Six Sweets Under, page 10
Sawyer sat on the bench between True Confections and the neighboring store. I joined him, thinking I could guess what he wanted to talk about.
“I wanted to make sure you’re okay,” he said.
I’d guessed correctly.
I stared at the cup in my hands. “I’m fine. Really. A bit embarrassed, maybe. I got really overwhelmed in that moment.”
“You don’t need to be embarrassed, Becca. I’m just glad you’re all right.”
I turned my cup around in my hands. “Thanks for calming me down. I’d say you went above and beyond your duties as a police officer.”
He touched my hand briefly. “I might have been in uniform, but I did that as a friend.”
I met his eyes and smiled, grateful. “I know.”
We sat in silence for a moment, sipping at our drinks.
“How did Gareth’s race go yesterday?” Sawyer asked eventually.
I smiled again. “He won. I’ll have to text him and ask what time he’s racing in the finals.” I took in the sight of Sawyer’s jeans and T-shirt. “You’re not working today?”
“I am, but my shift doesn’t start for an hour.”
“Will you ever get a day off while the murder is unsolved?”
A slow grin appeared on his face. “Are you eager to get on with your gondolier lesson?”
Laughter almost bubbled out of me but I kept it contained. “No comment.”
Sawyer leaned back and rested an arm along the back of the bench. “Things might calm down a bit after the races. We’ll still have plenty of tourists, but not quite so many.”
“And the murder investigation?” I asked. “Is it likely to be solved anytime soon?”
“That would be nice, but there’s still a long way to go.” He shifted his weight on the bench. “Becca, I should warn you—or maybe I shouldn’t, really—there’s a good chance your grandfather will be questioned again.”
I closed my eyes briefly. I had worried about that. There was no way I could tell Sawyer about the scooter. It would be far better if Pops told the cops himself. It still wouldn’t look good that he’d held back that information, but if the police learned about it from anyone other than him, that would be even worse.
“He’s not helping himself,” Sawyer said.
“I know. I’ll talk to him. He can be so stubborn sometimes.”
One corner of Sawyer’s mouth quirked upward. “I guess it runs in the family.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you saying I’m stubborn?”
“I’ve known you to be now and again over the years.”
“Name one example,” I challenged.
“What about that time when you borrowed my skateboard and then refused to give it back for weeks?”
“It was days, not weeks,” I said. “And that was because I was mad at you for dipping the end of my ponytail in paint.”
He was enjoying the conversation far too much. “Hey, I was just trying to help you out.”
“How was that helping?”
“You were always saying that you wanted purple hair. So, when I had that purple paint out in art class, I thought I’d do you a favor.”
“Paint does not equal hair dye.”
“I know that now.” He tugged a lock of my hair. “I could run over to the drugstore . . .”
I gave him a light shove. “No, thank you.”
We settled down again, a comfortable silence falling over us.
Sawyer was the first to break it. “So, are we going to lose you to the bright lights of Hollywood again?” There was something subtly hesitant about the way he asked the question.
My mood dimmed. “No.”
“Does that mean . . . ?”
“That Justin and I are done?” My shoulders sagged. “Not officially.”
Silence stretched between us again, but this time it felt different, not quite as easy.
“I thought you might miss your acting career,” Sawyer said eventually.
“Sometimes I do,” I admitted. “The actual acting part, anyway. Some of the other things that went with it . . . not so much.”
“The fame, you mean?”
“I’m not sure I’d call myself famous, but people were starting to recognize me on the street. The more successful I became, the more extra stuff there was to deal with.” I picked at the sleeve on my takeout cup. “I had to stop looking at the comments on my social media posts. Most of them were positive, but there were always trolls. And I kept putting so much pressure on myself. I felt like I needed to look my best every time I stepped out the door in case someone wanted to take my photograph. Then there were the times I was told I wasn’t pretty enough or thin enough for a role.”
Sawyer’s eyes seemed to darken, and anger rumbled beneath his next words. “People seriously said that to you?”
“It happened a couple of times.”
“Those people don’t know what they’re talking about.”
I appreciated his indignation on my behalf.
“To be honest, most of the pressure on me was my own doing,” I said. “My anxiety kept getting worse. When I was actually acting, I’d lose myself in the character and the story. But the rest of the time . . . I guess I’m just not cut out for that life.”
“Sounds like it’s healthier for you to stay right here,” Sawyer said.
I held his gaze and smiled, realizing I couldn’t have put it better myself. “Definitely.”
I broke eye contact and took a long drink of my tea, suddenly worried the conversation might turn back to Justin.
“I need to get Pops out of trouble,” I said. “He’s not being vague about his alibi because he’s guilty. He’s . . .” I trailed off, fearing I’d already said too much.
Sawyer didn’t miss my hesitancy. “Becca, if you know something relevant to the murder investigation, you need to share it.”
“I need to talk to Pops first.”
