Deadly Donuts (The Donut Mysteries)

by Jessica Beck

  The breadsticks are segments, and I’ve tried twisting them in the past, they mostly return to their straight form when frying. I’ve added cinnamon sugar before frying, and then dusted them again after they are finished!

  Yield 12 Light Sticks

  Chapter 17

  “At least we know for sure that my father didn’t kill anybody, accidentally or otherwise,” I said as Grace and I drove back to April Springs. “I never really doubted it, but it was a relief hearing it straight from Fred.”

  “Are you going to tell your mother about what just happened?” Grace asked.

  “Yes, and I’ll tell Chief Martin now, too. He deserves to hear it, especially now that Fred is gone. As far as I’m concerned, he can do whatever he wants to with the information once we tell him.”

  We drove a little more in silence, and then Grace asked me, “I’ve been wondering where we should go from here.”

  “We just have to keep digging into Morgan’s murder,” I said.

  “I realize that, but it all seems so overwhelming.”

  I considered it for a moment, and then I said, “Actually, our task just got a lot easier. Now that Blake Briar’s death has been resolved, it’s time to focus all of our energy on Morgan. He wasn’t out of prison very long, but he surely managed to amass a group of people who wouldn’t mind seeing him dead.”

  “You know, we never considered another possibility,” Grace said. “What if somebody had a grudge against him in prison, and they decided to settle up once Morgan got out. He was always fighting when he was behind bars; that was what made his sentence run so long. Somebody that we’ve never even heard of could have taken the opportunity to get even with Morgan after he finally got out.”

  I just shrugged. “If that’s the case, the police are going to have to solve his murder. They have access to a lot of information that we don’t, like official records and the authority to ask questions that have to be answered. All we can do is poke and pry from the edges and hope we uncover something.”

  “Wow, it’s tough being us sometimes,” Grace said with a slight grin.

  “Sure it is, but that’s what makes it so much fun.”

  “Do you really call this fun?” she asked me.

  “Hanging out with you and getting to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong? How could that not be defined as fun?”

  “I must be a little twisted,” Grace said.

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because I think that it’s fun, too. If it weren’t for the pesky occasional murder, it would be a blast. So, I ask again, what’s next?”

  “Do you have a pad and a pen in that bag of yours?”

  “You know it,” she said as she handed me her purse. “Just start digging. It’s bound to be in there someplace.”

  I finally found what I was looking for, and as I pulled both items from her purse, I said, “Let’s do what we do best and make a list of our suspects. At least this time we don’t have to worry about motive. I’ve got a hunch that every one of them will be related to Morgan’s blackmail scheme.”

  “Okay. I’m guessing we can leave you and your mother’s name off this,” Grace said.

  “I’ve got a feeling that we’re on enough other lists without adding our names here. We should start with Heather, Rose, and Martha Hickok.”

  As I finished writing, Grace said, “Whether we like it or not, we have to put Polly on it, too. And George.”

  I glanced over at her to see if she was serious. There was no smile on Grace’s face. “Do you honestly think that Polly could have killed him? Or George? What would his motive be?”

  “You know as well as I do how chivalrous that man is. If he thought Morgan was threatening his girlfriend, I could easily see him confronting the man, and then one thing could lead to another.”

  “I see the point that you’re trying to make,” I said. “But murder?”

  “I’m not saying that he did it on purpose, but he has a temper, and we both know it.” She drove on a little longer, and then she added, “They both at least deserve a spot on our list.”

  “No,” I said as I refused to write down either name. “If George did it, I’m not going to be the one who turns him in.”

  “I see that, but what about Polly?”

  “I suppose that we have to add her name, but we can’t tell George that we ever considered her a suspect. Agreed?”

  “You bet. I don’t want him mad at me any more than you do. That’s still quite a list. Are we finished?”

  “I’m going to put Larry Landers on it, too.”

  Grace looked over at me with a puzzled expression. “I thought that they were friends.”

  “Is there really honor among thieves, though? Larry could have found out about the blackmail scheme and then tried to cut himself in. I can’t imagine Morgan standing for that, can you? It’s not a stretch to think that they could have fought, and Morgan ended up dead. The only problem was that Larry didn’t know where the evidence was hidden. That would explain why he’s been following us around Union Square, too. He’s hoping that we’ll lead him to what he needs to continue blackmailing the victims.”

  “Okay, I see that. Is there anyone else we should add?”

  “I don’t know. Should Ellen’s name be there, too?” I asked timidly.

  “His sister? What would her motivation be?”

  I thought about it. “I’m not really sure. It all hinges on whether she knew that he was blackmailing people with information from her files, or if she really just discovered it after we pointed it out to her.”

  “Maybe you should put her down, too, just so our list is as complete as we can make it. Should we add anyone else’s name?”

  I thought about the possibilities, and finally I shook my head. “That’s it as far as I’m concerned. I’m not saying that the killer’s name is definitively on our list, but if it’s not, we don’t have any hope of figuring out who did it.”

  As we pulled up into April Springs, Grace said, “I hate to bail on you, but I have a ton of paperwork that I’ve been putting off this week. Should we start fresh tomorrow after you close the donut shop?”

