Breach of Crust: A Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery (13 page)

Loralyn began walking toward Liz.

“Stay where you are!” Liz shouted. She pressed the gun against the Camellia’s temple with more force and the woman cried out in terror.

Loralyn slowed her pace, holding out both hands in a gesture of supplication. “You don’t want to do this, Liz. Think of your boys. Your three lovely boys.”

Loralyn’s voice was musical, but the sound was far from melodious. It was eerie and dissonant, like a carnival tune being played on a rusty pipe organ. The phrase “three lovely boys” echoed over the surface of the lake and Ella Mae knew that Loralyn was using her siren’s powers. A siren’s voice was most effective on men, but because Liz wasn’t magical, she was very susceptible to magic.

“Don’t talk about my sons!” Liz shook her head as if to clear it. She then pointed the gun at Loralyn. Finding herself
free from immediate danger, the woman standing next to Liz fell into a crumpled heap on the dock.

Liz didn’t so much as glance at her.

As for Loralyn, she continued to advance toward Liz. Behind her, Ella Mae and Reba also crept forward, hoping to prevent bloodshed if possible.

“What will your boys do if you go to jail?” Loralyn’s tone was infused with concern and tenderness. “What will your husband say when they ask, ‘Where’s Mommy?’” Her voice changed. It became a young boy’s voice, plaintive and frightened. “Where are you, Mommy? I can’t find you.”

Again, the sound reverberated over the surface of the water. It seemed to be everywhere at once. The air was haunted by the boy’s repeated pleas, and many of the Camellias began to cry without knowing why. Though Loralyn’s magic was directed at Liz alone, Ella Mae realized that she could hear the full spectrum of Loralyn’s siren song.

“What is it?” Reba whispered.

“I can hear Loralyn’s magic,” Ella Mae said. “Not just the words, but the magic infusing each syllable. In the past, I’ve only sensed when she was using it. This is different. I can almost see it working, but it doesn’t influence me.”

Liz, however, was definitely being influenced. She gaped at Loralyn, her eyes round with shock.

“Stop it,” she whimpered. The hand holding the gun began shaking violently.

“I want my mommyyyy!” the boy’s voice wailed pitifully, and Liz’s shoulders sagged. Her hand went limp and the gun clattered harmlessly onto the dock.

Genuinely spooked, she began to take a few steps backward, but Loralyn pointed at two women near the end of the dock and commanded, “Cassie! Jillian!
Grab her!
No one touch the gun!” She turned, glanced past Ella Mae and Reba,
and signaled to Annie Eudailey. “You’re a runner. Sprint to the lobby and call 911. We’ll watch over the nutcase until the cops come.
Go!
”

Annie didn’t hesitate. She dashed toward dry land, the dock boards thudding as she raced over them.

“Reba and I will take Liz to a secure location inside the resort and wait for the police there,” Ella Mae said, infusing her voice with the authority she’d recently possessed as the leader of her kind. “She came to see me after her mother died, so she knows me. She won’t try to escape. Take her arm, Reba.”

With a mumbled “Step aside,” Reba inserted herself between Jillian and Liz. Cassie, the other woman holding Liz, looked at Loralyn for guidance.

Loralyn shrugged. “Fine by me, pie girl. Just make sure to send the police down to us as soon as you’ve handed the whack job over. We all witnessed what happened tonight, and I want to see that Liz Fisher is suitably punished for threatening the Camellias.”

The rest of the women began murmuring in angry agreement and Reba shot Ella Mae an urgent glance. It was time to take Liz back to the resort before the Camellias formed a lynch mob.

Liz didn’t say a word as Ella Mae and Reba half dragged her over the lawn, the terrace, and into the resort, where they led her to a small reading room.

After guiding Liz to a leather sofa, Ella Mae asked her if she wanted a glass of water. Instead of answering, Liz fixed her gaze on the blue Aubusson rug. Ella Mae covered Liz’s hand with her own and was shocked by the coldness of her skin. She mimed to Reba to fetch a drink and knew that Reba would return with something stronger than water.

“You took a terrible risk coming here,” Ella Mae said softly.

Liz didn’t answer. For several minutes, the only noise in the room was the rhythmic ticking of the mantel clock. In the silence, Ella Mae paced in front of the fireplace, wondering what would happen to Liz once the police took her into custody. She feared the Camellias would pull every string to ensure that Liz was heavily penalized for what she’d done.

