by Amber Crewes
“I just learn so much from you,” Pamela gushed as Meghan guided her to the bins of strawberries. “You have taught me so much about baking, business, and being a good person, and I love spending time with you.”
Meghan’s heart swelled at the praise from her teenage employee. “Pamela, that is so sweet of you to say,” she told her. “Hiring you was one of the best decisions I’ve made as a business owner, and I hope you will be around for as long as possible.”
Pamela’s face paled. “Speaking of that…” she said nervously. “I have something I want to talk to you about.”
Meghan returned a box of under-ripe strawberries to the bin and turned to face Pamela. “What is it?”
Pamela took a deep breath. “I’m going to college next year, Meghan.”
Meghan laughed. “I know that,” she told Pamela. “You are a junior in high school. We’ve talked about it. You’re going to Sandy Bay Community College, which will be so nice because you can still work part-time, if you’d like.”
Pamela shook her head. “Meghan, I have a dream,” she said softly as her eyes widened. “I want to do what you do. I want to own and operate my own bakery.”
Meghan beamed. “That is an amazing dream,” she told the girl. “And I am proud of you for dreaming big. How can I help you achieve your dream, Pamela?”
Pamela bit her lip. “I want to study cooking, Meghan, and the best place to do it is in either Paris, Rome, or Buenos Aires.”
Meghan clapped her hands in excitement. “Pamela, if that’s what you want to do, then I am so excited for you. You are an amazing young woman. I would be sad to lose you at the bakery, but if you were to live out your dreams, live abroad, and learn to do some real cooking, then I would feel such joy!”
Pamela smiled. “Really? I was so worried you would be mad. I know you were sad when Lori, that girl who worked for you, went to college.”
Meghan shook her head. “Your well-being is important to me,” she told Pamela. “You are a great girl, and if you want to pursue your dreams, then I am behind you.”
Pamela wrapped her arms around Meghan. “You are the best,” she told her. “I was running around with the wrong crowds before I started working at the bakery, and now, I can create anything and everything in an oven. Meghan, you’ve changed my life, and I am so thankful for you.”
Meghan held back happy tears. “I’m happy to have you on the team, Pamela.”
Both women jumped as Meghan’s phone began to ring. “It’s Lewis Templeton,” Meghan told Pamela. “Sorry, let me take this.”
“Meghan,” Lewis greeted her. “How are you doing?”
“I’m doing okay,” Meghan told Lewis. “It’s been a difficult couple of days, but you know that.”
“I do,” Lewis agreed. “Look, one of my staff members found another one of your trays. I can have it dropped off to you later tonight.”
“No, don’t bother,” Meghan said. “I’m just around the corner from the hotel; I am out shopping with one of my employees, and we can swing by in a few minutes to grab the tray.”
“That would be nice,” Lewis said. “I will make sure it is waiting for you at the desk in the lobby. Toodles.”
“Bye, Lewis.”
Meghan saw Pamela’s eyes were bright with excitement. “Do we get to go to the Sandy Bay Hotel?” Pamela squealed.
Meghan nodded. “We need to pick up one of my trays.”
“I’ve never been inside before,” Pamela shrieked. “I heard it is the fanciest place in town.”
“It is pretty nice,” Meghan agreed. “Let’s finish up choosing our strawberries, and then we will make our way over there.”
“I’m so excited,” Pamela told Meghan.
“I couldn’t tell,” Meghan said with a laugh.
Fifteen minutes later, Meghan and Pamela walked into the hotel lobby. “This is so pretty,” Pamela whispered to Meghan as she gazed at the Persian rugs, the chandeliers, and the marble staircase in the center of the room. “Meghan, it looks like a palace in here.”
Meghan and Pamela walked to the front desk. “I’m here to pick something up,” she told the assistant. “I’m Meghan Truman.”
“Meghan Truman,” a soft voice called out.
“Mariah Cooper!” Pamela gasped as Mariah floated toward them from across the room.
“Mariah,” Meghan said quietly. “It’s good to see you. How are you holding up?”
Mariah sniffled, her nose red and her face pale. “It’s been hard,” she confessed. “Cathy was a few years older than us, but in college, she, Rosie, and I were always together. Everyone called us the Three Amigas. We were all in the same sorority, we all played on the tennis team, and we were all in the same art clubs. We were so close back then...we’ve drifted here and there since, but I loved Cathy like a sister, really.”
Meghan placed a hand on Mariah’s thin shoulder. “I’m sorry for your loss,” she murmured.
“I’m sorry, too,” Pamela sputtered.
Mariah smiled warmly at Pamela. “And who is this?”
“This is my employee, Pamela,” Meghan told Mariah. “She is a huge asset to my bakery, and I am so thankful for her help.”
Mariah nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, Pamela,” she said softly. “Come, why don’t you girls come upstairs with me? I’m staying in one of the penthouse suites on the fourth floor. We can visit and have some tea. What do you think?”
Pamela nodded vigorously, but Meghan shook her head. “We don’t want to be in your way…”
“You won’t be,” Mariah assured her. “It would be nice to have some company; I’ve felt so off and lonely this week, and I want a distraction. Please? It would be my pleasure to host you two girls for a bit.”
