by Patti Larsen
Ganache and Fondant and Murder
Fiona Fleming Cozy Mysteries #5
Patti Larsen
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2017 by Patti Larsen
Find out more about me at
http://www.pattilarsen.com
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Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the vendor and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
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Cover art (copyright) by Christina G. Gaudet. All rights reserved.
http://castlekeepcreations.com
Edited by Jessica Bufkin
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Chapter One
Not to be indelicate about it, but if Mom made me eat one more bite of cake I was going to throw up. And not gently or modestly or in a ladylike fashion. I’d honestly ingested enough dessert in the last hour to sink a submarine with no end in sight.
Don’t get me wrong. I loved my mother’s baking. Dreamed about it, in fact, and rarely, if ever, turned down a slice after dinner. My cousin Robert’s comments about my expanding backside, if true—and I still argued against his jerkish assessment—could only be blamed on Mom’s cake.
But a girl has her limits, and I had finally reached mine, groaning as I sat back with both hands pressing to my distended stomach, burping softly around the chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, buttercream and banana that swam on the surface of a variety of other flavors I’d rather not taste again in reverse.
Gross.
From the crazed look in Mom’s eyes, she didn’t care I was ready to burst out of the waistband of my yoga pants. I’d never seen her so focused, so intensely driven, as I had the last three weeks. Ever since Olivia Walker, our town mayor if only still in that position by the skin of her heavily whitened teeth, offered Mom an exclusive opportunity my amazing mother couldn’t even consider turning down.
“Too sweet?” Mom’s green eyes narrowed while she examined my expression. Did she take the wince I shared with her as a judgment of her baking? “Too salty?”
I shook my head. “Delicious, Mom.” Okay, so it came out weak and shaking and as close to a groan as I’d ever heard. “Honest, they’re all—ugh—amazing.”
Mom tapped her fingertips on the counter, glaring at the plate next to her and the remains of the selection of cakes she’d been stuffing into my mouth. “Maybe if I combined the maple with the vanilla and a hint of cinnamon topped with cream cheese icing…” Just the description was almost enough to send me over the edge. She whipped her head back around to glare at me. “Try this.”
I stood abruptly, shaking my head, backing away from her while my pug, Petunia, licked her lips and moaned in hopeful frustration. She, at least, wouldn’t turn Mom down but I absolutely had to. Gastric explosion: imminent.
“Mom, they’re all fantastic.” I waved off the fork laden with gooey goodness she jabbed at me. “You’re going to crush your competition under a crust of sugary perfection. Trust me.”
Mom snarled almost savagely, dropping the cutlery to the table, looking distinctly disappointed. “Fine, quit on me. Where’s Daisy?”
My best friend had already fled, abandoning me to my mother’s baking insanity with a headshake and a wincing smile of apology. I’d never forgive her for leaving me here like this when my mother had clearly lost her mind.
“Mom.” I grasped her by both shoulders and shook her just a little while Petunia drooled next to me, staring up at us like she could will the cake to fall on the floor. I’d finally gotten her on a more regular feeding schedule and, would wonders never cease, she’d lost two pounds in the last two months. No way was she putting that weight back on.
“Fee.” Mom tried to shrug me off, staring at her offerings again, biting her lower lip. “I really should add more red coloring to the velvet. It’s a bit off tone.”
“It’s perfect.” I sat again, sighing. “Everything you make is perfect.” She tsked at me but didn’t argue as I held her hand. “You’re going to shock and amaze the judges tomorrow, I know it.”
And that, of course, was the crux of Lucy Fleming’s loss of sanity and drive to stuff me until I burst. Olivia’s offer, the big reveal of her January incentive to attract tourists, was right up my mother’s alley.
“You really think so?” I wished Mom didn’t doubt herself like that. Though, I had to admit, the pressure had to be intense. “This is Cake Or Break we’re talking about, Fee. National television.”
She didn’t have to tell me it was her favorite show. I already knew that, had been informed in no uncertain terms over and over and over again the last three weeks since Olivia dumped this special edition show being filmed here in town in Mom’s lap and waltzed off. Leaving my mother to obsess over each and every recipe she’d ever made and turn Dad, Daisy and me into revolving sugar-crash test dummies.
“You got this, Mom,” I said, carefully pushing the plate out of her reach, feeling my stomach sigh in relief. “They’re going to love you.”
“But I’m up against Janet Taylor.” Last year’s champion. I knew this already. Held onto my patience with the tips of my fingers. “And Molly Abbott.” This year’s top player and expected winner when the show wrapped up in April. “And Ron Williams, Fee. He’s coming here, to judge me.” Sigh. I didn’t see the big deal in the pompous windbag, but then again I’d only watched the show under duress when she forced me to, not out of enjoyment. While she sighed over his critical nastiness when he tore apart contestant’s food offerings, I’d done my best not to eye roll in her vicinity, wondering why anyone would put themselves in the position to be torn to bite sized morsels of quivering, shattered confidence in the first place.
