Jingle Bells and Deadly Smells

by Amber Crewes

  Meghan crossed her arms in front of her chest. “No, Mama,” she responded. “Not caring is unacceptable. We have so much, Mama, and we should be happy to share with others. We’ve been so blessed and comfortable, and our family should be honored to help others get by.”

  Rebecca glared at her daughter. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you,” she said to Meghan. “But this behavior is unseemly. This is not a conversation I care to have anymore, so I must excuse myself. I am going to back the hotel and going to the gym.”

  “The gym?” Meghan asked.

  “Yes,” Rebecca answered. “I’ve been indulging during this trip. I typically only eat greens and tofu, but being around the bakery has awoken my sweet tooth. I need to work off some of this nastiness on the elliptical as soon as possible.”

  Meghan smiled. “I have an idea,” she told her mother, eager to salvage their day together. “Remember my friend, Karen Denton? She is the queen of exercise. She always knows the hippest, trendiest places to squeeze in a sweat. How about I give her a call? We can work out together?”

  Rebecca’s face brightened. “You are suggesting we work out? How wonderful! I never thought those words would come out of your mouth, but I am so thrilled they did. Give Karen a call. Tell her we will meet her in an hour, and beforehand, I’ll take you to Spark to buy a cute workout outfit. We can dress down those curves in a way that doesn’t make you look like a bum, Meghan.

  How do you feel about spandex?”

  13

  Meghan stared at her reflection in the mirror of Karen’s guest bathroom. She hardly recognized herself in the workout outfit her mother had purchased for her; the tight, clingy leggings and the matching pale pink sweatshirt were not items Meghan would have chosen for herself, but as she studied her appearance, Meghan was pleasantly surprised at how the bottoms accentuated her curves. The leggings were snug in the bottom, and Meghan turned around to admire her backside. “I don’t look half bad in nice workout clothes,” Meghan admitted as she adjust the crew neck sweatshirt. “Maybe with the right outfit, I’ll enjoy working out more.”

  Meghan was wrong; despite her expensive new clothes, she detested exercise, and as she ran alongside her mother and Karen, she struggled to catch her breath.

  “Try to keep up, Meghan,” Rebecca chided her daughter as the women jogged along the main street of Sandy Bay. “We’re going at a pace that is ridiculously slow for Karen and me. Surely you can move your legs faster?”

  Meghan frowned, but she did her best to pick up her legs at a faster speed. “I’m coming,” she called out.

  “You’re doing a fabulous job, Sweetie,” Karen complimented as Meghan caught up to her. “I’m so proud of you.”

  Meghan smiled, thankful that someone was recognizing her hard work. “I’m doing my best,” Meghan grunted.

  Rebecca quickened the pace, moving gracefully in a pair of soft periwinkle leggings and a matching knee-length workout sweater. “Come on, ladies, let’s step it up,” Rebecca ordered. “My trainer back home is going to kick my booty if he finds out I ate my weight in holiday treats here in Sandy Bay. Let’s burn some el-bees, girls!”

  Rebecca took off at a sprint. Karen followed, and Meghan attempted to keep up. “What are they doing?” Meghan wondered to herself as Rebeccan and Karen quickly decreased their speed.

  “We’re doing intervals,” Karen informed Meghan with a grin. “We run fast for thirty seconds, and then, we slow our pace. It’s so good for your heart, and it’s the best way to burn fat.”

  Rebecca nodded as she jogged beside her daughter. “Come on, Meghan. Burn some fat with us. It’ll be the best gift you give yourself this Christmas.”

  Before Meghan could respond, Rebecca and Karen took off in a sprint again. “Come on, Meghan,” Karen yelled. “It’s only thirty seconds of hard work! You can do it.”

  Meghan took a deep breath. She picked up her knees and pumped her arms vigorously, but just as she reached her fastest pace, her mother and Karen slowed down. Meghan could feel the frustration fill her heart, and she struggled to stay positive as her athletic mother and friend raced down the street.

