by Jessica Beck
“Hey there,” I said to her as I walked into the converted boxcar just across the park from Donut Hearts. I could have walked there just as easily, but that would have meant enduring more heat directly, something I was not all that eager to do. The cold hit me like a wave at the beach, and I quickly put my sweater on.
“Hey yourself. We thought you’d never get here,” Trish said with a smile, her ponytail bobbing as she gestured to a table in the back.
I looked and saw that Max was sitting there waiting impatiently, dressed in his best suit, with a dozen red roses on the table in front of him.
“Has Emily shown up yet?” I asked.
“Three times, as a matter of fact. I’m supposed to call her when you get here, so give me a second and I will.”
Before she dialed, I said, “Have you heard about what’s going on?”
“That you’re playing matchmaker with your ex-husband and one of your best friends? I might have heard bits and pieces of the plan,” she said with a smile.
“When you put it that way, I’m beginning to doubt my sanity agreeing to do this in the first place,” I said.
Trish hugged me, and said, “Honestly, I think it’s sweet of you. Why shouldn’t everybody find love?”
“How about you?” I asked. “Any prospects on the horizon?” Trish was notoriously unlucky at love, though I hoped that someday she’d find someone, since she wanted it so badly. She’d just lost someone that she might have grown to love, but he was murdered before they could really find out what the future might hold for them.
“No, I’ve decided to take myself off the market,” she replied.
“Seriously? You can’t just give up.”
“Maybe you’re right, but it seems like the smartest thing that I can do right now. We’ll see how this works out between Emily and Max, but if they can make it, I might just let you try matchmaking for me.”
“Hang on, I never said I was a…” I stopped when I saw her grin. “You joke, but I might just try, anyway.”
“Knock yourself out,” Trish said. “You can’t do any worse for me than I’ve managed for myself.”
The diner’s owner finished her call, and I made my way to Max’s table, stopping to wink at Grace as I did so. To her credit, she wasn’t at the closest table, but she was still within hearing range of anything above a whisper. Grace winked back at me as I made my way to Max’s table.
“For me?” I asked as I scooped up the roses and pretended to inhale them. “Max, you shouldn’t have.”
“I didn’t,” he said as he quickly took them from me. “They’re for Emily.”
“I know that, you idiot,” I said with a grin as I sat down. “You really are nervous, aren’t you?”
“There’s a lot riding on this, Suzanne,” he answered.
I shrugged. “I can honestly say that I’ve never seen you like this, Max.”
“I know, right? I’m a man who’s learning to follow his heart.”
“Well, all I can say is that it’s about time,” I answered as I nodded my approval of his change of attitude.
“Are these too much?” he asked as he placed the roses down again.
“It depends on the message that you’re trying to send.”
“I want her to know that I’m serious about this,” he answered.
“Well, they should do that, if nothing else.”
Emily came in, looking gorgeous as well, and I began to feel that I was underdressed, even given the attire of the other diners around us. She walked up to the table, and Max stood up, something he’d neglected to ever do for me, but I wasn’t about to tease him about it. He presented the roses to Emily, who accepted them graciously.
“I don’t know what to do with them,” she said as she looked around the diner.
“I’ll take care of them,” I answered, and then I took them to Trish. “Do you have a vase we can borrow?”
“I’m way ahead of you,” she answered as she pulled one out from behind the counter. “That’s the problem with men; they don’t think things through.”
“Hey, it could have been worse. He could have gotten her a corsage.”
“I remember the one I got at prom,” she said. “It was sweet.”
“You were eighteen, too. Thanks.”
“Happy to help,” she said.
I made my way back to the table, and when I got there, I found them sitting in stony silence.
“What did I miss?” I asked.
“We were waiting for you,” Emily said.
That was not a good sign. Was it going to be up to me to make conversation? I was there as a chaperone, not a conversation facilitator. “It’s really hot out, isn’t it?” I asked lamely.
And that’s when Max saved the date.
“How are the guys holding up back at the shop? Moose must be roasting,” he said.
“He was until I got him a box fan. Now he doesn’t even mind the swimsuit.”
“They’re all in bathing suits now? How do Cow and Spots feel about that?”
“Spots thinks they’re pretty, and he’s just about convinced Cow of it, too.”
“He always was the stylish one, wasn’t he?”
They were off now, discussing the moods and foibles of Emily’s three stuffed animals, and though it might have seemed just a tad crazy to anyone listening in on the conversation, it all made perfect sense to me.
Once the meal was over, Max excused himself to pay the bill, and Emily leaned over to talk to me. “He really has changed, hasn’t he?”
“I’m not giving my opinion one way or the other at this point,” I answered. “Besides, what I think shouldn’t matter. It’s all up to you.”
“Well, dinner went well, at any rate. We’ll have to wait and see about the rest of it.”
