“What—”
I barged on, knowing that if I paused, I might not have the chance to get it all out. “It turns out Opal never made licorice candy. Only Lois. And Lois claims that she never knew Opal was operating an edibles business, or even that she was cooking in Sid’s old shop. So what were the licorice candies doing in that kitchen?”
Once again, if I expected a barrage of trumpets of understanding at the end of my spiel, I was sorely disappointed. “So… you believe that Lois killed Opal because some of her licorice candies were at the crime scene?”
From the tone of his voice, I knew I was wasting my time. “Yes.”
“Why couldn’t Opal have had some of Lois’s candy with her? Maybe she liked it.”
“Opal didn’t like anything Lois made.” Even as I said it, I still wasn’t sure whether I’d actually heard someone claim that or if it was just my gut instinct.
“Fred….” Branson’s sigh didn’t sound irritated, but it felt like he had shifted to speaking to a small child. “I know your dad was a great detective. And I know you’re a brave, intelligent woman. But I think you might be in a little over your head here.” His voice brightened somewhat. “I thought you’d be glad your stepfather is no longer a suspect.”
“I am!” Stupidly I tried again, remembering one of my other points. “What about the murder scenes? They’re completely different. You saw them. Opal was hit with a rolling pin and was splayed out over the floor. It was messy. Eddie was shot in the back of the head, and his body was… I don’t know, different somehow. How do you explain that?”
“I didn’t see Eddie’s body. Lyons is in a different county than Estes Park. However, I’ve seen the pictures and read the report.” He was back to sounding like he was explaining things to a child. “Though the weapon might be different, it’s very clear the murders are connected. These two individuals were dealing drugs illegally. They had a direct connection and a hostile relationship. Their being killed within days of each other is not a coincidence, Fred. Or did Lois kill Eddie too?”
“I don’t know! Maybe?” My temper was getting the best of me. “No, I don’t think so. Not that I know Lois, but I don’t know why she would kill Eddie.”
Branson’s tone softened into a kind of soft pity, which only irritated me more. “Why would she kill Opal?”
“I don’t think she knew about Opal and Sid dating. It turns out that Lois is a little bit possessive.”
“Sid died months ago, Fred.”
Oh, right. I kept forgetting that part. “I don’t know the motive, all right. But my gut tells me Lois did it. And the clues point that way as well. The licorice candy was right there. Lois’s licorice candy.”
He sighed again. “Okay, I’ll… look into it.”
I knew that tone. I’d used that tone countless times. When speaking to an agent, sometimes directly to an author, as I tried to tell them I wasn’t interested in the manuscript but they couldn’t take no for an answer. That placating “I’ll look into it, I’ll consider it, I’ll give it another try.” Everyone knew it was hogwash, but it was polite and made all parties feel better. Kinda.
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” I disconnected the call before Branson could say anything else. Before I could say anything else. I knew he was just doing his job, and I knew there was a low chance he believed my theory; even my family dismissed it. But still…. If we kept talking, I’d say something I’d regret.
Well, he could think what he wanted. I wasn’t sure how I was going to prove my theory, but I would. It was past being about Barry now. Some part of me knew I should at least claim it was justice for Opal that drove me, but it wasn’t. Not really. I wanted to solve this. Needed to. Probably for a bunch of reasons, but I didn’t bother to try to figure them out.
I looked around the shop. I was antsy. I needed to do something with my hands. But nothing else needed to be done, and I’d kept the rest of the family waiting long enough for dinner. I spent a few minutes scratching behind Watson’s ears, so long that he rolled over, demanding belly rubs. As always, by the time I was finished, we both felt better. Calmer. I didn’t have to take care of anything else at this moment. And Lord knew, if I tried, I’d do something rash.
I locked up the shop, and Watson and I started toward the car. Before I made it five feet, I noticed light coming from the back of Healthy Delights.
