Cream Puff Killer: Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series Book 13

by Dobbs, Leighann

  All of Lexy's doubts came crashing back at Jack's strange parting words.

  Stunned, Lexy stood at the front entrance, Nans and Ida by her side, and watched Jack walk back to his office alone.

  You'll find out the truth soon…

  What was he talking about? She wouldn't have to worry about what? His advice? Their marriage? Her heart sank as she walked back outside and headed toward the car, not missing the strange glance Ida and Nans exchanged. Both the ladies were remaining suspiciously silent now, which only served to heighten Lexy's sense of dread.

  Could they tell too that something was horribly wrong between her and Jack? Had it been obvious to everyone but her? Or worse, did they know about it just like John and Cassie? And was she partly to blame? Perhaps she had taken the investigating too far this time. Jack's only concern seemed to be for her safety, yet each time he asked her not to go somewhere, she did exactly that.

  Was that maybe why he'd taken an interest in the blonde? She was sure Jack wouldn't cheat, but maybe his heart was starting to wander against his will. Was she docile and easily manipulated, doing whatever Jack said without question? When they'd been dating, he'd said that Lexy's fire and spirit were two of the things he loved and admired most about her. Now, though, perhaps that had changed. And was her disregard for his wishes driving him right into the arms of another woman? She loved helping Nans and the other ladies with their cases, but not enough to ruin her marriage. If Jack wanted her to back off, that was what Lexy would do. Just as soon as they got this Sherman Wilson murder solved.

  She and the ladies were already in far too deep now to back out.

  Chapter Twenty

  "We need to get concrete evidence against Joe Stoddard. That will show Jack we're serious this time. I should have expected this from him. Never listens to me. Not about cases, not about how to handle your—"

  Ida coughed loudly from the backseat, cutting Nans off.

  "Handle my what?" Lexy asked, keeping her eyes on the road ahead for fear the tears stinging the back of her eyes would well over. That meeting with Jack had been another disaster, not because she'd caught him with the blonde again, but because she'd done nothing but fight with him when she should've been asking him the hard, serious questions that might have gotten her the answers she needed.

  "Oh, nothing, dear." Nans and Ida exchanged another look in the rearview mirror that Lexy didn't miss. It felt as if the whole world were in on the joke and she was the only one left standing in the cold. Surprises had never been her favorite, and now that feeling was only solidified. Her grandmother glanced over at Lexy and frowned. "Are you all right, dear? You haven't said much since we left the station, and you look awfully pale. Maybe you should lie down in my condo for a while when we get back to the retirement center. I don't want you getting sick."

  "I'm fine." Lexy forced a smile. The last thing she wanted to do right now was sit in a quiet room by herself and stew in her thoughts even more. "I'm just tired, I guess. Lots going on."

  "Hmm." Nans' tone said she didn't buy Lexy's excuse for a second, but thankfully, she let the matter drop. "Well, in that case, we should head over to the Stoddards' place ourselves, once we pick up Ruth and Helen. It's still early yet, and maybe we can find something we can show Jack to compel him to arrest Joe."

  Lexy nodded and turned down the street where the retirement center was located. No way would she clue her grandmother into how much Jack's last statement had bothered her. They had enough to manage with the case and Joe and—

  BANG!

  The Bug shuddered from the huge backfire, sputtered, then died completely just as Lexy rolled into the retirement home parking lot. Thankfully, she managed to steer the deceased vehicle into an empty parking spot and jam on the parking break to bring them to a final halt.

  "Well, that was a lucky break," Ida said from the backseat. "It's wicked hot outside. Would hate to have to walk for any great distance today."

  "It was time, honey. I'm sorry." Nans reached over and patted Lexy's hand, which was still poised on the gearshift. "But who knows—maybe something better is waiting right around the corner."

  Lexy blinked back tears and reached for her purse. Her first instinct was to call her husband, but she stopped herself. With everything else going on between them, her letting him know that he'd been right about her car and they'd have to replace it soon too could be the last straw. Blinking hard into the sunlight, she rubbed the VW's dashboard lovingly and said a heartfelt, silent goodbye to the best car a girl had ever owned.

