Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series Boxed Set Vol 1 (Books 1 - 4) (Lexy Baker Cozy Mysteries Boxed Sets)

by Leighann Dobbs

  “Well, Mandy Pinterman thinks it could have been someone from her past. Apparently, Chastine was just as bitchy when she lived back in Texas. I heard she had some nasty business with an old boyfriend there.” Christian screwed up his face. “But Xavier’s old girlfriend, Trixie Waters, is a client too, and she was mad as a hornet when Xavier dumped her for Chastine. She even said she was mad enough to kill...”

  Lexy’s eyes went wide. “Really? Do you think she could have done it?”

  Christian looked down at the last bite of his cinnamon bun apparently considering Lexy’s question. “You never know what people will do when pushed to their limits.” He popped the last bite into his mouth, swallowing it almost without chewing.

  “Well, I gotta get back to the shop—the afternoon rush will start and I have four cuts and three colors lined up.”

  “Oh, wait; I’ll give you some pastries to take with you.” Lexy indicated the box she was filling. “We have so many left over and I don’t want them to go to waste.” Not to mention the advertising opportunity with my bakery’s name on the box, she thought to herself.

  She finished tying up the box and handed it across the counter.

  “Thanks bunches!” Christian turned to leave, bouncing his way toward the door, the box held high.

  “Oh, one other thing,” Lexy called after him. “Do you know anything about Chastine’s assistant, Candice? Did she get her hair done at your shop?”

  Christian turned back to face Lexy. “She was a strange one. She came in with Chastine but never had anything done herself, although she could have used it. She was plain as a door mouse, but some highlights and the right cut could have done wonders.”

  He paused, his eyebrows knitting together. “Then again, her dull hair must not have hurt her too much in the romance department. I saw her with Bronson Toliver once at dinner and they seemed pretty cozy.” He wiggled his eyebrows at Lexy, opened the door and disappeared out onto the street.

  7

  “Looks like the big customer rush is over out there.” Cassie appeared in the kitchen doorway startling Lexy into almost dropping the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and large bowl she was trying to balance in her arms.

  “Oh, good. We need to get more cupcake tops made...if you can believe it with all these extra pastries.” She settled the ingredients on the large prep island in the middle of the kitchen. “Did you hear what Christian said about the murder gossip?”

  Cassie nodded, peeking into the oven to check on the batch of cupcakes Lexy had put in earlier.

  “Of course, that’s just idle chit-chat, but some of that gossip can have hidden clues.” Lexy worked the butter and sugar together in a large stainless steel bowl.

  “Definitely,” Cassie said, and grabbing a pair of oven mitts, she slid the steaming tray of cupcakes out of the oven.

  “We have a lot of things to look into,” Lexy said cracking an egg into the bowl with the butter and sugar mixture, then adding the milk and vanilla. She set the bowl under one of her new mixers, turned the machine on low then watched as the beaters did the job of blending the ingredients.

  “Let’s make a list.” Cassie wiped her hands down the front of her 1950’s style cherry patterned apron then pulled a pen and paper out of a drawer.

  “Well, first we need to find out if Chastine had any enemies.” Lexy left the mixer, moving over to a rack of cooled cupcakes. Picking up a long icing spatula, she slid it across the top of the pan, expertly slicing off the cupcake tops.

  “Then there’s the little matter of finding the murder weapon, or even what exactly it was.”

  “And finding out Candice’s last name,” Cassie said scrawling the note on the paper without looking up.

  Lexy set the cupcake tops on a rack. Moving over to the mixer, she turned it off, hefted the bowl, poured the batter into the little cups of a fresh cupcake pan and slid it into the oven.

  “Oh, and Nans and the girls want to know when the wake is. It sounded like they all wanted to go.” Lexy rolled her eyes eliciting a laugh from Cassie.

  “Those old ladies sure are something,” Cassie said, “ok, is that it? I have the list down here on paper. How do you propose we find all this stuff out?”

  Lexy bit her lower lip while she assembled the ingredients for buttercream frosting - whipping cream, butter, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract.

