A Drizzle of Murder

by Constance Barker

  Walking around behind the partition that separated the bath area from the front she turned the water on. Had to give her clients their privacy after all. The man was talking about Dixie Line movers. Rose instantly leaned forward to hear despite the smelly dog in front of her. Hercules licked her face. “Don't tell me where that tongue's been,” she whispered to the dog.

  “Yeah,” the guy said, “that bastard who was sleeping with Deena. Yeah, he’s dead. It’s not widespread news yet.”

  He listened to the other person for a little while. Rose went back to filling up the little sink. Hercules whined because he knew what was coming.

  “I know, we do need to get to him too. I think threatening isn’t working anymore.” Rose yelped as she let the shampoo fall into the sink full of water. It splashed up on her and she gaped at Hercules. Was this guy talking about doing another hit on someone else?

  “Hey,” the guy yelled. She thought maybe the person on the other end was disagreeing with him.

  She started humming to show she wasn’t listening.

  “Hey dog lady,” his voice came through louder. Oh, that was her, she was the dog lady.

  “Yes,” she called not liking that her voice came out meek and almost hoarse.

  “Is my dog ready, I’ve got to get the hell out of here.”

  Rose went over to Candy the poodle who’d been dyed pink.

  “She’s still a little wet, I’ll cycle her through the dryer,” she yelled so he could hear her.

  “Hurry up,” he huffed back at her.

  Oh yeah, Rose thought, this guy definitely could kill someone. Who talks to their dog groomer like that? She flipped on the little dryer above Candy and gave her a treat.

  “You shouldn’t have to belong to that bad man,” she said in a baby voice.

  “What?” Said bad man had made his way through the swinging gate beside her counter and stood right beside her. Hercules started to bark from where she’d attached his lease above the sink. At least if she could get to him, he could keep him from hurting her.

  “I said, she’s almost done, and she can go home with you. You’re a bad man, man.” Rose tried to make the word sound like she’d meant it in a cool way.

  “Just hurry up, I want to pay,” he said and walked back up to the front. Rose unattached Candy from the little metal rail and carried her up front.

  She made a point not to say anything bad about him to the pooch on the way up. Rose took in everything she could about his appearance.

  “Thank you, Mr. Thompson,” she said as she ran his credit card. Making a point to remember his full name. “Candy was a delight to groom.”

  “Thanks, next time don’t take so long,” he grumbled.

  Rose waited until he was in his car and tried to call Coco. She thought this guy definitely had something to do with the death of the mover. Coco didn’t answer so she left a message. She dialed the police station and got their machine as well.

  “I have a tip about the murder from the Mad Batter,” she said, “just call me back when you can.”

  Rose felt certain she was going to crack the case wide open, but first she had some Herculean glands and other unfortunate tasks to take care of. At least his owner tipped well.

  Chapter Seven

  When I walked into the shop that afternoon, I couldn't get the idea out of my head that I'd forgotten something. We’d stayed up way too late, so my head was kind of a mess. All I thought was I needed coffee and I’d have to find the coffee pot. It wasn't until Scooter rushed up to me that I realized I didn't let him know what was happening.

  "Coco cabana, listen there's a huge spill of like some cherry glaze or something. I had nothing to do with it, I swear."

  He bounced from foot to foot in his usual outfit, dark jeans, a band t-shirt, a flannel shirt, and messed up hair. He twirled a set of beaters from the mixer in his hand.

  "Sorry Scooter, I forgot to tell you a guy got killed back there. I'm assuming they didn't clean it up that great. It's blood." I couldn’t imagine a clean up crew from a murder not cleaning things up.

  "No, dude, this isn't blood," he said, "someone really did spill, come look."

  I followed him into the back expecting to see a spot where the body had been. Surprised I saw, the spill was indeed in a different place. Someone had knocked cans off and moved a whole metal shelf. Why someone would have been in the back room, I wasn't sure.

  "See, this wasn't me," Scooter said. "Wait, did you say a dude was killed?"

  "Yes, and it looks like the killer returned to the scene of the crime. I need to call Logan," I said. "Maybe we'll wait until he sees it to clean it up."

  “Like as in their spirit left their body in our storeroom?” Scooter asked.

  “Yes, that happened,” I said.

  “Wicked,” Scooter said. Sometimes I wondered what was going on in his head.

  As I turned to leave something stuck out at me.

  I saw a small brown square sticking out from underneath a pan on the far side of the room. Walking over to it I expected it to be a piece of cardboard, but when I got close enough, I saw it was a ticket to the Antique Road Show. It was coming to town for the weekend.

  “The killer likes antiques,” I yelled, and Scooter came running into the back.

  “What?”

  “A clue, I think I found a clue,” I told him jumping up and down.

  “Dust it for prints, let me get some sugar,” he said running away. I didn’t think it would work that way, so I called Logan instead.

  Calling his cell phone and not the police station, I waited until he answered before telling him what happened without saying hello.

  "Someone broke in and knocked over cherry glaze. I think the killer returned to the scene of the crime. I found a clue," I said in one long breath.

  "Nice to hear from you Coco," Logan said. "Don't touch anything, I'll be over as soon as I can.”