Pamela looked longingly at Mariah, and then turned her gaze to Meghan. “Please, Meghan? She said she wants us to come.”
Meghan smiled. “Sure. Lead the way, Mariah.”
Mariah gestured toward the public elevator. “No private elevators to my suite this time,” she said good-naturedly. “My room is much more modest than the Presidential Suite.”
Mariah’s “modest” hotel room was enormous and extravagant; with its three bedrooms, private balcony, and private hot tub, the suite was nicer than any hotel Meghan had ever stayed in. The rooms were spacious and airy, with contemporary decorations and modern art covering the walls. The furniture was similar to the furniture in the Presidential Suite, and large leather divans and loveseats made the sitting room appear to be very comfortable.
“It’s cozy, that’s for sure,” Mariah said as she welcomed Pamela and Meghan into the suite. “Have a seat, girls. I’ll have one of my staff bring us some coffee.”
“This is real leather,” Pamela squealed to Meghan as Mariah glided out of the room. “And look at the rug. Is that real cow skin?”
Meghan grimaced. “It probably is,” she told Pamela. “Don’t think about it too much.”
“Nancy will bring us coffee momentarily,” Mariah announced as she floated back into the room and sat down delicately on the brown leather divan. “Meghan, I hear you had a little...chat with Rosie the other day?”
Meghan bit her lip. “Yes,” she confirmed. “Although I wouldn’t call it little.”
Mariah nodded sympathetically. “Rosie told me what happened, and I am so sorry that she had a little outburst,” she apologized. “Rosie has such drive and ambition, but she can be intense sometimes. That intensity has allowed her to rise to the top as my assistant, but I know it can be concerning at times.”
Meghan smiled. “Thank you for saying that,” she told Mariah. “I just felt bad for Jackie, my friend who was in charge of the pampering day. Jackie worked so hard to make things perfect for you, and Rosie didn’t pay her the full sum of what she promised.”
Mariah lifted an eyebrow. “Seriously?”
Meghan nodded. “Jackie was upset when Rosie came to the salon, and Rosie even threatened her….”
Mariah closed her eyes and took a
long breath. “I am so embarrassed,” she lamented. “Rosie’s temper is going to get her into trouble. Meghan, tell me how much Jackie was owed, and I will write a check myself.”
Meghan shrugged. “I don’t know the details,” she admitted. “But I know it was for a lot of money.”
Mariah rose to her feet and dashed out of the room. She returned holding a small silver checkbook and a matching pen. “I am going to send a blank check to her,” she declared. “Mariah Cooper does not go back on her promises, and Mariah Cooper always fulfills her obligations. My reputation is important to me, and I wouldn’t want anyone, including Jackie, to think that I don’t keep my word.”
Meghan smiled. “Your kindness will be so appreciated.”
Mariah shook her head. “It isn’t kindness, Meghan. It’s good business. Pamela? You remember that, okay, dear?”
Pamela nodded. “You are so pretty and nice,” she told Mariah. “I heard Ms. Thomas was nice, too. Why do you think she was killed?”
“Pamela!” Meghan said sharply. “How could you say something so rude?”
“It’s fine,” Mariah told her solemnly. “Pamela, Cathy was a loud, fun, outgoing woman. She had big opinions, and nice taste. She was larger-than-life. She wasn’t always the kindest, but she had a good heart. I don’t know who killed her, or why, but mark my words: just as I’ve taken steps to make reparations with Jackie, I will take even more steps to make sure my friend’s death is avenged and the killer brought to justice.”
“You really don’t have an idea who killed Cathy?” Meghan asked as she leaned back onto the black leather armchair. “Did she have any enemies?”
Mariah sighed. “Cathy’s past was...complicated,” she told Meghan. “She was always mouthing off to someone, or making someone angry. I never thought that someone would hurt her, though.”
Pamela perked up. “What do you mean? A complicated past? Was she in trouble?”
Meghan shook her head. “I’m sorry she is being so rude,” she told Mariah.
“She’s just young and curious,” Mariah said dismissively. “Really, it is fine. Anyway, Cathy’s past was colorful, and her many adventures often caught up with her. I honestly thought that now she was older and more established, her life would quiet down. I guess I was mistaken.”
Meghan raised an eyebrow. “Was she caught up in the wrong crowd, or some shady business?”
Mariah frowned. “Not that I know of, but these days, who knows? She traveled a lot, and she spent quite a bit of time abroad. She never shared much from her travels, and I wonder if maybe she got mixed up in some trouble on her last trip? She just returned from a two-month jaunt to Singapore, and she was awfully tight-lipped about her activities on the trip. I don’t know, Meghan, but honestly, this conversation is upsetting me. I think perhaps it would be best if you two would go.”
Meghan rose to her feet and gestured for Pamela to join her. “Of course,” she told Mariah. “This whole thing is so tragic, and I’m sorry we upset you.”