I paused, considering. Maybe a light had been left on, though I didn’t remember noticing it before, but it had still been daylight when we’d started cleaning. Maybe it was Katie, stealing some time away from Lois, though I doubted she would do it there of all places. Maybe Lois?
Maybe Lois.
And at that possibility, all other thoughts fled. In the back my mind, I could feel the tingle of What are you doing? Do you really think you’re going to get her to confess? What do you do if she does? But they were fuzzy and easy to ignore.
I walked right up to the door and knocked.
There was no answer, no movement inside. I knocked again.
Still nothing.
Maybe the light had been left on from another time and no one was there. Even so, I knocked one more time. There was a shadow in the back, and then a small form emerged and walked through the store. Even silhouetted, it was clearly Lois. As she drew nearer, my blood began to pound in my ears. I focused on remaining calm. As far as Lois knew, there was no reason for me to suspect her.
Lois leaned close to the glass, the streetlights illuminating her face. After a second, she brightened in recognition. With a twist of the lock, she threw open the door.
“Well, Fred! Watson! What a pleasant surprise.” Her eyes narrowed, but not in a sinister way as much as I tried to imagine it. “What are you two doing here? It’s freezing outside.”
I went with the truth. It was simple and relaxed me. “I was just next door getting things ready. We’re going to have the refinisher come soon for the floors. Then I noticed a light on in the back of your shop as we were walking to the car. I thought I’d make sure everything was all right.”
“Oh, yes dear. I wanted to do some baking this evening. It soothes my soul, you know?” She relaxed a little more. “I so appreciate you checking on me, and my shop. But all is fine.”
I could hear the dismissal in her voice. In another second she’d bid me good night and lock the door. I couldn’t let that happen, even though I still had no idea what I was doing. I’d just landed on asking Lois for a dog treat for Watson as an excuse to come in when Lois saved me the trouble.
“Actually, Fred, I hate to be an inconvenience, but Katie’s been coming down here with me when I bake. Helping me sometimes. She said she didn’t have it in her this evening. Her words. So she stayed home. I think she’s growing tired of me already.” Her eyes grew hopeful. “Would you like to come in for a bit?”
I hesitated for a heartbeat, asking myself if I was truly going to do this, even though I already knew the answer. “Of course. Maybe you can show me the secret to those dog bones Watson loves so much.”
Lois stepped back from the door, making room for me even as she shook her head. “I’m sorry, dear. I’m sure it sounds completely awful of me, but I never share recipes. Although I allow people to watch. But I’m not making those this evening, I’m afraid. Tonight is apricot-and-prune brownies. I use them as binding agents for the flour and chocolate. As you know, I only cook vegan, so there’s no eggs or milk. But the apricots are a spot of brightness and the prunes give a nice tang.”
I could use that sentence alone as evidence that she had the soul of a murderer. “Sounds…. I’d love to… see you in action.”
“Wonderful! I’m so glad!”
After she locked the door, Watson and I followed her back into the kitchen. As dog friendly as Estes Park was, I expected her to make a comment about him being where she cooked. She didn’t. Instead she gave him one of her massive dog treats.
Now that we were back in her kitchen, my common sense began to scream at me. If I truly believed
Lois was the murderer, what in the world was I doing alone with her away from the sight of anyone else? And I was putting Watson in danger as well. Though, I could picture Lois as a murderer, I couldn’t imagine her hurting an animal. Surely a vegan wouldn’t kill a dog. But even if I was right, even if she was the murderer, I was at least five times stronger than Lois, easily. A stiff breeze was stronger than Lois. Unless she really was Eddie’s murderer as well and there was a gun lying about. I couldn’t think about that. I’d made my choice. Time to see it through.
