Bakeries and Bodies (Margot Durand Cozy Mystery Book 8)

by Danielle Collins

  “He’s stolen money from my dad before. Dad was always really nice about it—too nice, if you ask me—but I think Wade had always wanted more from Dad. I just bet he’d have a hand in this.”

  Margot wanted to point out there were many things that didn’t line up—like why Simon would be found at Fran’s if Wade was involved—but she didn’t want to rule anything, or anyone, out. Instead, she passed her credit card forward and Ken processed the sleigh ride order.

  When he returned the card, he leveled his gaze at her. “Look, I loved my dad. He was a hard man sometimes—definitely stubborn—but I loved him.”

  Margot nodded, unsure of what to say. She hadn’t meant to accuse him, and hadn’t exactly—even if that was how he took it—but she could see traces of genuine sentiment on the man’s features.

  “Well, I am sorry for your loss.”

  “Thanks. If you, uh, need anything, just let me know. Okay?”

  She nodded and took her receipt. As she stepped toward the door, Ken spoke up again. “I meant what I said about Wade. I hope the police keep an eye on him if it turns out Fran didn't kill my dad.”

  Chapter 10

  Margot sat down to a dinner spread to rival the best restaurants in Washington, D.C. A fact she made sure to tell Giselle who, with help from Louise, had made everything before them. The woman looked beyond pleased at Margot’s compliment and Adam squeezed her knee to give his appreciation for her kindness. It was easy when faced with the wonderful dishes in front of her.

  The dinner conversation circled various topics. Since the children had gone to bed early in preparation for a more adult meal, they were able to talk freely about Adam’s job as well as Margot’s involvement.

  “I think that’s incredible that you’ve helped Adam here with cases,” Brad said, grinning at his brother. “I'm sure he needs all the help he can get.”

  Margot shook her head. “Not at all. He’s an excellent detective.” She wanted to add that she knew because of her late husband, but she was afraid it would bring the mood of the dinner down so she refrained, smiling instead and reaching out to grasp Adam’s hand on the table.

  “I’m not too proud to take help from a smart and observant woman like Margot.” Adam’s grin sent warmth through her and she slipped into her thoughts as Harvey asked Brad about his job at the bank in Portland, where he and his family lived.

  It was at times like these, times when she could push thoughts of a murder and questions about motive out of her mind, that her thoughts rested squarely on Adam Eastwood. He sat next to her, fully engaged in what his brother was describing as the worst client he’d had to deal with.

  She noticed the tiny laugh lines at the corners of his eyes and thought about how he was always willing and ready to smile or laugh with anyone. Yes, he was often very serious, since his job depended on his full attention, but he never left out the lightness in life. He never forgot that there were good things in this world along with the bad or the scary. It was one of the things she liked most about him—his optimism.

  Her thoughts then trailed back to a few months prior. It had involved a romantic lunch getaway to an island where she and Adam had then discovered a dead body. After the case was solved, Adam had admitted to her that he’d been about to propose that day.

  At the time, she’d seen the fact that he hadn’t had the chance as fortuitous. She hadn’t been ready. She’d been assailed with doubts in the form of memories of her late husband. He had been a wonderful man. Smart, charming, dedicated to his job as a detective in North Bank. He had been everything she’d ever dreamed of in a husband and then he was gone—taken before his time, or at least it felt that way. Margot had been devastated, but she’d moved on. Or so she thought.

  After learning the truth about Adam’s intentions, she’d started to think more seriously about what he’d said. She’d even gone so far as to call up her sister and gush about her feelings—something she hadn’t done since she was in her early twenties. Renee had been helpful and provided good insight, but Margot had left the conversation knowing that, ultimately, it was her choice and she needed to know what she thought about it all.

  Harvey said something and everyone laughed. Her smile came late and Adam leaned over. “Are you okay, sweetie?”

  She nodded, touched by his intuition as well as his care. “I’m okay. Just lost in thought.”

