Drop Dead Chocolate (23 page)

“I’ll tell George, if you’re sure,” Grace said as we got back to the donut shop.

“I’m positive,” I said.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Call me if you change your mind.”

“I will, but I won’t,” I said, and then chuckled a little. “You know what I mean.”

Grace laughed. “Don’t worry, I speak Suzanne, and I’ve been fluent in it for years.”

I was driving up to my cottage when my phone rang. I pulled over to the side of the road and dug it out of my pocket.

It was my boyfriend, at last. “Jake! Thanks for calling me back.”

“It sounded urgent,” he said. “Suzanne, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m in the middle of something. What’s going on?”

“William wasn’t at the arcade today, and he’s got a sign up that says he’s going to be closed until further notice. I just thought you’d like to know.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

I heard someone calling Jake in the background, and Jake said hurriedly, “Sorry. Gotta go.”

He hung up before I had a chance to say good-bye myself, but I knew that my boyfriend wasn’t like everyone else. When he was on a case, he was the most single-minded and narrow-focused person I knew, and that was saying a lot. Whether my hot tip helped or not, I couldn’t say, but I’d tried.

He had to give me credit for that.

*   *   *

Momma was still at home, getting ready for her date. I walked into her room and watched as she brushed her hair, and a thought suddenly occurred to me. “Momma, don’t get me wrong, I’m happy you have a date, but isn’t the chief worried about being seen out in public with a murder suspect?”

I hadn’t told Momma about her boyfriend’s argument with the murder victim just before he died. I had to have more than Max’s word before I brought that subject up. Even if I did, I wasn’t entirely sure that my mother would believe me, given my tumultuous history with the police chief.

Momma shook her head and frowned. “I tried to tell him the same thing, but he wouldn’t listen to me. The man is determined to save my reputation, even though, in my opinion, he’s just jeopardizing his own. He has to run for office, after all.”

“Hey, don’t forget, you’re running, too,” I said with a smile.

“Honestly, if it were anyone but Evelyn I was running against, I’d pull my name from contention in a heartbeat. All in all, I’m not sure either one of us should be mayor.”

“There really isn’t any other choice, is there?”

She got a sudden gleam in her eye, something I’d seen before. An idea had just occurred to her, but I had no idea what it might be. As she tried to choose earrings, she didn’t seem to be satisfied with any of her options. “How’s George, by the way? Is his leg fully healed? How are his spirits?”

“If you didn’t know what to look for, you’d never know he’d been through such an ordeal. I still feel responsible for what happened to him.”

“He forgave you long ago. It’s time you let yourself off the hook,” Momma said. “Suzanne, I hate to ask, but may I borrow a pair of your hoop earrings? I feel a little festive tonight.”

“Absolutely. Gold or silver? Small, medium, large, or outrageously big?” While I rarely wore anything but simple studs, I liked to shop for earrings, and had accumulated quite a collection over the years.

She frowned again. “Just bring me a few choices in gold,” she said.

“Can do.”

I went up to my room, grabbed five pairs, and headed back downstairs. When I got to her door, Momma was just hanging up the phone.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I said as I handed her my choices.

As she took them, Momma said, “You didn’t. I just finished.”

“The chief didn’t have a change of heart, did he?”

“What, the telephone call? No, that was William Benson.”

I couldn’t believe that. “William just called you? Why? I thought he skipped town,” I said.

“Whatever gave you that idea?” Momma asked, clearly perplexed.

“I saw a sign on his door that the arcade has been closed until further notice.”

Momma shook her head. “Suzanne, what did I tell you about jumping to conclusions? William’s gout flared up and he’s taking a week off. The poor man can’t even walk, his foot’s bothering him so much. Gout is nothing to take lightly, and I’ve had friends who have been nearly crippled temporarily by it.”

I felt a little deflated that my tip to Jake had turned out to be such a dud. “Why did he call you with the news?”

“He didn’t. William insisted I let him donate to my campaign when I was running against Cam, but since the mayor’s out of the race, he tried to delicately withdraw his financial support. I told him that wasn’t necessary, since I had no plans to campaign in the first place. Honestly, the poor man sounded relieved.” Her telephone rang again, and I offered to step out of the bedroom. She waved a hand at me to stay right where I was, so I sat in the chair near her bed.

