Maddie's Recipe Of Mysteries (A Rockcrest Cove Cozy Mystery Book 1)

Maddie’s Recipe of Mysteries

A Rockcrest Cove Mystery Series

Book 1

Emily Page

Copyright © 2015 Emily Page

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher

Chapter One

Madeline’s shoes pounded out a fast staccato rhythm as she made her way down the cobblestone street to her bakery shop. She wasn’t in any particular hurry, there was nothing waiting for her when she got there, nor did she have some urgent matter that needed attending to. While most people looked on and felt a bit anxious as she made her way past the tidy little row of quaint shops and peddlers on Maple Street, she was really just being her normal self.

Despite her passing the half-century mark in age, she had never really learned how to slow down and take life easy. She was just a busy woman with a lot of busy things that needed to get done. While she was finishing up one thing, her mind was already on to the next thing. So, while most people strolled down the street as they went about their business, Madeline took life at a pretty fast clip.

She wore her usual fare as she made her way to work, a pair of khakis and a simple blouse that was just long enough to cover her ample derrière, of which she had always been a bit self-conscious. And on her feet, she wore a sassy little pair of booties, shoes that resembled a boot but with the shaft cut off. The heels were at least three inches high so that she could give her five-foot, two-inch body a little more height, something else she was always self-conscious about. She knew she couldn’t walk around the bakery in them all day, but at least she’d look cute walking down the street. She would change into something more sensible as soon as she got to work.

On her arm swung a large canvas bag that looked far too big for her tiny frame. The black fabric tote had a zippered top that was only half closed. If you looked closely, you’d see a white ball of fur occasionally stick its head out of the bag and look around before ducking back down into its hiding place. Her Persian cat, Astoria, was Madeline’s constant companion and was with her for nearly everything she did. Quite comfortable in her homemade tote, Astoria merely wanted to know what was going on at all times. The two were inseparable even in the bakery, where Astoria spent most of her time secluded away in the back office.

At four in the morning, the streets were still quiet. The small town of Rockcrest Cove, had not awakened just yet, but in an hour or so, customers would be clamoring at her door for their morning cup of Joe and a little sweetness to go along with it. It was her practice to open up by five so that customers would not have to wait for their morning boost. Her mind was already on what she needed to do, but she knew that she had plenty of time.

Madeline rounded the corner and crossed the street and headed straight to the shop. She noticed a few lights on in other storefronts along the street but nothing was open yet. Her shop was usually the first one to open and the first to close. It was as if all the other shopkeepers followed her suit. She opened at five, the butcher across the street opened at six, the five and dime would usually open at seven, and Joe the barber next door was usually last when he opened at eight. By nine the street would be abuzz with activity, but for now, Rockcrest Cove was still asleep.

She put her key into the lock and opened the door with more force than she intended. The bells that hung on the front let out a soft tinkling sound as they experienced their first movements of the day. The smell of the sugar, butter, and coffee still lingered in the air from the day before. Madeline took in a deep breath and relished in it for just a minute.

As was her usual habit, she headed straight for the back office where she would set Astoria up for the day and change into her working shoes. But as she crossed the hallway from the kitchen to the office, a slimmer of light caught her eye. She stopped and backpedaled a few steps to get a better look. Her eyes opened wide as she confirmed her initial assumption. The back door was ajar. She quickly looked around the room and made an instant assessment of her surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place. That meant that someone had broken in or was trying to break in.

Slowly she put her bag down and looked around for a weapon. Her heart beating a little faster, she took careful, deliberate steps as she reached for the nearest thing she could find: a baker’s rolling pin. She tested its heft by holding one end to make sure that it would do the trick if she needed to use it. Satisfied, she brandished it over her right shoulder, holding it in place with both hands, and she stealthily crept toward the door.

With each step she became more frustrated that she had not changed her noisy booties she had worn to work. The steel toe and heel made what seemed to be an awful clicking sound with every move. She finally decided to shed them about halfway down the hall. As she approached the door in her bare socks, she gingerly pushed it open with one hand and stood back with her rolling pin ready just in case someone charged, but the door swung back silently with no particular fanfare.