“That sounds prudent,” I answered. I wasn’t about to commit one way or the other, but I had to agree with Emily. I knew that Max was smooth, but there had always been a ‘slick’ component to him in the past, and that was nowhere to be seen tonight.
“Thank you for coming tonight,” Emily said as she squeezed my hand. “You did me a huge favor.”
“I was happy to do it.” That was a big fat lie, but one I didn’t mind telling.
Emily frowned at me, and then said, “Suzanne, stop worrying about how it sounds. I need to know what you really think about all of this.”
“Sorry, but I’m not about to get involved.” Well, that was what I should have said. Instead, I replied, “I think he legitimately cares for you, and if tonight’s any indication, I’ve got a hunch that he really has changed.”
So much for my vow of neutrality.
“Thank you so much,” she said to me as Max returned.
“What are you thanking her for?” Max asked.
“It’s nothing. Suzanne and I were just chatting.”
“Uh oh. That can’t be good for me,” he said, the worry clear on his face.
“Don’t be so sure about that,” she said as she stood and took his hand.
I’d never seen Max’s face light up like that the entire time we’d been married, and to be honest, it kind of bugged me a little at first, but I quickly let it go. I had someone in my life, a man who mattered to me deeply. If Max could find that experience with Emily, more power to them both.
After they were gone, Grace motioned for me to join her.
“Wow, that went surprisingly well, didn’t it?” she asked me, sounding a little disappointed that there hadn’t been a better show.
“Better than I ever imagined. I just hope that I did the right thing sticking my nose into their business.”
“Hey, whatever happens, from the sound of it, you gave Emily every chance to make up her own mind,” Grace said. “Do you feel like some pie? I noticed that you mostly just picked at your meal.”
“Can you blame me? It was one of the oddest conversations I’ve ever been privy to, and that’s saying something.”
Trish came back to Grace’s table. “Who wo
uld have believed it? They both looked happy when they left.”
“We’re all amazed,” Grace said. “Care to join us for some pie?”
She looked around at the crowded diner, and then Trish said, “Why not?”
“We don’t want to take you from anything,” I said.
“It’s hard to imagine what I wouldn’t do for pie,” she said as she walked back up front.
“Are you nervous about tonight?” Grace asked in a soft voice after Trish was gone.
“A little, but I’m feeling better about it since I told you. Knowing that you’re going to be close by is huge for me.”
“I still think I should be standing right beside you when you talk to this guy. You shouldn’t be alone.”
“I can handle him,” I said, hoping that it was true. I saw Trish approach with a tray full of pie. “Remember, not a word to anyone, Grace.”
“My lips are sealed,” she said.
Trish lowered the tray as she explained, “I’ve got apple, cherry, and pumpkin. Take your pick.”
“Pumpkin?” I asked. “In August?”
“Hey, what can I say? My pie maker was homesick for Thanksgiving. There are other choices, you know.”
“No, I want that one,” I said as I reached for the golden orange slice.
“I don’t have to tell either one of you that cherry’s my favorite,” Grace said.
“I knew that, and I had a hunch that Suzanne wouldn’t be able to resist the pumpkin. I wanted the apple slice all along.”
We all laughed at that, and we shared a few minutes of joy as we ate and caught up on the most mundane things in each other’s lives. It was one of those moments I cherished about living in a small town.
No problem ever seemed too big when I had my friends around me.
Too soon, though, we were finished with our dessert. I paid for the pie and Grace left an even bigger tip, all under Trish’s protests.
Once we were outside, I was surprised to nearly run over someone on the steps who was decidedly alone.
If the chief of police was heading into the diner to eat by himself, where exactly was my dear sweet mother?
Mom’s Apple Pie Donuts
No, my mother never made these, but who can resist the name? I love baking apple pies, so once when I was looking for something warm and tasty to make on a cold and rainy afternoon, I searched for some apples to no avail. Why not an apple pie donut? Some of my best work has been using what I have on hand, and this was no exception. This recipe includes apple pie spice, which consists of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, and applesauce. These donuts are the next best thing to fresh apple pie, and after they are out of the oven or your donut maker, try them with powdered sugar while they’re still warm. We also like dipping them in apple butter, and if we’re feeling particularly decadent, we add a touch of butter to each bite first. Very tasty!
INGREDIENTS
MIXED
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup applesauce, natural and unsweetened
1/4 cup whole milk (2% will do)
1/4 cup butter, softened
SIFTED
1 1/4 cups flour, unbleached all-purpose
1/3 cup brown sugar, dark
2 teaspoons apple pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS
If you’re using your oven, preheat to 365 degrees F before you start mixing.
In a bowl, beat the egg lightly, then add the applesauce, milk, and butter. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, brown sugar, apple pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing well until you have a smooth consistency.
Put the batter into your donut pans or into your donut baker and bake for eight to ten minutes in your oven, five to six minutes in your donut baker, or until they’re richly brown.