  "Great," Ida said, throwing up her hands. "How are we supposed to get to the Stoddards' now? The sign on the bank over there says it's close to ninety."

  "Let's rest a minute. Maybe the car will start again," Nans said, though her expression said chances were slim. They rolled down the windows, and a slight breeze blew in, keeping the atmosphere inside the car from becoming stifling. A large shade tree overhead also helped.

  They sat for a few minutes, listening to the engine tick as it cooled down and watching a robin hop along in the grass under the tree. It cocked its head, shiny black eyes sparkling. Then hop, hop, hop, and it stabbed its beak into the ground and came up with a juicy, wriggling worm before flying off, its red breast brightening in the sun. If only things could be that easy for Lexy. But here she was, beloved car about to be no more… and maybe her marriage was designated for the same fate.

  Ida sighed and sat back. "Well, I suppose the Stoddards' place isn't far from here," Ida said. "I guess if we take it slow, we could easily walk over there and do a bit of surveillance."

  "See? Things are improving already." Nans fished around inside her enormous bag then pulled out her phone again. "If we skulk around the windows, I might be able to snap a few photos of him with an old coin or something. You know, for evidence."

  "Jack was right, though. This whole situation is dangerous." Lexy unsnapped her seatbelt. "We need to be careful to avoid detection. If they catch us, we could get in big trouble."

  "I'll text Ruth and Helen and have them meet us." Nans fumbled with her phone, holding it at arm's length and using her thumbs awkwardly.

  Ding!

  "They're coming right down. Ruth says the bracelet didn't have the valuable coin in it." Nans shrugged. "Good thing. It would have been ruined anyway."

  "Yeah, that might mean it's still around somewhere. I could use four million," Ida said.

  "Who couldn't?" Nans asked.

  They lapsed into silence. Lexy imagined Nans and Ida were dreaming about what they would do with four million. She, on the other hand, spent the time worrying about her car and Jack. Ruth and Helen showed up a few minutes later, and they made their way across the parking lot, past the first large condo building, and over to the Stoddards' detached condo.

  Whoever had lived in the Stoddards' detached condo before had planted extra shrubs around the property. There was a row of thick azaleas that reached to Lexy's shoulder, some tightly compacted evergreen shrubs, and a row of lush rhododendrons with large, shiny leaves and a few purple petals still clinging to branches. A dusting of spent flowers lay below the bushes. A chipmunk scurried out as they approached.

  Lexy and the ladies hunkered down in the shrubbery surrounding the Stoddard home. Even though the dense plants afforded some shade, sweat prickled the back of Lexy's neck, and she adjusted her ponytail to allow the breeze to cool her skin.

  "It's hotter than Hades out here," Ruth complained, fanning herself with a leaflet from the Burger Barn she'd found in her purse. "Watch out for snakes in these bushes."

  "Ack!" Helen practically jumped into Nans' arms, her eyes wildly searching the ground for a snake.

  "She didn't say there was a snake, Helen," Nans said. "Just watch for them. They like the heat, so they would probably be over there in the sun."

  "Oh, right," Helen adjusted her pink flowered shirt and worked on regaining her composure, her eyes still straying to the ground every few seconds.

  "Hey, I thin
k I hear the ice cream truck coming," Ida said, cupping her ear and leaning toward the street. "Boy, I could sure go for a snow cone right about now. Oh shoot!"

  "What's wrong?" Ruth asked, concerned. "And keep your voice down. We're undercover."

  Ida scowled at her lower leg. "These stupid branches caused a run in my No nonsense pantyhose. Brand new pair too, darn it."

  "For goodness' sake, Ida. Be quiet!" Nans scolded her friend. She went to move her big purse and snagged the expensive patent leather on a gnarled branch, getting into a heated tug-of-war with the misbehaving shrub. "I swear if this plant doesn't unhand my belongings, I will get an axe and chop it down."