“Hello, Phillip,” she said, and I started to get up.

Momma shook her head curtly, and I settled back down. I’d been known to defy that shake in the past, but only with good reason and the full understanding that I was putting myself in mortal jeopardy by doing it.

“Yes. I see. Very well.”

“He’s standing you up, isn’t he?” I asked. “Of all the nerve. The man asked you out on a date, and now he’s got cold feet.”

Momma laughed at my outburst. “That’s not it at all. He feels that going to Union Square sends the wrong message, as though he were ashamed of me. Instead of going to Napoli’s, we’re going out to the Boxcar Grill.”

“That means you’re way overdressed,” I said.

She looked at her suit and shook her head. “No, I believe it’s perfectly fitting for a date. If the rest of Trish’s patrons are underdressed, that’s their choice.”

The doorbell rang, and I jumped up from the chair. “I’ll get it.”

“It’s most likely just Phillip,” Momma said.

I grinned at her. “I’m going to tell him you called him ‘just Phillip,’” I said.

She shook her head. “Suzanne, your humor eludes me sometimes.”

“Don’t feel bad. There aren’t many people who get me completely.”

“And is Jake one of them?” she asked, ignoring the doorbell.

“He’s getting there,” I said. “Don’t keep your fella waiting.”

“I doubt he’ll ring the bell again,” she said. “Phillip knows how much I dislike that.”

“Then you’re managing to train him a little.”

She laughed openly at that remark. “He would deny it, but perhaps it’s true.”

She walked out of her room, and I followed.

When Momma answered the door, the chief of police was indeed standing outside, waiting patiently on her. “You look lovely, Dorothy,” he said.

“That suit is becoming on you as well,” she said.

“You two kids have fun tonight,” I said, enjoying tweaking them both.

“Don’t wait up,” Momma said, and then left. I heard her stop and lock the door behind her, and I had to wonder if she didn’t think I was capable of locking up myself.

*   *   *

I’d just made my sandwich and was turning on the television when there was a knock at the front door. “Who is it?” I called as I looked out the peephole.

“Hopefully, the guy who is still your boyfriend,” Jake said sheepishly.

“Why wouldn’t you be?” I asked as I opened the door to let him in.

“Well, I was kind of abrupt with you earlier, and I felt bad about it.”

“Enough to risk being spotted here?” I asked as I stepped aside to let him in.

“I’ll take the chance,” he said as I wrapped him up in my arms.

After a long and quite thorough kiss, I said, “There should be a reward for being so brave.”

“I thought you’d be mad,” he said, clearly confused.

“Jake, I know how you are when you’re on a case, remember? Honestly, I’m not all that high-maintenance. I appreciate the gesture, though. It was sweet of you to come by. Have you had dinner yet?”

“No,” he said as he looked toward the kitchen. In a lower voice he asked, “Your mother is gone, right?”

I nodded. “The good news is that no one can accuse you of fraternizing with a suspect. The bad news is that all I’ve got to offer you is a sandwich, unless you’d like eggs. I could probably whip those up if you’re in a hurry.”

He looked at my sandwich sitting on a plate on the coffee table.

I smiled at him. “Go ahead. I’ll make myself another one.”

“Thanks,” he said as he grabbed it and took a large bite. “I only have a minute, but I just had to see you. Suzanne, I’m not a big fan of this arrangement. I miss you.”

“I miss you, too,” I said as I moved into the kitchen. Jake stopped long enough to grab his sandwich, and then followed me.

“I’m afraid I gave you a bad tip about William,” I said as I started pulling out the materials to construct another sandwich.

Jake smiled as he nodded. “I already knew what was going on, but I didn’t have the time to tell you. He had to use a cane to answer the door, his gout was so bad. My uncle Timothy had the same problem, and there were weeks at a time where he could barely walk.”

“It explains shutting the arcade down,” I said. “Is there anything else going on with the investigation?”

He just shrugged, and after he took another bite of the sandwich, he said, “I’m still collecting information and impressions.”

