Drop Dead Chocolate: A Donut Shop Mystery

by Jessica Beck

  “My mother,” Emma said with a grin. “Can you imagine two men fighting over her?”

  I knew Emma’s mother to be a pretty and intelligent woman with a gentle heart. “The only problem I have is imagining it just being limited to two of them.”

  “Well, evidently they fought pretty hard for her attention in high school,” Emma said.

  “And your dad won,” I said as I worked on the dough.

  “Nope,” Emma said. “You’d think so, but that’s not the way it happened at all.”

  “Hang on a second,” I said as I stopped what I was doing. “She ended up marrying your father, right?”

  “Not for a while. Mom dated Cam for two years, but something happened between them, and they broke up. I have to give my father credit: he didn’t waste any time moving in on her. He finally managed to win her heart, and Cam never forgave either one of them, truth be told.”

  “It’s amazing how the things that happen when we’re young affect our lives for so many years,” I said.

  Emma nodded. “I don’t care what happens in the future. I’m living my life right now, with no regrets.”

  “It’s probably a little easier doing that when you’re younger,” I said.

  She looked at me earnestly, and then asked, “Do you have many regrets, Suzanne?”

  I thought about it for nearly a minute. “Marrying Max wasn’t the smartest thing I ever did in my life,” I admitted. “You might easily say that it was my biggest mistake, but I’m not sure I regret it, because look what happened after our divorce: I moved back in with Momma, and we’ve reconnected in a way we never had before. And don’t forget, I bought this place with my settlement, so in the end, it all came out nicely. I could probably come up with some real regrets, if you’re all that interested,” I added with a smile.

  “No,” she said, laughing, as she handed me the clean cutter back. “I don’t think we need to travel down that particular road, do you?”

  “I’d rather not, if it’s all the same to you,” I answered. “Tell you what: Why don’t we focus on the donuts instead?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Emma and I were going outside for our normal break between making the cake donuts and the raised ones, and as I opened the door, I saw something on one of the outdoor tables we offered our customers. I wrapped my coat around me, since the end of February was still in winter’s grip in our part of North Carolina.

  “What’s this?” I asked. “Since when did we start getting the newspaper delivered here at the donut shop this time of morning?”

  Emma grinned. “Dad said he was going to leave us a couple of extras to read. Should we go back inside to check them out?”

  “It can wait,” I said. “I want to enjoy the cold, fresh air out here.”

  Emma took a deep breath, and then said, “I’m freezing, but it’s worth it to be outside for a change.” She looked at me, realizing how that must sound, and then quickly added, “Not that I’m complaining, but it is sort of nice not to smell donuts in the air.”

  I had to laugh. “Emma, I hate to break it to you, but we both smell like donuts all of the time.”

  Emma grinned as she wrapped her coat closer around her. “That was one of the things Chad said he liked most about me. He was an awfully good kisser, I’ll give him that.”

  The wistful sound of her voice made me realize that Emma might not be ready to say good-bye to this particular beau. “It sounds to me as though you might not mind a chance to reconcile with him sometime.”

  “Maybe,” she said with a shrug. “I don’t know. Dating someone again seems like I’m repeating myself, you know? Besides, I’m not so sure he should get a second chance when there are so many guys who haven’t gotten their first shot at being with me yet.”

  I had to laugh at her attitude. “You’re a nut; you know that, don’t you?”

  “I like to think that it’s part of my charm,” she said.

  “I’d say that you’re right.” I hadn’t wanted to cut our break short, but I had to admit, I was curious about Ray Blake’s article about my mother.

  “Okay, I can’t stand the suspense. Let’s go in early and read these,” I said.

  “I thought you’d never suggest it,” Emma said.

  We walked in and took a table near the kitchen where we could read from the light spilling out of the other room. I liked to keep it dark out front until it was close to six and we were ready to open. That kept most folks from pounding on our front door asking when we opened, though the sign was right there in front of them.