  "Here." Lexy helped her grandmother get the enormous purse untangled then gestured for the ladies to follow her closer to the condo. From there, it was an easy move to scooch up and peek through the nearest window. Lexy peered inside and spotted what looked like a workroom. Against one wall were machines and tools that Lexy guessed would be used in a jewelry-making business—saws, files, hammers, metal dabs, stamps, and punches.

  "Look!" Nans gasped, her tone excited. "See that drill over there on the worktable? It looks a lot like the one they found at the crime scene near Sherman Wilson's body."

  "And beside it, on the table." Ida crowded in shoulder to shoulder with Lexy. "Gloves. White cotton gloves. Didn't Jack tell you the techs found white fibers on the door lock?"

  "Yes, he did," Lexy whispered. "Nans, can you take a few pictures while we're here?"

  "Already on it." Nans held up her phone and snapped away through the window.

  "Excuse me. What are you doing out here?" a voice said behind them, making all the ladies jump. Lexy whirled around fast, her pulse stumbling.

  There stood Myra Stoddard, staring at them angrily.

  Nans fumbled her phone and barely avoided dropping it on the pavement. "Oh, hello, Myra."

  "We were just out for a walk," Ida said.

  "A walk?" Myra frowned. "In the shrubs behind my house?"

  "Actually, we were coming to see you," Lexy said, hoping her lie sounded more convincing because it was partially the truth, even though she was grasping at straws. "Uh, my car just broke down again, and we were hoping you might be able to give us a ride. I would've called, but my phone's dead."

  Myra stared at them for a moment, and Lexy wondered if she should repeat what she'd said but louder. Myra tapped the toe of her sparkly sandal against the hot pavement, and her gaze narrowed as if she were deciding whether to give them a ride or call the cops on them for lurking in the bushes. "Okay, fine. I'm free at the moment. Where would you like me to drive you?"

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Myra's silver station wagon had heated up in the sun, so they left the doors open to let the hot air out. Along with it came the smell of Naugahyde and French fries.

  "Sorry, my last ride wanted me to go through the drive-through." Myra bent into the car and pulled out a thin red cardboard French fry holder then shoved it into a trash bag she kept in the front. She hopped in and started the engine. "We'll let the air conditioning run for a few minutes."

  Lexy leaned against the car, the heat of the metal burning through her shorts. She glanced back at the Stoddards' condo. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to get more evidence on Joe, but she wasn't sure how to handle Myra. If they told her, she might not believe them and might go to Joe. She could be in danger.

  Not to mention that snapping pictures through the windows wasn't going to fly with her standing there watching them. It was probably best that they take the evidence of the drill and the gloves back to Jack. But with her car dead and her cellphone dead, the only way to do that was Myra.

  Lexy jumped into the passenger seat, and Nans, Ida, Ruth, and Helen all climbed into the backseat, giving Lexy looks in the rearview mirror as Myra sat behind the wheel.

  "You know," Ida started, "the real reason we were lurking behind your building is because—Ow!"

  Nans elbowed Ida in the side then shot Lexy a warning look in the rearview mirror. Keep your mouth shut about Joe, it screamed as effectively as if her grandmother had shouted the words aloud. Right, it wouldn't be smart to say anything. Myra was his wife and probably wouldn't believe them. Worse, she might warn Joe and blow the whole case. Lexy gave a short nod then clicked her seatbelt into place.

  "Where am I taking you?" Myra asked.

  "Oh, the police station on Cross Street," Lexy said, giving her a polite smile.

  Myra looked wary. "The police? Is there something going on I should know about?"

  Lexy opened her mouth to answer, only to be jarred by a rough kick to the back of her seat, courtesy of Nans. She gave her grandmother a quick glance in the rearview mirror then continued. "Uh, no. No trouble. My husband works there, and he'll give me a ride to get my car fixed."

  "Right." Myra stared at Lexy a second longer than normal before shifting the giant silver station wagon into drive. "Your husband's a police officer. Great. Okay then. Let's go."

  As they drove through the sun-dappled streets of Brook Ridge Falls, Lexy and the ladies did their best to keep the small talk flowing and Myra distracted from asking any more questions.