Part of me wanted to talk her out of it. Not that I didn’t believe in her baking. Honestly? I spent ten years in New York City and I’d never tasted food as good as my mother made. But I didn’t trust my palate—or the judges, to be honest. While I knew Mom’s skills were the bomb and my guests at Petunia’s agreed, who knew what a big time TV food judge would say about her baking? She was a grown woman, of course she was. And yet, I couldn’t help but feel protective of her. Mom didn’t need some jackass of a jerk judge who liked being mean to people to eviscerate her on television because it improved his ratings.
Mom sat back, face falling. “Maybe I should just tell Olivia I can’t do it.”
Okay, so neither could I let her quit. “You are going to show them that Lucy Fleming knows her way around the kitchen.” That got a small smile, a couple of blinks of her big, green eyes. “Mom, you already know you’re awesome. If you want to go and have fun, I’m totally behind you. But do it because you want to, not because you need to prove something to the world.” I leaned in and kissed her cheek. “A world that doesn’t get to tell you you’re not the most incredible mom, teacher, principal, baker and person ever. That’s your job.”
She was blinking again, eyes welling with tears before she lunged forward and hugged me. “I love you, Fee,” she whispered, choked up.
Was going around. “I love you too, Mom.” She shook a little then released me, giggling.
“I’m being silly.” She patted her apron with both hands, looked up again, beamed a smile. “You’re right. It’s going to be fun. And I’m going to wipe the floor with them.” She hesitated for the barest flash and I finally understood what was behind her reticence, her nerves. Not the show at all, wa
s it?
“How’s the design for the wedding coming along?” I asked the question lightly, but I knew as soon as she flinched I’d hit the nail on the nose. I’d been busy, so freaking busy, I hadn’t had much time to ask her about Aundrea Wilkins and Pamela Shard’s pending nuptials or my mother’s part in it. Not while I juggled a house full of guests up until about a week ago and a giant renovation next door as the annex I bought last fall took shape. I tried to stay focused on Mom after I asked and not let my gaze go out the window of the kitchen toward the still standing fence and the towering form next door right now waiting, quiet and gutted after a long four weeks of demo.
I still had to pinch myself from time to time the place was actually mine. Here I thought Mom lost her marbles. I was the nutso one to take on another full-scale operation when Petunia’s had me run off my feet like this.
“I’m not happy with the tier placement.” Mom fussed a bit with the hem of her apron. “Or the tone of the ivory buttercream. I’m experimenting with a new pearl additive. But the flavor is hammered down.” She smiled at that. “I’ll be ready.” Mom’s hands kept moving, a sure sign she was agitated. “I just feel so bad for them, Fee.”
I knew what she meant, had heard from Jared when I visited the annex yesterday. Aundrea’s son was overseeing the renovation. I was grateful to have him, and though the conversion of his great-great aunt’s former residence was his idea I didn’t use that to bully him into helping me out. If anything he seemed delighted at the chance to tackle the project. He was busier than me with seemingly endless expansions going on around town. Nice of him to make my job a priority. Didn’t mean he stopped having time to share news, though.
“Jared said the Patterson clan is giving Aundrea a lot of crap for the wedding.” Hardly shocking. Her own father forced her into marriage with Jared’s father, the deceased Pete Wilkins, to keep her from revealing her love for Pamela. I had hoped they’d leave the now happy couple alone, but despite being mostly invisible to the rest of us, hiding out in their big mansion at the base of the mountain, their influence remained.
Mom sighed, nodded. “I see the strain in both of them,” she said. “Pamela is ready to drag Aundrea off and elope.”
“Maybe that would be a good idea.” At least then it would be over and the Pattersons could move on to something else.
“Aundrea wants to make certain all of Reading knows she and Pamela are committed to each other.” Mom’s jaw set, short nod affirmation she agreed.
“Has Vivian been giving you a hard time?” The nasty owner of the local bakery chain could kiss my butt. I knew it was eating Vivian up Mom was the one catering the wedding, with my bestie Daisy’s help as event planner. Not to mention the fact the whole shebang was happening next door at the annex. I hardly minded sticking it to Vivian French. She and I had never had love lost between us, more so these days since she’d chosen to target my mother for wanting to sell her specialty cakes—like Vivian had a monopoly on baked goods in Reading—added to the charming attempt she’d made to undercut me by applying to town council for a permit to build a boutique hotel.
I’d shut that down by agreeing to the annex, though I was positive Olivia would be pressured into letting Vivian go ahead at some point. At least if the tourism rates continued to grow as quickly as they had been since our mayor’s campaign to increase Reading’s visibility in the world began.
I could tolerate Vivian coming after me. But my mother? Hell no.
Mom patted my hand, relaxing at last. “I’m fine, honey,” she said. “It’ll take a lot more than the likes of the Queen of Wheat to bring me down.” So cute Mom had adopted my nickname for Vivian. Guess I wasn’t the only one who thought it was funny. “Now, one more bite of the chocolate buttercream?”
Groan.
I didn’t have to eat that bite, though honestly I would have gladly eaten a whole cake if I could have avoided what happened next. Not that Daisy’s appearance was a bad thing. It was the tidings she brought that made my stomach flutter from more than an overdose of sweets.
