Meringue and Murder

by Wendy Meadows

  “What is the meaning of this?” asked Mr. Webster.

  “We were here to ask Dia some questions,” said Margaret as David got up from the van.

  “What do you want to know?” asked Mr. Webster.

  “Was Dia at home with you the night of Mr. Stewart’s death?” asked David.

  “Yes, she was,” said Mr. Webster.

  “Are you sure you want to say that?” asked David. He lifted his pen and what it was holding into view of everyone. Margaret gasped. On the pen was a swatch of cloth that matched the shirt Mr. Stewart had been wearing when he was killed.

  Mr. Webster turned pale. “What did you do, Dia?”

  “It was spontaneous. I was so angry with him and I didn’t think he was that hurt,” said Dia.

  “What are you talking about, Dia?” asked Mr. Webster.

  “That night after you went to bed I drove into town. I wanted to confront Mr. Stewart about the dog’s haircut. I told you our baby would have won the competition if Mr. Stewart had not sabotaged her with that awful haircut. I really needed that win! So I went there to give him a piece of my mind. I wanted him to know how angry I was,” said Dia.

  “But Dia, we had discussed that. We agreed to confront him together the next day,” said Mr. Webster.

  “I know, but I was so upset. These dogs are my children. You know how our kids treat us. We are like bank machines to them. All they want is our money. At least our dogs give us their affection and love,” said Dia. “What else was I supposed to do? He butchered my baby!” At this, Dia started sobbing. Mr. Webster tried to comfort her, but she pushed him away.

  “You wanted to talk to him, but I wanted him to know how much he had hurt me,” said Dia.

  “Did you intend to kill him?” asked David.

  “No, I just wanted to yell at him. When I got to his store he was walking down the alley. I don’t know what got into me. Something inside of me took over and I gunned it. Just as he turned around, I hit him. I thought he would be okay, that is why I drove off. When I heard he was dead I decided not to tell anyone. My husband was asleep when this happened. He didn’t know anything about this crime,” said Dia.

  David got on his phone and called the police. They waited until a uniformed police officer got there. David read Dia her rights as the officer cuffed her. David and Margaret drove back to town.

  Margaret sighed. “It’s amazing how dysfunctional a family can be. This proves that money does not buy everything,” she said.

  “I agree,” said David. “Thank you for your help solving this crime.”

  “You’re welcome,” said Margaret. She looked at her watch. “Oh no, I have to get back to the store.”

  “Why?” asked David.

  “It is time to draw the winning ticket for the candy cornucopia,” said Margaret.

  David pulled into a parking spot by the candy store.

  “Are you coming in?” asked Margaret.

  “No, I have to go back to the office and get this paperwork done. Let me know who wins. After all those tickets I bought, it better be me,” he joked.

  Margaret walked into the candy shop. The merchants who had sold raffle tickets were present. Patty and Zach were there along with Zach’s girlfriend, Gilly. Margaret had a big box with all the tickets inside. She shook the box and reached in. Margaret pulled out the ticket.

  “And the winner is…Gilly!” Margaret exclaimed.

  Gilly gasped, and Zach laughed and gave her a big hug. Ariel was there with her babysitter. Ariel clapped and hugged Gilly. Margaret picked up the cornucopia and gave it to Gilly.

  “Congratulations!” said Margaret.

  “Thank you,” said Gilly. “I have never won anything before.”

  Zach hugged Gilly and Margaret smiled.

  “You know what?” said Gilly. “I can’t possibly eat all this candy by myself. Would you be able to help me?” Gilly looked at Ariel. Ariel squealed.

  “Yes!” Ariel replied exuberantly. Margaret laughed. Zach pulled her to the side.

  “Did you solve the case?” he asked.

  “Yes, I did,” said Margaret.

  “Good,” said Zach. “I’ll write it up on the website just like all your other cases.”

  “Thanks,” said Margaret. Then she hugged him.

  “What was that for?” asked Zach.

  “For being normal,” said Margaret. Zach laughed. Margaret counted the money and told everyone they should meet her at Mr. Stewart’s shop later that night. Everyone left, and Margaret told Patty she needed to run some errands.