He watched me, his eyes serious and a little too astute for my comfort.
I fought not to squirm beneath his gaze. “I’ll talk to him today. I promise.” I tried to nudge the conversation along. “Does anyone else look guiltier than Pops?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
I figured as much, but his answer still disappointed me.
Sawyer stood up. “I should get going.”
“Wait a second.” I jumped up and unlocked the shop’s door. “There’s something I want to give you.”
I ducked into the kitchen and filled a small paper bag with misfit chocolates. I took the bag out into the shop and found Sawyer checking out a display of chocolate gondolas filled with bonbons and truffles. There were only four left. I really needed to get on with making more.
“Those are cool,” he said as he turned to face me.
“Thanks.” I held up the small bag. “Some misfits. Peanut butter pretzel truffles, to be exact.”
He put a hand to the pocket of his jeans. “How much?”
“On the house.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“I want to.” I pressed the bag into his hand, curling his fingers around it.
My hand lingered over his. He intertwined his fingers with mine and gave them a gentle squeeze. Avoiding his gaze, I dropped my hand and grabbed one of the chocolate gondolas off the shelf, its plastic wrapping crackling with my touch.
“Take this too.”
“Becca . . .”
“Really. I want you to have it.”
He accepted the gift. “Thank you. From past experience, I’m guessing these won’t last me more than a day or two.”
“Then you’ll have to come back soon.”
He looked me straight in the eye when he said, “You can count on it.”
When I shut and locked the shop door behind him, I didn’t let myself think about the reason why my pulse was fluttering.
Chapter Fourteen
I worked until midmorning before taking a break. By then I had new batches of piña colada bonbons and peanut butter pretzel truffles made, and several chocolate gondolas that would soon come out of their molds. I’d had the molds custom made, and I was glad they’d proved so popular. I was also glad I’d decided to return to work. Keeping busy had helped to clear my mind. Temporarily, at least. I knew what I had to do in terms of my relationship with Justin. I just wasn’t eager to actually do it.
After washing my hands and stretching my arms over my head, I peeked into the front. Customers had been coming and going since opening, but at the moment there seemed to be a lull. The only people there were Angela and Milo.
“Looks like a rare quiet moment,” I said as I joined them in the shop area.
Milo glanced up from the boxes of chocolates he was straightening on a shelf. “I know steady sales are good, but we needed this breather.”
“I’ll say.” Angie hurried out from behind the counter and pulled me into a hug. “I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to talk earlier, Becca. And I’m sorry about Justin leaving.”
I groaned. “Does the whole town know about that?”
She stepped back and held me at arm’s length. “I don’t know about the whole town. I heard it from Lolly last night.”
Hopefully that meant the news was still within the family. It wouldn’t stay that way for long, though. Not in this town.
“Are you moving away again?” Milo asked.
The hint of disappointment in his voice surprised me. “You don’t want me to?”
He shrugged, trying to be casual. “It’s cool having a cousin on TV and in movies, but I like having you here better.”
I gave him a hug. “Thank you. You don’t know how nice that is to hear.” I smiled at him with affection. “You’re so adorable.”
He made a face. “I’m not adorable. Or cute.”
Behind me, Angie giggled. Milo glared at her.
I fought to keep myself from laughing. “How about a very cool and wonderful young man?”
“That I can live with.”
The bell above the door jingled as a customer entered the store. Milo greeted the woman as Angie drew me aside.
“I can’t believe Pops got questioned by the police,” she whispered once we reached the hall that led to the kitchen. “He wouldn’t hurt anyone!”
“You and I know that, but it seems the cops need some convincing.”
“He’s not in any real trouble, is he?”
When I saw the worry in my cousin’s eyes, I wanted to reassure her.
“I’m hoping it won’t come to that,” I said. “I plan to convince the police of his innocence.”
The bell jingled again as four more customers came into the shop. It looked like the lull had come to an end.
Angie gave my arm a squeeze. “I’m glad you’ve got things under control.”
She turned her attention to the new customers while I lingered in the hall. I didn’t think I had things under control, but I wasn’t going to admit that to Angela. I didn’t want her to worry. I was already doing enough of that for the both of us.
I checked the time on my phone. I needed to make another two batches of chocolates before calling it a day, but I could spare a few minutes more away from the kitchen. After removing my apron, I made my way through the now-crowded shop and out the front door.
Maria’s store, Pure Bliss, sat near the eastern end of Venice Avenue. I’d never been inside, even though I passed the store on a daily basis.
As soon as I opened the door, mingled scents wafted toward me. Two older women were checking out a display of hand lotions and three young women passed me on their way out of the store, but I was the only other customer. Carmen stood behind the counter. She smiled and called out a greeting when I entered the shop. I didn’t see Maria anywhere.
The two other remaining customers approached the counter with their selections, so I killed time by pretending to browse the products on the shelves. I barely noticed what I was looking at. I kept hoping that Maria would appear from the back so I would have a chance to talk to her.