  “We might be able to find out about the murder weapon from the police,” she said sneaking a look at Cassie.

  “Well, you have an in with them don’t you?” Cassie raised the first two fingers on each hand in the air wiggling them to punctuate the word ‘in’.

  “Umm...I’m not so sure...” Lexy said softly, focusing on mixing the frosting to the right consistency.

  Lexy saw Cassie’s eyebrows go up, making her eyebrow ring stick straight out. She ignored the look and focused her mind on trying to figure out how they could get their answers. The last thing she needed right now was to get distracted by thinking about Jack.

  “I think we might need to take another trip over to the Toliver’s to ask some questions.” She put the frosting bowl down and armed herself with a spatula.

  “How would we do that? I mean it’s not like we run in the same social circles.” Cassie moved over next to Lexy. The girls worked side-by-side scooping big dollops of frosting then spreading them in generous heaps on the cupcake tops. Since business was slow in the afternoon, they often worked together in the kitchen like this, taking turns working the front room.

  Lexy looked around the kitchen for a tray to put her newly frosted cupcake tops on. She didn’t see any available. “Where are all the trays?”

  “That’s it!” Cassie clapped her hands. “You brought some trays over to the Toliver’s already and they are still there. You can use that as an excuse to go over!”

  “Brilliant! But what do you mean I can use that as an excuse? I’m not going over there by myself...I think you’re going to need to come with me on this one.”

  Lexy glanced up over the top of the cupcake she was frosting, biting her cheek to keep from laughing at the horrified look on Cassie’s face - her eyes wide and her mouth sputtering open and closed like a fish. Cassie had a problem with authority and abhorred people with money. Lexy knew Cassie wouldn’t want to go to the Toliver’s, but she really needed someone else there to help her sort out what they told her.

  The bell over the front door announced the arrival of a customer before Cassie could come up with an excuse. “Your turn.” Lexy said, pointing to the doorway that led to the front of the bakery.

  Cassie spun around heading for the front, fixing Lexy with an over-the-shoulder glare on her way out.

  Lexy focused on frosting the cupcake tops. The sugary vanilla scent of the rich creamy frosting was so inviting she decided she needed a little snack. She brought the top she was frosting up to her lips. Biting in, she savored the burst of creamy sweetness. She rolled the bite around in her mouth—just enough chocolate cake to add some balance and an even amount of frosting for a silky texture. It was like heaven! She said a silent prayer of thanks that she could eat as many desserts as she wanted without gaining an ounce, then took another bite...and another.

  Voices drifted in from the front of the bakery. She heard Cassie and a male voice that sounded familiar. Lexy gulped down the rest of the cupcake top. Wiping the evidence from her lips, she poked her head out into the front to see who it was. To her surprise, she saw Cassie leaning casually on the counter, a blush on her cheeks and her face tilted coquettishly upward at Jack’s partner, detective John Darling. Was he here on police business?

  Lexy ventured out front. “Hi John,” she greeted the tall detective. He stood opposite Cassie, leaning in against the case, his medium brown, long curly hair pulled back in a neat ponytail, his black leather jacket a smart contrast to his faded jeans. Lexy had to admit he was looking good. No wonder Cassie was practically batting her eyelashes at him.

  “Hi Lexy. I hope you’re okay
after this mornings’ excitement?” Lexy was touched at the genuine concern she saw in his hazel eyes.

  “Oh, I’m fine, thanks.”

  “Good. I just came to corroborate your timeline with Cassie.” He flipped open a small spiral notebook. “You told Jack that you arrived at the Toliver’s around eight twenty-five?”

  Lexy thought back to the morning and nodded, wondering why Jack wasn’t there to ask about it himself. Was he avoiding her?

  “You came straight from the bakery?”

  “Yep, I loaded up with pastries and went right over.”

  John looked at Cassie. “Do you remember what time she left the bakery this morning?”

  Cassie wrinkled her brow. “I had gotten stuck in traffic, so I didn’t make it here until about five past eight. Lexy left right after.”

