Evil Eclairs (24 page)

“I suppose there are wolves everywhere,” I answered. “Can I give you a ride somewhere?”

“That would be great,” she said.

After she got into my Jeep, I asked, “Where are you heading?”

“I’m on my way home. My blasted car died on me again, and I can’t afford to get it fixed just yet. When my big check comes, I’m going to trade it in on something that runs.”

“Who’s sending you money?” I asked.

She lowered her voice, though it was just the two of us in the car. “I’m not telling anyone yet, but I recently won a bit of money in the lottery.”

“You mean people actually make money playing?” I asked.

“I know, it’s crazy how the odds are, but every now and then I put five dollars down, just in case. This time I won. It’s not a fortune, but it should make my life easier. Suzanne, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t spread that around.”

“I won’t tell a soul. Congratulations.”

“Thanks. Where are you headed?”

“I’m going to the hospital to see George Morris,” I said.

“I forgot you two were friends. Any word on his condition? The last I heard, he was still unconscious.”

“That’s why I’m going. He’s been out a long time.”

“You can let me off right here,” she said as she motioned to a nearby intersection. “I can walk the rest of the way.”

I pulled over, and she hopped out. “Thanks again.”

“I expect a ride in that new car of yours,” I said.

“You’ve got a deal.”

I had a hard time believing that Cara could be a killer, but it couldn’t be harder than Grace believing that about Lacy. It was difficult not to let the fact that I liked someone cloud my judgment. I didn’t know how Chief Martin did it, and I began to have a little sympathy for him, unusual for me.

I couldn’t get in to see George, a fact I learned when I checked in at the intensive care unit. Was Penny on duty? I asked a nurse, and was told to wait, which I had never been any good at.

Penny came out ten minutes later. “Hey, Suzanne. You didn’t bring any more donuts, did you? There are still some in the nurse’s lounge.”

“I’ll bring fresh donuts in tomorrow morning,” I said. “Any news on George?”

“He’s still unconscious,” she admitted, and I could have sworn she looked worried about it.

“It’s not good, is it?” It broke my heart to say those words.

“I told you before, there’s no way we can tell, but if he’s not alert by morning, we might have something to worry about.”

“I know you can’t tell me anything officially, but surely you’ve got an opinion. I’m a big girl. I can take it.”

“I don’t believe in speculating,” she said firmly. “I’ve been wrong too many times in the past.”

She had just finished speaking when a code for the ICU section was called over the intercom.

Without a word, Penny sprinted back, and I was left to wonder if George was going to make it, or if he was taking his last breath as I stood helplessly by.

A TWIST ON TEXTURED DONUTS

This is a recipe I borrowed from a friend of mine. They’re a nice change of pace from standard donuts, and they have the added benefit of being simple to make and not requiring many ingredients. We like them for dipping into tasty additions like apple butter, strawberry jam, and even melted chocolate!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup buttermilk (2% or whole milk will also do, even water in a pinch)

DIRECTIONS

Heat canola oil to 360 degrees while you mix the batter. When it’s blended well, you’re ready to go! Take a teaspoon of batter and rake it into the fryer with another spoon. If the dough doesn’t rise soon, gently nudge it with a chopstick, being careful not to splatter oil. After two minutes, check, and then flip, frying for another minute on the other side. These times may vary given too many factors to count, so keep a close eye on the donuts.

Makes around eighteen small donuts.

CHAPTER 18

Fifteen minutes later Penny walked back out, her face a mask of sadness. The news I’d been dreading appeared to be at hand.

“He didn’t make it, did he?” I asked as she approached.

She just shook her head, and I felt myself start to collapse. Penny managed to break my fall and steer me to a chair. “It’s not George. It’s not George.”

It took a few seconds for the words to sink it.

“We just lost Mr. Hickman,” she said. “Nobody expected him to pull through, but it’s never easy losing one of your favorites.”

“What about George?”

“Still no change,” she said.

“That’s good news, right?”

“It’s not bad,” Penny said.

“Are you going to be working much longer?”

“I’m at the start of my shift. I’ll call you if there’s any change, I promise.”

I nodded. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“We lose too many in the ICU, but we save some, too. That’s what I have to keep focusing on. I’ll see you later, Suzanne.”

