Lexy breezed through the large glass doors into the comfortably furnished lobby of the retirement center, her eyes scanning the room. They found Nans at a round table with her three closest friends. The four of them could usually be found at that table, talking, having coffee and, as Lexy had discovered earlier in the summer, solving murders with the help of their iPads.
Lexy rushed over, swallowing Nans in a big hug. “Morning ladies,” she addressed the group. Ida, Ruth and Helen murmured greetings. They looked ready for anything in their polyester print shirts and fresh bluish-gray perms.
“I can see something is bothering you,” Nans stated, her intelligent green eyes studying Lexy’s face.
Lexy took a deep breath. “I was delivering food to the Toliver’s this morning for a brunch and I discovered Chastine Johnson’s body in the kitchen.”
The ladies gasped, then leaned forward. “Murdered?” Ida asked with a gleam in her eye.
Lexy nodded.
“How?” Ruth chimed in.
“Well, I’m no expert on bodies, but it looked like she’d been stabbed in the chest.”
The four women exchanged excited glances. Lexy was afraid this might happen. At the beginning of the summer when her ex, Kevin, had been poisoned, Lexy had turned to Nans for comfort and discovered the four women had an odd hobby. They solved murders. They even had a name for themselves - The Ladies Detective Club.
They didn’t go out roaming the streets in trench coats—well, not usually. They preferred to stay in the retirement center gathering clues from the internet, which they accessed through their iPads. They had been instrumental in helping her find Kevin’s killer but she didn’t need help solving a murder right now, she only wanted to collect the money for the catering jobs she’d done for Xavier Toliver.
“Tell us everything you know about it.” Nans demanded.
“Nans, I didn’t come here to try to solve the murder, I just wanted to ask you a teensy, tiny favor.” Lexy held her hand up, her index finger and thumb a tiny space apart.
“Oh, anything for you dear,” Nans said. “I’ll do whatever you want...right after you tell us everything you know about the murder.”
With a sigh, Lexy pulled out a chair, flopping into it. The four women leaned in toward her. Lexy told them about how the door had swung open when she knocked---how she had let herself in and discovered the body in the kitchen.
“No one was there?” Helen asked, the wrinkles on her forehead crowding each other.
“What was she wearing?” Ida asked.
“Did you see the murder weapon?” Ruth added.
Lexy bit her lower lip trying to remember. “Come to think of it, I didn’t see the murder weapon...I don’t know if they found it.”
The women nodded knowingly.
“That’s the first thing you should look for.” Helen said.
Lexy held up her hands. “No, no...I’m not trying to find the killer on this one, ladies.”
Trying to ignore the looks of disappointment on their faces, she went on, “I do have one little problem though.”
Nans cocked her head to one side, “Go on, dear.”
“As you know, the Toliver’s hired me to cater all the events leading up to and including the wedding. Obviously, there will be no wedding now, but I desperately need to collect at least the money for what I have done so far. I was supposed to get paid half now and the rest after the wedding, but now with the murder happening, I’m not sure how to collect my money.” She looked at Nans expectantly, “That’s the favor I wanted. I was hoping you could go over there with me...you know...to give your condolences to Xavier and maybe give him a hint about the payment.”
“Of course. Xavier and I have been great friends since grade school so I should go over and give my condolences. He must be crushed, you know he really did care for her. We can go right now if you want.”
Lexy looked at her watch. Several hours had passed since she was last at the mansion, which gave Xavier a bit of time to process the information. She stood up, pushing her chair in. “Now would be perfect.”
Ida, Ruth and Helen were already pulling out their iPads—presumably to Google the Toliver’s and start their investigation.
As Lexy made her way across the lobby to the door with Nans, she heard Ida yell out after them, “Don’t forget to question anyone who is there, inspect the crime scene and bring us back some clues!”
4
Lexy approached the big oak door with butterflies in her stomach for the second time that day. Unlike earlier though, the door didn’t open on its own when she tapped the brass knocker.