  John nodded, looking down to consult his notebook. He flipped the book shut and put it in his pocket. Pushing himself away from the case, he backed up a few steps to leave.

  “One other thing, do you guys have a seven-inch serrated knife?”

  Cassie and Lexy glanced at each other. “Was that the murder weapon?”

  John nodded.

  Lexy composed her face into a mask of innocence. “We have lots of knives here at the bakery...some seven inch ones, but I’d have to look around the kitchen to find them.”

  “OK, well if you find that one is missing let me know.” John backed away from the case, nodding at the two girls before turning to saunter out the door.

  Lexy snuck a peek over at Cassie to see her expression, but Cassie was too busy ogling John’s backside.

  Lexy felt a nervous flutter start in her stomach. She did have a seven-inch serrated knife and she knew exactly where it was. It was the knife she used to cut breads and pastries when she was catering a party like the Toliver’s. Right now, it was...or had been...sitting on the catering table where she put it when she was setting up in their kitchen two days earlier.

  8

  Lexy rolled over, plumping the pillow under her head and arching her back to stretch her petite frame under the covers. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes. Deep brown ones looked back at her adoringly from the other side of the pillow…too bad they weren’t Jack's eyes.

  Sprinkles was lying beside her in the bed with her head on the pillow, gazing expectantly at Lexy.

  Lexy couldn't help but smile; the little poodle and Shih-Tzu mix always made her feel happy.

  "Good morning. Are you ready for breakfast?" She reached out to pet the dog’s silky fur.

  Sprinkles answered by leaping up and running circles on the bed, which made Lexy giggle out loud.

  Lexy swung her legs over the side of the bed and followed the dog downstairs. In the kitchen, she scooped food out of the stainless steel canister she kept on the counter, pouring it into Sprinkles’ ceramic dog bowl.

  Before she could stop herself, she lifted the corner of the window shade to peek at Jack's house. His truck wasn’t in the driveway so he had either already gone to work or didn't come home at all. She hoped it was the former.

  The sound of Sprinkles’ nails clacking on the kitchen floor caught her attention. She bent down and placed the bowl on the floor, much to Sprinkles delight. She watched the dog attack the food with the gusto of a starving lion.

  Glancing at the clock, she felt a pang of anxiety. Better get a move on. She had decided she would let Haley, their part-time help, watch the bakery while she and Cassie went over to the Toliver’s house.

  She ran through the living room, stopping only for a second to straighten out the pillows on the leather sectional. When Nans had moved to the retirement center, she had given Lexy the Craftsman style house that she had lived in most of her life. She’d also left many of the furnishings. Lexy loved being surrounded by Nans’ things and she had made only a few changes, the leather couch being one of them. She had loved coming here to visit Nans as a little girl and it was still one of her favorite places to be.

  She took the stairs two at a time and sprinted into the bedroom. Wrenching the closet doors open, her eyes scanned the racks searching for the perfect outfit. Something a little flirty might not be a bad idea if she was going to try to get the Toliver boys to open up to her. Then again, she had an idea where the murder weapon might be hidden and looking for it might involve getting dirty, so she didn't want to wear anything too dressy.

  She picked out her favorite pair of faded jeans that were tight in all the right places, paired it with a black crop top that was cut low and cropped perfectly so it revealed only a hint of skin when she stretched the right way and completed it with a pair of platform shoes that weren't too drastically tall.

  After showering, she took the time to blow dry her shoulder-length hair so she could wear it down instead of putting it up in the usual ponytail. The blow dryer made her hair fluffy and a bit wavy. She scrutinized herself in the mirror...what was missing? Makeup! She grabbed some taupe eye shadow, applying it lightly to set off her green eyes, then swiped on eyeliner, mascara and some frosty lip-gloss. After approving the look in her full-length mirror, she started downstairs, her platforms making clomping noises on the wooden treads.

  In the kitchen, Lexy went straight to the fridge for breakfast. She pulled out a cheese Danish, left over from the Toliver pastries. She ate it standing over the sink, the sugary sweetness flooding into her bloodstream giving her a burst of energy for the morning's activities. Sprinkles watched from her dog bed, her eyes longingly following every crumb that dropped.