“Bye,” I said as she headed back inside. There were times I fussed about having to make donuts seven days a week to keep my business afloat, but it was never a matter of life and death. I didn’t know how the doctors and nurses managed to deal with it, but I was really glad that someone could.

I decided to stop by the donut shop on the way home and check on my flour order. It had been delayed two weeks before, and I was running low. I’d forgotten to call the supplier when Grace had shown up today, and if I wanted to keep making donuts, I had to have flour on hand to do it.

After I got that straightened out, I was locking the shop up when I noticed Gabby watching me from next door. I almost ignored her, since it had been a long day, but that would just be delaying the inevitable. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to her shop, and was surprised when she came out to meet me.

“I dated Lester Moorefield,” she said in a rush. “I didn’t know he was married or I would have never gone out with him in the first place.” She looked relieved to finally tell someone.

“When did you break it off?” I asked.

“Six months ago. He wouldn’t let me tell anyone we were going out, and I got tired of all the secrecy. I dropped him, but I didn’t kill him, Suzanne.”

Six months was a long time for someone to hold a grudge, even Gabby. “I believe you,” I said.

She looked into my eyes. “You really do, don’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Gabby asked, “Should I tell Chief Martin about it?”

“I don’t see why you would,” I said. “I wouldn’t deny it if he asked you, but I don’t think it’s something anyone needs to know but us, do you?”

Gabby nodded. “Yes, that’s excellent advice. Thank you, Suzanne.”

“You’re welcome,” I answered. I couldn’t see Lester and Gabby together, not that I wanted to picture that particular pairing in my mind, and I didn’t think it was anybody’s business but hers. As I drove home, I marveled yet again at how anyone could keep a secret in April Springs. For such a small town, it was a very busy place, particularly behind the scenes and away from Springs Drive.

*   *   *

“Cam, what are you doing here?” I’d seen a strange car parked in our driveway, but I’d assumed it belonged to someone my mother knew. Our mayor was sitting on the steps, lying in wait for me.

“We need to talk,” he said. The jovial mayor was gone, replaced by a man who looked as though he meant business.

“What about? I’m expecting Jake Bishop any second. You’ve met the state police inspector, haven’t you?”

“Our paths have crossed,” he said as he stood. “I’ll make this quick, then. Sherry lied to you.”

“About the affair?”

“Her alibi. I was at my place waiting for her that night, and she’s the one who didn’t show up. I don’t know why you keep digging into this. You’re going to make a killer have reason to come after you if you don’t stop.”

“Is that a threat?”

“I told you before, I don’t make threats. You’re playing with something dangerous here, and you can’t count on your boyfriend to keep you safe.”

He started down the steps as I asked, “How did you know that I even talked to Sherry?”

“She told me,” Cam said. “I guess if she says it enough, she’ll start to believe that it’s true. The woman’s setting you up, Suzanne.”

“And I should believe you?” I asked.

“It’s the truth. You know what? On second thought, I don’t care what you do. Just quit butting into my life.”

“Watch your tone of voice, young man,” my mother said from behind me. I hadn’t even heard her open the door.

Cam turned and smiled at her. “Good evening, Dorothy.”

“Don’t even think about it,” Momma said.

“What’s that?”

“Trying that smooth line on me. I heard what you just said, and how you said it. You must be growing tired of being our mayor.”

He laughed at that. “Why do you say that?”

“By the way you’re acting, it might be time for a change.”

That brought out a snort. “Who’s going to beat me in the next election, you?”

“I have more friends than you might realize,” she said.

“Momma, it’s okay. I’ve got this.”

She gave me a quick look of dismissal, and then turned back to the mayor. “You may leave now.”

“I’m not afraid of you, Dorothy.”

“It’s ‘Mrs. Hart’ to you,” she said, icing him with her best glare.

He left then, but I could tell the Hart ladies were not his favorites in the world. Once his car was gone, Momma turned to me. “What did he say to you?”

“He keeps threatening me, telling me to butt out, but then he claims it wasn’t a threat at all.”

“The man’s got sharp teeth,” she said.

“Are you telling me I should stop nosing around?” Momma had expressed her unhappiness with my investigations in the past, and I was certain this wasn’t going to be any different. I understood her desire to protect me, no matter how old I was, but that didn’t mean I had to like it.