  “Meghan, your sister had twin babies last year, and this year, she ran a full marathon,” Rebecca told Meghan as Meghan caught up to her. “If she can do that, you can do thirty minutes of intervals.”

  The three women sprinted and jogged for a half hour, and finally, it was time for them to cool down. “We’ll just do a little two mile run to cool down,” Karen said as she high-fived Rebecca. “Feeling good, Meghan?”

  Meghan nodded. “I’m….feeling something,” she responded breathlessly.

  Karen smiled at Meghan. “So, how is Jack doing, Sweetie? I haven’t seen much of him in town, lately.”

  Meghan sighed. “He’s been so busy with the case,” she told Karen. “I’ve barely seen him myself.”

  Karen nodded. “Who do you think did it, Meghan? Does Jack know of any leads?”

  Rebecca interjected. “My husband told me that Jack doesn’t think that other homeless man, Alan, killed Roger,” she said to Karen. “He says that Jack told him that he believes Alan is innocent. I have to disagree. I saw the way that terrible Alan upset my daughter at the food bank, and I think he had something to do with it.”

  Meghan agreed. “I didn’t feel safe around him,” she confirmed. “He was a big man, and he had a terrifying look in his eyes. He even told the crowd that he had messed with people before, and I think he meant that he killed Roger.”

  Karen slowed the pace. “We’re going too fast for a cool down, ladies,” she warned Rebecca and Meghan. “Anyway, that’s terrible that Alan scared you, Meghan. Any other thoughts? They don’t have any other suspects, do they?”

  Meghan bobbed her head. “Actually, they do have another official suspect,” she told Karen. “Roberto Luciano?”

  Karen gasped. “Robbie? They think Robbie Luciano killed that man? There’s no way he did that.”

  Meghan shivered as a gust of cold air hit her face. “From what I heard, they think he could have killed Roger because of his disdain for the homeless. A group of homeless guys hangs out outside of Roberto’s restaurant nearly every night, and Roberto feels like he loses business because of it.”

  Karen shook her head. “I just cannot imagine Robbie Luciano hurting a fly,” she insisted. “He and his family are such wonderful additions to the community. His wife, Maria, volunteers at the library each morning. His son, Francisco, donated a kidney to a little boy in town who needed a donor. His daughter, Angela, is one of the main coordinators for the local food bank. I just don’t believe anyone in that family could have anything to do with the death; the Lucianos just don’t have a mean bone in their bodies.”

  Meghan agreed. “That’s how I feel as well,” she told Karen. “Roberto gets frustrated with the homeless, but I don’t think he is a killer.”

  Rebecca frowned. “If I were in his situation, though, I would sure be angry,” she told the women. “If I owned a fine restaurant in the middle of town, and a group of rowdy homeless men were constantly around, I would be furious. I’m already furious that my own daughter has to deal with such scoundrels in her own town. I hope Roberto didn’t kill that man, but if he did, I would understand. What a nuisance.”

  Meghan’s jaw dropped at her mother’s callous words. “Mother, how can you say something like that?”

  Rebecca maintained her pace. “Obviously I don’t condone murder, Meghan; don’t be daft. I’m just saying that it’s frustrating to see so many people like Roger in one town.”

  “What do you mean, ‘like Roger?” Meghan asked her mother. “You mean, homeless? Poor? Down on their luck?”

  “Precisely,” Rebecca answered. “It’s terrible to see so many of those people in the place where my daughter lives. I don’t think a nice man like Roberto Luciano would kill a homeless man, but if he did, I would surely empathize with his frustrations.”

  Meghan tugged at the sweatshirt; it was tight around
her neck, and her mother’s brash words shocked her, making her throat feel tight and her chest swollen in disappointment. “Mama, do you know what holiday is coming up?”

  Rebecca smirked. “Of course. It’s almost Christmas.”

