by Rosie Sams
Hysterical laughter filled the air. Laurel cackled and lifted the knife to stare at it. “You’re kidding, right? I stabbed a man in cold blood and almost sent two innocent people to prison. I’ve had the police on a wild goose chase for days. I’m thinking they’re going to be mighty peeved and throw the book at me.” She shook her head as she stared at the knife that she still clutched tightly. “There’s only one way out of this for me, Melody.”
Melody felt an ice-cold fear slide down her spine, and all she could do was stare. What would happen to Smudge? What about the bakery, would it survive? She would never find out if Alvin was the wonderful man she imagined!
Still deep in thought and loss, she stared wide-eyed as Laurel lifted the knife… to her own throat.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Melody felt an instant rush of adrenaline when she saw Laurel lift the blade to press it against her own throat.
“There’s only one way out,” she repeated.
“Laurel, no!” Melody bolted forward, not sure how she garnered such momentum so quickly. Miraculously, she reached Laurel before she could sink the blade into her skin and tackled her to the ground.
Melody tried to wrestle the knife from Laurel’s grasp, but the woman’s grip on the weapon was impossibly tight. They rolled around on the pavement in a tangle of limbs. “Let go and leave me alone,” Laurel hissed. “I’m not going to prison. I can’t.”
“I refuse to let you kill yourself,” Melody spit out as they wrangled on the ground.
Laurel managed to push Melody off of her. “What do you care?” She lifted the knife to her throat again, but Melody dove on top of her, and they proceeded to tussle. All the while, Smudge circled the women, jumping and barking. When Laurel got the upper hand and pinned Melody to the ground, the pup sprang into action, thinking that Melody was the one Laurel intended to hurt with the knife.
Smudge caught Laurel’s wrist between her teeth and applied pressure until the blade fell from her hand. Laurel let out a howl of pain and grabbed her wrist, giving Melody the chance to knock her to the ground.
“Stupid dog!” Laurel spat, still clutching her wrist.
Rolling to a sitting position, Melody kicked the knife out of Laurel’s reach, at the same time, trying to catch her breath. “That dog just saved your life. You would have killed yourself.”
“It isn’t like I have anything to live for at this point.”
With an irritated huff, Melody patted Smudge’s head. “Good job, girl. I’ll give you all the butter cookies your little heart desires when we get home.”
Smudge licked Melody’s hand in response and kept watch as her owner crawled to Laurel. The woman slowly sat up, her lower lip quivering. She looked so forlorn and lost that Melody felt sympathy flood her. Sure, the woman just confessed to murder, but Melody couldn’t help feeling sorry for her. After everything she went through with Robin and then the guilt she lived with after killing him, it had to be overwhelming.
“Don’t talk like that, Laurel. I’m pretty sure death is never better.” She took the woman’s wrist to inspect it, but there was no real sign of damage. The gentle gesture sent Laurel into another episode of uncontrollable sobbing.
“Why are you being so kind to me after what I did?”
Taking her into her arms, Melody cooed, “There, there now. You made a horrible mistake. We all make mistakes.”
“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” Laurel sniffed.
“You didn’t. I’m fine.”
“I’m sorry for everything,” Laurel wailed. “For being a horrible friend to Dorinda, for killing Robin. “I don’t know how my life came to this. I deserve to die for everything I’ve done.”
Smoothing Laurel’s hair, Melody tightened her arms around the woman’s shoulder. “No one deserves that, Laurel,” she said softly. Following her owner’s lead, Smudge padded forward to nuzzle Laurel’s side in a show of comfort.
Melody didn’t know how long they all sat on the sidewalk, but she gave Laurel time to get herself together. The woman sobbed until the only sounds coming from her were hiccups and occasional sniffs.
“Laurel?”
“I’ll go,” she blurted. “I’ll go to the police station and confess... if you’ll go with me.”
Relief flooded Melody. She didn’t think she had the strength to force Laurel to go to the authorities. “Of course, I’ll go with you.”