  "Lovely weather we're having," Helen said, patting her hairspray-lacquered coiffure. Neither heat nor wind nor any mighty gust would disturb that helmet hair.

  "Yeah. Drives my allergies nuts, though," Ida chimed in. "Remind me to take another pill when we get back to the retirement center."

  "Will do." Nans leaned forward to tap Lexy on the shoulder. "Do you have a tissue, dear?"

  "Oh, let me look." As Lexy rifled through her purse, she couldn't help stealing glances at Myra through her lashes. The woman had remained oddly quiet since Lexy had mentioned Jack was a police officer. Fine lines of tension now marked the corners of her mouth too.

  Did Myra know about her husband's illegal activity? A twinge of pity shot through her. If so, then that sort of put them in the same boat, didn't it? Little did poor Myra know, she was driving them to have Joe arrested. At least, that was Lexy's plan, anyway. Between Nans' pictures of the drill and the white gloves, that should be enough to at least bring the man in for questioning, anyway. Still, the connection she now felt for Myra given both of their husbands' hidden secrets had her wanting to know more about their marriage. She pulled a tissue out of the plastic pack in her purse and handed it to Nans then turned to Myra once more. "How long has Joe worked with rare coins?"

  Several gasps issued from the back, followed by another hard kick to the back of her seat. Lexy gripped the dashboard tight and frowned at her grandmother in the rearview mirror.

  Myra shrugged, seemingly oblivious to the undercurrent of tension in the air. "Not that long, really. A couple of years at the most. Once he retired, it took him a while to settle on a hobby he liked. Good timing too, considering he was about to drive me nuts with all his sitting around and moping." Myra snorted. "Heck, some days I almost wished he'd have an affair or something, just to get him out of the house."

  Lexy's grip on the strap of her purse tightened. She and Jack sometimes got on each other's nerves, but she'd never, ever wished for him to stray. Her frown deepened. "Has Joe ever come across any cool coins while making his jewelry?"

  They slowed for a red light, and Myra turned to give Lexy an odd look. "What exactly do you mean by cool?"

  "Oh, nothing." Lexy did her best to pretend the question was entirely casual. Not exactly easy to do, given all four ladies in the backseat were now leaning forward to peer at them around the head rests as if hanging on Myra's every word. "I didn't mean anything specific, since I know so little about coins." She gave a small chuckle. "I've just heard that some can be quite rare or valuable. At least from what I've read."

  The light turned green, but Myra didn't move, her placid expression turning hard and cold. "You heard that argument in front of our condo the other day, didn't you?"

  It wasn't really a question.

  Heat prickled Lexy's cheeks as Myra's gaze
narrowed. Was she asking out of embarrassment or something else entirely? Lexy took a deep breath and tried to explain herself without giving away too much. "We were just walking down the street and saw Joe with that other man. Their voices were a bit loud, so unfortunately, we couldn't really help overhearing. Sorry. But don't worry. I know how disagreeable customers can be sometimes." Honestly, she didn't. Her customers had never been anything but sweet and kind. In fact, if anyone had been that angry about their purchase, Lexy would have been mortified. Still, she'd started this ruse, and now she needed to run with it. She cleared her throat before continuing. "Believe me, with running the bakery, I see people get nasty with each other all the time. They accuse each other of all kinds of awful things…"

  A horn honked behind them, and Myra reluctantly turned forward again, her movements more deliberate now as they made a right turn onto Elm Street.

  Lexy frowned. "Um, I think you've gotten your locations mixed up, Myra. The police station is on Cross Street. You should've taken Maple, not Elm."

  "Oh, it is?" Myra said, her tone sticky sweet. She put on her signal again and made another sharp right, sending the ladies in the backseat tumbling to one side. "I must have misheard you. I guess I'll just go around the block then and head back the way we came from."

  "Um, dear?" Nans tapped on Lexy's arm again, distracting her. "You might want to look at Ruth's wrist."

  Lexy did so. Ruth was wearing the charm bracelet she'd gotten from the jeweler earlier that day. Big deal. She'd already said the valuable coin wasn't on there, so why was Nans calling attention to…?