  Meghan nodded. “Exactly. And Christmas is all about love, and taking care of those less fortunate than us. I can hardly believe a loving, good woman such as yourself could empathize with someone for killing, but not with the homeless and downtrodden. It shocks me, Mama.”

  Rebecca came to an abrupt halt. “That is not what I meant, Meghan Truman,” she insisted. “You know that. Don’t make me out to be some kind of cruel monster.”

  Karen stepped between the mother and daughter. “Let’s change the subject,” she said. “What if there is someone we haven’t thought of who could be the killer? Wouldn’t it be funny if Sally Sheridan had killed him?”

  Meghan’s eyes widened. “Karen! That’s a terrible thing to say.”

  Karen giggled. “I’m only joking,” she said. “But seriously, if Sally Sheridan killed that man, she’d probably get caught trying to get a refund on his body! She would take it back to the coroner to see if she could get some money back.”

  Meghan erupted into laughter. It had been a tense afternoon with her mother, and despite the macabre nature of Karen’s joke, Meghan was thankful for her dear friend for clearing the air. “You are too much, Karen Denton,” Meghan said. “You are too much.”

  14

  It was a truly festive evening at the bakery. Meghan had ordered three boxes of holiday decorations from Spark, and as Jack and Pamela helped her dress up Truly Sweet, Christmas music played in the background. Meghan had made a plate of fresh, steaming cinnamon rolls for the occasion, and as she hung ornaments and strung lights, her heart was filled with joy.

  “This is my favorite time of the year,” Pamela exclaimed as she wound a strand of garland around the front counter. “It’s just magical!”

  “I agree,” Jack replied as he took a sip of the coffee Meghan had made for him. He was still working double shifts, and Meghan was thrilled that he was able to steal away for a few hours to help her decorate.

  Meghan smiled as she reached into the last of the three boxes from spark. “Oooh, look at these,” she said to Pamela and Jack. “A set of jingle bells! They are so shiny and beautiful. The designs on each bell are just spectacular.”

  Pamela dropped the strand of garland and ran to Meghan’s side. “Wow,” she murmured in appreciation as she examined the jingle bells. “They are gorgeous, Meghan. Can I hang them up somewhere special?”

  “Of course,” Meghan answered. “Jingle bells bring good luck! Why don’t you hang them on the register, Pamela? Maybe they’ll bring good luck to my business.”

  Pamela laughed at Meghan’s joke. “This place looks so pretty. Thanks for inviting me to help you deck the halls.”

  Suddenly, Meghan heard the familiar tone of Jack’s work phone. She groaned, disappointed that her beloved boyfriend would likely be called to the station sooner than later.

  “This is Detective Irvin,” Jack answered in a business-like tone. “Yes, Chief, I am available.”

  Meghan’s heart sank. She had been having such an enjoyable evening, and now, Jack would have to leave. He had been so busy with work lately, and she felt as though they had hardly gotten to do any fun, festive holiday activities. She tried to keep a pleasant look on her face as Jack hung up the phone and walked to her, but Meghan felt the frown creep across her lips.

  “What’s wrong?” Jack asked.

  “Nothing,” Meghan responded. “I’m just sad that you have to leave. That was Chief Nunan, I heard. Do you have to go?”

  Jack nodded. “I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s for work. Surely you understand.”

  Meghan bit her lip. “I’ve just had to understand a lot, lately,” she said sharply. “You’ve been working so much.”

  Jack thought for a moment. “I have an idea,” he said. “Chief Nunan said they’ll only need me for an hour or so. How about you send Pamela home, and then you can ride with me to the station? We can go out for a drink or a treat after. What do you say?”

  Meghan paused, but seeing the hopeful look in Jack’s eyes, she smiled. “That sounds fine,” she told him.

  When Jack and Meghan arrived at the station twenty minutes later, Chief Nunan met them at the door. “It’s a big break, Jack,” she told him as they walked down the hall toward the interrogation room. “He told us he is ready to confess, but for some reason, he wanted you in attendance.”

