A Waffle Death, page 22
“Do you want to go into the city?” Terry asked. “We could go to a movie, dinner, run some errands…?”
Erin was trying to run her errands during the week so that she could have Sunday to relax instead of chasing after bakery supplies and getting caught up on grocery shopping and anything else she needed to do, ending up more exhausted by the end of her “day of rest” than if she had gone to work.
But a movie and dinner with her “Officer Handsome” sounded nice.
“Maybe,” she agreed. “But no shopping.”
“That’s fine with me,” Terry agreed with a smile that brought out the dimple on his stubbly cheek. He washed his toast down with a sip of coffee. “I’m quite happy to avoid malls and line-ups.”
Erin and Terry heard a bang from the backyard and, looking out the kitchen window, saw Willie storming down the steps from Vic's loft apartment over the garage. Without another word, he hopped into his truck, slammed the door shut, and drove away with his tires spinning in the gravel. Erin watched with concern as he left.
“Uh-oh. That doesn’t look good,” Terry observed.
Erin looked away from the window, embarrassed. She didn’t want to pry into Vic's private life. She didn’t want to be that nosy neighbor who was always craning her neck to see what was happening.
“None of our business.”
Terry gave a nod of agreement. As a law enforcement officer in Bald Eagle Falls, he knew which relationships were most likely to be volatile. He’d never been called to Vic’s or Willie’s residences to deal with a domestic dispute. They might shout, argue, or slam doors, but it had never escalated to violence as far as Erin knew. She’d never seen any indication of physical abuse in the relationship. They were just two very passionate people who didn't hold anything back.
The door to Vic’s apartment opened again, and this time it was Vic’s tall, willowy figure. She let Nilla out and locked the door behind her, then came down the stairs at a more sedate pace than Willie had. She let Nilla into the dog run to do his business, and then joined Erin and Terry in the kitchen.
“Mornin’ ya’ll.”
“Good morning.” Erin scratched Nilla’s ears and chin when the fluffy white dog ran over to her. K9, Terry’s partner, heard the little dog running around the kitchen and came to investigate. The shepherd and the small dog sniffed each other and ran to the back door to be let out. Vic let them out to play. She sighed and sat down at the table. She ran a hand through her long blond hair, hanging loose instead of in a bun like she wore it when baking at Auntie Clem’s. It was the opposite of Erin’s short, dark hair that never stayed in place like it was supposed to. Erin poured hot water from the teapot into Vic’s cup and Vic chose a teabag from the selection on the table.
“That man.” She shook her head. “I love him dearly, but he does have a temper.”
“Mmm.” Erin didn’t ask for the details of their argument.
“What’s going on?” Terry apparently didn’t have the same compunctions. And Erin supposed that if Vic didn’t want to talk about it, she wouldn’t have brought it up or would just tell Terry it was none of his business.
“I don’t rightly know. He’s been on edge all weekend. But it isn’t anything to do with us. It’s just… probably work, I guess. The mines would be my best guess. But he hasn’t said. He doesn’t want to talk about it, but then he gets a call or text and just goes off like that.” She motioned toward the backyard.
So it wasn’t an argument. It was something different, an outside irritant. “Well, I hope he doesn’t take it out on you. I always feel like slamming doors are aimed at me, even if they aren’t. It’s hard not to take your partner’s anger personally.”
Vic nodded. “It gets my back up,” she admitted. “I get it; I know he’s mad at something else, but I’m the only one there to hear him complaining or slamming doors. So I can’t help feeling like he’s aiming the gun in the wrong direction.”
“You don’t know what’s going on with work that’s bothering him?”
“He doesn’t share that stuff. Never has. The closest I get to his mining operations is when we go spelunking together.”
Erin’s transgender employee was far more adventurous than Erin was. Caves and tunnels underground were *not* Erin’s thing. She wouldn’t have expected Vic to still be interested in spelunking after being caught in a tunnel collapse, but Vic and Willie had been right back at it as soon as they had their casts off. It wasn’t like it had been a natural collapse. But the fact that there were people out there who would intentionally set explosives to trap or kill someone else did not reassure Erin. That was just one more good reason to stay away from caves. It had been a long time before she could even look into a cave, let alone walk a few steps into one. And a tunnel or shaft where she would have to crawl… no way. No, thank you.
“Well, whatever bee Willie has got in his bonnet, I hope he deals with it soon,” she told Vic.
“Me too, sister.” Vic sipped her tea. “Me too.”
CHAPTER 2
Monday afternoon, Vic and Charley, Erin’s half-sister, helped Erin carefully pack several pies for a catering order.
“Lemon meringue does not travel well,” Vic worried. “All you need to do is go over one bump, and the tops will all be sticking to the boxes.”
“I’ll go slowly,” Charley promised. “No potholes.”
Erin had seen Charley drive before. She wasn’t sure the woman knew the meaning of “slowly” or “carefully.” She could just see Charley unloading the boxes at their destination and finding that all of the meringues were pasted to the tops of the boxes.