  “Go on, I can watch the shop,” said Patty.

  “Thank you,” said Margaret.

  Later that night the merchants and townspeople gathered outside of Mr. Stewart’s business. Margaret had bought a wreath and put a picture of Mr. Stewart on the front. Everyone was solemn as people talked about how good a person Mr. Stewart really was, all the things he had done for the community, his love for animals. Margaret got up and presented Sylvia with the proceeds from the raffle.

  “This would have made Mr. Stewart very happy,” said Margaret. “The money we raised will help feed the dogs in the shelter for a while.”

  “Thank you, everyone,” said Sylvia. “The dogs I care for will really appreciate it.”

  “Now it is time for some music,” said Margaret. She introduced the band. Everyone clapped and hooted at the enthusiastic drummer. Margaret smiled. She knew Mr. Stewart would have loved Gilly and her band. Everyone thought he was a curmudgeon, but Margaret knew better.

  “Gilly really loves her music,” said Margaret to Zach.

  “Yes, she does,” said Zach.

  They watched Gilly’s hair fly as she pounded out the beat. When the music was done, everyone followed Margaret and Zach to the beach. They all bid farewell to Mr. Stewart with some sky lanterns that the wind carried out over the ocean. Margaret hugged Zach and Gilly. She looked over and saw David holding Ariel. Ariel watched the lanterns fly away and reached up to them.

  “Bye-bye, Mr. Stewart,” Ariel said.

  There was not a dry eye on the beach that night.

  Chapter 14

  On Thanksgiving morning, Margaret woke up early. Zach was cooking the turkey and Margaret had offered to make the sides as well as the stuffing. How hard can sides be? she thought. She went downstairs to the kitchen. Zach had made some breakfast and was getting the turkey ready to roast.

  “What kind of sides are you making?” asked Zach.

  “Well, I will make your grandma’s stuffing, of course,” said Margaret. “That can go into the oven with the turkey in a little while.”

  “Okay, what else?” asked Zach.

  “Well, I was going to make some mashed potatoes. Those are stovetop, so I should be fine. I am also going to make a green bean casserole,” Margaret said. “We can put that in the oven while the turkey is resting.”

  “That sounds good, Mom,” said Zach. “Did you buy any gravy?”

  Margaret turned pale. She knew she would forget something.

  “Let me grab my keys,” Margaret said, heading toward the front room.

  “Whoa, slow down,” said Zach. “I was just kidding. I am going to make homemade gravy after the turkey is done roasting.”

  “You know how to do that?” asked Margaret incredulously.

  “Yes, Mom, I have been practicing with Gilly,” said Zach.

  Margaret laughed. “Okay, good.” She got started on the stuffing. She mixed the ingredients and put them in a casserole dish. She put the stuffing in the oven and Zach told her to wait on the other sides.

  “Isn’t it about time to get Grandma and Grandpa?” asked Zach. Margaret looked at the clock.

  “Yes, it is. Is it okay to leave the house with the oven on?” Margaret asked.

  “Yes, Mom, it’ll be fine,” said Zach. “Kyle has our key, so he can get in if we’re delayed or something.” Kyle was their neighbor and friend. Margaret had invited him as well, but he had a group of military friends com
ing to his house for dinner.

  Margaret got her keys and Zach jumped in the car. They drove out to the retirement community. Margaret and Zach knocked on her parents’ door. Her father answered. He was dressed in a suit and tie.

  “It’s about time you got here,” said her father, and then he laughed. “Don’t worry, you’re not late. Your mother is just finishing up getting ready.”

  “You look great, Dad,” said Margaret. Her father used a walker to get back to his recliner. He sat down.

  “Now how are we going to get to your place?” he asked Margaret.

  “I have someone coming who will help you into the car,” said Margaret.

  “Good,” Margaret heard someone say. She turned around and saw her mother. Margaret went over and gave her a hug. Her mother was dressed in a flowing skirt and a puffed sleeve blouse. She had beads on and had a flower tucked behind her ear. Margaret smiled. Just then there was a knock on the door. Zach answered it. It was David. Margaret smiled.

  “Just in time,” said Margaret.

  “I have something for you in the car,” said David.