  In bold headlines, Ray had written, MAYOR GETS TOUGH COMPETITION. After reading the entire article, it sounded more like a love letter to my mother than hard news, and I wondered if Ray’s wife might be jealous from all of the glowing praise he had heaped upon another woman.

  “He’s a real fan, isn’t he?” I asked as I put the paper aside.

  “Suzanne, I’m sure he likes your mother, but I don’t think I realized just how much my dad hated Cam until just now,” Emma said. “This is a little over-the-top, even for him.”

  “I hope there’s no backlash from it,” I said.

  “What do you mean?”

  I tapped the paper and said, “This makes it sound as though the newspaper is in my mother’s hip pocket. Don’t you think people will notice it and talk about it?”

  “If they do, Dad will be happy,” Emma said. “He feels like any attention is good attention.”

  The timer in back went off, and Emma gathered the newspapers together. “Time to get going,” she said.

  “The donuts rest, but we never do,” I said with a grin.

  As the shop opened at six, there was actually a line waiting for our donuts. I’d opened at five not that long ago, but the sleep I got was well worth any business I might have lost at the donut shop. “Come on in,” I said as I held the door open.

  “Hey, look at that. It’s the mayor’s daughter,” Penny Parsons said as she walked in, still in scrubs and clearly fresh off her shift at the hospital.

  “Don’t say it yet or you might jinx it,” I said with a smile.

  Penny shook her head. “Come on, Suzanne, I’ve been waiting for someone to run against Cam since he first took office.”

  “Why didn’t you run yourself?” I asked her.

  She laughed at the suggestion. “Are you kidding? I don’t have the talent, or the temperament, or the time, either.”

  “That disqualifies me, too, then,” I said as George Morris, a dear friend and retired cop who helped me with my criminal inquiries from time to time, walked in. “What are we all talking about this morning?”

  “My mother is running for mayor of April Springs,” I said.

  “You’re joking, right?” George asked.

  “No, I don’t see anything funny about it,” I answered. With a smile, I asked, “What part of the job do you think my mother isn’t qualified for, George?”

  He knew better than to walk into that bear trap. “Are you kidding? I know she can do the job, and a lot better than Cam. I just figured she was too smart to take it. No offense intended.”

  “None taken,” I said. “If you want to know the truth, she was so steamed about Cam taking that sanitation plant contract, she wanted to put him in his place.”

  George looked puzzled. “What are you talking about?”

  I brought him up to speed, and he said, “I’ve been out of town for three days, and the world’s gone crazy since I’ve been gone. When did this all happen?”

  I handed him a newspaper. “Extra, extra, read all about it. Can I get you coffee and a donut?”

  “Sure thing. I’m willing to take dealer’s choice this morning,” he answered.

  “On the coffee or the donut?” George loved my donuts, but he wasn’t all that fond of some of Emma’s coffee blends.

  “Go ahead and surprise me,” he said, sounding more than a little unsure about what he might be getting. “I’m game to try just about anything.�
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  I laughed and poured him a regular cup of coffee and got him a plain glazed donut. “You’re in luck. I’m taking it easy on you today.”

  He looked delighted with my selections for him. “I greatly appreciate that.” George took a sip of coffee, and then sighed. “Now that’s good stuff.”

  “If you think that’s good, wait until you taste the donut.”

  He took a bite, nodded his approval, and then said, “Since I retired from the force, I’ve got some time on my hands. Suzanne, if your mother is looking for volunteers for her campaign, put my name on the list.”

  “I’ll do that,” I said, and patted his hand lightly. “We’re cleaning up Hannah’s at eleven fifteen today, and you’re more than welcome to join us.”

  “I’ll be there,” George said.

  After I waited on the first rush of customers in the shop, Emma poked her head out through the kitchen door, giving me a quizzical look.

  “What?” I asked.

  She pulled the earbuds from her ears and asked, “Did you call me?”

  “Not me. You should probably turn the volume on that down, Emma. You’re going to go deaf.”

