Sweet Taffy and Murder: Sweet Taffy Cozy Mysteries Book #1 (19 page)

On the way back through town, Taffy stopped off at the town hall. She took the steps to the utilities department. She smiled kindly at the woman with the cat’s-eye glasses. She didn’t smile back right away. Then she seemed to recognize Taffy.

“You’re Miss One-Week, aren’t you? I’m sorry, I can’t give you a refund on the remaining monthly fee.” She tapped at her keyboard.

“I was just wondering if you knew where I could find Bill Doucet.”

“He’s not been answering my calls, Hon. Nothing much I can do. He’ll turn up eventually.”

“Have you heard about the fire?”

“What fire?”

“At the Harken house. I think the fire started because of that faulty wiring.”

The woman stroked a few keys, peered at her screen, and looked back at Taffy.

“No, that got fixed. The work order’s right here.”

“What? When?”

“Looks like last week sometime.”

“But I never saw Bill.”

Taffy remembered the day she came home and found the cup in the dish rack. Had Bill snuck in that day? Had he made a coffee and reminisced about Janet?

“Can I have a copy of the work order?”

“Sure. Give me a minute.”

With the work order in hand, Taffy left the utilities department and dialed Maria on her way back to Ethan’s.

“Bill fixed the wiring when I wasn’t home.”

“That’s odd.”

“Well, according to everyone in town, Bill’s odd. But that means it wasn’t faulty wiring that started the fire.”

“I was sure Gravely wrote faulty wiring on his report.”

“He was just guessing. It was arson.”

“You think it was Austin?”

“Can’t prove it. Yet.”

“You really want to go through with this?”

“Let’s do it. For Janet.”

“You’re one brave nut, my friend.”

“So I’m no longer an apple with a rotten core?”

Maria laughed. “I was such a you-know-what that night.”

“So was I.”

“Hold on, I have another call coming in.” Maria’s voice dropped away for a second and then was back.

“It’s Gravely, what should I tell him?”

“Let him know about our suspicions about the chief, that we’re worried about him taking bribes from investors, but don’t say anything about Austin yet. They’re friends, and he might feel protective of him, too.”

She remembered how Ellie had said he’d let her off the hook after catching her stealing. He might be a softie for those he cared about. And the fewer people who knew what she and Maria were planning, the better.

Taffy added, “For this to work, Austin can’t suspect anything.”

“I agree. It’s better we have real proof before we make accusations. This could all still amount to nothing.”

“I know, and if this doesn’t work—”

“We’ll have no choice but to let the case lie,” said Maria. “You understand that, don’t you? This last stunt puts my job on the line.”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“And you’re still sure you want to go through with it?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Dead sure.”

They agreed to meet later. Maria would bring what they needed.

When Taffy got back to Ethan’s, she explained what she and Maria were planning to do.

“She could get in to real trouble for going rogue like that,” Ethan said, starting to pace.

“If nothing comes of it, no one will need to know she took the stuff.”

“It’s not just that. I don’t like the idea of you going on another date with Austin Vallee.” He frowned with distaste.

“I’ll be fine. And Maria will be close by.”

“Let me help. I’m sure Maria won’t mind.”

Taffy raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to tell her the truth about your background?”

“I think it should stay a secret for now. Maybe always. Even if we nail the chief along with Austin, it would be better if the Feds swooped in and took care of it. Better if no one knew about me.”

“But I know now. How am I supposed to deal with that?”

He gave her one of those lopsided grins. “You’re tougher than you look, Taffy Belair. I think you can handle it.”

There was a soft, hungry look in his green eyes. Taffy wondered if he was thinking of trying again for a kiss. He took a step toward her and she smiled, waiting for her phone to ring.

She was actually a little shocked when it did.

She looked at the call display. Austin’s number danced across her phone screen.

“It’s him.”

“You’d better take it.” Ethan took a step back and pursed his lips shut. He didn’t look happy.

She took a deep breath. Her hand shook as she hit the green button.

“Hello?”

“Taffy, are you all right? Is everything okay?? I heard about the fire.”

She heard real concern in Austin’s voice. He seemed shocked, distressed even. For a second it made her doubt he had anything at all to do with the fire. She could be wrong about the whole thing.

He said, “Listen, we can forget about our date plans. I bought tickets to the theater over in Blancheville, but I can give them away. You must be feeling exhausted. You probably don’t want to go out. We can do it another time.”

That would blow the plan. What should she do? She looked at Ethan, whose brow furrowed in response to her mild panic. She had to remain calm.