  Meghan’s eyes widened. “Should I go to your office?”

  Jack nodded. “Yes,” he agreed. “Wait for me. This shouldn’t take long.”

  When Jack returned to his office, his face was shell-shocked. “You won’t believe what’s happened,” he whispered to Meghan.

  “What’s going on?” Meghan asked.

  Jack took a long, deep breath. “Well, he didn’t quite confess to murder,” Jack informed Meghan as she leaned forward in her chair. “He told me that he and Roger had been sharing a bottle of vodka together on the night Roger died. They drank too much, and when Alan regained consciousness, he was lying in front of the toy store downtown. Roger was gone.”

  Meghan raised an eyebrow. “I don’t understand,” she murmured.

  “There’s more,” Jack said. “Alan confessed that he and Roger were close friends. They had a falling out ago awhile back, but they were buddies. They told each other everything.”

  Meghan shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

  Jack closed his eyes. “The toxicology reports came back and reported that Roger died from eating a food he was deathly allergic to. If he and Alan were so close, surely Alan knew that Roger was allergic to whatever it is he ate that killed him. The toxicology group, along with the coroner, suspect that he was deathly allergic to cherries. He had a cherry pit in his stomach when he died, and from our reports, it looks like one bite would have killed him. I wonder if Alan snuck a cherry, or pieces of a cherry, into something Roger ate..”

  Meghan gasped. “Are you saying Alan is the killer?”

  Jack cocked his head to the side. “I’m not saying anything yet,” he muttered. “But he did give us reason enough to look into his whereabouts that night. We sent him back to jail.”

  “Do you really think he did it? The look on your face is telling me that you think he’s innocent,” Meghan said gently. “Are you okay?”

  Jack buried his face in his hands. “I just have a gut feeling that it wasn’t Alan,” Jack explained. “I think Alan needs some support; I suspect he has some mental health issues and a problem with alcohol, but from talking with him, I honestly don’t think he’s a killer.”

  Meghan crossed her legs and sat up primly. “I don’t know,” she responded. “He looked into my eyes with such anger, Jack. The vibe I got from him was one of danger. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had killed Roger, to be honest, babe.”

  Meghan and Jack both jumped as a loud bang came from outside of his office door. “Detective Irvin? Let me in. It’s Angela Luciano.”

  Jack opened the door and beckoned Angela in. “Angela, what can I do for you?”

  Angela’s luminous eyes were brimming with tears. “Are you okay?” Meghan asked, walking to Angela and embracing her.

  Angela shook her head. “It’s my father,” she said. “They took him to jail! He’s had to go through the terrible questioning, but I never thought they would lock him up over one silly homeless man.”

  Meghan tried to soothe Angela. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispered. “What can we do to help you?”

  Angela wiped a tear from her olive cheeks. “I was hoping Detective Irvin could help get my father out,” she explained. “Jack has always been such a loyal customer at Luciano’s, and I know that he could help get my father released.”

  Meghan smiled at Angela. “Jack would be happy to help, right Jack?”

  Jack nodded. “Your father is
officially a suspect, so I cannot get him out of jail, but I can make sure he gets a good upgrade at the facility,” Jack told Angela. “I can call them and get him a private room, along with extended visiting time. I know it doesn’t fix the problem, but it could help.”

  Angela threw her arms around Jack. “Grazie,” she exclaimed as she kissed him on both cheeks in the Italian way. “Thank you for your help. I must go home and tell my mother of your kindness.”

  Angela dashed from Jack’s office, and Meghan smiled at Jack. “It’s so nice of you to help her,” she gushed. “You are so kind, Jack.”

  Jack shrugged. “It seems like the least I can do,” he told Meghan. “She is a sweet girl, and I truly don’t think Roberto killed Roger.”

  Meghan looked down at the floor and gasped. “Oh no,” she lamented. “Angela forgot her purse. Quick, toss it to me, and I’ll go wave her down.”