She pushed again, and again nothing happened. The third time she held the door open and peeped out into the alley. In the darkness, it was difficult to make out anything clearly. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust before she was able to see a solitary figure lying near the dumpsters.

Just a homeless person, she thought, and her confidence returned. Dropping her pin, she now felt a little indignant about the intrusion on her property. She stepped out the door and approached the figure, ready to let them have it with a good piece of her mind, but stopped short just a few feet away. The body wasn’t moving; there was something eerie and strange about the way it was laying there. Even in the darkness she could see that something was wrong.

The body appeared twisted and contorted in a way that told her that life had already left this person behind. The skin had that odd grayish hue, and the eyes were vacant pools that used to be brown. The hands were twisted in such a way to show that she had been struggling and grasping for each breath, as she knew her life was ebbing away from her.

Madeline suddenly went from investigative mode to recognition. Slowly the realization dawned on her that she knew this person. A shudder ran through her as her old rival’s lifeless body lay there just outside her door.

Without realizing it, her body made an involuntary scream that seemed to be far more powerful than her tiny body should have been able to produce. For a moment she stood absolutely frozen in place as the reality of the sight settled in her mind. Within seconds, Joe, the barber next door, was running in her direction, but Madeline had yet to move.

In the darkness, he almost ran right up on the body before he realized what was before him. He stopped short, surveying the horrific scene in front of him. For a moment he seemed to be in a quandary as to what to do; should he help Madeline, who clearly seemed distraught and nearly at the point of hysteria, or should he phone the police and get them the help they needed?

“Maddie,” he asked. “Are you ok?”

Madeline didn’t answer. She stood stock still, frozen in place as if her feet were rooted to the ground underneath her.

“Maddie.” He spoke again, but still there was no response.

Joe reached into his pocket for his cell phone but remembered that he had left it inside his shop.

“Maddie,” he said, “I’ll be right back.”

He held his hand out in front of him as if he was going to touch her, but he never made contact.

“I’m going to go and get some help.”

He turned and ran back to his store as fast as he could, his feet making a soft pounding sound, breaking the silence of the early morning. 

Madeline remained rooted to her spot as though she was a statue welded in place. Slowly the shock of the sight began to wear off, and Madeline realized that her relationship was over. A new feeling began to emerge, one of sadness and disappointment. She tentatively took a step towards Emma’s body and spoke softly to her, as if she could still hear her voice.

“Oh, Emma,” she started. “I’m so sorry about everything.” She cried.

The body still lay there unmoving, but Madeline began speaking as though it were some type of cathartic release.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she continued.

“I – I wish that I had been able to see the talent you had when I first hired you, but it was my own desire for the limelight that made me block out everything but what I wanted.”

She paused for just a minute as the flood of emotions began to take its toll. Her body trembled from the shock that was settling in.

“I’m sorry that I beat you in all those competitions we fought over,” she mumbled in a low undertone.

It felt good, and it seemed to ease her shock a bit to be able to speak so openly and honestly with her rival lying at her feet.

“I should have let you take the lead in the kitchen like you wanted, you had some ideas for new recipes and I never listened to you.”

A sudden noise at the other end of the alley brought her up short. She looked in the way of Joe’s shop to see if he was coming back but saw nothing. She heard the noise again and looked down the narrow thoroughfare and noticed a darkened figure at the other end. Horror and fear fleeted across her face as she realized she was not alone. Was the killer still there? What did he hear? Had someone been watching her the whole time?

Chapter Two

By the time the first glimmer of light began to reach the town, activity around Madeline’s bakery was in full swing. If the sight of yellow tape across the entrance of the building was not enough to deter the customers from their early morning rituals, certainly the sight of a uniformed police officer standing guard was enough to do the trick. Still, while they knew that they couldn’t enter the store and start their day as they usually did, there was little motivation for them to go on about their daily business.

Rockcrest Cove was a small town, and this was probably the most excitement they’d seen in years. Many stood nearby with their phones at the ready, prepared to capture any moment they could on camera so they could discuss and debate with family and friends for days, weeks, and maybe even months or years.

