"No clue," Ruth said after swallowing her last bite of pastry. "I'd guess from his location, though, that he was trying to inspect the engine. Perhaps he's a mechanic."
"Maybe he wanted to give you a tune-up," Ida said, chuckling. "I know a line of guys at the retirement center who'd gladly volunteer for the task."
"Now is not the time for jokes." Nans gave her friend a scolding look. "There's a dead body in that storage unit, and the police are going to want to know how he got there. We need to figure out what we're going to tell the cops."
As if on cue, sirens wailed, coming closer, and two squad cars pulled into the lot, followed by the crime scene tech van. Soon, officers swarmed the area, including Jack, who gave Lexy a funny look. Her heart sank a bit when he didn't come right over, but he had a job to do, and she wasn't in danger. Besides, judging by the way his brows were drawn down over his brown eyes when he glanced her way, she suspected he wasn't going to have anything comforting to say to her.
They cordoned off Ruth's storage bay and meticulously photographed the scene before starting to remove and bag items for evidence. The ladies discarded their trash then wandered closer to see what was happening. No one had approached them yet for their statements. Lexy exhaled with relief. That would give her time to compose herself. Lately, she'd gotten the distinct impression Jack was not thrilled by her frequent investigations with the Ladies Detective Club.
"Is that a drill?" Ida asked, pointing toward a bag carried by one of the crime scene technicians. "If it is, then he must've been doing something to your car, Ruth."
"From the blood covering the drill bit, I believe that's the murder weapon," Nans said, her gaze narrowed on the power tool. "I'm no expert, though."
Lexy gave her grandmother a look. Nans might not be a sworn law enforcement officer, but she had the instincts of Sherlock Holmes. If she thought that drill was the murder weapon, then chances were good it probably was. To confirm, Lexy leaned closer as the tech walked by them toward the van. She gasped at the bright crimson streaks marring the shiny, slim drill bit. "You're right."
"Of course I am," Nans said, winking. "Now if we could just get your stubborn husband to admit the same, we'd be all set."
Before Lexy could respond, Jack turned his attention in her direction, and Lexy's heart plummeted to her toes. Jack walked over to their little group, giving his wife a disapproving stare as he approached. Yep. He wasn't happy with her at all. After nodding briefly to the ladies, he pulled Lexy aside.
"I know your car's in the shop, but you should've asked me for a ride earlier. Or asked Cassie. Or even gotten a rental instead of accepting a ride with Mona and her friends. Trouble always seems to follow whenever all of you get together." He gave her a reproachful look. "Why didn't you say anything, honey?"
"Don't be silly. You're always so busy these days. I didn't want to bother you." Lexy laughed, trying to play off his concern, though she sensed his true impatience. "And I did say something. I mentioned last night at dinner that I had to deliver cream puffs to the auxiliary this morning, and it seemed wasteful to rent a car just for one silly errand."
"Where are your cream puffs now?" he asked, crossing his arms and casting a quick glance at the nearby trash can, where the top of the white bakery box with The Cup and Cake's logo poked out. "I can run you wherever you need to go once I'm done here."
Guilty warmth prickled Lexy's cheeks, and it had nothing to do with the sunshine. She stared down at the toes of her cute white flats. "After what happened in the storage facility then the wait for law enforcement to show up, I figured getting the delivery there on time was a long shot at best. The ladies were hungry, so I let them eat the cream puffs rather than having them go to waste."
"I see." Jack's gaze flicked to Ida, who stood watching their conversation with interest as she brushed a few stray pastry flakes from the front of her flowered top. She gave Lexy a wink, her bright-blue eyes sparkling with mischief, as usual. Jack gave a long-suffering sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "Listen, please stay here while I check out the scene, and try not to get into any more trouble, please. After I'm done, I'll give you a ride back to the bakery." He glanced over at Nans with the patience of a saint. His smile was polite, but Lexy didn't miss the spark of irritation in his eyes. "Would you ladies like me to arrange a ride for you back to the retirement home?"
