Secrets and Pies (A Callie's Kitchen Cozy Mystery Book 3)

by Jenny Kales

  She was still fretting about Olivia’s mental state, as well as all of the loose ends regarding Holly Tennyson’s murder, Lisa Linley’s fight with Tammy and the hooded intruder she and Max had seen the other night, when the bell over her door jingled. She looked up to see her grandmother, Viv, striding toward her in cropped khaki pants, a stylish blue cotton top and what she called her “walking shoes.”

  “Grandma! What a surprise!”

  “Yes, well, I thought I’d check in with you, dear. I just, uh, wondered how you’re doing.” Viv’s smile was just a tad sheepish, so it seemed to Callie. Max had disappeared to the back room, so Callie decided to be frank.

  “Grandma. What is it? Is something wrong?”

  “No, dear. I’m fine. It’s just that, well.” Viv stood up straighter and addressed Callie. “I may as well come right out with it. You remember that Beats on the Bay you helped us with?”

  That sounded ominous. “Yes….”

  “We need you to provide concessions at the concert again.”

  “We?”

  Viv smiled bravely. “Mrs. DeWitt and I agreed that your food was such a big hit that you should do it again...this week.”

  “Oh, you did? This weekend is Greek Fest!”

  Viv was growing more flushed by the minute. She fidgeted behind the counter and couldn’t meet Callie’s eyes. With a growing feeling of dread, Callie realized she’d in all likelihood been bamboozled.

  “Grandma. Don’t tell me you already accepted for me?”

  “Well, you know how Gert is. She could sell ice to polar bears! I figured you wouldn’t mind the business, but I forgot all about the Greek Fest. I’m sorry, Callie. I should never have agreed to work with Gert. She’s just too darned persuasive.”

  “I thought you were going to feature a different restaurant each week. What happened to that idea? Mrs. DeWitt always likes to feature as many Chamber-affiliated places as possible. Why can’t she just have Bob’s Brats do it and call it a day?”

  “Yes, I know. I tried to sell her on something like that, but she said she wanted you. I don’t know where we’ll find anyone else on such short notice. I know it’s short notice for you, too, dear…”

  Viv looked so miserable that Callie’s frustration at the whole situation was slightly diminished.

  Seriously, though. How was she going to do this? Even with Max and Piper helping out it would be a stretch, on top of her regular summer schedule.

  Callie considered. She needed the money. And it would be huge in terms of goodwill with Mrs. DeWitt, who was a good person to have on your side. However, she couldn’t go it alone.

  Callie smiled at Viv and reached across the countertop to pat her grandmother on the hand. “All right, Grandma. I’ll do it. But, I’m going to need some help baking. You up for it?”

  “Oh, yes!” Viv clasped her hands in delight. “I’ll help. You know I love to bake, even though you’ll have to coach me with some of the Greek recipes.”

  “I will gladly do that. You’ll have to work with me right here in my commercial kitchen. Health codes and all. Now, when can you start?”

  “Tomorrow, bright and early. I’m due as a library volunteer today but after that, I’ll clear my schedule until we’ve got everything under control.”

  That settled, Viv left, with far more spring in her step than she’d had when she’d arrived. Callie swallowed the lump of anxiety in her throat. Too bad there weren’t two of her. Make that three of her, she thought, as Max showed up for his shift.

  Max washed his hands, put on his apron and rang up a few customers before sidling over to Callie as she set out rows of koularakia, her braided Greek butter cookies.

  “Hey, did you hear anything about the other night?” he asked.

  “Nope. Sands said he had to talk to me later. However, we have a more pressing problem. Viv roped me into another Beats on the Bay night. This week. Two days from now, to be more specific. Plus, we have the Greek Fest this weekend! I’m already baking zucchini pies to freeze for that, and if I make them fresh the night before, I’ll be up all night. Plus, we’ve got fruit pies to bake. I just got a big order for a party, in fact. And then…”

  Max put up a palm. “Callie. Calm down. We’ve got this.”

  “We do?” How did Max manage to sound so convincing?