“I’m feeling fine, Austin. Really. Just a bit of smoke inhalation, and that’s clearing up. A date would be a nice distraction actually. Unless you don’t want to.”

There was a pause, but it was brief, and Taffy could almost feel him smiling on the other end.

“That’s my girl. Nothing gets her down. You are a brave one. If you’re up for it, I’d love to see you tonight.” He lowered his voice to a deep and sultry tone. “To be honest, you’re all I’ve been thinking about. I can’t wait to get my hands on you.”

Taffy gulped and forced herself to reply in as seductive a tone as she could muster, “I’ve been thinking about you a lot, too.”

He chuckled, a pleased sound. In the background, Ethan crossed his arms and frowned more deeply.

If she was wrong, and she couldn’t get Austin to admit to anything about Umberto Secca or Janet or Swain while she had the wire on, she was going to feel downright silly. Either way she’d have to endure the date, at the end of which he would expect more than a good-night kiss. She might have to feign sickness after the play or something. But one thing at a time.

Austin was asking her, “Shall I pick you up?”

“Sure.”

“Where?”

Taffy considered. Should they meet somewhere in town, at the resort perhaps, or Austin’s house? Certainly not here at Ethan’s, but somewhere close.

And then she thought of Midnight. She wanted to search for him one more time and maybe leave out some food. She hadn’t quite given up hope.

“Why don’t you pick me up at my house? It’s still standing. I’ll meet you out front.”

“Scene of the crime, hey? Whatever you want. See you later, darlin’.”

Taffy hung up. Ethan stared at her.

“Meet at the house? Why?”

Taffy shrugged. “Why not?”

Maria showed up at Ethan’s a little while later with a small suitcase and a toiletry kit.

She said hello to Ethan and then turned to Taffy. “You know you’re welcome to stay with me and my mom.”

Was Maria jealous or being prudish? Either way, it made sense for Taffy to stay with her and not rush things with Ethan.

“Thanks. I’ll do that.”

Ethan looked up from pouring them all coffees. He seemed slightly disappointed but didn’t stay anything. Taffy was finally on board with taking things a bit more slowly. After all this was over, she would insist on a proper date, with a proper good-night kiss, and then they could see what happened.

Ethan offered to run out and pick up a pizza while Maria helped Taffy get ready.

Taffy pawed through Maria’s suitcase. She could definitely use some wardrobe tips, and maybe when this was all over, Taffy would fly Maria out to New York for a shopping spree.

One dress caught Taffy’s eye. A low-cut, long-sleeved violet A-line that hugged her hips. Maria admitted she’d never had the courage to wear it. Taffy waggled a finger at her.

“Next time at Karaoke. You owe it to Aretha.”

“All right, all right.”

The dress was flattering yet loose and flexible enough to conceal the wire and microphone Maria had taken from the station without signing it out.

“If the chief finds out he’ll suspend me.”

“Either we’ll return it like nothing happened, or what we dig up will get
him
into trouble. Either way you’ll be fine,” Taffy assured her.

Maria’s feet were two sizes bigger than Taffy’s, so she had to stick to her brown suede boots. They looked okay with the dress. Not as fancy, but passable.

Although Maria wasn’t going out anywhere, except to sit in a car to listen to a wiretap, the two of them took turns putting makeup on each other. They played old music and sang along, while going over the details of the evening.

The plan was for Ethan and Maria to drive to Blancheville and wait outside the theater. From there, they’d be able to hear the conversation inside.

“Once you arrive and are in range we’ll be able to listen in but it also has a recording function.”

Austin had no reason to be suspicious of Taffy, so it was just a matter of her directing the conversation in order to get him to say something incriminating. Ethan and Maria would be able to interfere if things got confrontational, otherwise they would simply listen in and record the discussion and then follow them back to make sure Taffy got home all right.

After a quick bite of pizza, Ethan and Maria left a little earlier than Taffy so they could get positioned in front of the theater.

Taffy finished touching up her makeup and dabbed on perfume. Then she went over to Janet’s house.

Her house.

It was a mild evening. Quiet. A small breeze.

As Taffy approached the house, she caught a lingering whiff of soot in the air. From the driveway, she started calling for Midnight.

She called his name every few seconds until she walked up the steps and reached the front door. Just before she turned the door handle, she heard a meow.

It was coming from inside!

Taffy’s heart jumped. She was so excited to hear his little cat voice! He sounded hungry. She would get some food from the pantry, make sure he was safe, and then come back to collect him at the end of the evening. Or should she take him now?

In the foyer, which reeked of damp soot and charred wood, she called him again. “Midnight!”