  “What did you say?” she asked as she cupped a hand behind one ear, pretending she couldn’t hear me.

  “Go back to work,” I said with a laugh.

  * * *

  A little past eight, my best friend, Grace, came into the donut shop, with her boyfriend, Peter, trailing close behind her.

  “Hey, stranger,” I said. “Glad you could come by this morning.”

  Instead of letting Grace answer, Peter replied with a smile, “It’s probably my fault that she’s been gone so much lately. I’ve been taking up quite a bit of her free time.”

  “I’m not complaining,” Grace said as she gave him a quick kiss. Peter was ruggedly handsome, with chiseled features, thick black hair, and clear blue eyes. I could easily see why Grace liked him, but I still wasn’t sure about him. It wasn’t out of jealousy, since I had a boyfriend of my own. If I was being honest about it, I would have to say that there was a good chance I didn’t think anyone was good enough for my best friend.

  I squelched this line of thinking and gave her my best smile. “What are you two up to today?”

  “We’re going antiquing,” Grace said.

  “And you’re okay with that?” I asked Peter. I’d asked Jake to go with me once, but he’d clearly been so unhappy about the thought of going that I never asked again.

  “I love it,” Peter said. “I’m a nut for old tools, so it’s fun for me, too.”

  “You might want to hold on to this one,” I told Grace, knowing how much she loved looking at antiques.

  “I plan to,” she said with a smile. “Could we get two coffees and two glazed donuts to go, Suzanne?”

  I poured two cups to go and grabbed a few donuts, throwing in some strawberry-and-cream donut holes on the house.

  “I put a surprise in the bag,” I said as I took Peter’s money.

  “Oooh, I love surprises,” Grace said.

  “Really? I didn’t know that,” Peter replied.

  “Well, donut surprises, anyway,” Grace said.

  “I’ll file that away for future reference,” Peter said.

  As they walked out, Penny said, “Why are all of the good ones taken?”

  “I’m not at all sure that they are,” I said.

  “Easy for you to say,” she answered. “I haven’t been able to find any on my own.”

  “How can you say that, when there’s one sitting right down here all by himself,” George said out of the blue with a grin.

  “Why, George, you old dog, I didn’t know you had it in you,” Penny said as she moved down to join him.

  He was clearly startled by her reaction. “I didn’t mean … er, what I was trying to say was … well…”

  Penny let him squirm a little more, and then said with a smile, “Don’t worry, handsome, you’re safe with me. But you’d better believe that if I were twenty years older, I’d be chasing you all around town.”

  “If you were twenty years older, you wouldn’t have to run far to catch me,” George answered with a laugh.

  “I don’t know. You two might be perfect for each other,” I said.

  “You never know,” Penny replied. She stood, then gave George a peck on the cheek on her way out the door.

  To my vast amusement, George actually blushed.

  “She called your bluff, didn’t she?” I asked with a smile.

  “Who said I was bluffing?” George asked as he threw a five down on the counter. The attention had clearly stoked his ego a little.

  “That’s too big a tip for a coffee and one donut,” I protested.

  “Let’s just say you helped make my day,” George replied. “See you a little after eleven, Suzanne.”

  “See you then,” I said.

  The next hour flew by, with customers coming in and out at a really steady rate. It seemed that my mother’s candidacy for mayor was doing great things for my bottom line. If I’d realized it sooner, I would have urged her to run a long time ago.

  I looked up expectantly when the door opened again, but I doubted that this really was a customer.

  From the expression on Evelyn Martin’s face, she wasn’t there looking for donuts and coffee.

  CHAPTER 4

  “Where is she, Suzanne?” Evelyn asked me as she stormed into my shop. Although Evelyn was younger than my mother, it was clear that the years had not been as kind to her. Her eyes were lined with wrinkles, and she’d put on more weight than she should have since her divorce. From the redness in her eyes and the bags under them, I had a feeling that the woman hadn’t been getting much sleep lately, but that didn’t excuse the way that she was acting.