As he said it, I watched his eyes, and saw them go down to the floor quickly, and then back up again. Was he lying to me? “Jake, there’s something you’re not telling me.”

“What?” he asked. “What makes you say that?”

“I just have a hunch,” I said. I wasn’t about to tell him how I’d known. It might come in handy in the future knowing when he was stretching the truth.

“Yes, well, we’re on the edge of a pretty big knot, and as soon as I can figure out how to undo it, we’re going to catch a killer.”

“You’re that sure?” I asked.

He finished the last bite, and then nodded. “I’m pretty sure.”

“That’s a relief,” I said.

Jake looked at me carefully. “You’re not going to grill me until I tell you who I suspect?”

“Not this time,” I said with a slight smile. “Getting my mother off the hook is all I can ask. That
is
what you’re doing, right?”

For a flash, I thought Jake might be getting ready to accuse my mother of murder, but I knew better than that. Still, it was a relief when I heard him say, “As far as I’m concerned, your mother is in the clear, unless some new evidence comes to light.”

“I’ll take that stipulation,” I said.

Though he’d just polished off the original sandwich, he stared at the one I had just finished making. With a smile, I shoved it to him and said, “Go ahead and take it.”

“I shouldn’t,” Jake answered. “I really need to get going. To be honest with you, I shouldn’t have come at all, but I couldn’t stand the thought of upsetting you.”

“I can make myself another one once you’re gone.” I wrapped the sandwich up in a paper towel, gave him a quick kiss, and then sent him on his way.

Once I was alone again, I started to make a third sandwich, only to realize that there was just one piece of bread left, and the ham I’d used before was now gone. It wouldn’t be much, but I made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or a half of one, and ate it happily in front of the television.

It was amazing how much Jake’s quick visit had done to lighten the weariness and tensions in my shoulder.

It was early, even for me, when I went to bed, but I had no trouble going to sleep. I’d been living on borrowed hours for too long, and I slept soundly until my alarm went off way too early the next morning.

As always, it was time once again to make the donuts.

CHAPTER 16

When I got to the donut shop the next morning, I was pleased that the new window was still intact, but I knew that I had to call my friend, Annabeth Kline, to paint another sign there for me. Annabeth and I had gone to high school together, but we’d drifted apart when we’d gone to distant colleges. I was delighted when she’d moved back to town just as I was opening Donut Hearts. Her degree had been in graphic design, and I was her first client upon her return to April Springs. I’d barely been able to afford to pay her, bartering some donuts to make up the difference. While my income had stayed the same, Annabeth had clients all over the world now, and was doing quite a bit better than I was. I just hoped I could still afford her.

I flipped on the fryer as I came in, and as a matter of habit I checked the answering machine.

I was glad I remembered when I heard the message.

It was from Elise Black, and she wanted six dozen of my cake donuts for eight a.m. on the twenty-second. That was today. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do it with the ingredients I had on hand, but she was a friend, and if I could manage it, I was going to deliver.

When Emma walked in a little later, she looked at the donuts already glazed, and the batter and dough for more. “Are we having a sale today that I didn’t know about?” she asked as she exchanged her jacket for an apron.

“No, but Elise called and placed a pretty big order.”

“For today?” Emma asked incredulously.

“That’s what the message said,” I answered. “I’m dropping donuts, so you might want to retreat.”

Emma ducked into my office, and I finished the last of the batter in my dropper.

“All clear,” I called out, and as she came in, I saw that Emma wasn’t happy.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Did something else happen?”

“Suzanne, do you know what day it is?”

I nodded my head, told her, and wondered if she’d hit her head while she’d been in there.

“No, I mean the date.”

Why was she playing this game? We had donuts to make. “It’s the twenty-second,” I said.

“Actually, it’s the twenty-first,” she answered.

“Are you sure?” I replayed the message in my mind, sure that I’d heard it right the first time. Only I wasn’t sure. “Let me check the machine again.”

I left Emma to flip and pull the donuts while I went into my office and hit the replay button. It said the twenty-second, so I glanced at my calendar and saw that it was indeed the twenty-first.

I’d made six dozen too many donuts today, and there was no way I could do any less now. We’d have to have a sale after all, but that wasn’t the worst part of it.