Chocolate Cream Cupcake & Murder (A Dana Sweet Cozy Mystery Book 3) (5 page)

“Okay, kitty, let’s go.” The next day, Dana got Truffles ready for her morning stroll in the cat stroller. Of course, Truffles was a cat so she didn’t appreciate long walks as dogs do. But Dana loved walking her pet. And she knew the fresh air would be good.

Besides, Grandma Rae used to walk her kitty every day in the four-wheel zip-free pink cat stroller where Truffles would have a panoramic view through the mesh screen of her surroundings. Truffles felt safer in there than walking on the street. She was much too shy, given her past of being abandoned by her previous owners before Grandma Rae rescued her from the Berry Cove Pet Rescue shelter.

Truffles let out a healthy meow and licked her lips. She actually seemed to enjoy the cat stroller. Dana often ignored the looks of some of the tourists who didn’t quite understand or who’ve never seen one before.

They would often comment that she should “get a real baby”, or “cats don’t go for walks, dogs do” to which Dana would simply either smile sweetly or eye roll before walking away. Dana had on her snug fitting black and pink yoga pants and matching jacket. She couldn’t wait to get on the trail and get some fresh autumn air in her lungs so that she could clear her mind and think. Really think.

There was something very odd about the Renaldo household. She wondered if Troy got onto any more leads. She really wanted to help him with the case. But she didn’t want to get into his gorgeous mane of hair—figuratively speaking. Physically, she wouldn’t mind running her fingers through it.

Dana, really now. Is that all you can think about? You’re supposed to be off men now, remember?

Still, no harm in admiring a handsome, stunning man now was there? He was miles apart from her ex, that was for sure. It was nice, no, breathtaking to finally meet an honest hardworking guy who knew how to treat a lady right. That’s all. Nothing more to it.

While walking on the nature trail with Truffles in the stroller, Dana couldn’t help but turn over the scene of the crime from yesterday in her mind…

Before long Dana spotted a tall dark and deadly handsome man with broad shoulders and muscular build jogging towards her.

It was Troy, of course.

Delicious Troy Evans. He was jogging with a furry four-legged companion.

Her heart started to flutter in her chest again.

Why was it that whenever he was nearby she would get that reaction from him?

But still, just like herself, he had already stated he was married to his career and had no room in his life relationships. And who could blame him? She too had no room in her life for relationships.

But she still loved the feeling she got whenever she was around Troy.

“Hey there, Dana”, he said. He was jogging on the spot when he reached her keeping up his momentum. His hair was slightly damp and moist from sweat. Looks like he was having a good workout.

“Hey, Troy.”

“I see you’re walking your cat again. Hey Kitty,” he said kindly to Truffles.

Truffles purred with approval. Well, at least she liked Tory. That was good news.

She liked a man who was gentle with animals, especially kitties and puppies. And Troy, as much as he was a hard core cop, certainly had a soft spot for animals which was a check mark in her book.

“Yes, I'm walking her again today. She likes to get fresh air. Of course, unlike a dog she doesn’t like to do too many long walks.”

“That's understandable.”

“Hey little guy,” Dana said to his dog.

The black and white-furred dog barked quite happily in response. It was a border collie, if Dana wasn’t mistaken.

The sun was shining brightly and the air was cool and bearable. The soft sound of the waves sounded in the distance from the shoreline. It was the best day to go for a jog or a walk. The birds were chirping in the air. Everything seemed so calm. Except, of course, for the fact that there was a horrible murder committed recently. Yet again in the nice quiet small town of Berry Cove.

“So did you find any more leads?” Dana asked hopefully.

“Well, the preliminary lab results are back.”

“Oh, they are?” Dana’s heart galloped in her chest.
Please don't let it be anything to do with my cupcakes.

“And no it wasn't your cupcakes,” Troy answered as if he could read her mind.

“Oh great.” Dana let out a sigh, not realizing that she was holding her breath. “But what was it?” She noticed his brows referred.

“Well, according to the lab, there were traces of potassium chloride nearby his lips.”

“Potassium chloride? That's awful. Isn't that the drug that looks like water and is tasteless?”

“You got it. It's pretty deadly. And it can induce a heart attack in toxic amounts.”

“Oh my gosh.” Dana felt faintish all of a sudden.