"Don't be ridiculous." Nans scoffed then pulled out her cell phone to wave in his face. "I've already requested an Uber. Should be here shortly. Besides, we've spent enough time gracing the back of your police car, don't you think?"
Chapter Three
An hour and a half later, Jack finally dropped Lexy off in front of The Cup and Cake. She hurried to get out of the car, eager to get back to work. She loved her husband with all her heart, but if he lectured her for one more minute about being at that crime scene, she just might lose it. A heated argument was the last thing she needed to kick off her afternoon.
"Honey, wait." Jack caught her wrist as she opened the door. "You know I'm only saying these things because I love you and I don't want you to get hurt, right?"
Lexy sighed and glanced back at him over her shoulder. "I know, Jack. But I'm a big girl and can take care of myself. And it's not like I go in search of these things. They find me. What am I supposed to do, huh? Just leave the dead body there and walk away?"
"No. I know." Jack exhaled and lowered his head, his expression pensive. Besides, they both knew asking the ladies to give up their snooping ways was like asking a fish not to swim, and there was no way Lexy was going to let her grandmother traipse all around the countryside to these crime scenes without protection. "At least promise me you and Mona will give law enforcement time to figure out the identity of the victim before you go off on some amateur sleuthing adventure, okay?"
"I'll do my best. That's all I can promise." She gave him a quick peck on the lips then climbed out of the sedan. "I'll see you later at home."
"Yep." He winked as she shut the door then waited until she was inside the bakery before pulling away. Other than his mollycoddling ways where she was concerned, Jack was a sweet, kind, wonderful man, and she thanked her lucky stars every day for their marriage.
Back in her element, Lexy smiled as she walked inside her shop, inhaling the warm smell of freshly baked cookies. Her spirits rose as she looked at the glass bakery case loaded with brownies, cookies, scones, and cakes all arranged on doilies and sitting on pedestals or lined up on trays.
She glanced back outside through the large front windows to see the waterfall across the street. That view was one of the reasons she'd fallen in love with the building. Right now, some of her patrons were sitting at the wrought-iron cafe tables she'd set up on the sidewalk in front of the window, sipping coffee, eating pastries, and enjoying that same view.
Cassie, her best friend, was ringing someone up. The cash register dinged as she closed the drawer, and the customer walked away happily with the white bag clutched to their chest. Lexy and Cassie had been inseparable since ninth grade, and now Cassie's husband, John, was Jack's partner in the police department. Her help had been indispensable to Lexy in the daily operation of the bakery… and even on a few investigations.
"Hey," she said as Lexy approached, the midafternoon sun glinting off the neon turquoise of her hair. It was a change from her usual pink hues but suited Cassie perfectly. Cassie was adventurous and quirky when it came to clothing and hairstyles. The opposite of Lexy, who never strayed far from her mink-brown color or the sleek, standard ponytail she always wore her long hair in or the earth-toned tee shirts and plain denim jeans she favored. "How'd it go with the Ladies Auxiliary?"
"Unfortunately, I never made it. We ran into a… situation on the way there." Lexy stowed her purse under the counter then walked over to the hooks on the wall to choose her apron for the day. She'd been collecting vintage aprons since she'd started the shop and now had quite an impressive collection. For today, she pick
ed an adorable one that was covered in bright-red cherries and had a ruffle and a large pocket on the front. She forced a smile as she joined Cassie behind the counter again.
"What kind of a situation? I could have delivered them," Cassie said, frowning. In a small town like Brook Ridge Falls, not everyone was as tolerant as Lexy, so there was a reason she usually made the deliveries to the local Ladies Auxiliary. She doubted the conservative group would appreciate her friend's colorful displays of her inner creativity. Not that she'd ever tell her friend that. "Not another crime, I hope."
When Lexy didn't say anything, Cassie pounced. "Another one? Seriously, Lexy. I'm beginning to think you're a magnet for these things or something."
The words hit a bit too close to home for Lexy, considering what she'd just been through with Jack. Not wanting to rehash it all again, she turned to wipe down the already pristine counters.