  “Grace, you don’t have to help me every day. I don’t want you to get into trouble on my account; I know that you have a job to do.”

  “Suzanne Hart, there is no way that I’m letting you flush out a killer on your own. Don’t worry about my job. I’ve got it all under control.”

  “If you say so,” I said as she dropped me off.

  My Jeep was still safely parked in our driveway, and Momma was there, too. I was glad about that. It would give me a chance to tell her Fred’s story. Maybe it would bring a little peace into her life, and if I could that, I would do it gladly.

  No mysteries tonight, though. Instead, she was doing a crossword puzzle when I walked in. “Suzanne, I didn’t think I’d see you this evening. I’m waiting on Phillip to pick me up. We’re going out.”

  “Salsa dancing?” I asked with a smile.

  “Oh, yes. Care to tag along?”

  “You’re kidding, right?” I asked.

  She smiled, and I felt the room brighten a little. “Of course I am. We’re going to go see a movie. I meant what I said about joining us, though. You’re welcome to come along, if you’d like.”

  It was a nice enough offer, but being the third wheel on one of my mother’s dates was just about the last thing I wanted to do. “Thanks, but I’ve already seen it.”

  “I didn’t tell you which movie we were seeing,” Momma said.

  “I know,” I replied with a grin.

  “Understood,” she said.

  “Momma, would you mind putting that down for a second? We need to talk.”

  She did as I asked, and then she asked, “It’s never a good thing when someone says that, is it?”

  “I think this time that it might be, actually.”

  “By all means, then, enlighten me.”

  I told her all I’d learned from Fred just befor
e he died, and there were tears in Momma’s eyes by the time I finished.

  “Hey,” I said as I touched her shoulder lightly. “This was supposed to be good news, remember?”

  “Suzanne, I’m happy that this man confessed and cleared your father’s name, but I can’t help but mourn the time we lost together. I still miss him, and this case has brought back a flood of feelings I thought were long dead and buried. I hesitate to admit it since I don’t want you to read too much into this, but this isn’t the first time I’ve cried over Thomas in the past few days.”

  “It’s only natural,” I said. “Maybe now you can really let some of it go?”

  She looked at me gravely as she spoke again. “I doubt that I’ll ever be able to do that, but thank you for sharing this with me.” Momma bit her lower lip, and then asked, “Does Phillip know?”

  “I haven’t told him yet,” I said. “I thought I’d leave that up to you. Just say the word, and I’ll call him right now.”

  “No, don’t do that. I’ll tell him when he comes to pick me up. It’s not like Fred can be prosecuted for what happened at this point.”

  “I understand that,” I said, “but it can’t be an easy subject for you to discuss.”

  “Phillip and I are both adults. We can talk about this without getting emotional.”

  I whistled softly, and then I said, “Then you’re both more grown up than I am. I couldn’t do it.”

  “Don’t discount how mature you’ve become, Suzanne. I hate to say it, but I think you’ve grown up quite a bit since your divorce.”

  “I kind of had to,” I said. “Speaking of Max, have you heard the latest news about him?”

  Her face clouded a bit. “Oh, dear. What’s he done now?”

  “It’s not a bad thing. He’s courting Emily Hargraves,” I said. “If you can believe it, he even came by the donut shop and asked me for some advice about how to woo her.”

  “And you didn’t hit him with a tray full of donuts? I’d say that you’ve learned to show remarkable restraint. What did you say to him when he asked?”

  “I admit that, at first, I was going to blow him off, but the guy was so sincere, genuinely so, I ended up trying my best to help. Whatever he’s doing must be working. I saw the two of them walking around town last night holding hands.”

  “My, my. It’s a fascinating world we live in, isn’t it?”

  “It can be,” I agreed when I heard a car pull up at the front. “That must be your date,” I said as I stood.

  “Let him come to the door,” Momma said as she remained seated.

  “You’ve really got him well trained, don’t you?” I asked with a grin.

  Her only response was a quick shake of her head, but I could swear that I saw a slight grin try to emerge before she managed to suppress it completely.

  I gave her a quick hug, and then I headed upstairs. “If you don’t mind, I don’t particularly want to have a conversation with a police chief right now.”

  “Understood. There are leftovers in the fridge, and I made a fresh apple pie as well.”

  “You’re too good to me. Have a good time tonight.”

  “I usually do,” Momma said as there was a knock at the front door.

  I didn’t hang around long after that.

  I was in my room before she opened the front door, and I watched from my bedroom window as they drove away. Once I was sure they were gone, I walked back downstairs, grabbed a plate, a knife, and a fork, and I headed straight for the pie. That was my favorite order of eating, anyway. Why would anyone in their right mind eat leftovers, even my mother’s, when they could be having pie instead?