After a couple of seconds, it did swing inward revealing Blake. His face registered surprise when he saw Lexy. “What brings you here again? Not that it isn’t a pleasure to see you,” he said, his eyes making a round trip down her body then back up to her face.
“I think you know my grandmother, Mona Baker?” she gestured toward Nans.
Blake’s eyebrows shot up. “Of course, Mona...how are you?
“Oh, fine dear. Lexy told me about Chastine. I’ve come to give my condolences to your father. How is he holding up?”
Blake opened the door wider, inviting them inside. “He’s doing as well as can be expected. I think a visit from you might cheer him up.”
He ushered Nans and Lexy into a large library. She hadn’t seen this room on any of her previous visits. It was impressive. Oak bookcases filled with leather bound books lined the walls from floor to ceiling. A sumptuous oriental rug rich in red and blue colors covered the floor. The room smelled of old books and cigars.
A large fireplace sat at one end of the room flanked by two leather chairs on either side of an expensive looking tufted leather couch. Xavier Toliver reclined in one of the chairs at the end of the room, a box of tissues by his side. His eyes were red-rimmed. He looked haggard and older than his seventy-eight years.
Nans rushed to Xavier’s side. “Xavier, I just heard about Chastine—I’m so sorry!”
“Thank you Mona, it’s been such a shock.” His voice broke on the last word. He dabbed at his eyes with a tissue.
Nans patted his knee. “I know you really cared for her, Xavvy,” she soothed.
“I don’t know who could have done such an awful thing to such a lovely girl...and right in my own kitchen!”
Lexy heard a snort come from behind her and turned to see Blake.
“Dad, it could have been plenty of people. Chastine pissed off lots of folks.”
Nans turned to Blake. Lexy could practically see the wheels in her mind turning with the hint of a good clue.
“Who could she have made that angry?” Nans asked, her face a mask of innocence.
“Well, most of the staff hated her, she treated Dad’s friends rudely, and anyone who ever waited on her at a store or restaurant...” He let his voice trail off indicating the suspect list could be very long.
“But surely, most of those people wouldn’t go to such lengths.” Nans said.
Blake shrugged in response, leaving them to sit in silence, each of them contemplating who might have been mad enough to kill Chastine.
Hushed angry voices drifted in from the hallway. Everyone turned toward the noise. Lexy strained in her seat to hear what they were saying.
“...not leaving...care...do with it.” The last words were spoken sharply, accentuated by the clicking of high heels hurrying away from them down the hall. Bronson appeared in the doorway, his eyes growing wide when he saw all four of the occupants of the room staring in his direction.
“Who was that?” Blake asked Bronson.
Lexy thought she saw Bronson’s face grow red under his dark complexion. “Oh, just Candice...she was getting some of her things out of Chastine’s office.”
Blake looked at his brother sideways. “Sounded like there was more to it than that...,” he said under his breath. A warning look from Bronson caused him to snap his mouth shut and go back to staring at the ice cubes in his drink.
&nbs
p; “Who is Candice?” Nans asked.
“Candice is...was...Chastine’s personal assistant.” Xavier said.
Lexy and Nans exchanged a knowing look. The personal assistant of the murder victim trading angry words with the son? That was a clue the Ladies Detective Club will love to hear about.
Nans looked back at Xavier. “I don’t want to take up any more of your time. I just wanted to come and give my condolences and to thank you for hiring Lexy to do all your catering. Speaking of which, we were wondering if Lexy should bill you right away for the remainder...considering...”
“Bill?” Xavier threw his hands up dramatically, “I couldn’t even think about paying a bill now. Not while the murderer of my Schmoopie is still running around loose. I can’t consider such mundane activities until that person is behind bars!” he said and then collapsed in a torrent of tears giving Lexy and Nans their cue to make a hasty retreat.
5
“I’m sorry, dear,” Nans looked over at Lexy from the passenger seat, “Xavier was so distraught I couldn’t push him about paying you.”