"What about the cream puffs? I don't see the box."
Lexy gave her friend a look and continued wiping.
"Fine." Cassie crossed her arms and leaned her hip against the wall. "Out with it. Whatever this situation you encountered this morning was, it must've been stressful considering you downed a dozen of your own desserts."
"I didn't eat them," Lexy said. She'd long ago learned not to sample her merchandise if she wanted any hope of retaining her figure. "It was Nans and her friends who ate them all. In fact, they each had at least two. I'm sure Ida had three, and I think I saw Helen stuff one or two in her purse for later."
"I still don't understand why you didn't have me run you over to the auxiliary."
"Because I needed you here to handle the morning rush. You know that." Lexy threw her hands up in exasperation. "Sorry if I sound short. I just got a lecture from Jack."
Cassie waited a few seconds then asked, "So what happened?"
"There was a dead body in Ruth's storage unit. That's what happened."
"What?" Cassie's voice echoed through the quiet—and now thankfully empty—shop. "A dead body? Who was it? How did it get there? Is Jack investigating?"
Lexy bit back a smile at her friend's barrage of questions. She was every bit as inquisitive as Lexy was, if a bit less discreet about it. There was a reason they'd become best friends.
She tossed the washrag back under the counter then faced Cassie. "Ruth opened the door to the storage bay where she keeps her Oldsmobile and discovered a man under her car. Dead. Only his wing-tip shoes sticking out from beneath the front fender. No idea how he got there, though the lock wasn't on the overhead door when we arrived. No identity for the victim yet. Naturally, the cops are investigating."
"How awful!" Cassie shuddered.
"Yeah. Not exactly the way I like to start my days." Lexy turned as the bells above the front door jangled merrily. Nans and the ladies walked in. A large silver and wood-grained station wagon sat near the curb, the driver locking the doors with her key fob.
Cassie grinned. "Speak of the devil."
"Lexy, so glad you made it here," Nans said, winking. "I hope Jack wasn't too hard on you."
"He wasn't too bad." Lexy watched Ida push her way through the group to stand in front of the display case. For such a petite lady, she had the appetite of a giant. Ruth and Helen soon joined her to peruse the daily selection of goodies. The bells jangled again as the driver entered. A woman with dyed-red hair and an ample bosom. Lexy didn't recognize her. Must be one of the many retirement home residents, she figured. And apparently an Uber driver.
Helen gestured to the redhead. "Lexy, have you met our new friend Myra Stoddard?"
"No, I don't believe I have." She shook the woman's hand. "Very nice to meet you, Myra. Do you live at the retirement community as well?"
"Excuse me?" Myra cupped her ear, her charm bracelet tinkling as she tilted her head toward Lexy.
"You'll have to speak up," Ida said. "Myra doesn't hear so good. Had to keep repeating the directions to her in the car."
Lexy repeated the question a little louder.
"Yes. My husband, Joe, and I just moved into one of the lovely condos." She pointed out the windows to the station wagon. "I'm not quite ready to retire yet, so I do some Uber driving on the side to supplement our income. We need all the money we can get right now since my husband's recent hernia surgery. Got to pay off those bills."
"Joe makes the loveliest jewelry." Ruth leaned closer to Lexy to show off her copper earrings. "He made me these beauties from several old coins I had lying around that I thought were pretty. He made my bracelet too, the one I broke back in the storage unit."
At the mention of the crime scene, a pall seemed to fall over the group.
"So what's the special today?" Ida asked at last, peering in at all the baked goods.
"The double-fudge brownies," Cassie said. "We have them with and without walnuts."
"I'll take one with nuts, please." Ida pulled out her wallet. "That one in the last row with all the crispy edges."
"That sounds good to me too," Nans said. "I'd like a smaller one, though, please."
"Me three." Myra stepped forward. "And put all their orders on my bill."
The ladies protested, but Myra was having none of it.
"That's very nice of you," Lexy said, ringing up their purchases while Cassie got their orders ready. She glanced up, noticing the woman's trendy clothes and expensive handbag. Uber driving must pay pretty well if that gigantic silver-dollar necklace and matching earrings were any indication. "I'm sure the ladies appreciate it."