Rita and Sandra, her two employees, had arrived shortly after the police and were immediately shuttled into the back office. The two girls were visibly stunned but were able to maintain their composure nevertheless. Madeline sat in her office chair, still with a dazed look on her face, but she had been able to regain some level of her original composure. The immediate shock of her discovery was beginning to wear off, and the reality of the events now unfolding before her eyes was becoming painfully clear.

Chief Edward Nolan was standing in the back doorway where Madeline had first discovered the body. His eyes were surveying the scene but his body language told a different story. He looked irritated that this crime had interfered with his sleep.

“Martin!” he shouted.

“Yes, Chief.” Deputy Martin was immediately at his side.

“What’ve you got?”

“Not much, sir,” he started.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a regulation police notebook and began to read off his notes.

“The victim’s name is Emma Larson, a former employee and coworker of Mrs. McDougal. It appears that a single gunshot wound to the chest was the cause of death, but that will have to be confirmed by the coroner.”

“Who found the body?” he asked gruffly.

“Mrs. McDougal, sir.”

Nolan went into a deep thought process for a minute.

“Larson, Larson,” he said more to himself than to the deputy by his side.

“Why does that name sound familiar?” he said, thinking out loud.

Rockcrest Cove was a pretty small town and everyone knew everyone else. He paced the floor of the narrow hallway for a minute while he racked his brain trying to figure out where he knew that name. He stopped suddenly. Carefully placing his index finger on the tip of his nose, he started thinking out loud.

“Wasn’t she another baker here in town?”

The chief’s left eyebrow shot up as he made the connection. A little half smile passed over his lips.

“Well, well, well. I may be able to go home and finish my rest after all.” The town was small enough that rivalries were never a secret.

“What’s that, sir?”

“Mrs. McDougal found the body, the deceased was a former employee of hers, and they were both in a long-time rivalry. It seems pretty obvious what happened here.”

“But, sir,” Martin interjected, “shouldn’t we get a forensic team in here before we draw any conclusions?”

“Listen here, deputy. I’ve been doing this a long time. I’ve been solving cases like this since long before we got a forensic team here. Where is Mrs. McDougal?” he demanded. “I can solve this case right now.”

“Um, she’s in the office, sir.”

Martin pointed toward the office door and turned and left the room before any more of an exchange could occur.

Nolan entered the office and surveyed the room. The three women sat silently in their prospective corners, each lost in their own thoughts. He felt a little proud of himself, satisfied that he had already solved the case. The only thing left for him to do was to get a signed confession. In his mind, he could already see the mayor bestowing him with honors for his swift action.

He pulled up a chair across from Madeline. “Mrs. McDougal,” he started.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” he asked.

“Everyone calls me Maddie,” she said, her voice stoic and numb.

“What?” He paused for just a beat as he processed her statement. “Oh, yes. Ok. So, Madeline, can you tell me what happened?”

Madeline sat with her hands on her desk, nervously fingering the rim of the cup of coffee she was supposed to be drinking.

“Well, like I told the other officer, I was just getting to work this morning and I noticed that the back door was ajar. So I decided to go and investigate.”

Nolan eyes surveyed his suspect’s tiny frame. “You. Investigate.”

“Yes.”

“With what?” he asked, almost as if to mock her. She didn’t look like she was strong enough to take on any burglar.

“A rolling pin.” She chuckled a bit to herself as she thought about confronting a criminal with a rolling pin. “I guess I wasn’t thinking right.”

“I suppose not.”

“Anyway, when I opened the door that’s when I saw the body.”

Her voice trailed off as the vision of Emma’s body lying on the cold hard ground of the back alley filled her mind.

“Who was with you?” Nolan prodded.

“It was only me. I usually open up first and then the girls come in a little later.

“So, you were here alone when the murder happened.”

“I-I-I don’t know when the murder happened. I was here alone when I found her,” Madeline corrected.

“How convenient,” Nolan scoffed.

The pupils of Madeline’s eyes slowly begin to dilate as she caught Nolan’s tone.

“Wha!” She exclaimed. “You can’t possibly mean that I…No, I couldn’t…”

She was unable to finish her statement. The shock of it all was overwhelming at best.