  “Hey, put the case aside, Margie.” He gave her a pretend stern look.

  As she looked back up at him, the urge to tell him to propose again nearly overtook her. She felt it well up like the swelling of the Potomac River during a large rainstorm. Uncontrollable. Overwhelming. Vast.

  Instead of giving into it, she bit the inside of her lip and smiled. He seemed to believe that she was all right and turned back to the conversation.

  That was it. The answer to all of her worrying and second-guessing. Not Adam, never Adam, just herself and her desires. But in this moment, she knew what she wanted. She wanted Adam to propose to her again.

  And that was a problem, because she didn’t want to tell him to propose to her. She wanted him to take the chance on asking her again. It sounded selfish and awful in her mind, but it was the truth.

  Then she thought of Fran and Simon and wondered how long their secret relationship would have gone on. Would Fran really have been all right with them keeping their feelings for one another quiet? It seemed hard to believe. And now, with Simon’s death, it seemed even more crucial for Fran to tell the truth. Shouldn’t her desire for self-preservation be stronger than her hope of keeping face?

  Margot then thought of Stephanie’s having admitted to knowing about their relationship. Perhaps the fact that she was related to Detective Nelson would gain some credence in supporting Fran should she decide to tell the truth about how she felt about Simon.

  Just as Louise stood to pick up the plates and Margot mentally rejoined the conversation, they all heard the slam of a car door.

  “Now who could that be?” asked Harvey.

  Everyone looked around, not knowing. They had done dinner late to make it an adult affair and that put them past nine o’clock as it was. Too late for company in a retirement area like Pine Lake.

  “I’ll go see,” Adam said just as the door opened, surprising all of them.

  Then in walked Wade.

  They sat in the small den area, Wade in the rolling chair and Adam and Margot sharing the futon that doubled as a couch when not needed for houseguests.

  “Look, man,” he said, shaking his head. “I told you. I don’t know anything about Simon Huxley’s murder.”

  They hadn’t been talking for long, but Margot was beginning to think that Wade might be telling the truth. He had none of the telltale signs of deception and seemed to believe what he was saying. Then again, didn’t most good liars?

  “Then tell us a little bit about Simon.”

  Wade shook his head, sighing. “Do I have to?”

  “I don't know if you know this,” Adam said, shifting into his interrogation mode, “but you could be brought up on charges. There are rumors that you are involved in his death. It’s better to get out in the open what you’re hiding.”

  “But why would I tell you?”

  He had a point, but Margot had an idea. “Think of it this way, Wade. We’re looking to help Fran, but we could help you too. The more we understand about Simon and his death, the more facts are on the table. The better it is to know where to look.” She’d skirted the fact that they had no genuine involvement in the case, but she hoped he’d overlook that for now.

  “If you didn’t have anything to do with it, then you’ve got nothing to hide.” Adam’s words rang with truth.

  The door burst open and Cassie came barreling in. “You can’t do this, Adam. This is not your case. Leave him alone!” She was fuming and her cheeks blazed with anger.

  “Cass,” Wade said, stretching out a hand to her. “Come here.”

  She came to stand in front of him and he took
both of her hands in his. He looked strangely calm in that moment and Margot had to admit he didn’t look capable of murder.

  “Your brother just said something that’s very true. I didn’t have anything to do with this, so I shouldn't be afraid to share my side of things.”

  “But you don’t have to. He’s my brother, but he has no jurisdiction here.” Her gaze shot daggers at Adam before turning back to Wade.

  “I know. But I want to talk.”

  Cassie began to calm down with his gentle words and turned to face Adam. “You’re keeping an open mind, right?”

  “Always, Cass.”

  She nodded and pulled up a chair to sit next to Wade. He took her hand in his again, then turned to look at Adam and Margot.

  “Just tell us a little bit about what’s going on,” Adam prompted.