  “Okay,” said Margaret. “Mom, Dad, are you ready to go?”

  “Yes, I am,” said Margaret’s father. “Who is this nice young man?”

  “This is my friend David,” said Margaret. “David, this is my mom and dad.”

  “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Nichols,” said David. Margaret had told David that she and Zach had taken Margaret’s maiden name after her divorce. They wanted as few reminders of Zach’s father as possible.

  Margaret’s mom smiled. David walked over to Margaret’s father and along with Zach helped Mr. Nichols into the car. Margaret took her mother’s arm and walked her to the car.

  “He seems like a nice man,” said Mrs. Nichols.

  “He is,” said Margaret.

  “So is he a special man?” asked Mrs. Nichols.

  “Behave yourself, Mom,” said Margaret. Mrs. Nichols laughed. Margaret led her to the yellow Civic. Mr. Nichols was in the front seat.

  “Grandpa asked if I would drive them,” said Zach.

  “Oh, okay,” said Margaret.

  “I can take you in my car,” said David. Mr. Nichols winked at Mrs. Nichols. Margaret rolled her eyes.

  “Thank you, David,” she said. Zach got into the driver’s seat and Margaret handed him her keys.

  “Be careful,” said Margaret.

  “I will,” Zach promised. Margaret walked over to David’s car and got into the passenger’s seat. David reached into the back of the car and pulled out a pumpkin pie.

  “I hope this will do for dessert,” he said. “Ariel and I made it last night.”

  “That looks delicious,” said Margaret. “I can’t wait to see what everyone else brings.”

  “Thank you for organizing this dinner,” said David.

  “I’m glad we’re all getting together,” said Margaret. David put the car in drive and followed Zach back to Margaret’s house.

  “Where is Ariel?” asked Margaret.

  “She is with her sitter. I hope you don’t mind if her sitter joins us,” said David. “She doesn’t have family in town and was about to spend the holiday alone.”

  “Of course it’s fine if her sitter joins us,” said Margaret. “The more the merrier.”

  They got to the house and David helped Mr. Nichols into the front room.

  “Okay, let’s find the football game,” said Mr. Nichols.

  “I’ve never understood how you can sit there and watch grown men hit each other,” said Mrs. Nichols. David looked at Margaret and she shrugged.

  “Let the fun begin,” said Margaret. Zach laughed, and David turned on the television.

  “How about we watch some of the Thanksgiving parade first?” suggested David.

  “That would be fine, dear,” Margaret’s mom replied.

  Margaret smiled and went into the kitchen. The turkey was coming along nicely. Margaret asked Zach if she could go ahead and make the green bean casserole. Zach said yes, so Margaret opened the cans and dumped the green beans, mushroom soup, and fried onions into a bowl. She put the mix in a casserole and topped it with the remaining fried onions.

  “That looks good, Mom,” said Zach. “Of course, it’s hard to mess up green bean casserole,” he joked.

  “Very funny, Zach,” said Margaret. She put the water on to boil and started peeling potatoes.

  “Margaret, could you come in here?” Margaret heard her mother calling from the front room. She put down the potato she was holding and walked over to the front room.

  “What do you need, Mom?” Margaret asked.

  “They are starting to watch football. I would like to come into the kitchen with you,” said Margaret’s mom.

  “And do what?” asked Margaret, laughing. Margaret’s mom baked bread and other fun things, but she had never taught Margaret how to cook. Margaret’s mom felt Margaret should do what she wanted to do and not be tied down as a housewife for someone. Margaret understood where her mother had been coming from, but occasionally she wished her mom had taught her some basic skills. Nevertheless, Margaret helped her mother into the kitchen. Mrs. Nichols sat beside Margaret.

  “Let me help you peel the potatoes,” said Margaret’s mother.

  “I thought you didn’t cook,” said Margaret.

  “I know my way around a kitchen,” said Margaret’s mom defensively. “Did I ever tell you about the time at the commune when I baked all that bread?”

  “Grandma, you never told me that story,” Zach chimed in. Margaret rolled her eyes.

  “Well, I had to grind my own flour and mix everything by hand. We didn’t have any fancy electronic gadgets,” said Mrs. Nichols. “It was the best bread I have ever tasted, if I do say so myself.”