Ella Mae was about to use the reading room phone to call Uncle Buddy and ask him to intervene on Liz’s behalf when Reba returned.

Reba knelt in front of Liz and held a coffee cup to her lips. “You need this, honey. Drink it down in one go. That’s a girl.”

Mechanically, Liz complied. Within a few seconds, her vacant stare dissipated and she was able to focus on Ella Mae’s face. “I didn’t take that much of a risk. The gun isn’t real.”

“What?” Ella Mae and Reba cried in unison.

“It’s a toy. A plastic accessory from my son’s Halloween costume. He was a zombie hunter.” A ghost of a smile appeared on Liz’s face, but quickly vanished again. “It was originally bright orange. I painted it black.”

Ella Mae exhaled loudly. “Well, that’s a relief. The charges against you will certainly be less severe considering your weapon was a toy, but you still made formidable enemies tonight. How did you even know about the ceremony?”

“I heard some Camellias talking about it at my mother’s funeral. I thought of all the events she’d missed in my life and of all the ones I’d missed in hers. This was to be her last event, and I was
not
going to be excluded.” She paused to set the empty mug on a side table. “I’m her daughter. Nothing my mother said or did changes that. She wronged me, but I’ve forgiven her. And in forgiving her, I’ve learned that I can’t accept the ruling that her death was an accident. So I came to find out who killed her.”

“Why are you so certain she was murdered?”

Liz let loose a humorless cackle. “You were standing on the dock! You saw those women. Not one of those ice queens protested her innocence when I accused them of murder. Either the Camellias know the exact identity of my mother’s murderer or they don’t know who she is, but they realize there’s a killer among them and don’t want to be her next victim. They don’t care about justice. To protect themselves and their precious club, they’re more than willing to turn a blind eye to murder.”

“All this just to be the next president?” Reba shook her head. “We’re not talkin’ about the election of a world leader here. The perks of runnin’ this club can’t be that great.”

Ella Mae knew that Reba was trying to provoke Liz into revealing whether she possessed any knowledge of the golden apples, but Liz clearly believed the presidency was motive enough.

“I know I sound crazy,” Liz answered sharply. “To people like you and me, to
outsiders
, it
is
just a club. But to them”—she pointed in the direction of the docks—“being a Camellia is
everything.
It’s a cult. There, I said it. Those women are brainwashed. From a very early age. Trust me, I know. My mother tried to brainwash me, but it didn’t take. Generation after generation. The white dresses. The rich husbands. The way they research the men they plan to ensnare. They have spreadsheets on the state’s most eligible bachelors, for heaven’s sake. They don’t enter into relationships based on love. Everything they do is for the club. It’s sick.”

“I take it you didn’t marry the man your mother selected for you,” Ella Mae said.

Liz laughed. “Look at me. I never stood a chance at catching one of those princely bachelors. Of course, my mother had a solution. She suggested I have plastic surgery. Several surgeries.” She spread her hands. “You see how twisted the
culture is. By the age of twenty, over half the Camellias have already been nipped, tucked, or enhanced.”

Reba curled her lip in distaste. “That’s shameful.”

“I didn’t want surgery, and I didn’t want to marry a man I didn’t love. My mother and I had horrible fights over both subjects. Luckily, I met my husband soon after I graduated from college and we fell hard and fast in love. Within three months, we were living together. I’ve never regretted my choice.” She rubbed her wedding band with her thumb. “I lost my mother because I turned my back on the Camellias, but I gained a beautiful family of my own.”

In the distance, the sound of police sirens cut through the night’s tranquility.

Lifting her head, Liz’s face drained of all color. “My boys. I heard them out there on the dock. I heard their voices.”

“No. It wasn’t your sons.” Ella Mae knew she had to convince Liz of this or she could end up in the psych ward. “What you heard was Lyn Croly’s voice. She’s your mother’s surrogate. I grew up with her and I can assure you that her voice becomes very high and shrill when she’s upset. The way it carried over the water made it seem much younger. But it was
her
voice. Do you understand?”

It took Liz a long moment to process Ella Mae’s words, but finally she nodded. “The water,” she repeated. “It can distort the way things sound.”

“It sure can,” Reba said. “Now, you tell the cops that you’re sorry—that you regret coming here and that you were out of line.”

Liz stared at her. “But I still want to know what happened to my mother.”

They heard men shouting in the hall. The crackle of walkie-talkies.