"Of course. Anything for my friends." Myra smiled, handing Lexy the money. "Keep the change. Oh, that reminds me, Ruth. Joe gave me these for you too." She pulled a small blue box from her purse. "The new earrings you had made."
"Oh, thank you!" Ruth opened the box and held it out for all of them to see. Inside were a set of buffalo nickels on sterling posts, with the background cut out so only the buffalos and the rim of the coins remained. "Aren't they pretty?"
"Lovely." Lexy pointed toward the far wall. "And, ladies, help yourselves to the coffee and tea. My treat."
Ida, Helen, and Ruth headed over to get their drinks while Nans lingered near the counter. "Can you take a short break and join us, dear?" she asked Lexy. "We need to discuss what happened… earlier."
"Oh, I don't know." Lexy glanced over at Cassie, feeling guilty. "I just got back in, and there's so much still left to do in the back and—"
"Go ahead," Cassie said, waving her off. "I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yep. I've got another batch of brownies due out of the oven in about five minutes anyway, so take all the time you need."
"Okay." Lexy walked outside with her grandmother and took a seat at the umbrella-covered table near the end of the patio with the other women. From her seat, she'd be able to see if anyone came into the bakery and could jump up to help them while Cassie was in the kitchen. The day was flooded with spring sunshine that warmed up the street. The slight breeze brought the smell of lilacs, and a pair of sparrows hopped around on the sidewalk, their shiny black eyes darting hopefully at the ladies' pastries as they waited for crumbs to drop.
"Such a shame about finding that body this morning," Helen said after swallowing a bite of her brownie. "I do hope the police find out who he is soon."
"Yes, me too. That way I can get my car back," Ruth said. "I miss driving."
"Why?" Ida asked, sipping her tea. "Got a hot date?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Ruth scoffed. "You know I haven't dated anyone seriously since Nunzio."
"That's it!" Nans said, snapping her fingers. "I've been trying to think of why that man would've been in Ruth's storage unit, poking around her car. I bet Nunzio is the connection. He was murdered for blackmailing those other crime bosses, right?"
Ruth straightened her blouse, her cheeks a slight pink. "Yes, but he wasn't a bad man. I mean, maybe he was sort of bad, but he was good to me."
Ida's left brow flew up. "And that list was never found, was it?"
"No," Ruth shook her head.
"Could be that man in the storage unit was looking for the list because he was on it and didn't want his sins of the past to come back to haunt him," Nans said.
Ruth frowned. "Don't be silly, Mona. Why in the world would anyone think Nunzio's list was in the car? The cops searched far and wide for it after Nunzio died and never found it. What makes you think some strange man could waltz in and locate it just like that?"
"She's got a point," Helen said.
"Didn't you say Nunzio always told you to make sure you took good care of that car?" Nans asked, one brow raised. "Perhaps his concern was for more than your well-being."
"Well, yes, he said that, but that was only because it was in such good condition. He said it was a cream puff and—" Ruth sputtered.
"Hiding the list in the Olds?" Ida interrupted. "Oh, that's brilliant!"
"Now, wait a minute," Lexy said, doing her best to rein the ladies in so she could keep her promise to Jack. "The police haven't even identified the victim. We should let them do their jobs first before we come up with all these wild theories."
"Of course, dear." Nans nudged her with her shoulder. "This is all just conjecture at this point. But think about it. Why else would anyone want to break into Ruth's vehicle storage unit? Maybe what we should focus on at this point isn't the murder, but whether or not the killer found what they were looking for."
Chapter Four
The ladies stayed for about an hour before calling for another Uber ride to go home. This time, someone other than Myra showed up. They seemed to be enjoying this mode of transportation. Maybe, after this, Ruth would give up driving. She might have to if the police kept her car. Maybe Lexy should try Uber. She had no idea how long her car would be in the shop or if it was even fixable.
Cream Puff Killer: Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series Book 13 Page 2