dangling silver earrings in the shape of corgis that Leo had given me nearly every day, it was just because I liked them, not because of any secret intentions.
“Winifred Page discovers another dead body, huh?” He cast a sidelong glance my way.
I latched on to the topic. “I don’t think I can claim that distinction this time around. Carla was the one who screamed. She was there before me.”
“Maybe so, but still. You do have a certain knack.” A playful grin cut his face.
“Everyone keeps saying that. Even the obituary writer I met today, Athena, mentioned that I helped make her job a lot more fun lately.” I bugged my eyes out at him in a teasing manner. “I’m not going around killing people, if you recall.”
“I don’t think anyone’s going to accuse you of killing Eustace Beaker, considering he choked to death in the middle of the coffee shop.”
“Well…” And hence the reason I hadn’t been able to focus on my book. “He wasn’t exactly in the middle of the coffee shop. True, I did notice him choking, but no one actually saw him die. Even Carla says she walked out of the back room and found him dead in the hallway.”
Forgetting Watson for the moment, Leo twisted, angling more fully toward me. “I know that sound in your voice, Fred. You think he was murdered.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t say that.”
He narrowed his eyes, his grin returning slightly. “You didn’t have to.”
Watson propped his forepaws on the edge of the sofa and nudged Leo’s hand roughly with his nose while giving a scolding chuff. While there were moments I wasn’t sure what feelings existed between Leo and me, and Leo and Katie, there was no doubt Watson was head over heels in love with the handsome park ranger. Although I doubted his looks had anything to do with it. For his part, Leo seemed just as enamored of Watson.
“Sorry, buddy. I forgot my job, didn’t I?” He made up for his error by lavishing attention on Watson with both hands, but refocused on me. “What do you think happened? Poison?”
I flinched, surprised that Leo had reached that conclusion so quickly. “Maybe the thought crossed my mind.”
“That would be one fast-acting poison, wouldn’t it?”
I shrugged. “I’m not an expert on poisons, but you’re probably right.”
“I’m not doubting your intelligence or ability, Fred.” He sounded hesitant, like he was afraid I’d be offended. “And I know there’s been a lot of murders in town since you’ve moved here, but sometimes people die on their own. Accidents happen.”
And that had been the other refrain floating through my mind in between the possibilities of Eustace Beaker being murdered. “I know. But… the man was awful. Granted, I was only around him for a matter of minutes today, but he was awful. And from what I could see and what I heard from other people, it sounds like that was a pretty common state of being for him.” With someone else, I might’ve felt the need to apologize for speaking ill of the dead so quickly after their departure. But this wasn’t Leo’s and my first rodeo.
“As opposed to the song, not only the good die young.”
“He was hardly young.” I chuckled, then sobered. “Goodness, listen to us. Talking about a man’s death as lightly as if we’re discussing the possibility of a whodunit in a movie. A man just died. Someone’s husband, someone’s father. Little Maverick’s grandfather.”
Leo opened his mouth, then paused as he seemed to consider. After a couple of seconds, he nodded. “Maybe so, but we’re not exactly strangers to death, and we don’t have any connection to Eustace. Plus, it seems like most of the ones who did weren’t better for it. We don’t have to throw a party that he’s gone, but I don’t think we have to pretend to grieve either.”
I agreed, but it was something I needed to stay aware of.
The beat of Katie’s pacing footsteps in the bakery sounded over the soft piped-in music. We both glanced up.
“She’s going to drive herself crazy.”
Leo nodded, but didn’t change the topic. “What did Branson say?”
The question threw me. “What do you mean?”
Leo looked confused. “Once you saw him at Carla’s when Eustace died. What did he say about your theory?”
“Oh!” I shook my head. “He wasn’t there. He’s out of town for a couple of days. Officer Green was the one who came to the scene.”
“I take it you didn’t tell her your suspicions?”
“No. Not hardly.” Susan Green and I had disliked each other from the moment we met. Actually, she disliked me first, but I was quick to follow suit. Over the past few months, there were moments where I thought we might form a friendship, or something similar. But it often felt like one step forward, two steps back.