“That’s OK, Nans. I’ll figure something out to keep my cash flow on the positive side.”
“Oh, you won’t have to worry. The Ladies Detective Club will get right on it, and we’ll have the murderer figured out in no time. Then you can get your bill paid!”
“That’s exactly what I was afraid you’d say.” Lexy poked at her eye, which had started twitching again.
“Oh now, come on...we’ve had some good successes—even Jack admitted we helped him in a few cases.” She looked at Lexy sideways. “Speaking of Jack, are you two still a hot item?”
Lexy felt her cheeks grow warm. Were they still an item? She didn’t know the answer and had more pressing problems to think of. Luckily, they had arrived at the Brook Ridge Retirement Center so she could avoid the question by changing the subject.
“Here we are...we might as well go and fill the ladies in.” She opened her car door and climbed out, waiting for Nans to do the same.
They headed for the lobby. Lexy wasn’t the least bit surprised to find Ida, Ruth and Helen waiting for them at the usual table, their iPads at the ready. The three ladies peppered them with questions as soon as they sat down.
“What did you find out?”
“Did you get a look at the crime scene?”
“How is Xavvy holding up?”
“What’s wrong with your eye?”
Nans filled them in on Xavier and the argument they heard in the hall.
“Xavier was so upset when I asked about paying Lexy’s bill that I never got a chance to look at the murder scene.”
“We’ll need to look into this Candice person.” Ruth clicked on her iPad. “Do you know her last name?”
Nans and Lexy shook their heads to the obvious disappointment of the others.
“Lexy,” Helen said, scooting her chair in, “Do you remember what the murder scene looked like?”
Lexy thought back to the morning. “There was a lot of blood...and Chastine was lying on her side...I don’t remember much else.”
“I can help you remember. Sit back and relax. Close your eyes.”
Lexy did as she was told.
Helen continued in a calm soothing voice. “Picture yourself walking into the kitchen. What do you hear? What do you smell?”
Lexy pictured the kitchen in her mind’s eye. “The clock is ticking, but otherwise it is very quiet. I smell pastries...and copper.”
“Do you see the body? How is it positioned?”
“I saw her feet first—I noticed the shoes because they were a pair of Steve Maddens I’ve had my eye on. The rest of her was hidden by the counter. Then I peeked around and saw all the blood.”
“Go on, what did the body look like? Remember, you’re safe here with us.”
Lexy felt like she had been transported back in time. She could see Chastine perfectly.
“She was laying on her side and the blood was coming from a big wound in her chest…really big. Her hair was perfectly coiffed. She had on a blue skirt and fuchsia shirt. They looked great together and she had all her nice jewelry—her bracelet, rings, earrings...wait! Her pin!” Lexy’s eyes popped open.
“Yes?” Ruth prompted.
“She always wore a gorgeous pin. I’d admired it several times because it had an unusual stone in it—a canary-yellow cushion-cut diamond. The pin was missing...a hole ripped in the shirt where it should have been!”
The women exchanged excited glances. Ruth tapped something into the notepad app on her iPad.
“That was great, Lexy. It could be a valuable clue that might help us find the killer.” Helen said.
“Great!” Lexy felt happy about helping, then her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Wait a minute, did you just hypnotize me?”
Ruth nodded. “Yes, that skill comes in handy for many things. I can also help you get rid of that annoying eye twitch.”
“You can?” Lexy’s finger went up to her eye. She would have to consider that since the eye twitch was getting pretty annoying.
Ida clapped her hands softly. “Let’s get back on track here; we don’t want the trail to grow cold!”
Nans turned to Lexy. “Lexy, you’ll need to do some digging. Find out about this Candice person—her last name and what her relationship was with that Toliver boy. See if she had any enemies. Maybe you could go back there and poke around for the murder weapon?”
“Make a list of anyone you think is a suspect - don’t forget to include anyone who had means, motive and opportunity.” Ida instructed, punctuating each word with a shake of her finger.