  “Sure! Let’s get Piper to help make some stuff, and we’ll be fine. We’ve already got a head start on the savory pies. Right? We’ll freeze a bunch, and you can thaw them right before the Greek Fest. I’m planning on filling the order for pies today. So that’s another job done, and we’ll figure out the rest as we go along.”

  “Viv did say she’d help me bake tomorrow…” Callie remarked. She was feeling slightly more encouraged. “And you know what, I bet even Sam would help me out if she has the time.”

  “You see?” Max slapped her on the back.

  “Ouch,” Callie said, but with a laugh. “It’s difficult to worry with you around.”

  “You know who I wish we had to help us out? Sweetie, your aunt, or your dad’s cousin…whatever you call her. I could never get it straight.”

  Sweetie was Callie’s aunt from Greece, well, she was really George’s cousin, but Callie had always referred to her as an aunt. Her name was really Glykeria, which translated to “Sweetie,” which was easier to pronounce for most people.

  Sweetie had visited Crystal Bay last winter and been a very welcome guest, and a very unwelcome amateur sleuth, in a previous case that had rocked Crystal Bay over the Christmas holidays. The complexity of relations between Greek families was a mystery to Max, but to Callie it was simple. Everyone was an aunt, uncle or a cousin.

  “Sweetie would be wonderful to have around here right about now,” Callie agreed. Her spanakopita is out of this world.”

  “How is she anyway?”

  “She’s doing very well. I got an email from her a couple of weeks ago. She misses us and said she’d love to come back for another visit.”

  “That would be great.” Max beamed. “She was funny. I’m sure Viv misses her.”

  “Oh yes. Those two get along like a house on fire. I’d love to have her help, but it’s OK. I’ve got you.”

  “Yeah. I may not be an authentic Greek cook,” Max smiled, “but I can fake it pretty well.”

  “No, Max. You’ve worked here long enough that you’re officially the real thing.”

  Fourteen

  “I’d love to see you, but I’m exhausted,” Callie was saying into her cell phone the next evening. Her feet ached, her arms were sore and her legs felt leaden. Still, Max, Piper and Viv had baked like they were born to do it right along with her, and she finally felt like she had the Beats on the Bay food under control, at least. The Greek Fest food was getting there.

  “I’d make it worth your while,” Sands was saying in his sandpapery voice. Callie had stopped by the station to give him a statement on the intruder she’d seen the other night, but they’d had no social calls since. He’d been busy on the case and she’d been buried in pie prep.

  “Now I am intrigued,” Callie said with a laugh. “If you don’t mind my falling asleep on the couch, you’re welcome to stop by. Olivia’s here, and we both need an early night.”

  “Be over in a flash.”

  Callie looked helplessly down at her rumpled Callie’s Kitchen T-shirt and leggings. She wanted to make herself a bit more presentable. She didn’t need to look ready for a night on the town, but clean clothes and a hairbrush would do wonders.

  Dragging herself upstairs, she changed into a white cotton blouse and scurried around her room looking for a pair of shorts. With a sigh, she noticed her bulging laundry basket. Laundry hadn’t been high on her list of priorities lately. Finally, she pulled a pair of jeans from the top of her closet before realizing they’d felt too tight the last time she’d worn them. Sucking in her stomach, she was able to get them on and they even felt a little bit looser. Callie chalked it up to her haphazard eating habits during one
of her busiest work seasons yet.

  After she brushed her wavy brown hair, she smoothed her hands over the jeans as if she could smooth away excess flesh. As she did so, she heard a funny crackling sound.

  With a shiver, Callie realized these jeans were the ones she’d had on the night she found Holly. In her mind’s eye, she could picture herself shoving the piece of yellowed paper in her pocket to dispose of later. She’d forgotten all about it.

  Holding the note in her hand, Callie tried to read the old-fashioned spidery handwriting but couldn’t make it out. “For…” was the only word she could read. The other words were blurred with time and the rest of the note had a jagged edge where the paper had been torn.