My mother shook her head as she said, “On the contrary. What can I do to help?”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Are you serious?”

“I don’t joke about things like this,” she said. “Cam Hamilton has won his last election if I have anything to say about it.”

“Just because of the way he treated me?”

Momma shook her head. “I’ve heard rumors about him in the past, but I’ve never given them much credence. Seeing how he just treated you has changed my mind. The man’s a bully at heart, and that’s something I will not tolerate.”

Suddenly I felt sorry for our mayor. My mother had locked him in her sights, and I knew there was no way she was going to give up until he was thrown out of office.

“I repeat,” she said. “What can I do?”

“I need to confirm Sherry Lance’s alibi. She claims she was at a restaurant waiting for Cam the night of the murder, but she won’t tell me where she was.”

“Give me a moment.”

I followed her inside, and Momma went straight to the telephone. I heard her say Sherry’s name, ask the question I had, and she waited for an answer. After a moment, she thanked her and hung up. “She was at the East Side Diner in Bonham’s Landing. An older woman named Betty waited on her all night.”

As Momma looked up the number for the restaurant, I asked, “Why would she tell you, when she wouldn’t say a word to me?”

“Unlike our mayor, Sherry understands the power structure around here. Hmm. Should we run her for mayor against Cam?”

“They were dating until just recently,” I said.

“That could certainly make for an interesting matchup,” she said as she dialed the number. “Hello,” she said when she got them on the line. “I need to speak with one of your waitstaff. Her name is Betty.” There was a pause, and then Momma said, “I need one minute of her time. If I have to come down there, it will be considerably more inconvenient for you.”

After a second, Momma asked, “Betty? I need to ask you about a woman named Sherry Lance. She was in there this week. Yes. Describe her, please. What night was this? Thank you for your time.”

Momma hung up and smiled at me. “She remembers Sherry, all right. It was the night of Lester’s murder, too.”

“That was brilliant getting her to describe Sherry. I wouldn’t have thought of doing that myself.”

“I’m willing to bet that you would,” Momma said. “After all, you got your skills from your mother.”

“So, I can cross Sherry’s name off my list of suspects.”

“But Cam Hamilton’s stays on.”

“Are you kidding? I’m ready to highlight it in yellow,” I answered.

“Who else is on your slate of suspects? Perhaps I can help with one of those, as well.”

I was about to take her up on it when I smelled something in the kitchen. “Is something burning?”

“The gravy,” she said as she rushed into the kitchen. I followed her, and the pan on the stovetop was smoking. Momma grabbed the pan and poured it into the sink. “I’m afraid that’s ruined.”

“We’ll just have to do without the gravy.”

“I’m so sorry that I forgot to tell you. Jake is coming by to take me out tonight.”

She smiled brightly. “Then we don’t need gravy, do we?”

I looked around and saw that she had just pulled her famous lemon chicken out of the oven. “You cooked for nothing.”

“Don’t believe that for a second. We can have chicken salad, chicken wraps, and chicken baked potatoes this week.”

“You know I love chicken,” I said with a grin.

“When is he picking you up?”

I glanced at my watch. “I’ve got ten minutes to make myself beautiful.”

“You’ll need considerably more than that,” she said.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I said as I started for the stairs.

“Don’t be that way. All I meant to say was that you have your work cut out for you. Can I help?”

“No, I think you’ve done enough.”

“Excellent,” she said, missing my sarcasm completely.

I had to laugh as I took the stairs two at time. It was a nice change of pace having Momma on my side. She had pull in April Springs that I would never have. If I were Cam Hamilton, I’d be scared stiff at the moment. He’d better not plan on redecorating his office; I doubted he’d be keeping it much longer. As I showered, I thought about who was left on my list of suspects now that Sherry was out. Cam was at the head of it, followed by less likely suspects like Lacy, Cara, Nancy, and Frank Wheeler. Then again, it could be someone who hadn’t shown up on my radar yet. If Jake could solve this case, or even Chief Martin, I wouldn’t mind in the least. Whatever it took to get me out from under being suspected of murder was fine with me, and I’d gladly give someone else the credit.