“Right.” Lexy nodded, feeling like she was getting a homework assignment from her grade school teacher.
“We’ll get to work here researching the backgrounds of the suspects and poking around pawnshops to see if the pin surfaces,” Nans said.
The ladies went to pawnshops? Lexy stared at them, picturing the four women in trench coats launching a clandestine trip to the seedy section of town to canvas the pawnshops.
“Well, don’t sit there—get a move on!” Nans startled Lexy out of her fantasy. She jumped up, said her goodbyes and started toward the door.
“Oh, and find out when the wake is,” Nans called after her, “I think the Ladies Detective Club is due for a little field trip!”
6
“Thank God you’re back. I’ve been swamped!” Cassie greeted Lexy as she rushed in the back door to the bakery.
“Sorry,” she said, grabbing a vintage pink and brown striped apron from the rack and securing it around her waist. “I took Nans over to the Toliver’s to see if we could get the payment for all this.” She spread her arms to indicate all the pastries they had made for the brunch that day.
“I can see by your face that you didn’t.”
“Nope. Xavier said he couldn’t think of paying bills while his fiancée’s murderer was loose.”
Lexy saw Cassie’s face fall. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure something out. Maybe I can get the equipment vendor to put us on a payment plan. In the meantime, let’s get these goodies out into the cases so people can buy them.”
Lexy carried a tray of whoopee pies toward the gleaming glass display cases in the front. On the side that faced the street, she had setup a small area with coffee urns and tables for people to sit at while they sipped coffee and ate pastry. Lexy’s passion was to be baking in the kitchen, but she loved this part of her business the best because it was where she could interact with customers and show off her creations.
She inhaled the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee mixed with the sugary smell of baking while she gazed out the window at the scenic waterfall across the street. She had been lucky to get this storefront, because it had a wonderful view of Brook Ridge Falls, the waterfall the town was named after.
Fall was just starting and this was her favorite time of year. The waterfall’s beauty was highlighted by the color of the turning leaves and, for a moment, she was held capti
vated by the scene. She was just about to start loading the case when she saw a familiar figure stroll past. Christian!
Christian owned the beauty salon, Cliptomania, two doors down from Lexy’s bakery and he knew everything about everybody.
“Cassie, there goes Christian—get him in here so we can pump him for information about the Toliver’s!”
Cassie grabbed a Danish and ran out the door. Lexy watched through the window as Cassie lured the young man into the bakery. Today he was sporting an orange-tipped blond spiky hairdo, which complimented his orange bowling shirt and matching orange basketball sneakers.
Christian loved desserts and Lexy had his favorite, a German chocolate brownie oozing with sweet caramel topping, already on a plate. His eyes lit up when he saw her holding it out to him.
“For moi?” he said pointing at himself in an exaggerated manner.
Lexy nodded. “We have an excess of baked goods.” She spread her hands to indicate the loaded trays they had brought from the back room. “I was supposed to cater the party for the Toliver’s today...and well...you heard what happened, right?”
“Heard about it? That’s all they’ve been talking about in the shop this morning.” He leaned in toward Lexy and lowered his voice. “Most people think she deserved it, she was a real bee-ach.”
Lexy smiled to herself, she knew Christian couldn’t resist interesting gossip. She took the opportunity to probe for more information.
“I heard the sons hated her; do you think one of them did it?”
“Bronson or Blake?” He asked pursing his lips. “I doubt either of those two would get their hands dirty with something like that.”
Lexy saw him eyeing the cinnamon buns and she handed one over. Christian bit into it rolling his eyes in ecstasy. “Heaven!”
She grabbed a large bakery box and started filling it while she waited for him to finish chewing.
“So, who’s the prime suspect according to the gossip mill?” she asked, reaching over the counter with a napkin to wipe a big glob of frosting from his lower lip.
Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series Boxed Set Vol 1 (Books 1 - 4) (Lexy Baker Cozy Mysteries Boxed Sets) Page 9