Yield 10-12 small donuts
Chapter 3
“Did you forget someone?” I asked Chief Martin.
“No, not that I know of,” he replied.
“Where’s Momma?” I asked him a little more pointedly.
“Suzanne, I don’t have a clue. I didn’t realize that she was lost.”
The police chief looked as perplexed as I felt. Had their plans changed, or had my mother lied to me about what she was up to this evening?
“Sorry, I must have gotten my dates mixed up,” I said. “I just thought that you two were going out tonight.”
“We were, but something came up at the last minute,” he answered.
“For you, or for her?” Grace asked. I wanted to shush her, but it was too late.
“Her, if it matters. Suzanne, you’re acting a little oddly this evening, if you don’t mind my saying so.”
“Why should I possibly mind that?” I asked. “Have a good dinner.”
“Thanks,” he answered uncertainly. It was clear that our exchange had left the man a little off-balance.
When I turned around to look at him a few paces later, he was still standing there staring at me in open puzzlement.
“What was that all about?” Grace asked.
I explained about the note that I’d gotten from my mother, and Grace giggled. “Do you think it’s possible that Dorothy is stepping out on him with another man?”
I couldn’t imagine it, not for a second. “There’s no way. If she had another date, she would have just told him about it. My mother doesn’t believe in playing games when it comes to affairs of the heart.”
“Then what could it mean?”
“I wish I knew,” I said as I glanced at my watch. “If she’s at the house, I’ll ask her about it, but if she’s not, I’m going to get to bed a little early tonight, since I have to get up before I really want to for that meeting. You don’t mind if I take off early, do you?”
“Don’t worry about me; I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. I’ll see you later tonight near the clock.”
“I hope I don’t see you while you’re hiding in the bushes watching my back,” I said.
“You’ll never even know that I’m there. I’m as quick and as quiet as a cat,” she said.
“I’ll take your word for it,” I said with a smile as I got into the Jeep and drove home. I was curious about what my mother had been up to, and this time I was hoping that she was home so we could talk. I wanted to know what she was doing, and if she was there, I decided that I was going to tell her about my meeting later that night. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that she deserved to know what was going on. If there was one person in April Springs who had more at stake in all of this than me, it was Momma. My father had meant the world to her, and if there was someone out there trying to sully his name with a murder accusation, she had every right to know about it, no matter what the blackmailer wanted.
Unfortunately, Momma wasn’t home when I got there.
I decided to call Jake and get his insight on what I was about to do, but his phone went straight to voice mail, meaning that he was too deep into his investigation to pull out of it for anything short of a national emergency.
Since there was no one I could talk to, I decided to do the most sensible thing I’d done all day.
I went to bed, but not before setting my alarm clock for an hour earlier than I usually got up.
I had somewhere to be tonight, and I couldn’t afford to miss it.
I was awake a full hour before my alarm was set to go off. I got dressed, and peeked at Momma’s door when I got downstairs. It was closed, but that didn’t mean anything; it had been closed when I’d gotten in the night before.
I started to grab my jacket on the way out the door, and then I wondered why I should bother. The temperature was in the mid-seventies, and we were supposed to get another hundred-plus day by the time all was said and done.
At least Momma’s car was parked snugly beside my Jeep, so sometime in the
night she’d made it back home. I planned to talk to her about her whereabouts after work, but for now, I had a blackmailer to meet.
As I drove down the darkened street toward Donut Hearts, I saw that the lights were off at Grace’s, and her car was still in the driveway. No doubt she’d decided to leave it where it was and she’d walked down the road to her vantage point. The clock was close enough for her to walk past my donut shop and a few other businesses without generating too much of a sweat.
I was thankful that she was somewhere in the shadows watching over me.
I got to the clock, parked my Jeep, and then I got out and walked toward one of the benches in front of it. A man was already sitting there, all alone. Even though his back was turned to me, I had no doubt that it was my blackmailer.
“Well, I’m here,” I said from ten paces away. “Where’s this supposed evidence about my father that you promised to show me?”
There was no response.
Was he toying with me, or had he fallen asleep waiting for me to show up?
“Hello!” I said loudly. “Wake up!”
If he was sleeping, he was about to get a rude awakening.
I grabbed his shoulder to shake him awake, and he slumped off the bench and slid down onto the sidewalk.
Someone had clearly decided to settle accounts with the man before I’d had the chance to deal with him myself.
I was leaning over the body checking for a pulse when a police siren whooped once at me, and I turned to see the chief of police, a look of clear concern on his face as he opened his car door and raced toward me.
“It’s not what it looks like,” I told Chief Martin as he ignored me and got down on one knee to check for the man’s pulse.
“Be quiet, Suzanne,” he ordered.
For once, I decided to listen to him.
That’s when I remembered Grace. Why hadn’t she come out when the chief showed up? “Grace? Are you there?” I called out into the darkness.