  After we hung up Scooter ran back in with the sugar. I held a hand up, "Logan says don't touch anything until he sees it."

  "So, what did you find," he said walking over to look at it.

  "It's a ticket to the Antique Roadshow. They're doing a show here apparently," I told him holding it up.

  "Oh no, it's Stella and Vivian. They did the icing," he said, "not the kind with cake."

  "I'm glad you felt you had to clarify that to me, but Stella and Vivian didn't do this."

  "We didn't do what?" a voice asked from the doorway. Scooter yelped and jumped behind me covering his body with mine. So much for chivalry when you think a murderer is after you.

  As if summoned by their names, the two older ladies stood in the shop looking at us. I wasn't going to say anything, but discretion wasn't Scooter's strong suite.

  "That you two killed the man in here last night. She found your Antique Roadshow ticket," he said still hiding behind me.

  "Shows what you know, son," Vivian said. "Let me just get my billfold."

  "They call them wallets now, Vivian," Stella corrected her.

  "See," Vivian said waving something in the air, "here's our tickets so we didn't do it."

  "Okay cool," Scooter said feeling now that it was safe to come out from behind my back.

  "Thank you for coming to check on me ladies," I said. "It's sweet, but I'm fine."

  "Oh Coco, we're not here to check on you. We're here to solve the murder, isn't that right Stel," Vivian said. Today she wore a purple dress that went down to her ankles and sandals that showed off her baby pink toenails. She looked like she was ready to go stroll on the beach, not solve a murder.

  "That's right," Stella grinned. She wore a pair of black jogging pants and a t-shirt that said, "don't mess with grandma."

  "Let me see that clue," Vivian said moving towards me.

  "No," Logan said from behind her. "Let me see it and everyone clear out so I can look at the situation."

  The two older ladies along with Scooter and I walked to the front of the bakery to wait. I saw I had a
missed call from Rose and had just pushed the code to hear the voice mail when she ran through the door.

  "Did you get my message?" she asked breathing hard.

  "Did you run here from your shop?" I asked watching as she bent down with her hands on her knees.

  "Yes, I saw Logan pull up," she said. "The police department hasn't returned my call but I think I know who killed him."

  "I don't know if this is related," Logan said walking out of the back.

  "It's Oliver Thompson," Rose said.

  "I'll bet you two could get the information out of the pretty boy cop," I heard Scooter say to Vivian and Stella. I put my hand on my forehead when Stella actually pushed her boobs up before walking over to flirt.

  "Hey big boy, let me see your gun," she said to Logan who looked completely confused. He pointed to his waistband and then looked back at her. "I didn't mean that gun," she said with a wink. Oh lawd.

  Vivian grabbed his arm. "Oh what great muscles you have," she said.

  Scooter watched with glee. He never failed to put the two of them up to something crazy.

  "So, who's a suspect officer? May I call you officer," Stella continued while Vivian accosted his bicep.

  "I'm not telling you," he said strictly. Stella threw up her hands and made her way back into the room he told her not to go in.

  "You're immune to sex appeal," Vivian said as she huffed after her.

  "Well that got uncomfortable," I said to Logan and Scooter.

  "You have a suspect, so I can open the bakery and not worry that some crazed killer is going to come in? We need to be ready to roll on Monday."

  "Well, we're looking at some people. I'll let you know.” Logan started for the back to look over the area with the cherry glaze.

  I turned to Rose. “So you thought one of your clients did it?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I really thought I’d nailed him. You should have heard the way he was talking about Tom. Said he slept with his wife or tried to.”

  “This town has so much drama, you’d think it was huge.”

  “What do we need to do boss, because I can work on my cake designs if you don’t need anything.”

  “That depends Scooter, can you wash away the bad juju. I’m pretty sure no one is going to want to come here after what happened.”

  “People have a morbid curiosity, especially in this town,” he said, “they’ll come.”

  “Alright then let’s start by cleaning every surface really well and getting ready to cook!”

  I just hoped he was right that people would come, or mean Tom would have gotten the last laugh in the end from beyond the grave.

  Chapter Eight

  Later that night, the room was alive with anticipation. The prize for this round was a gift basket with all kinds of lotions and facial peels in it. Everyone wanted it.

  “G 13,” the little man at the front called. “G 13.”

  “Almost,” Stella stuck her tongue out as she furiously rubbed a small beanie baby. It was a little purple pig. She had at least five sitting on the table in front of her.

  “You’re the only one here who still thinks beanie babies bring luck to Bingo,” Vivian told her.

  “They do, it’s why I always win,” she said.

  “You never win!”

  “I think I have before. Maybe you weren’t here that time,” she said.

  “I’m always here,” Vivian said, “we’re never not together, especially during Bingo.”

  “Would you two be quiet,” a lady named Geri said. “You’ve talked so much I’ve probably missed some numbers. I probably already have Bingo.”

  Stella pointed the pig at her. “You don’t Geri.”

  “Okay, let’s just play,” Vivian said with a laugh.

  Sunny Senior Center had events every Wednesday and Thursday night. Bingo was something the two never missed.