“It’s fine,” Mariah said, smiling weakly as she escorted them out of the suite and into the hallway. “Thank you both for stopping by. I hope you have a quiet, peaceful day.”
“We will,” Meghan told her. “Well, we’ll try to.
“Hey, Meghan? One more thing…”
“Yes, Mariah?” Meghan asked curiously
Mariah took a deep breath. “Be careful if you go searching through Cathy’s past,” she said. “I don’t know what or who you will find, but I can assure you, it probably won’t be pretty. Be careful...be very careful.”
13
It was a late night at the bakery, and Meghan, Trudy, and Pamela were working late to fill a last-minute order that had come in earlier in the afternoon. The three women had been working for nearly nine hours straight to finish the order, and everyone was growing more grouchy as the hours ticked by.
“She knows something,” Pamela declared out of nowhere as she kneaded a lump of pasty dough. “I can tell by the look in her eyes. Mariah Cooper knows what happened to Cathy Thomas, and I just know it.”
“Pamela!” Meghan chided her young employee. “This is none of your business. I shouldn’t have taken you to the hotel; you have not been able to stop talking about Mariah Cooper and her business, and I really wish you would stop.”
Trudy nodded. “That is enough, Pamela,” she agreed. “You need to be more respectful of Ms. Cooper during this time of hardship.”
Pamela hung her head. “I’m sorry,” she muttered as she sprinkled more flour into her ball of dough. “You are both right.”
Meghan glanced at the clock, realizing it was one in the morning. “I’ve kept you both far too long,” she apologized as she wiped her messy hands on her apron. “This order is almost finished, and I can put the final touches on it in the morning. How about you two call it a night? I think we could all use a break from each other.”
Trudy nodded. “Yes, I think it’s time I get home.”
Pamela agreed. “I’m taking the late bus to my grandma’s,” she told Meghan. “I should really get going.”
“Let me send a treat with you two,” Meghan said as she wrapped up two thick slices of King Cake. “Take these with you.”
“Thank you, Meghan,” Trudy said as she slipped the cake into her purse and buttoned her coat. “I will see you bright and early tomorrow.”
“How about we start a little later tomorrow?” Meghan asked. “We have been working so hard, and I think we will start around ten tomorrow.”
“That sounds great,” Pamela agreed. “I can sleep in!”
“Yes,” Meghan confirmed. “Sleep in, rest up, and I will see you both tomorrow.”
Pamela and Trudy left the shop, and Meghan went to lock the doors. She bent down to adjust the deadbolt and realized that Pamela had dropped her scarf on the wooden floor.
“Uh oh,” she said. “Pamela’s scarf. The late buses don’t have heat, and I don’t want her to get cold. I had better go after her.”
Meghan bundled up, fastening her long red coat around her and placing a white sock cap on her head. She shivered as she pushed the door open and strode out into the night.
“Maybe I should have brought one of the dogs,” Meghan thought to herself as she trudged toward the bus stop. “It’s awfully dark out here, and I would feel better if Dash were with me. That’s what I will do. I am going to run home and grab the dog, and then go back to the bus stop to give Pamela her scarf.”
Just before Meghan could turn around, she heard footsteps behind her. Her heart sank as the footsteps grew closer, and she felt her body turn cold.
“Who is there?” Meghan shouted. “Hello?”
Meghan turned around. No one was behind her. She reached into her pocket and grabbed her cell phone. “I’m going to call the police,” Meghan warned as she began to walk back toward the bakery. “I have my cell phone right here, and I won’t hesitate to call.”
Meghan began to dial her phone, but before she could complete her call to the police, her phone was knocked out of her hands. “Put that down,” a man’s voice warned her.
Meghan shrieked. It was the mugger. He was back, and he had found her. Her mouth dropped open, and she began to shake. Tears poured from her eyes, and the mugger grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. “You again?!” the mugger growled, a look of surprise spread across his face. “Your dog tore up my leg real bad last time, girly. I’m glad you don’t have those mutts with you today.”
The mugger reached for Meghan’s red purse. He tore the strap, and Meghan was overcome with rage as she watched her broken purse fall to the snowy ground. She clenched her hands into fists, and remembering the martial arts lesson, she began to fight.
“Get away from me!” Meghan screamed as she darted to the right of the mugger. He turned around, but Meghan jabbed his face with her elbow as he lunged for her.
“Look what you did,” the mugger cried out, blood pouring from his nose. “I’ll make sure you’re
real sorry for this.”
The mugger wiped his bloody hands on his pants and dove for Meghan. He grabbed onto her ponytail and tugged hard, causing Meghan to yelp in pain. “Get off of me,” she hissed, kicking her legs in hopes that she would reach the mugger’s face.
Meghan took a deep breath, remembering Mrs. Sheridan’s urging to always stay calm when involved in a face to face combat. She looked at the mugger, watching as he clenched his hand into a tight fist and reared it back. Just as his fist was about to make contact with her face, Meghan moved to the left, causing the mugger to fall on the ground. He struggled to get up off of the icy sidewalk, and Meghan jumped onto his back, tucking his upper body into a tight headlock.