“I’m just so tired,” Laurel added. “I’m ready for the nightmare to end. I’ll do the time. I deserve to.”
Giving her one more comforting squeeze, Melody helped Laurel to her feet. She then retrieved her phone, which had scattered out of her hand when she’d been pushed. Then, she picked up the knife. “Let’s go, Laurel.”
The journey to the police station was made in silence. The entire time, Melody wondered what was going through Laurel’s mind. She never asked, fearing just one word would send the emotionally fragile woman into another spiral.
When they walked through the door of the police station. They were greeted with shocked stares. Melody could only imagine the picture they made. Laurel’s eyes were puffy and red-rimmed, both of their clothes were disheveled, much of Laurel’s short bob had escaped its ponytail. Melody was sure her mane looked like a bird’s nest, and both women sported smears of dirt from rolling around on the ground. And there was the fact that Melody held a blood-stained knife in her hand. That got her a few horrified glances.
It was Alvin who rounded the counter and broke the stunned silence. “Melody? He performed a slow sweep of both women and then glanced at the dog who stood beside them. “What in the world happened?”
Smudge released a long whine and flopped down to cover her eyes with a paw. It would have normally incited laughter if Melody wasn’t so utterly tired and a tad traumatized. “Do you think we can take this to your office?” she asked.
Alvin’s mouth opened and closed several times before he gestured to them to follow him. Melody plopped on a chair and listened as Laurel recounted every detail of how she’d killed Robin and why.
In the end, Melody held up the blade. “This is the murder weapon, which my prints are now all over because I had to wrestle it out of Laurel’s hand.”
“Wrestle? Please explain,” Alvin begged, staring at the knife.
“I tried to use it to kill myself,” Laurel replied, lowly.
Alvin shoved a hand through his hair and gave Melody a reprimanding look for putting herself in danger. Again. She shrugged, and he grabbed a plastic bag from his desk. Melody dropped the weapon into the bag glad to finally get it out of her hand. The thought of holding on to a knife with a dead man’s blood was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.
As Alvin led Laurel out of his office to be booked, Melody rested a hand on her arm. “You did the right thing turning yourself in, Laurel. I’m proud of you.”
Laurel forced out a wobbly smile and nodded.
A while later, Alvin returned to his office to find Melody seated, her head resting against the wall, and her eyes closed. Smudge was at her feet, asleep, apparently as exhausted by the night’s activities as her owner.
“Mel.”
Her eyes open and she rubbed her face and sat up. “Hey, is…”
“Yes, Ms. Bauer is now behind bars, and Dr. Mitchum has been cleared to go home.”
With a long sigh, Melody stood up. “Well, the case has been solved, Sheriff. Well done.”
Alvin stared at her with a mixture of censure and adoration. “I don’t know whether to lecture you or kiss you,” he blurted.
Mouth hanging open, Melody gave a slow, owlish blink. Alvin had never been so forward with her before, and she didn’t hate it. Surprising herself, she said, “I’d... I’d prefer the kiss.”
And that was precisely what she got.
Alvin released her and chuckled. “I’m taking you home this time. Knowing you, you’ll run into another murderer wanting to confess.”
A slow smile lit up Melody’s face. “Oh, don’t be
so dramatic.”
Alvin chuckled as they exited his office with Smudge close on their heels. “You certainly do make my life more interesting, Melody. I suppose we can finally have that dinner date.”
“I suppose we can,” she affirmed. She smiled up at him. “If things stay quiet in town for a while, that is.”
“I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
One week later, Melody was back to baking and finding the perfect cake decorations to fit each client’s event.
“I’m thinking a full, extravagant bouquet made with buttercream on a white backdrop for Mrs. Crosse’s birthday cake. The woman is obsessed with all thing’s flowers. What do you think, Smudge?”
Smudge barely lifted her head and one eyelid in response.
“I get it loud and clear, girl. You don’t care.” Melody laughed as she made a note of the idea for Mrs. Crosse. “I’ll see how she likes that idea later.”