  “I’m not exactly sure who you’re looking for,” I said, trying to keep my voice neutral.

  “Your mother,” she said, snapping out the words as though they burned her throat. “Is she hiding out back there?” Evelyn asked as she pointed to the kitchen.

  “I haven’t seen my mother all morning, and that’s the truth,” I said. “Why are you looking for her?”

  “Is that really any of your business?” she asked harshly.

  “You’re here in my place of business,” I said. “I didn’t seek you out. You’ve clearly got a chip on your shoulder, and you’re looking for my mother. Yeah, I think I have a few reasons to think it’s my business.”

  “She’s not going to get away with it,” Evelyn said. “I don’t care who she thinks she is.”

  “My mother did not steal your husband,” I said, letting some steel come out in my voice. “He left you before he ever called her.”

  Evelyn looked as though she were about to cry. I could see the anger start to melt into pain, and her words were almost a whimper as she said, “He never would have left me if she hadn’t encouraged him.”

  I didn’t want to kick the woman when she was clearly down, but there were a few things that needed to be said. “Boy, do you have that wrong. I know you feel like you’ve been wronged here, but my mother practically slammed the door in his face whenever Chief Martin came around. She didn’t try to get him; she made it clear that she wasn’t interested in pursuing a relationship with him, no matter what his marital status was.”

  Evelyn started to get a little of her spunk back as she asked, “So, are you telling me that you never used reverse psychology on someone?”

  “She wasn’t goading him into anything, Evelyn,” I said, hoping that my mother didn’t choose that particular time to come into the shop for a visit.

  “So you say.” The vulnerability she’d just shown a minute ago was now gone, replaced again by anger. “We’ll see how she likes things when the shoe’s on the other foot.”

  “What are you talking about?” I asked her.

  Evelyn’s gaze narrowed. “She’s not the only one who can run for mayor. I just filed my papers myself. It’s going to be a three-way race.”
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br />   “You actually found a hundred people to sign your petition?” I asked, not caring how it sounded to her. I was honestly stunned to think that a hundred of my fellow townspeople thought that her being mayor was a good idea. Then again, maybe they’d signed the petition to see a good fight. That I wouldn’t put past some of the people of April Springs.

  “Don’t kid yourself: people were glad to sign my sheet. We’ll see how your mother likes me being on that debate stage with her. She won’t be able to duck me then, and she will have to finally face me and tell the truth.”

  I’d had about enough of that. It was clear that I wasn’t going to be able to change her mind about anything. “Evelyn, if you’re not here for coffee or for donuts, you probably should just move along.”

  “Are you trying to throw me out?” she asked, shouting now. My last two customers quietly slipped out through the front door, and we were now alone, with the exception of Emma in back.

  “I’m asking you to make a selection or leave,” I said, letting a little sting into my own voice. There was no reason to hold back now. I’d kept my temper in check so far, but that was about to end.

  “There’s nothing here I’d eat,” she said, and then stormed out, trying to slam the door behind her. Fortunately, it was on slow-closing hinges, so her dramatic exit was ruined by technology.

  Emma chose that moment to come out front, her earbuds dangling from their cords. “I could swear I heard voices again. Maybe you’re right. I probably should turn the volume down.”

  I just shook my head. “If nothing else, at least you’d be able to hear when someone is threatening me.”

  She looked at me oddly. “Seriously? Someone came in here and tried to scare you? How crazy is that?”

  “Just about as crazy as it sounds,” I said.

  After I told her what had happened, Emma collected the dirty dishes and mugs and took them to the back with her.

  Two minutes later, Chief Martin came in.

  “Did I just see Evelyn leaving here?” he asked. It was clear that he wasn’t happy, but I was tired of appeasing crazy Martins.

  “I wish I could say that you were wrong, but then I’d be lying. She’s out of control, Chief. Somebody better stop her before she goes too far.”