  “Right.” Wade looked down as if trying to remember. “I’ve been working for Simon for a few years now on and off. I took a break when…well, I wasn’t doing super well and he told me I could come back when I got things together. He was a real nice guy like that, very patient.” Wade swallowed and looked up at them. “I’ve been back working for him in the mornings for a year now. Haven’t missed a day yet…well, until recently, of course.” He blushed and Margot thought she saw honesty in his expression.

  “Have you had issues with him? I know he was an opinionated man who didn’t get along with everyone.” Adam leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

  “Nah. We were good. I mean we got along well. Better than he did with Ken.”

  “His son?” Margot interjected. “What do you mean?”

  “They were always arguing about something. I work in the kitchen, you know, making a lot of his easier recipes. They would ‘discuss’ in the backroom sometimes. It was more like a shouting match. They both have tempers.”

  “That makes sense. What would they argue about?” Margot prompted.

  “Anything and everything, but mostly money.”

  Margot thought of what Adam had said about the will. Was it possible that Ken was more upset about it than he’d let on? Was it true that Simon had changed the will? She wanted to ask, but she had a feeling Adam’s father wouldn’t appreciate information he obtained in confidence being shared in such a manner.

  “Look, the main reason I wanted to talk to you guys is that I’m totally in the dark about all of this.” Wade glanced at Cassie and then back to them. “I mean, I can’t really prove where I was when Simon was killed, but I promise I didn’t kill him.”

  “You don’t have an alibi?”

  “Not exactly…” He moved as if to look at Cassie, but stopped again. Margot had a feeling she understood why he wasn’t sharing where he was. It was likely he was with Cassie and, if he admitted it, he could be in trouble not only with Adam as her brother, but with her parents as well.

  “Is there anything else you can—”

  The door burst open and Detective Nelson stood there looking unhappy. “Wade Carson, you’re under arrest on suspicion of murder.”

  From that moment on, the room erupted in chaos. Cassie jumped to her feet as if she was going to stop the officers from taking Wade, and Adam had to restrain her for her own good. The loud noise woke up the children, who started crying. It was sheer chaos, but Margot watched it as if watching a movie.

  There was nothing she could do in the moment, but she knew that Detective Nelson was wrong about this. She’d watched Wade and knew that he’d told the truth when he talked about his relationship with Simon. There had been pride and even some compassion when Wade had mentioned his employer’s name.

  It was obvious that he hadn’t committed the crime, but she also knew that, if the detective was here, he had to have compelling evidence. Now, she just needed to find out what that was and prove that it was false, because Wade Carson certainly hadn’t killed Simon Huxley.

  Chapter 11

  “Margot, I just don't think it’s a good idea. You could be brought up on charges of obstruction.” Adam took the last sip of his orange juice and set the glass down near the sink with a light clink. The scent of their cinnamon French toast still hung in the air, giving the kitchen a warm, homey feeling.

  “I have to go down there. Besides, I'm not advocating for Wade or Fran. At least, not exactly. I’m merely asking a few questions. I’m a friend of Fran’s. I’m also competing in the competition on her behalf, so isn’t it logical that I’d be concerned about her welfare? Besides, we can’t ignore the fact that he arrested Wade right in front of us.”

  “That’s likely suspicious to him as well. I mean, what are the odds we would all be in a room together like that? Who knows what he thought about what we were doing?” Adam rubbed a hand over his face and Margot wondered if he was worried about Detective Nelson calling his chief.

  “I promise I won’t mention you at all and—”

  “Margot.” Adam stepped toward her, taking her hands in his. “I’m not worried about myself. I’m worried about you. It’s clear Detective Nelson has a bit of a power trip going right now and he’s not open-minded to outside input. We have to respect that or else I’m afraid he’ll lash out.”

  “I will be the soul of discretion. I promise. I’ll merely ask him about when Fran might be released. I’ll play it smart.” Margot looked up at Adam with a convincing smile and he finally gave in, shaking his head.

  “I can’t say no to you when you look at me like that.”

  She reached up on tiptoe to press a light kiss to his lips, then pulled away and reached for her purse. “I’ll be back soon.”