Next, she wheeled her chair around to study her calendar, which was filled with colorful sticky notes of the various upcoming events she’d be catering for. “Goodness, we’ve got a busy month ahead. Business is looking up.” Jumping up, she stretched and strolled to the kitchen to check on Kerry and Leslie’s progress.
They had dozens of macaroons, strudels, and eclairs to make by that evening for Mr. Mayfair’s retirement party. Mr. Mayfair said he wanted enough pastries to give him diabetes by the end of his party because he was determined to leave his boring desk job with a bang. The memory of the man’s direct orders made Melody chuckle.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Kerry gushed as Melody entered the kitchen.
“Isn’t it, though?” Leslie clapped. “I’m so excited. You’ll have to help me with the decorations. You’re great at that sort of thing. You’ve got a real eye for color schemes.”
“Thanks,” Kerry smiled.
“What are you two planning?”
Both women turned. “Hey, boss,” Leslie greeted. “We’re planning my sister’s going away party. She got her dream job in New York.”
“Isn’t that exciting?” Kerry squealed. “I’ve always wanted to go to New York. When Leslie’s sister is settled at her new place, we’re both going to visit. And the party we’re planning to send her off with is going to be epic.”
Melody watched, amazed as the two high-fived across the counter. “Okay, what have you done to the real Kerry and Leslie?”
Leslie stared at Melody innocently behind her glasses. “Whatever do you mean?”
“I haven’t heard any bickering from you two in days, and now you’re planning a party together. Not only that, you’re planning a trip to New York. Together. I’m happy you two seem to have grown up but what happened?”
The girls exchanged long looks, and Kerry shrugged. “Well, after what happened with Robin Werther… then with Laurel snapping and turning into a crazy killer… we’ve decided that bad blood between people leads to deadly consequences. Pun intended.”
“Laurel wasn’t crazy,” Melody defended.
“Exactly,” Leslie pointed out. “But she did something crazy because of all that pent up hate. It was either Kerry and I got along, or we’d end up killing each other. We chose to get along.”
Amused, Melody nodded. “Well, I’m glad that something good came out of the tragedy. How are you guys doing with Mr. Mayfair’s order?”
“We’re making good time,” Leslie said.
“Yeah, now that we spend less time arguing, we move a lot faster,” Kerry chimed in.
“Awesome,” Melody murmured.
The sight of the sheriff’s cruiser pulling up in front of the shop put a broad smile on Melody’s face. “Ladies, carry on. I’m stepping outside for a bit.” Both Kerry and Leslie gave her knowing smiles.
“Sure,” they sang in unison.
“Smudge, come here, girl. Al is here.”
Seconds later, Smudge skidded around the corner, tongue hanging out and tail wagging excitedly. Her leash, still attached to her collar, dragged behind her. The dog was out the door ahead of Melody and racing toward Alvin. When Smudge saw Alvin or even heard his name, Melody was sure it meant playtime to the pup. Shaking her head as she approached, she watched Smudge roll over, and Alvin automatically stooped to scratch her tummy.
“Hey, girl,” he laughed. “It’s always nice to see you too.” Alvin glanced up to see Melody approaching and stood up. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, Al. What a pleasant surprise. What brings you by?”
“I stopped by to tell you what an amazing time I had at dinner the other night,” he drawled.
As was typical, heat flooded her face. “I did too. And you stopped just to tell me that?”
“Sure, and to ask you if we could do it again soon somewhere more intimate like your place or mine.”
Melody’s heart skipped a beat. Yes, that meant they were officially a couple. “Sure,” she breathed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had someone at her place for anything.
“Great.” Alvin rocked back on his heels. “I’ve got some time to burn right now. Were you busy?”
“Not at all.”
“What do you say we take Smudge for a walk around the block?”
She nodded eagerly. “Sounds good.”
Alvin picked up Smudge’s leash, and she skipped ahead. Boldly, Melody laced her fingers with Alvin’s. He grinned in response, and they began their stroll.