  Grasping the note, she went downstairs as if in a dream, angry with herself for not remembering it sooner. It may mean nothing, but what if it did? She’d give it to Sands right away and explain she hadn’t meant to hold onto it.

  She flopped onto the sofa, exhaled deeply and placed the note carefully on a side table. Callie must have dozed off because the next thing she heard was the doorbell ringing and Koukla’s excited barking. She heaved herself off of the couch and staggered to the front door, Koukla on her heels. Peeking through the peep hole, she saw the smiling face of Sands. He waved, and she opened the door.

  Koukla continued her animated barking at Sands as he swept Callie in his arms for a lingering embrace. His warmth and strength were so welcome that Callie felt at peace for the first time in days. She wondered how long the peaceful feeling would last when he found out she was snooping around at the scene of the crime.

  “All right, you’re next,” Sands told the little dog, picking her up so the dog could give him a wet canine kiss.

  “Come on in,” Callie said, gesturing to her living room. Sands looked more handsome than usual tonight, she noted, taking in his summer tan and long, lean physique, highlighted by his faded jeans and white shirt. Self-consciously, she smoothed the cotton knit T-shirt dress she was wearing and ran a hand through her long wavy hair.

  “Can I get you anything to drink?” Callie asked.

  “I’ll get us something in a minute,” Sands replied with a smile. “You’re not at Callie’s Kitchen right now, remember?”

  Callie sank down gratefully next to Sands. “Thank goodness you said that. I don’t even think I’ll be able to make it to the kitchen right now.”

  “Tough day?”

  “Physically, yes, but enough of my whining. What did you want to see me about? Also, I’ve got something for you.”

  “Why do I wish that didn’t sound so ominous?” Sands said, pulling her close to him, “I wanted to follow up on that intruder you called about. But first, what do you have for me?”

  Gently disentangling herself, Callie took the note from the table and handed it to Sands. “I found this on the kitchen floor right before I discovered Holly’s body. I shoved it in my pocket, thinking I’d throw it away later, but I never did. I’d forgotten all about it until now.”

  Sands took it, holding it carefully by the edges. “For…” he started to read. “What does that say?” He squinted at it. “I can’t really see anything but the word ‘for’. The words are blurred. Or I’m losing my eyesight.”

  “No, that’s what it looks like to me, too,” Callie assured him. “It may not be important, but I thought you should have it.”

  Sands reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small plastic bag. He carefully placed the note inside and sealed it. “Could be nothing, but we’ll have a look at it.”

  “Wow. I’m impressed.”

  “You never know when you might need an evidence bag. Apparently, when spending time with you, it’s a good thing to carry.” He smiled at her and shook his head.

  “Very funny. So what happened? Did anyone track down the intruders?”

  “No, by the time our officers arrived, whoever it was had vacated the premises. However, we did find one or two odd things.”

  Callie’s nerves tingled with apprehension.

  “Like what?”

  “A ladder in the middle of the back lawn, for one thing.”

  “I see.”

  “You wouldn’t know anything about any of that, would you?”

  “OK,” Callie said, sitting up and regretfully leaving the warmth of Sands’ embrace. “Here’s the deal. I went there, just to jog my memory and see if I missed anything. After all, I didn’t know it was a crime scene the first time I was there. I didn’t go in the house, I promise! But I did look around the lawn…”

  “Max?” Sands sputtered.

  “Yes, just wait a second. I brought him with me for safety. I figured we could take a quick look around. I figured something about that day might come back to me. We looked in the window with the ladder, but that was it.”

  “Callie, I don’t need to tell you how dangerous that is. Please. We have an investigation, and we can’t have people contaminating the scene.”

  “I know that it was wrong to go there. It’s just that Olivia is so upset about Holly. I’m sorry, I really am.”

  “You always were the adventurer,” Sands said, a half-smile on his lips. “But this is serious business, as you well know.”

  “I do know. And, well, I did see one thing you should know about.”

  “There’s more?” Sands raised his eyebrows at her.