  It was still hot the next morning as I made my way to Donut Hearts. I was beginning to wonder if this heat wave would ever end, and I found myself longing for cool weather again. As I drove up to the donut shop, I realized that the streetlight in front was burned out. Something about that gave me an uneasy feeling, and though I knew that I was probably just being paranoid, I drove past the shop, pulled into a parking spot down the block, and killed my headlights. Instead of getting out, though, I let my eyes adjust to the darkness first. Once I could see better, I scanned the area around Donut Hearts, searching for something, or perhaps someone, that didn’t belong there. I waited at least ten minutes, and during the entire time, I didn’t see anything move. Getting out of the Jeep, I closed my door as quietly as I could, and then headed back up the street toward my donut shop.

  I was nearly there when I felt glass crack under my shoes. Looking around on the ground, I realized that there were shattered pieces everywhere.

  The light hadn’t burned out after all.

  Someone had destroyed it, and I had a very bad feeling about who might have done it.

  Without giving it another thought, I started hurrying back to my Jeep as I reached for my phone to dial 911.

  I never made it, though.

  Stepping out of the shadows, someone grabbed my arm, and my cell phone clattered to the ground.

  “What do you want, Larry?” I asked as I made out my assailant. It was Morgan’s best friend, Larry Landers, and he didn’t look happy at all.

  “Where is it, Suzanne? I know you know, so don’t try to play dumb with me.”

  “Who’s playing?” I asked. “I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about. Let me go, Larry.”

  I’d tried to use my most authoritative voice, but he didn’t respond to my command. Instead, he tightened his grip even harder. “That hurts,” I said.

  “It’s about to hurt a lot worse if you don’t tell me the truth. I want that blackmail information, and I want it now.”

  “We haven’t found it yet,” I said.

  “Why should I believe you?”

  “You were following us around all day yesterday. Did it look like we found anything?”

  I could make out a frown on his face in the near darkness. Maybe I should have lied to him. I couldn’t be in a worse position than I was at the moment, and at least I might have been able to buy myself some time. “You knew that I was watching, so you didn’t want to tip your hand. I can’t trust anything you tell me, can I? I hate that it’s come to this, but if I can’t believe that you’re telling me the truth, why do I even need you anymore?”

  He drew back his free hand, and I readied myself for the blow that I knew was about to land.

  And then, in an instant, a light blinded us both, and Larry’s grip eased as a voice near the light commanded, “Hit the ground and put your hands behind your head.”

  Larry disobeyed, whether he was frozen in the moment, or he chose not to move for some other reason, and the voice ordered, “This is your last warning. If you do not immediately comply, I will shoot you.”

  “Do what he says,” I pled with Larry. It wasn’t that I cared so much about him; I just didn’t want to see him shot dead while I was standing right beside him.

  My words seemed to have some impact on him, because Larry finally released me and dropped to the ground. I took a step backward, and an instant later Chief Martin was on top of him, cuffing him, and then pulling him up to his feet in easy, practiced motions. The chief must have been pumped up on adrenaline, because he had no problem at all doing it, even though Larry was no small man.

  “Are you all right?” Chief Martin asked me as he steered Larry toward his squad car.

  “I’m fine,” I said, even though my voice was a little bit shaky. I would probably get a bruise on my arm from the way Larry had grabbed me, but it could have been worse—a lot worse.

  I started to walk back to the donut shop when the chief called out, “Are you really going to open up the donut shop after what just happened?”

  “My customers are depending on me,” I said. What I didn’t tell him was that I needed the comfort and assurance of that part of my life to help me cope with what just happened.

  “I can understand that. At least you don’t have to worry about the murderer coming after you anymore,” the chief said. />
  That got Larry’s attention. “Are you talking about me? I didn’t kill anybody!”

  “Yeah, and we should believe you why, exactly?” Chief Martin asked. “Because otherwise, you’re a respectable kind of guy?”

  “I might have wanted to take over his blackmail business, but I never would have laid a hand on Morgan. He was the only friend I had in the world. I never would have killed him.”

  “Shut up and get in the car.”

  “I didn’t kill him,” Larry repeated.

  The chief shook his head, and then he shrugged. “We heard you the first time.”

  Once they were both gone, I unlocked the front door of the donut shop, flipped on the outside lights, and then I got out my broom and dustpan. I couldn’t have my customers walking across glass to get to me, and I felt better taking care of that first.

  When the sidewalk was clean, I went back inside and started my daily routine as though nothing had happened. Getting my hands into the flour, sugar, butter, and yeast was just what I needed, and I could feel my stress start to vanish as I converted the raw ingredients into dough.

  Chapter 18

  “The streetlight’s out in front,” Emma said casually as she walked back into the kitchen as her shift started. “You might want to get someone to take a look at that.”

  “Thanks. I already made the call,” I said. “By the way, it didn’t burn out. Somebody broke it on purpose.”

  “What’s wrong with people these days? Don’t they respect anything anymore? Sometimes it just drives me nuts with the random vandalism we’re seeing.”

  “I didn’t realize that you felt that strongly about it.”

  “Dad just wrote an editorial about it, and he got me all fired up. Sorry about that.”

  “That’s okay. Actually, there wasn’t anything random about this. Someone did it so they could catch me by surprise.”

  “Seriously?” Emma asked. “Who would do that to you? You weren’t hurt, were you?”