  Wiping a smudge of frosting from her face with a napkin, Lexy threw Sprinkles a treat, grabbed her car keys and headed out to meet Cassie at the bakery.

  Lexy tapped the large brass doorknocker against the giant oak door of the Toliver mansion. She glanced over at Cassie who was standing rigidly with her arms crossed in front of her.

  "Relax; they're not that bad you know." She said ignoring the angry, sideways glare Cassie fixed on her out of the corner of her eye.

  The door opened inward giving the girls a view of Blake Toliver looking rather handsome with a halfway-buttoned shirt, his hair wet from a recent shower. He looked at Lexy appreciatively "Well, well, well…our beautiful baker is back. To what do we owe this honor?"

  Lexy awarded him with her most dazzling smile. "This is my assistant Cassie. Cassie, this is Blake Toliver." Lexy waved her hands between the two of them. Blake stuck his hand out to shake Cassie's, which she begrudgingly offered him, then looked back at Lexy, one pierced eyebrow raised.

  "We came to collect the rest of our catering trays and other things. I left everything in the kitchen yesterday when…"

  "Oh, right," he said, opening the door wider. "I think the police are all done in there, come on in.”

  He held the door open to let the girls walk through. They preceded him into the hall. Lexy cast a furtive glance backwards, to catch him staring at her jean-clad backside. She gave him a little wink—not that she was flirting—she preferred to think of it as buttering him up for questioning.

  They continued forward into the kitchen. Lexy was glad to see it had been cleaned, but the obvious area in the middle where Chastine’s body had been was a reminder of what had happened just the day before.

  "So, how are you all doing? Is your dad okay?" Lexy scanned the room while trying to encourage conversation. She saw her tablecloths, trays, chafing dishes and other assorted paraphernalia where she had left them on the tables, but there was one item missing—the seven inch serrated knife.

  "Oh, Dad's okay. He was really broken up about Chastine, but Trixie came over to give her condolences. She seems to have lifted his spirits immensely."

  "Trixie?" Lexy pretended not to know about Xavier's ex-girlfriend.

  "Trixie was Dad's old girlfriend. Another gold-digger—he seems to attract them." Blake shrugged. "Dad dumped her when Chastine came along."

  Lexy raised an eyebrow and stepped a little bit closer to Blake who didn't seem to mind at all. "Oh really? She must've been
mad when that happened."

  "Madder than a nest full of hornets." He grinned, running his finger teasingly along the bottom of Lexy's crop top with a gleam in his eye.

  Lexy swatted his hand away playfully letting out a little giggle. She knew she was flirting shamelessly, but it wasn't that hard to flirt with Blake Toliver. He was rich and handsome—what more could a girl want? She could almost see herself wanting to get to know Blake better except for one thing—she was stuck on Jack Perillo.

  "Do you think Trixie could have killed Chastine?" Lexy asked her face a mask of wide-eyed innocence.

  Blake pursed his lips while apparently thinking about the question. "I'm not sure. Anyone could have killed her because the back door was wide open."

  Lexy swiveled her head over toward the back kitchen door. "It was?"

  "Yep, I guess no one noticed it that morning, but the police asked us later who had opened the door. None of us had opened it. The killer could have been someone who just came in the back door—it could have been anyone off the street."

  "But it probably wasn't," Lexy said. "Chances are it was someone who had it in for Chastine. Did she have any enemies?"

  Blake snorted out a laugh. "Enemies? The question should be, did she have any friends? She made an enemy out of almost everyone who came into contact with her."

  “What about you and Bronson; you must have liked her? After all, she was going to marry your father.”

  Blake made a face. “Hardly. We tolerated her for Dad’s sake, but she was a mean nasty person.”

  “Did you guys feel threatened that she was going to steal away the Toliver money?” Lexy asked innocently.

  “I know that's what most people think and I’m sure we’re high up on the suspect list, but I wasn’t worried about it. Dad has trust funds in place for us.”

  “And Bronson?”