  “Did you meet Grandpa at the commune?” asked Zach.

  Mrs. Nichols laughed loudly. “No! He would not have been caught dead in that place. Your grandfather worked at a local bank. I didn’t do any banking, but we met one day while he was having lunch. I sat at the table beside him and it was love at first sight. His parents were not too happy at first, but then they got to know me and they accepted me and my bizarre behavior.”

  Margaret laughed, enjoying the story.

  “Zach, where did you learn how to cook so well?” asked Mrs. Nichols when Zach opened the oven to baste the turkey.

  “Mom did teach me some things. David knows how to cook, too. Between them and the Internet, I figured it out,” said Zach. “And also, my friend’s father has a restaurant, and he taught me some stuff too.”

  “That is wonderful,” said Mrs. Nichols.

  David appeared in the kitchen.

  “Your dad would like a beer. Where would I find them?” he asked Margaret.

  “In the fridge, bottom shelf,” said Margaret.

  “Did you get the kind he likes?” asked Margaret’s mom.

  “Yes, I did,” answered Margaret. David looked quizzically at Margaret while he opened the refrigerator.

  “If I don’t get him a certain kind he will complain about the damned liberal beer breweries all night,” said Margaret, laughing.

  “Oh, okay,” said David, and he took the beer into the front room. Just then there was a knock on the door.

  “I’ll get it,” said David. He went to the door and Margaret heard a girl’s voice saying hello. Zach perked up and left the kitchen.

  “It must be his girlfriend,” Margaret told her mother. Zach appeared a moment later with Gilly in tow.

  “Grandma, I would like you to meet Gilly. Gilly, this is my grandma,” said Zach. Gilly said hello and handed Margaret a pie.

  “I hope you like it. It’s pumpkin,” said Gilly.

  “Thank you,” said Margaret. She put the pie by David’s pumpkin pie. Can’t have too many pumpkin pies on Thanksgiving, she thought.

  Zach introduced Gilly to his grandfather and then they joined Margaret and Mrs. Nichols back in the kitchen.

 
“Tell my mom what you do in your spare time,” said Margaret to Gilly.

  “I am the drummer for a punk band,” said Gilly.

  “Oh, that is wonderful,” said Mrs. Nichols. “I like strong, independent women.”

  Gilly blushed. “Thank you, Mrs. Nichols,” she said. “Can I help with anything?” she asked Margaret.

  “No, thank you, Gilly. I am finished peeling the potatoes. I just need to set them to boil for a bit,” said Margaret.

  “I can take care of those,” said Gilly.

  “She’s a great cook, Mom,” said Zach.

  “I don’t want my guests to have to cook,” said Margaret.

  “Let’s leave the young lovebirds alone, Margaret,” said Mrs. Nichols.

  “Oh. Right,” said Margaret. “Thank you, Gilly.”

  Margaret and Mrs. Nichols went into the front room. David turned down the volume to the football game. Everyone sat and talked while Zach and Gilly prepared the Thanksgiving feast.

  Chapter 15

  About a half hour later, there was another knock at the door. Margaret answered it. Ariel was there with a young woman.

  “Happy Thanksgiving, Margaret,” said Ariel.

  The young woman held out a pie to Margaret. “Hello, Ms. Nichols. I’m Chelsea. Thank you so much for inviting me. I made a pumpkin pie for you.”

  “Thank you, Chelsea,” said Margaret. “Please, call me Margaret.”

  Margaret told Ariel and Chelsea to put their jackets in the hallway and go ahead into the front room. Margaret looked at the pie and laughed.

  “Well, we won’t be short of pumpkin pie tonight,” Margaret announced to the living room. Everyone laughed. David had introduced Ariel to Margaret’s parents and Ariel admired Mrs. Nichols’ beads.

  “These are pretty,” Ariel said.

  “Thank you, dear. At least someone here has good taste,” Mrs. Nichols said to Mr. Nichols.

  “Mom, would you like something to drink?” Margaret interrupted.

  “Yes please, dear. Do you have any sweet tea?”

  “I do,” said Margaret. “Ariel, would you help me serve the tea?”