“As do I,” Ella Mae declared softly. “And I’ll do everything
I can to discover the truth. The Camellias won’t suspect me. After all, I’m only a baker. I pose no threat, so let
me
take the risk.” She took Liz’s hands in her own. “You’re a wife and a mother. When the cops come in, you need to be contrite and cooperative. Do whatever it takes to get back to your family.”

“My husband will think I’ve had a nervous breakdown,” Liz muttered miserably. “Maybe I have. I must have been nuts to think I’d get these frost princesses to crack. I’ve only made things worse for myself.” After casting a fearful glance at the doorway, she began to sob.

When Jon Hardy entered the reading room followed by two other officers, he found Reba rocking Liz in her arms like a child.

Leaving Reba to minister to Liz, Ella Mae hurried forward to block Hardy’s path. “The gun Liz was carrying is a toy. A plastic prop. She said her intent was to scare, not to injure, and she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to rectify this situation.” Ella Mae turned back to the couch. “It’s time to speak with the police, Liz.”

Reba helped Liz to her feet.

“She won’t need to be restrained. She’s not violent,” Ella Mae whispered to Hardy.

“Until I see the weapon for myself, I can’t take any chances,” Hardy said and gestured for his female officer to secure Liz’s wrists and Mirandize her.

Ella Mae was about to argue but decided she wouldn’t be doing Liz any favors by aggravating Hardy.

“Mrs. Fisher can keep her hands in front,” Hardy conceded when the officer was done reading Liz her rights and moved to cuff her. “Put her in the car, Officer Parks. As soon as Officer Hutchins and I have retrieved the weapon, you can take Mrs. Fisher downtown. We’ll remain on-site to conduct preliminary interviews.” He paused briefly to
look at Ella Mae and Reba. “Did you both witness the entire scene?”

“Yes,” Ella Mae and Reba answered together.

“Tell me what you saw. Quickly now,” Hardy ordered as Officer Parks escorted Liz out of the room.

Ella Mae gave Hardy a succinct account—punctuated by several colorful remarks from Reba—which he listened to without interruption.

“Are you staying at the resort or going home for the night?” he asked when Ella Mae was finished.

“We’re going home,” Ella Mae replied.

With a nod, Hardy told them they were free to leave and that he’d be in touch if he had additional questions. He and Officer Hutchins then marched down the lobby toward the terrace. Ella Mae and Reba followed at a safe distance. They wanted to make sure Hardy retrieved the gun.

Suddenly, Savannah appeared from the mouth of the corridor leading to the business center. She strode up to Hardy and thrust out her hand.

“I’m Savannah McGovern, vice president of the Camellia Club. As the highest-ranking officer, I’ll be serving as my organization’s spokesperson. I will provide the official statement on behalf of my club members, and I’ll also accompany you to the station in order to press charges against Liz Fisher.”

After briefly shaking her hand, Hardy pointed toward the rear exit. “I’d like to bag the weapon. Could you lead me to it?”

“Certainly,” Savannah answered.

Savannah paraded down the lobby like a queen at her coronation, and when Cora and Loralyn stepped into the lobby from outside, Savannah raised a regal finger to silence them before they could speak. “I’m acting as Officer Hardy’s liaison, ladies, and will be representing the Camellias in this matter. Why don’t you round up the rest of the ladies and tell
them to wait for us in the café? That way, the officers can address us as a group.”

Without waiting for a reply, Savannah turned back to the policemen. “We’re heading for the dock, Officers,” she said. “One of our members is standing guard over the gun. No one handled it other than the assailant.”

Cora shot Savannah a venomous look and, ignoring her directive, followed Savannah and the two officers out to the terrace. Loralyn stayed where she was, but the glare she cast at Savannah’s back was murderous. Spying Ella Mae, she spoke in a whisper laced with such icy menace that it raised the fine hairs on the base of Ella Mae’s neck.

“I warned you to stay out of my way. That fool Savannah needs to listen to the same warning.” Loralyn’s eyes were dark with anger. “If she knows what’s good for her health, she’ll withdraw her candidacy. If not, she could be the next bloated body you pull out of the lake.”

*   *   *

While Officer Hardy interviewed several of the Camellias, Officer Hutchins returned to the station to examine Liz Fisher’s gun. The female officer had driven off with Liz well before the interviews got under way, and Ella Mae was concerned that by the time Officer Hutchins confirmed the gun was a toy, Liz would be condemned to a night in lockup.