Truffles hissed loudly just then.

“It's okay, sweetie. I know that's very awful.” Dana then turned her attention back to Troy. “But who could have done that?”

“We’re looking into it.”

“Oh, Troy, you probably already know this but Bea told me that Mr. Renaldo’s son was a pharmacist. Before he lost his business in his divorce.”

“Yes, we found out that he was a pharmacist. We’re actually going to check into his background and check into a few things.”

“But there's something else you should know.”

“What is it?”

“Oh nothing.”

“Dana?” He arched a brow in his sexy way.

“Well, it's just that Bea also mentioned that Goldie, Mr. Renaldo’s fiancée, was seeing Phil, the pharmacist. Do you think maybe she got something from Phil?”

“Hmm. That is very interesting…and troubling, if those rumors are true.”

“I know, I know. It’s only a rumor, but I think we should probably look into that, don’t you?”

“
We
? Dana, please don't go doing anything silly now. I know that you’re great at writing all those mystery riddles on your blog. But like I said before, this is real life.”

“I am aware of that, Troy.”

“Besides what would be Goldie's motive? She would stand to lose everything if the old man died
before
they got married.”

“That's true. But there's something very fishy about the whole situation. Besides Goldie just took off running to her lawyer as soon as his children accused her of doing something to Mr. Renaldo. Do you think maybe Mr. Renaldo found out about the affair and then he decided to call off the wedding?”

“I don't think so.”

“What we should look into is a lot of angles. I mean maybe she got panicky and decided to do away with him first.”

“Dana, don’t let your imagination get the best of you. This isn’t a mystery riddle on that wonderful blog you have.”

Her heart melted at his compliment. So he read her blog, did he? And he thought it was wonderful?

Sweet.

Just then a thought slid into her mind while Truffles made sounds at Troy’s Border collie. They seemed to get along well, which was really nice to see. Often times, cats and dogs never got along.

“Troy, did you by any chance see a spoon near the body?”

“A spoon. Oh, I get it. Your cupcakes are usually eaten with a spoon.”

“Exactly. Don’t you find it odd that a man of Mr. Renaldo’s class would eat a cupcake piled high with whipped cream without the dessert spoon it’s usually eaten with?”

Troy narrowed his eyes. “You’ve got a point, Dana. We’ll look into that. My men did a good sweep of the place, but no dessert spoon was found with traces of cupcake on it.”

“I’m wondering if the killer took the spoon away since it could have been laced with the potassium chloride. I mean, you said it wasn’t in my cupcakes, so it must have been…”

“On the spoon…” he finished her sentence. A muscle twitched in his jaw. He seemed worked up about it.

His Border collie let out a bark and Truffles curled away in her kitty stroller.

“Okay, Chester. We’ll be going now buddy. He really likes his walks.”

“I can see that.”

“We have a lot of angles to look at. It’s not going to be an easy case. So many possible suspects.”

“I know. I'm sorry. I just feel that there’s something else and I just wish I knew what it was.”

“Just leave everything to the guys at the station, Dana.”

“You know I think I will. My head hurts just thinking about it right now. I’ve got a café to run and a blog to update.”

He grinned.

She had every intention of asking the Renaldo family and staff more questions, as she had to retrieve her serving trays from the mansion, anyway, but why ruffle Troy’s feathers before it was necessary? She’d go to him with whatever she found out…

And that was who had the motive and also who had the means to do away with poor Mr. Renaldo?

It seemed like déjà vu again.

Dana pulled up her car to the golden iron gates at Renaldo Manor, the massive mansion with a beautiful garden.

After she was buzzed through by security, the familiar clicking noise of the gates sounded before it slowly parted open.

Then a thought came to her. The murder was definitely an inside job. Nobody could get out or in without security knowing about it. Well, that much she knew for sure.

Her eyes captured the far west side where the gardener was busy clipping the hedges. Everything seemed so beautiful and so normal, except, of course, for the fact that the man of the house was no longer there thanks to a murderer.

She parked her car at the side then she got out and closed the door carefully. She also looked around and wondered about the early morning delivery that Mr. Renaldo had. She looked over to the far east side and saw that there was a guest home probably for the servants. The butler mentioned that the servant’s quarters were just inside the gate outside the main house.