By the time the other women left the shop, Maria still hadn’t made an appearance.
Carmen came over my way. “You’re Becca Ransom, right?”
“That’s right. I saw you yesterday on your way out of the woods.”
“I really like hiking, and it’s so peaceful in the forest. I wasn’t quick enough to tell you this the other day, but I loved your show Twilight Hills. I was really sad when it got canceled.”
“Thank you,” I said, pleased to know she’d enjoyed the TV drama. “I was sad too. It was a fun show to work on.”
“My sister is a major fan of Passion City. She said you were on that show too.”
“For a few episodes.” I was glad she’d brought up the subject of her sister. “Is Maria around today?”
“She’s in the back. I’d go get her, but she’s in the middle of making a new batch of soap.”
“There’s no need to disturb her,” I said, although I was disappointed that I wouldn’t get a chance to question her. Maybe I could still get some information from Carmen. “I talked to Maria at the vigil the other night.”
Carmen nodded, her face solemn. “Lexi was Maria’s best friend back in high school. It’s crazy how she disappeared without a trace.”
“And then there’s Archie Smith’s mysterious death almost on the anniversary of Lexi’s disappearance,” I said.
“Yes, but it’s not like Archie will be missed as much as Lexi. I know I’m not supposed to speak ill of the dead, but he wasn’t a very nice guy.”
“I’ve heard that from a lot of people, and I understand Maria didn’t like him much.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“Did something specific happen to make her dislike him?” I asked, keeping the question casual.
“That incident with the town house development. Maria is very passionate about plants.”
I had no idea what she was talking about. “What do plants have to do with the new town houses?”
“Archie was dead-set on stopping the development. He tried protesting and vandalizing the construction equipment. When that didn’t work, he claimed he found an endangered plant growing on the land that was going to be developed.”
“Was he telling the truth?”
“Maria went to find out. There was an endangered plant, but it hadn’t been growing there. It was transplanted, and it died as a result. Maria was furious.”
“I’m guessing it was Archie who transplanted it.”
“Nobody ever doubted it, and it turned out he was caught on security camera. The developers put cameras in after the equipment was vandalized.”
“Your sister must have wanted to throttle Archie,” I said.
“She sure did.”
“I hope her history with him didn’t get her in hot water with the police when he died.”
“They talked to her, but they talked to a lot of people.” For the first time, she sounded defensive. “My sister didn’t kill the guy.”
“I wasn’t suggesting that she did,” I said quickly, even though the possibility was what had brought me to the shop.
“If you ask me, the person the police should be looking at is Tammy Doyle.”
“Jolene’s mother? Why?” I asked.
“Tammy doesn’t live in Larch Haven anymore, but she’s here now visiting Jolene and she had a bitter history with Archie.”
“I heard about how Archie refused to acknowledge that Jolene was his daughter.”
“And he hardly ever paid any child support,” Carmen said. “Poor Tammy raised Jolene all by herself, and she didn’t have any family close by to help her out.”
“How did Archie get away with paying so little support over the years?”
Carmen shrugged. “I heard he eventually managed to convince the courts that he was broke and unable to work because of some old injury.” She rolled her eyes. “A pack of lies, probably.”
The door opened and three women came into the shop.
Carmen glanced their way before saying to me, “Is there anything I can help you find?”
“No, thank you,” I said. “I’m just browsing.”
Carmen turned her attention to the other customers.
I decided to keep up the pretense of being interested in the displays, but it didn’t take long before I was no longer pretending. I ended up buying two bars of soap, one honey-oatmeal and the other spearmint. They smelled amazing.
My visit to Maria’s shop hadn’t allowed me to cross her name off my suspect list. In fact, now I wondered if I needed to add another name—Tammy Doyle.
I had a new appreciation for Sawyer’s job. Solving crimes definitely wasn’t as easy as it often appeared to be on television. I’d never even played the part of a fictional detective. The closest I’d ever come to a mystery was reading about them in books, so this was all completely new to me. For a second, I wondered if I was in way over my head. Then I realized that didn’t matter.
As long as Pops was in trouble, I had to keep digging.
Chapter Fifteen
When I returned to true confections, a family of four was pointing out bonbons to Milo to pack in a box. My mom’s friend Estelle stood next to one of the cash registers, chatting with Angela over the counter.
I stopped to say hello to them. I was about to continue on to the back when I heard Estelle say, “I thought about organizing a memorial service for Archie, but even his own daughter doesn’t want to attend.”
“Really?” I said with surprise. “I thought Jolene had made peace with Archie before he died.”
Estelle appeared puzzled. “Not as far as I know. I’m not one for eavesdropping, of course, but I accidentally heard her talking to her husband the day Archie’s body was found in the canal. I didn’t hear every word, but she mentioned his name and said ‘good riddance’ with a fair amount of vitriol.”