Chief Nolan removed his square-rimmed glasses and looked directly into her eyes.

“Well what do you expect me to believe?”

He began counting off his assumptions on his fingers.

“You discovered the body, she was your employee, and you were long-time rivals.”

It took only a minute before Madeline’s mind registered the sideways accusation. She sat there staring at the chief, her mouth agape as she processed the situation.

“Aren’t you going to investigate?”

Nolan rose from his seat and looked around the room.

“Not much need for that when you have the number one suspect right in front of you, is there?”

Chief Nolan turned away from Madeline and started slowly toward the door.

She was speechless for just a heartbeat while the weight of the accusation hung over her head.

“But, you are going to investigate, aren’t you?” she asked again to confirm.

Nolan turned at the door to face her.

“I already have,” he said a little too cockily for her taste.

“Don’t go anywhere,” he added. “I’ll be right back.”

He turned and walked out the door without ever looking back.

Appalled, Madeline looked across the room at Rita and Sandra, both of who had a look of shock and dismay on their faces. They had heard the entire exchange. The shock of earlier events was now eclipsed by this horrific accusation. Madeline sat in stony silence for a minute before Rita spoke up.

“Ms. Maddie,” she said, “you have to call someone.”

Madeline said nothing in response; she was trying to compose herself. The stress was beginning to get the best of her.

“Ms. Madeline.” Rita inserted her voice more forcefully to interrupt her thoughts.

This time Madeline’s eyes slowly turned in her direction. The fire burning in them was plain to see.

“Call Bailey,” Rita said softly. “Call her now. Before they come back.”

She pointed her head toward the door.

Madeline nodded in agreement and fumbled in her bag for her cell phone. She quickly hit the button that said Bailey and waited for the phone to ring.

Bailey was still sleeping when the phone jolted her out of a pleasant dream. She let out a groan as the shrill sound pierced her sleep cycle, ripping her from her precious sleep. She opened her eyes just a crack as she looked at the clock. 4:50! Who in their right mind would be calling at 4:50 in the morning? Her initial thought was to disconnect and let it ring through, but then that sudden rush of fear ran through her. Phones don’t usually ring that early in the morning unless someone has died or has been in an accident. Quickly she rolled over and checked her caller ID. It was her gran.

Strange, she thought. She should be at the bakery at this hour. Something must be wrong. She snatched up the phone and answered.

“Hello.”

Bailey’s voice had that raspy sound that said that she had just woken up.

“Hello, Bailey.”

“Good morning, Gran,” Bailey responded. She could instantly tell that something was not right.

“What’s wrong?”

Madeline had a difficult time getting the words to come to her mouth.

“Something terrible has happened,” she finally managed to say.

“What?”

Bailey asked again, her heart pounding a little too rapidly for that hour of the morning.

“Emma Larson is dead,”

Madeline forced herself to say.

“She was found outside the store this morning, and the police think I did it.”

She blurted out the rest of the information all at once. There. It was all out there now. She wouldn’t have to speak the horrible details about it anymore.

“What!?” Bailey was suddenly fully alert. “Don’t be absurd!” she exclaimed, her anger rising. “Where are you?”

“I’m at the store right now.”

Nolan came back into the office and Madeline had to lower her voice into the phone. She gave a sideways glance at Nolan, who was watching her suspiciously from the doorway.

“Who are you talking to?” he asked.

“M-m-my granddaughter,” Madeline managed to say.

Bailey spoke into the phone, saying, and “Is that him?”

“Yes,” Madeline said quietly.

“What’s his name?” she asked.

Madeline didn’t want to speak while Chief Nolan was still in the room. For some reason she didn’t want him to know she was talking about him, probably an old self-conscious habit from her school days. So, she just held the phone and said nothing.

It was Nolan who broke the silence instead.

“Why don’t you hang up the phone right now, and we’ll talk some more.”

Madeline was now beginning to lose her patience. She stared at Nolan with eyes that cut through him like daggers.

“I am talking to my granddaughter, and unless you are charging me with a crime, I see no reason why I can’t speak with her.”