  “Mmhmm,” he muttered after her.

  The bright sunshine bounced off the white snow, creating a blinding effect that Margot had to turn her gaze away from. She pulled out a pair of sunglasses and climbed into the SUV. The short trip back into town went quickly but, as she was passing Baked & Glazed, she noticed a tall man unlocking the front door of the bookshop next door.

  On an impulse of intuition, she pulled over and climbed out. It was still early, but she was surprised that Bob—or at least the man she assumed was Bob—was only now opening the bookstore.

  A tiny silver bell chimed her entrance and she looked up to see a placard next to it that read, “For whom the bell tolls…” Smiling, she made her way toward the counter.

  “Be with ya in a second,” a voice boomed from the back.

  “Thanks,” she replied.

  She looked through several shelves of books, biding her time until the man came back out, then she approached the desk. “Are you Bob?”

  “Sure am,” he said with a toothy grin. “Welcome to Bob’s Books. Can I help you find something?”

  “Actually,” she said, wondering now how she was going to get Bob to talk about Simon without a good excuse. “I was wondering about Simon Huxley.”

  Bob’s bright expression dimmed almost instantly. “May I ask why?”

  “Well, I was one of the people who found him—” She affected a somber expression. “—and I’m also a friend of Fran’s. I just… I don't think she did this and, to be honest, I’m looking into it. Just a little.”

  Bob looked surprised and crossed his arms, considering Margot for a moment. “Normally, I wouldn’t want to speak of the dead—ill or otherwise—but I really like Fran and I’d do anything to help her.”

  Margot’s heart leapt. “Really?”

  “Yeah.” He sighed and Margot saw him glance to the wall he shared with the bakery. “At first, when I moved in, Simon and I got along great. I mean, books and pastries, what more could you want?”

  Margot’s mind filled in coffee, but she nodded for him to continue.

  “So when I had the idea to expand my shop, I thought it would go over really well with Simon. Boy, was I wrong.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It was about five years ago now, but I brought up the idea of expanding out the back, and he hated the idea. Said it would ruin parking for both of us and it was a dumb idea. Of course, ba
ck then I was a little more hotblooded and told him he had a fight on his hands. Turns out he knew most of the city council members and they put the kibosh on my project almost before it came to them.”

  “Oh my, that sounds…defeating.”

  “To say the least.” Bob shrugged. “From that time on, we pretty much started ignoring one another or worse, trying to out do one another at various things. It was quite a rivalry.”

  “I feel like that’s the story for most where Simon is concerned. It seems as if there were many who could have had a motive to kill him.”

  Bob’s eyes went wide. “Not me! I mean, I can’t prove it, I was driving back from Portland around the time they say he was killed, but I was by myself.”

  It would be a difficult alibi to nail down if Bob were telling the truth.

  “But honestly, I was going to make it all up to him this Christmas. I’d ordered a cookbook he’d wanted a long time ago, something real special, you know? I was going to give it to him and see if we couldn’t mend things. Turns out keeping the shop small was the right idea. It would make no sense for me to order the cookbook and then off the guy.” Bob looked sheepish for his crass words, but Margot had to admit he made a good point.

  Margot tried to gauge the man’s sincerity, but it was hard to tell. Was it a contrivance that he had been driving? Something that they couldn’t prove. Or was he telling the truth? And ordering a cookbook was hardly conclusive evidence. He’d already admitted to liking Fran and he could have just as easily been ordering the cookbook for her.

  Margot thanked the man for his time and his candor, then left the shop. The man had sounded honest, but he was someone else to add to the list of suspects. It was clear to her that Fran was innocent, but any number of people in town could have had the motive to harm Simon. How he died was utterly important, but Margot had no way of finding out. Maybe that would change after today’s stop by the police station.

  Margot straightened her shoulders and stepped into the police station. It felt the same as it had the last few times she’d been in and she began to relax. Perhaps Detective Nelson wasn’t in the office at the moment.