  “I peeked in the upstairs window because of the broken pane. It looked to be cut, because I didn’t see any jagged edges or anything like that. I guess a pane could have simply fallen out but this looked nice and neat.”

  Sands sighed, his face lined with weariness. “Yes, we know about that. I’ll have to check the crime scene report, but I don’t think there was a broken window pane the first time we were there.”

  “That’s what I thought!” Callie was triumphant, until she saw Sands’ expression.

  He gave her a piercing look. “The other Gilded Age home break-ins I told you about. They had a similar M.O.”

  Callie gulped. “That’s strange.”

  “It could be. But I try not to jump to conclusions without evidence.”

  “Speaking of evidence: how is Tammy? Any news on what caused her to faint?”

  “Not yet. It could take a while for the lab results to come back. Apparently, she’s made a complete recovery.”

  “Thank goodness for that, at least! She really scared me.”

  “I can’t figure out those theater people. They’re an odd bunch. And don’t get me started on the director.” Sands chuckled softly.

  “Allan Browne,” Callie said with a rueful grin. “Raine said he’s not so bad, except for when he’s got a show to produce. He’s a little bit hard to figure out, though. One minute he’s kind of nice and charming. The next minutes, he’s a horrible show-off. Volatile, you could say.”

  Sands rolled his eyes but didn’t offer his own commentary on Allan Browne. “Funny that you mentioned Raine. I find it interesting that Tammy was drugged or poisoned the first night she appeared in the show. Not to mention your ex, Hugh. He was there, too.”

  A sick feeling was growing in the pit of Callie’s stomach. She turned to face Sands. “I just can’t believe those two would do something like that. Anyway, Raine said Lisa Linley brought tea to Tammy because Tammy felt like she was getting a cold.”

  Sands put his arm around her. “Yes, I know. But somebody else could have tampered with the tea,” he said. “We’ll wait for the tests. Let’s drop it for now.” He stood up and stretched.

  “Where are you going?” Callie asked.

  Sands reached into his pocket and brought out the note Callie had given him, now safely ensconced in a plastic bag. “You’re a victim of your own enterprising behavior. I’ve got to get this potential evidence back to the station.”

  “I was hoping you could stay for a little while longer, but you’re right.” Callie rose reluctantly and walked Sands to the front door.

  “I would like to stay longer.” He kissed her cheek. “However, du
ty calls.” He kissed her again and strode down the steps, the set of his shoulders less weary than when he’d arrived. The possibility of new evidence definitely put a spring in his step. It was only a little scrap of paper, but Callie was happy that she may have been able to provide something that could be useful.

  Darn it all, she thought. Being helpful sure could make for a lonely evening.

  ***

  The sun was barely up the next morning when Callie arrived at Callie’s Kitchen, bright and early. It was, in fact, exceedingly early, but there was no other way to get all of the cooking and baking done. Viv was going to bring Olivia to camp, and then she had to run off to help Mrs. DeWitt with something or other before tonight’s Beats on the Bay event. She’d offered to come back and help bake, but Callie had told her to skip a day. She thought of the many hours that Viv had spent rolling out dough and whipping up batter the day before and wanted to give her grandmother a break.

  Thank goodness she had Max. Today was going to be a hot one, and he had the stamina for hours of cooking and baking.

  As she unlocked the door, the smell of hot coffee greeted her, combined with the rich fragrance of buttery pastry and sweet fruit.

  “Who’s here?” she called.

  “Just me,” Max replied. He must be in the work space. Callie burst through the French doors that separated the baking area from the front of the shop.

  “Max, what in the world…”

  Succulent pies with golden brown crusts lined the work area. Max had made inky blueberry pies with lattice crusts, sweet strawberry pies with red juice bursting through the lattice pastry, and dark cherry pies with their blood-red juice bubbling up through the decorative crusts. The fragrance of buttery pastry and sweet-tart fruit filled the air like a heavenly cloud you could almost taste.

  Callie noticed the dark circles under Max’s eyes. “It’s just that pie order I told you I’d work on,” he told her. “I’m not even finished yet, but it’s a start.”