Lois returned to her so-called brownies, which were currently a brown glob in the bottom of her mixing bowl. As she started to work, her conversation turned back to Katie. “It’s lovely to have you here, Fred. You’re such a bright, warm addition to Estes Park. I’m so glad we get to be neighbors.” She cast narrowed eyes on me, the kind that told me to keep secrets. “I have a confession. I’m considering having Katie take over my sister’s shop. She’s been just the sweetest thing since Opal died. Or at least I thought. But she seems to be pulling away. So I’m not sure. We’ll have to see how the next few days play out.” She gave an apologetic shrug. “I know the girl is desperate for her own bakery, and she has talent. Just like Opal, she uses too much sugar and animal byproducts, but there’s talent there. I think I can mold it into something truly wonderful. But I don’t see the sense in being neighbors and sharing a lease with someone who looks for excuses to have time away.”
Despite knowing it would be best to simply agree with everything Lois said, I couldn’t help but defend my friend. “I think Katie would be a wonderful person to pass on the legacy of Opal’s baking skills. I’m sure she’d do a fine job.”
Lois tossed some sort of seeds into the brownie mixture and nodded at me as if I’d hit the nail on the head. “That’s just it. Katie wants her own bakery. She won’t recreate Opal’s legacy. I need someone who will follow Opal’s recipes exactly. Nothing on the menu needs changing. It should stay exactly as it was. I thought Katie was that person. That she could step into the place Opal left behind in the shop.”
Intense little lamb was right. I decided to push. “And maybe into the place Opal left behind in your home too?”
“Yes. Exactly.” Lois nodded and actually looked relieved that I understood. Giving no hint of awareness of how morbid that truly sounded, she brightened. “I’m so glad you understand. Katie just doesn’t seem to.” She paused in her movements and turned to me, a new light in her eyes. “Fred, do you bake?”
“No.” I did, not at all to Katie’s standards, but I wasn’t going to say so to Lois.
The look of disappointment barely lasted three seconds. “That’s okay. I can teach you. Honestly, Opal’s more traditional way of baking is much simpler. You could take over her shop. We can even expand into Heads and Tails. You and Watson could live with me. It would be beautiful.”
Now my skin truly did crawl. How Katie had managed one night in the same house as this woman was beyond me. She seemed to transform from a sweet little woman to Norman Bates in a long wig and a dress. But this was definitely the rabbit trail to follow if I planned on getting the confession out of her. But what good would a confession do if it was her word against mine? I really should have thought this through. “Well… I was considering what to do with the top floor of the shop. You… might be onto something.”
She almost looked pretty and innocent in her delight. “I knew I liked you.” Lois motioned me over. “Come here. Let’s finish this recipe together.”
My phone. Somehow, if I could get it out and hit the Record button. Did the phone have a Record button? I’d never been great with technology. Maybe if I made a video. I could hit Record on the video and then put it back in the pocket of my skirt. Now how to do that without Lois noticing….
I joined Lois at the mixer. She scooped up a small spoonful and held it out to me. “Here. Taste.”
I started to decline but thought better of it, so I reached for the spoon.
She held it away from me. “No, taste.”
Nearly feeling violated, I lowered my hand and opened my mouth.
When Lois spoon-fed me the mixture, it took every ounce of my willpower not to shudder, both at the disgusting flavor and texture of the brownie batter and at the sensation of being fed by Lois. I forced a swallow, then a smile. “Very good.”
“Thank you. See, you don’t need to have sugar to make things sweet. I don’t like things unnaturally sweet.” She inspected me for a second. “What do you think? Could it use more honey?”
It ought to be thrown in the garbage. “No. I think what you’ve done is perfect.” And I could really use a hot shower.
“I agree.” Her smile let me know I’d said the right answer. “I’m so glad you stopped by tonight. It clarified what I was feeling, but didn’t want to admit. I’ve been debating with myself on what to do about Katie. She’s constantly making suggestions every night when I’m here baking. As much as I missed her company this evening, it was nice not being told how to improve on my creations.” She looked at me adoringly. “And now I know why things didn’t feel right. You’re a godsend, Fred.” She started to turn back to the brownie mixture, then narrowed her eyes at me once more. This time there was no illusion of kindness there. “You’re single, right? No husband or boyfriend?”