  “B 42, B 42,” the man said.

  “Bingo!” Geri exclaimed standing and smirking over at Stella.

  “Don’t rip that thing's head off,” Vivian said reaching out for the pig Stella was squeezing. “It’s not worth it.

  After the announcer checked over Geri’s card and determined she had indeed won Bingo, the little lady carried the gift basket all around the room so everyone could see what she’d won.

  “Okay we’re going to take a break, when we come back the prize will be the early bird special at the Taco Corral.” The guy calling numbers held up a picture of tacos.

  “We don’t want that prize, Stel,” Vivian said, “let’s go see if anyone is in the lounge. I want to catch that show about people in the bake-off challenge competing to survive on an island.”

  “What, that’s not a thing,” Stella said.

  “Yes, they have to survive in the middle of nowhere while being in a bake-off.”

  “Reality television is just going too far these days,” Stella said.

  Despite her protest, she was intrigued to see how someone baked without a kitchen. The two headed towards the lounge but when they arrived, they saw Red and Henry were already inside watching football.

  Stella grabbed Vivian’s hand to stop her from going in. The men were discussing something that sounded ominous.

  “Yes, I really gave him what for,” Red said, “he won’t come back from that.”

  “Well, he shouldn’t have crossed you,” Henry said, “it was bad for his health.”

  “Yes, no one should mess with us,” Red said and the ladies heard him high-five Henry. “Run the damn ball, you can’t win a game if you just stand around.”

  The second part was yelled at the television screen, but Stella and Vivian exchanged glances. Could Red have murdered Tom for pushing him?

  “Come on,” Stella said, “maybe we could get them to change the channel.”

  “No,” Vivian shook her head violently. “I don’t want to go in there.”

  “It’s Red and Henry, two people we’ve known our whole lives,” Stella said. She went over to a table next to the door and picked up a lamp, “and now we have a weapon.”

  “Hey guys,” Vivian said as they walked in with a tight smile.

  “What do you two want?” Red asked.

  “We want to watch Surviving Baking Island,” Stella said holding the lamp out in a way she thought was menacing.

  “What the hell are you doing with that lamp, woman,” Red said looking up at her.

  “Nothing you need to worry about, old man.”

  The ladies made it their mission to grill the two for the rest of the night. They wanted to make sure they had solid evidence before telling Coco.

  Finally, after the show was over the men got tired of all the questions and went to play Bingo.

  “They could have totally done it,” Stella told Vivian.

  “Yeah, but they are going to be each other’s alibi,” Vivian said.

  “We’re just going to have to go back to the scene of the crime and find evidence,” Stella said.

  Chapter Nine

  Music blaring from my cell phone as I worked to perfect a new recipe I’d been working on. I’d gotten inspiration from a random Google search for creative desserts. The recipe was for Snowman top hat cookies with cookie bottoms and marshmallow tops with candy canes. I'd modified it to be a mad hatter hat with little candy mushrooms and sprinkles.

  It was going to be an amazing opening day confection.

  There was a new reality show coming on where people baked on a deserted island and played weird survival games. I wanted to watch the first episode, but we didn't have televisions in the bakery yet. I set my phone up on the counter while I mixed the batter and watched the live stream.

  I eventually wanted to have one playing pictures of cakes or videos of baking. Something enticing to hopefully make people hungry. The show started with some trumpet music and clips of the people competing in different games and cooking exercises.

  The first batch of cookies went in as the host said, "This will be the hardest thing you'
ve ever done."

  "Setting them up for failure," I said shaking my head.

  I was also working on a good colorful punch to give guests as well. Tasting it, I thought it was missing something, so I headed into the back to check out ingredients and try and get some inspiration. I thought I heard something right before I walked into the back.

  Moving back to the counter I turned the sound on my phone off and listened. Someone was moving around in the back. I should have been the only one in the bakery. I went to the front counter and grabbed the rolling pin. It was the closest thing I had to a weapon.

  Pushing the door open just a crack I listened. Someone with a very deep voice swore, and then knocked over several things as he ran out the back of the building.

  My heart hammering in my throat I just stood in the doorway not sure what to do next. Someone was clearly still coming back to find something or scare me for some reason. I wondered if this guy was one of the police's suspects.

  Dialing Logan’s number, I sat down on the floor. My whole body was still trembling. It felt like a violation that someone was in the bakery.

  “You just can’t get enough of me,” Logan said when he answered.

  “Logan, someone was here,” I said my voice coming out more terrified than I meant.

  “Where, where are you,” he sounded alarmed?

  “The bakery,” I said.

  “Don’t move,” he said and hung up. I tried to keep from crying and maintain the status of wearing big girl panties was supposed to give you.

  I heard Logan pull up and saw the lights flashing on the wall, but I couldn’t bring myself to stand up. Logan rushed over to me and pulled me to my feet. He held me against him as I continued to shake.

  “There was someone in here, I heard him I swear,” I told him.

  “Okay come sit down,” he told me. “I’m going to check it out.”

  He left me in the front and I tried to concentrate on breathing. When he returned, he said, “He knocked over some more things, but there’s no way I can tell if he got what he was looking for.”