She heard the trickling sound of falling water and noticed the water from the water fountain was spilling over the limestone rocks. What a beautiful estate it was. And just to think that so many people were fighting over this property and all the riches it represented.

Was this the cause of Mr. Renaldo's untimely passing?

Dana knocked on the brass door knocker. And once again George answered the door.

“So you’ve come to pick up your trays?” George said then he eyed her with suspicion.

“Yes, I have,” Dana said trying to sound as casual as possible but unfortunately her voice raised an octave to her chagrin.

“The kitchen is right this way,” he said. “But then again you know that don't you?”

“Excuse me?” What exactly did he mean by that? Was he insinuating something? Of course she knew where the kitchen was because she was there just the other day.

“Oh, nothing.”

“That comment was not about Mr. Renaldo was it?”

The butler stiffened then he relaxed again. “Yes, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It's very unfortunate and tragic what happened. I know you had nothing to do with it. We just haven’t a clue who could have done it.”

“What will you do now? Job wise?”

“I don't know yet. Molly and I…I mean
I
can’t decide where I would like to work next. I may go back to England.”

“Oh, really?” She wondered what else he was going to say. He mentioned something about Molly and he. Did that mean that they were together? Did Mr. Renaldo know this? Did the family know this? If they were a couple and one of them did kill Mr. Renaldo, they would more than likely cover for each other then, wouldn’t they?

Dana walked into the grand kitchen.

The yellow caution tape was still around the area where Mr. Renaldo’s body was found.

A sudden chill slithered down her spine. She felt her legs getting week. It was so awful that she found the master of the house there.

On the other hand, George didn't seem to be too phased by it at all. Perhaps it was the just his disposition.

She wondered where everybody was right now.

“Everybody's preparing for the funeral services, of course,” he said as if reading her mind.

“Master Renaldo certainly had everything planned ahead of time so it's going to be a grand occasion. With no expenses spared, of course.”

Dana felt so awkward hearing that. “I see.”

Dana saw her serving trays and immediately went over to the counter to scoop them up.

“Well I guess I have everything I need then.” She hesitated for a moment.

Before long, the phone rang in the lobby. The butler excused himself to answer it.

While Dana had her trays in her hands, she couldn’t help but peruse the massive lobby. But before long, she wondered into the grand study.

She remembered George mentioned that Mr. Renaldo loved to look at the fireplace and sit in his cozy brown leather chair. Well, she saw the leather chair and the fireplace. She remembered George telling her that Mr. R always liked to stare at the fire as if he’d find answers and ideas there. Well, she was certainly looking for answers today. She noticed that the fire was not lit today.

Dana then thought of something.

The temperature was incredibly warm in the home today. Yet, on the day of the murder, it was frigidly cold. Was it because whomever killed Mr. Renaldo turned down the temperature because there was a dead body and they wanted to make sure the room was nice and cold like a morgue fridge? So she was right in mentioning that to Troy. She sure hope Troy acted up on her tip.

Dana glanced over by the brick frame of the fireplace and noticed that there was a shred of paper by the base. It was as if someone had cleaned up some shredded paper but one little piece escaped.

She leaned down to pick it up.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh,” Dana jumped up. She quickly slid the piece of torn paper inside her purse “I’m sorry, I was just…admiring the study.”

“You’ve retrieved what you came for. You are free to go now, Miss Dana.”

“Um… George?”

“Yes.” He sighed heavily as if bored by her interruptions.

“I was just wondering if you mentioned to the police about the delivery that came at six clock in the morning.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Well don't you think it might be relevant? After all it could have something to do with the murder.”

“I don't think it has anything to do with Master Renaldo's passing.”

“But don't you think the police should decide that?”

“What I think is that you should leave now, Miss Dana.” His voice was cold and his tone was clipped.

That was her cue. She could always take a hint.

That was also a very interesting conversation. Maybe she'd overstayed her welcome.

She found it very odd and suspicious that George didn't want to tell the police that information.

George then escorted her out off the premises

“I presume you'd like to attend the service,” he said.

“Yes, I would like that.” She was grateful that he was at least gracious enough to allow her to say good bye to Mr. Renaldo during a memorial service.

“Well, it will be the following week at the Berry Cove Memorial. And please, no more questions,” he said before closing the main French doors.

No more questions, huh? Dana would have to see about that.