I think we both knew something was wrong when she dashed through the door, though the instant Daisy spotted Mom she froze, like she’d expected to find me alone. Petunia whined softly in the quiet that fell, instinctually knowing Daisy bore bad news, while my friend hesitated long enough Mom sighed.
“Just spit it out, Day,” she said. “What’s wrong?”
Daisy met my eyes then sagged, deflating. “It’s not good.” She winced.
“I figured as much.” Mom’s crisp reply seemed to give Daisy courage.
“French’s Handmade Bakery was just announced as a major sponsor of the show tomorrow.” Her large, gray eyes went from Mom to me and back again.
Whoops. That gave me instant heartburn. Wait, no. That was Mom’s cake. But I’d blame my nemesis just because I could. “Vivian.” I didn’t intend for her name to sound like a swear word, but if the description fit…
“Of course she’s wormed her way in,” Mom said, sounding utterly unsurprised and not a bit shaken. “Good for her.” Like she meant it. “Considering none of her bakers were asked to participate,” that a girl, Mom, “I’ve been expecting something like this.”
“There’s more.” Because there was always more. “One of the judges had to back out, a death in the family.”
Mom clutched her heart, mouth gaping. “Not Ron?” She might have hoped otherwise, but mine were pinned on his lack of participation. At least the other regular judges on the show always seemed to have tact and a bit of compassion in comparison.
Mom got her wish with Daisy’s next words. “Melinda Whither,” she said. “It’s so last minute they had to recruit someone local.”
Oh craptastic. Like I didn’t know who that local person just happened to be. Mom’s frown told me she got it, too, even as Daisy finished in a half-whisper of dismay.
“Vivian,” she said.
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Chapter Two
The three of us, my impatient pug not included, stayed silent a long moment while Petunia hummed her dissatisfaction at being ignored. I wondered how long we’d have hung there, none of us knowing what to say and a mix of emotions weighing the air in the room if it hadn’t been for Dad’s arrival.
He swept through the swinging door like he owned the place, a big smile on his face but stopped and did a double take before meeting my eyes. “Who do I have to hunt down and kill before hiding the body so no one finds it?”
I snorted a laugh, Daisy too, grateful for the break in the mood. Mom didn’t react well, though, still frowning, shaking her head a little as if having a conversation in her mind she wasn’t enjoying. When she looked up again and met my gaze she forced a smile.
“It’ll all work out,” she said. She swept off her apron, folding it and setting it aside, wiping her hands down the front of her jeans as if to settle herself before smiling again, still fake. “I’ll see you in the morning?”
She turned and swept past Daisy, past Dad and out into the hall on her way to the foyer. My father’s eyebrows raised, his face falling while Daisy joined me at the counter, one finger sliding into the chocolate icing that she sampled as Dad spoke.
“Tell me,” he said, “so I know what to say to her in the car on the way home.”
Didn’t take long to fill him in. He grunted, scowling now, while I exchanged a nervous look with Daisy.
“Dad,” I said. “Should we try to talk her out of going tomorrow?” I hated to do that. Mom had been so looking forward to it. Or was that torturing herself with it? Hard to know the difference. I didn’t trust Vivian as far as I could throw her. Wait, throwing her somewhere felt like a great thing to do right about now. How about across the border into the next state so she couldn’t do her best to humiliate my mother in public? Okay, I didn’t know that was her goal but I was not putting anything past her at this point.
“I think we all went into this knowing the show is likely rigged in favor of the two official contestants.” Dad s
hrugged then, hands digging deep into the back pockets of his jeans. “We can’t protect her from that, Fee. These shows are set up ahead of time. It’s TV, for goodness sake.”
“She knows that.” I felt a bit better.
“I wish I could protect her.” His voice was so quiet I almost missed what he said. “But I wouldn’t want to try, Fee. She’s going to do what she wants, like always. No one has the right to tell her otherwise.”
I hugged him, let him go as Mom called out for him from the foyer. He saluted and left, looking sad but determined and I hoped he did his best to buoy her as much as he could between now and tomorrow.
Of course he would. But would it be enough?
“I shouldn’t be thinking the worst is inevitable.” I didn’t realize I said that out loud to the sound of the front door closing behind my parents. Daisy started then smiled.
“You’re right,” she said, far too sparkly to mean it. “Lucy’s going to kick butt.”
She was. Then why was I so worried about her?
Daisy left shortly after while I deposited the remains of the cakes Mom made into the fridge, knowing despite the fact I was too full to consider even a crumb at the moment I’d be craving a slice with lunch tomorrow. While I didn’t have sleep over guests to share with this week, the expanded meal times and dining experience took us past a true bed and breakfast these days and gave me opportunities to share such treats Mom left behind. I was fine with that, and I know my guests were delighted to sample Mom’s cooking.
I did a quick round to make sure everything was okay, as I usually did at night, falling into routine. The front door lock snicked into place as the big grandfather clock in the foyer struck 9PM. I had a quiet week ahead, not a soul in sight or on the books, the January respite a huge relief. Any unscheduled guests could ring if they arrived later, but I was happy to close up for the evening. I drifted back to the kitchen after a fast tour upstairs, grabbing my winter coat and heading out into the garden with Petunia for her last outside potty before bed.