Leo licked his lips and focused on Watson’s hero-worship-filled eyes. “Sergeant Wexler did a great job officiating the Duck Race Festival last week. The two of you seem to be getting on pretty well.”
Every May, Estes Park had a fundraiser where people would buy rubber ducks with a raffle number on the bottom. The city dumped thousands of them in the river, and whichever ones made it to the finish line the fastest were the prizewinners. The event raised massive amounts of money for charity. It had been Branson’s turn to be the announcer.
I studied Leo before responding. He kept his gaze firmly fixed to Watson. Maybe I was reading into it too much. Although, it was odd that he referred to Branson so formally. But he’d been right, Branson and I had had our ups and downs, but we’d been in a smooth spot lately. “We’re going to dinner when he gets back in town.”
There was no reaction from Leo. None at all.
Was that, in and of itself, a reaction? I couldn’t tell.
I also wasn’t entirely sure why I had told Leo about our upcoming date. Was I trying to get a reaction? Leo and I were just friends, after all. Friends told each other these things. I’d told Katie. And I’d studied her for a reaction as well. Seeing if there might be disapproval or excitement. Maybe this was the same thing.
Though it felt different.
“Dinner. Dinner is… delicious.” Leo finally spoke and cleared his throat. When he looked over at me, his tone was back to normal and there was no hint of anything in his eyes. “Well, I suppose that’s depending on where you go.”
Before I could figure out how to respond, the front door handle of the Cozy Corgi jiggled, followed by a sharp knock.
I took the excuse and stood quickly. “I guess someone must be here early for the interview. I’ll go grab my boots if you want to let Katie know.” Not waiting for a response, I left the mystery room and headed toward the main counter to retrieve my boots. Leaving Leo, Watson followed at my feet. As I entered the main portion of the bookshop, I noticed the face staring in from the front door.
I paused, dread washing over me at the sight of Officer Susan Green with her hand pressed above her eyes, attempting to peer in.
No, not dread. I wasn’t sure what. But something.
Maybe I was right about my Eustace Beaker theory after all.
As I slid on my boots, I called out over my shoulder, “Never mind, it’s just Susan.”
“Susan?” Leo’s voice rose an octave behind me. “Huh, maybe you’re onto something after all, Winifred.”
Great minds thought alike.
Once again in both of my boots and Watson prancing beside me, I unlocked the front door and held it open for Officer Green.
Susan scowled as she stepped in.
As soon as he realized who it
was, Watson growled softly.
She glared down at him. “Yeah, well, I don’t really like you either, furball.” Susan focused on me, but then her gaze flitted over my shoulder, her pale blue eyes widening. “Oh. Interesting. While the thought of your love life quite literally turns my stomach, Ms. Page, should I let my superior know he has competition while he’s away?”
I wasn’t sure if my name or the word superior was spoken with more disdain. And it looked like this interaction was going to be two steps back. Possibly three or four. “Leo and I are friends. Anything Sergeant Wexler and I are, or are not, isn’t your concern, Officer Green.”
She bristled at my far from subtle dig at her station.
“You know, I think Katie’s probably needing…” Leo’s voice faltered, then he let out a small chuckle. “I’ll be upstairs. You ladies have fun.”
I hated that Leo had seen me in that moment, but not nearly as much as I hated that I still allowed myself to have moments like this with Susan Green. My temper got the best of me at times. But my interactions with Susan were often something different. One that I truly despised. I’d come to realize she felt the same. Whatever it was we did to each other, neither of us liked. But it also seemed we weren’t quite able to manage our reactions either.
I bent down and patted Watson on the head, though he didn’t quit growling. “Go with Leo. I’ll be fine.”
Watson glanced up at me, probably disconcerted at the mention of Leo’s name while having his own strong reaction to Susan.
“Go on.” I motioned back toward the steps, lilting my voice. “Leo and Katie. They have a snack for you.”
Susan forgotten, Watson gave a little bunny hop of his front paws, his fox ears somehow managing to point even more skyward.
“Yep! Treat!” Another motion up the steps. “Go get a treat.”
And he was off. Running so fast his back legs stumbled on the first step, but then they got a hold, and he disappeared.
Scornful Scones Page 3