I shook my head.
“Are you hoping to find one later?”
“No. I’ve been down that road. I think I’m done.” Even though I was doing nothing more than playing a role at this point, Branson flitted through my mind. “Definitely done.” Leo flitted through next.
Good grief.
“Smart girl. That’s how it should be. Glad I don’t have to worry about that.”
I knew it. I knew that was why she’d killed Opal. Even if it had been months after Sid passed. I regretted not having had the time to figure out how to record the conversation on my phone, but there was no time like the present. “I imagine it was hard for you when Opal started dating Sid, wasn’t it?”
She stiffened slightly. Then kept right on going. “No. Men were Opal’s weakness. She had horrible taste in men. Sid was no surprise. He wasn’t any better or any worse than the losers that came before. And he didn’t last any longer than the others.” She handed me a lemon. “Here, let me get you the juicer. Will you do this for me? Pushing it always hurts my hands.”
The switch was so abrupt that it threw me off. “Sure. Of course.”
“Thank you, dear. You’ll need to cut it in half first.”
I retrieved a cutting board from beside the nearby sink. Lois’s words replayed through my mind. Didn’t last any longer than the others. Did that mean…? Maybe I could get her to expand on that. “You weren’t a huge fan of Sid, huh? I suppose it makes sense, with him being a taxidermist and all. It seems being a vegan, you would have a problem with—”
I turned to look at her just in time to see her swinging the heavy glass juicer up toward my head. But not soon enough, as it crashed into my temple.
My head throbbed, and when I attempted to open my eyes, the bright light of the kitchen caused me to groan. Something wet wiped across my face.
“Goodness. You weren’t out very long.”
Despite the pain, I blinked several times and forced my eyes open. Watson’s black nose was all I could see as he whimpered and licked my face.
Then the picture came into view. I was lying on the kitchen floor. I started to attempt to stand, but something held my hands behind my back.
Lois stood behind Watson, glaring down at me. “You are such a disappointment, Fred. I’ve heard about the way you and that policeman look at each other. I wondered. Even when you showed up here tonight, I wondered. But you had me convinced, for a few minutes; you really did.” She gave a bitter laugh. “To think you could ever replace my sister.” She took a step toward Watson, a knife in her hand catching a glint in the light.
I tried to move him aside with my head, but he just licked more ferociously. “Please don�
�t hurt him. Please, Lois.”
“How dare you?” Lois halted, looking scandalized. “I would never hurt your dog. Watson hasn’t done anything wrong.”
Insane or not, relief washed through me. “Thank you.” Then I noticed the knife again, and all semblance of gratefulness vanished. I flinched as she stepped toward us again.
“Oh, stop that.” She sounded irritated, not at all the gentle tone I’d heard from her up till now. “I’m not going to kill you. At least not here. I learned that with Opal. I wasn’t strong enough to move her. I was still trying to figure out what I was going to do with her body when you found her. I’m not going to make that mistake again. That’s why I didn’t tie your feet. We’ll go somewhere else.”
I relaxed somewhat at that. I couldn’t tell what my hands were tied with, but there was no wiggle room. Lois had done a good job. But if my feet weren’t tied. It should be easy.
Why waste time? I whipped my body around, attempting to knock her legs out from under her with my right foot, but only succeeded in sending Watson scrambling away and partially flipping myself over to my stomach.
“Such a disappointment, Fred. I’m not an idiot.” Even so, Lois took a step back, still clutching the knife. “Do sit up, dear. There’s no need to drag this on.”
I rocked, managing to get back on my side, then cast a glance down at my feet. Though not bound together, they were each tied with an extension cord that left only a few inches of slack between them. Enough to shuffle along but not enough to run or kick.
“We don’t have all night, so move it along. Sit up.” She considered. “Maybe we have all night, but I doubt it. I’ve learned not to take time for granted.”
I lay there, still trying to figure out a new course of action.
“I said sit up!” Lois let out a scream as she stomped her foot.
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