“So,” Alvin began. “I bet you’ve been dying to know how things turned out for everyone in the Robin Werther case.”
Shaking her head, Melody feigned nonchalance. “I haven’t dwelled on the matter much. However, if you wish to share a few details, I won’t mind.”
Alvin gazed down at her with a smirk. “In other words, you’ve been dying to know.”
She let out a huff. “All right, you got me. Yes. Tell me everything.”
Alvin threw his head back and roared with laughter, making Melody smile. She reveled in the deep sound resonating through her.
“Well, surprise, surprise, Dorinda has decided to speak on Laurel’s behalf at her trial.”
Melody gasped. “Really? My, that’s incredible of her. After everything, Dorinda still has the heart to forgive her friend. I just knew she was a good woman.”
“Indeed,” Alvin agreed. “She’s a better person than most. You’ll be happy to know that Ambrose Mitchum is back at his practice. After his innocence was declared, the town decided to overlook the entire debacle.”
“As they should. Dr. Mitchum is an incredible physician. I’m so happy everything worked out for him.”
“Me too,” Alvin said. “Would you believe that Cathy Peck and Brad Mortimer have made amends?”
Melody glance up. “You don’t say? How do you know?”
“Cathy stopped by the station to see Laurel and Brad was with her. As soon as they were both free to leave town, they did just that.”
“Look at that, a happy ending for at least one couple.”
“Just one?” Alvin grinned, gazing down at their connected hands.
Melody let out a girly giggle. “Okay, more than a few people got a happy ending.” She sighed. “It’s still so tragic that what was supposed to be a happy affair ended in bloodshed.”
“I certainly hope the next wedding that comes to Port Warren is a more joyful affair.”
Melody glanced up and found Alvin gazing down at her with an unreadable expression. She stopped, and so did he. “Another wedding in Port Warren,” she mused. “Yes, I’m sure that one will be a much happier affair.” Seeing the intent in his eyes as he stared at her mouth, she reached up to give him a quick kiss.
Looking around, Melody realized that they stood across from the park. “So much for a stroll around the block.” She hadn’t taken notice of the distance they’d walked because she’d been so caught up in Alvin and their conversation.
He smiled and pulled a tennis ball from his pocket. “I couldn’t go ba
ck to work without a quick game of fetch with one of my favorite girls. Isn’t that right, Smudge?”
Smudge practically did backflips at the sight of the tiny green ball. Melody watched man and dog play with a feeling of contentment and the biggest smile.
The Murder and the Masterpiece
Bakers and Bulldog Mysteries
by
Rosie Sams
Chapter Thirty-Eight
The scent of freshly baked banana bread greeted Melody Marshall before she stepped into her bakery. It was one of her favorite aromas. Though, to be fair, the smell of freshly baked anything usually made her olfactory cells perform a happy dance. With a slight smile, she breezed through the backdoor with her ever-present sidekick, Smudge on her heels.
“You smell that, Smudge? Heavenly, isn’t it?”
The blue and white French bulldog yipped her approval and did a little spin on the spot.
Melody laughed. “You’re not getting any just yet,” she said as she escorted Smudge to her office before heading to the kitchen. Rounding the corner, her smile broadened at the sight of her two employees, Kerry and Leslie.
Kerry was busy flattening dough with a wooden rolling pin. She rolled so vigorously that each time she leaned forward, stands of vibrant auburn hair slipped from her hairnet. Kerry and her unruly hair was a typical sight.
Leslie’s tiny frame stood off to the side of the massive stainless-steel oven, inspecting the cause of the delicious scent that filled the shop. The banana bread was nice and golden, and Leslie smiled her satisfaction as she adjusted her wire-rimmed glasses.
“Ladies, I see you got an early start.”
Two heads with faces wearing sunny smiles turned in her direction.
“Melody, good morning,” Leslie greeted.
“Hiya, boss, how’s it going?” Kerry offered before slamming the rolling pin back onto the slab of dough.
Melody swallowed a laugh and resisted the urge to comment about Kerry bludgeoning the innocent dough to death.