“I really don’t want these to be wrecked when you get there,” she fussed. “I should have told them no. Made them go with apple pie or something with a top crust that would travel better.”
“I’ll get them there in one piece,” Charley assured her. “You don’t have to worry about it. Clive William Fontainebleau III shall have his pies.”
“If he’s happy with the results, he could be a profitable client. I don’t know how many of these fancy parties he holds, but if we can supply him with desserts regularly, it could be lucrative.”
“Don’t pin your hopes on it,” Charley warned. “I know guys like this. They’re not loyal to one supplier. He’ll go wherever he can get the best deal. And he’ll keep asking for a lower price until you’re not making anything.”
Erin frowned. She hoped it wasn’t true. But she hadn’t heard many good things about Mr. Fontainebleau, so she couldn’t argue with Charley’s assessment.
“So you don’t think it will be worth it?”
“I’ll tell you what you do,” Charley said. “You raise your prices next time. Tell him that they are *artisanal* pies. That he won’t get quality product like that from anyone else. Especially not gluten-free. If he wants high-quality, gluten-free pies, you are the only game in town. Anywhere in the state, in fact.”
Erin’s cheeks warmed. “I couldn’t do that.”
“That’s what you’ve got to do. Make him respect you. Make him want pies from Auntie Clem’s Bakery and nowhere else, because no one else even compares. Why do you think guys like him buy Rolexes and Cartiers? It isn’t because they tell the time better than any department store wristwatch. He wants people to see that he is willing to pay for the very best.”
“I don’t know.” Erin slowly boxed another pie. “I’ll think about it.”
“Whatever you do, *don’t* lower your prices. No matter where he says he is going to go instead.”
Erin pressed her lips together, thinking about it. Charley was probably right. Charley was the one who had experience in dealing with bigshots like Fontainebleau. She should take Charley’s advice.
“You do your part and get them there in one piece. Then… maybe I’ll get you to help with any negotiations too. I’m not sure I can stand up to a guy like that. Or his office manager, since I never talked to Mr. Fontainebleau directly.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Charley agreed. “You can count on me.”
Peter Foster showed up at Auntie Clem’s Bakery after school had let out, without his mother and siblings. Erin had rarely seen him by himself, though she knew that he had sometimes been allowed to go to the store to pick up something his mother needed when she had been pregnant and on bed rest. The young boy looked at the cookies in the display case, standing tall and looking important.
“Hi, Peter. How’s it going?”
He smiled, showing off the gaps in his teeth. “Good.”
“Are you here for a Kid’s Club cookie, or are you buying something? I have something in the back for you if you need it…”
The Foster family didn’t normally take advantage of Erin’s offer of free day-old bread. But they’d been struggling lately, and Erin hoped they would take what they needed.
“I’m just looking,” Peter told her archly. “I’m going to visit my dad at the bookstore.”
“Oh, I see. How is he enjoying working there?”
“He says that Mrs. Naomi is a good boss. And mom is glad that he *finally* has something stable since they cut back his hours at the other job.”
“I’m sure it’s a big relief for her. Especially since she wanted to be able to stay home with the little ones.”
Peter nodded his agreement. “It’s a good thing that you told Mrs. Naomi that Dad was looking for something. You’re a good friend.”
“Thank you. I’m glad I could help. Are you sure you don’t want your kid’s club cookie?”
“No. I’ll get mine one day when I bring the girls.”
“Oh, okay. That sounds good, then. Can I walk with you over to The Book Nook?”
“I don’t need you to. I know where it is.”
“I know, but I need to talk to Naomi about the book club.”
Peter shrugged. “Okay. You can come over with me.”
Erin trailed Peter down the street to The Book Nook and followed him in. The bells over the door jingled to announce their arrival. Both Naomi and Mr. Foster looked up from shelving books to greet them.
“Well, there’s my son,” Mrs. Foster said, smiling. “School’s out already?”
“Yes. You know I wouldn’t skip!”
“That’s what they all say. And Miss Erin. How are you?”
“Good. Peter just stopped to say hello to me at Auntie Clem’s, and I needed to talk to Naomi about the book club, so we came over together.”
Mr. Foster nodded, looking calm and relaxed about this. Erin was glad she hadn’t gotten Peter into trouble, but she wanted to ensure that his parents knew where he was and were okay with it. They were strict about some things and lenient about others, and Erin hadn’t quite figured out where the line was. She didn’t want to be accused of encouraging Peter to do anything he wasn’t supposed to.
Erin felt her phone vibrating, so the next time she went into the kitchen to take a tray of cookies out of the oven, she pulled her phone out and looked at it. Charley had texted her. Opening the text, Erin saw the pies that she had sent over for the party all laid out on a black granite counter, with Charley’s comment that they had gotten there safe and sound, with no breakage or meringue stuck to the top of the boxes they had transported them in. The golden peaks on the white meringue looked picture-perfect.
*Mr. Fontainebleau can eat pie to his heart’s content*
Erin was relieved. She texted Charley a heartfelt thank you and returned to the front of the shop to let Vic know they had arrived safely.
“See?” Vic said. “All that worry for nothing. Everything went smoothly. He’s sure to call you back for another job.”
Murder Meringue Pie, Book 21 of the Auntie Clem’s Bakery series by P.D. Workman can be purchased at pdworkman.com
ALSO BY P.D. WORKMAN
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MYSTERY/SUSPENSE:
Auntie Clem’s Bakery
Culinary & Pet Cozy Mysteries
Gluten-Free Murder
Dairy-Free Death
Allergen-Free Assignation
Witch-Free Halloween (Halloween Short)
Dog-Free Dinner (Christmas Short)
Stirring Up Murder
Brewing Death
Coup de Glace
Sour Cherry Turnover
Apple-achian Treasure
Vegan Baked Alaska
Muffins Masks Murder
Tai Chi and Chai Tea
Santa Shortbread
Cold as Ice Cream
Changing Fortune Cookies
Hot on the Trail Mix
Fateful Plateful
Cut Out Cookie
On the Slab Pie
Wedding Cake Crush
A Waffle Death
Murder Meringue Pie (Coming Soon)
Recipes from Auntie Clem's Bakery
Reg Rawlins, Psychic Detective
Paranormal Mystery & Adventure
What the Cat Knew
A Psychic with Catitude
A Catastrophic Theft
Night of Nine Tails
Telepathy of Gardens
Delusions of the Past
Fairy Blade Unmade
Web of Nightmares
A Whisker's Breadth
Skunk Man Swamp
Magic Ain't A Game
Without Foresight
Careful of Thy Wishes
Time to Your Elf
Undiscovered Tomb
Missing Powers
Thrice Spared
Cloaked Campaign
Sleepwalker's Sanctuary (Coming Soon)
Cat Tales in the Swamp (Short Story, Coming Soon)
Tainted Truffle Treachery (Coming Soon)
Lunar Lies (Coming Soon)
Zachary Goldman Mysteries
Private Investigator
She Wore Mourning
His Hands Were Quiet
She Was Dying Anyway
He Was Walking Alone
They Thought He was Safe
He Was Not There
Her Work Was Everything
She Told a Lie
He Never Forgot
She Was At Risk
He Drowned in Memory
Their Walls Were Empty
They Came for Him
They Sought Vengeance (Coming Soon)
She Was Their Target (Coming Soon)
His Fear Was Real (Coming Soon)
Kenzie Kirsch Medical Thrillers
Unlawful Harvest
Doctored Death
Dosed to Death
Gentle Angel
Rushin' Death
Posed for Death
Death of a Corpse
Parks Pat Mysteries
Police Procedural Set in Canada
Out with the Sunset
Long Climb to the Top
Dark Water Under the Bridge
Immersed in the View
Skimming Over the Lake
Hazard of the Hills
Knows the Hills
Spanning the Creek
Sanctuary in the Stream
High-Tech Crime Solvers Series
Virtually Harmless
Cowritten with D. D. VanDyke
California Corwin P. I. Mystery Series
The Girl in the Morgue
Stand Alone Suspense Novels
Looking Over Your Shoulder
Lion Within
Pursued by the Past
In the Tick of Time
Loose the Dogs
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Mito
EDS
Proxy
Toxo
Pain
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Ruby
June and Justin
Michelle
Chloe
Ronnie
June, Into the Light
Tamara’s Teardrops:
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Tattooed Teardrops
Two Teardrops
Tortured Teardrops
Vanishing Teardrops
Breaking the Pattern:
Gritty Contemporary YA
Henry
Sandy
Bobby
Stand Alone Young Adult:
Stand Alone
Don’t Forget Steven
Those Who Believe
Cynthia has a Secret
Questing for a Dream
Darkness before the Dream (prequel story)
Once Brothers
Intersexion
Making Her Mark
Endless Change
Gem, Himself, Alone
AND MORE AT PDWORKMAN.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
P.D. Workman is a USA Today Bestselling author, winner of several awards from Library Services for Youth in Custody and the InD’tale Magazine’s Crowned Heart award, and has published over 100 mystery/suspense/thriller and young adult books, including stand alones and these series: Auntie Clem's Bakery cozy mysteries, Reg Rawlins Psychic Investigator paranormal mysteries, Zachary Goldman Mysteries (PI), Kenzie Kirsch Medical Thrillers, Parks Pat Mysteries (police procedural), and YA series: Tamara's Teardrops, Between the Cracks, and Breaking the Pattern.
Workman loves writing about the underdog, who the reader may love or hate. She has been praised for her realistic details, deep characterization, and sensitive handling of the serious social issues that appear in all of her stories, from light cozy mysteries through to darker, grittier young adult and mystery/suspense books.
P. D. Workman, does not shy from probing the deep psychological scars of childhood trauma, mental illness, and addiction. Also characteristic of this author, these extremely sensitive issues are explored with extensive empathy, described with incredible clarity, and portrayed with profound insight.
—KIM, GOODREADS REVIEWER
Some of Workman's titles have been translated into Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, and Italian.