He came running down the steps, meowing as he padded briskly toward her. For the first time, he let her pick him up. She felt tears welling up. Tears of happiness. She buried her face in his collarless neck, trying not to cry lest her freshly applied makeup smudge. Then she carried him, purring, to the kitchen to find some food.

The whole house smelled damp and smoky. By the light from the kitchen, which seemed to be the only one that worked, she could see that the parlor with the piano was blackened and part of a wall was gone, and it looked as if that side of the house had suffered the most damage, which meant the attic above was destroyed. But the house seemed salvageable. With a little TLC and lots of strong-armed help.

What was she thinking? She had a flight waiting for her at the airport. She could sell the burned house and property now that her Nana had removed the lien. And her Nana needed her. She was free to go. She couldn’t stay. After this date with Austin, where she would gather the final bit of evidence they needed, or not, she’d say her farewells. She’d come back for visits. Maybe she’d take Midnight back to New York with her. She wondered if that cat carrier was still in the front hall closet. She could pack him up after he finished eating.

She placed his plate of food on the sooty floor. As she stood and turned to put the dirty fork and can of cat food in the sink, she noticed a second cup drying in the dish rack.

She spun around.

“Bill?”

Only Midnight’s smacking made any noise.

Had Bill been here? Was he here now? Or was Taffy just being paranoid. Other than the cat, Taffy was sure she was alone. Mostly sure.

The basement door was open a crack.

“Bill?” she said again, trying not to sound afraid.

He wasn’t here. He couldn’t be. Not after the fire, unless, no, Taffy was alone in the house, she was sure of it.

“You wait here,” she said authoritatively to Midnight, while he finished up his last bites. She spoke loudly and strongly to reassure herself. She was overreacting. After the events of last night and her mission this evening, it was no wonder her nerves were on edge. She took a deep breath. Austin was supposed to pick her up any minute. She headed to the hall closet to get the cat carrier.

She pulled at the lightbulb chain. The light came on. She saw the row of Janet’s shoes. Her coats. Poor woman. Her death was all such a shame. Such a horrible shame.

Taffy heard the grumble of Austin’s Corvette prowling up the driveway. Headlights arced across the front of the house. Taffy quickly felt for the wire, ensuring it was secure beneath her dress. Then she bent down to retrieve the cat carrier and vaguely wondered how her Nana would get along with Midnight and how he might adapt to the noises of New York.

Beneath the drone of the car engine, Taffy heard a creak. Thinking it was Midnight padding up the hall she started to back out of the closet to intercept him.

There was a loud crack.

Pain exploded at the back of her head.

Her knees buckled beneath her.

She had a fleeting sense of falling to the floor in the same position as Janet. If someone drew an outline around her, would it look just the same?

Everything went black.

As soon as Taffy came to, she was gasping desperately. It was dark. She had a bag over her head, and she could barely breathe. Where was she? She willed herself to slow down her inhales and exhales. Drawing on everything she learned in yoga class, she ‘
ommm
-ed’ herself down.

Her hands were tied behind her back, and she was bent in a fetal position in an enclosed space. A car trunk? She could hardly move. She heard an engine rev up, and then whatever was containing her began to move.

Whoever had hit her on the head had then tied her hands and stuffed her in a trunk. This was not good. She had calmed her breathing and was taking little sips of air in the cramped space. She couldn’t see, so she used her other senses.

She smelled something metallic. Her blood? And something else, a familiar scent. Coffee beans?

What had happened to her?

Taffy had been looking in the closet for something, for the cat carrier.

Then a weight fell on her head.

A bowling ball?

No, couldn’t be.

Fragments started coming back. Midnight eating his food. The fire. Bill in the house? A car in the driveway. Her date with Austin. The wire. She tried to reach for it, but her hands were tied behind her back.

The revving engine geared down. Taffy’s head crammed against the side as the vehicle turned. The smooth road surface changed to lumpy and bumpy.

Where was he taking her? And why? More importantly, what was Taffy going to do when they got there? This was no trip to the theater. When the car turned off, what would she do? When the trunk opened?
If
it opened. Feeling claustrophobic, she began to sweat.

She tried to wriggle around into a feet-first position. Maybe she could kick him when he opened the trunk. With a bag over her head she wouldn’t be able to see her target. And what if he had a gun?

She had heard the car drive up to the house, but no one had come in. Had someone been hiding in the house waiting for her? Did that mean there were two of them? Austin and who?

She assessed her situation:
meddlesome candy-elf detective wannabe bound and gagged in a trunk needs to fight off unknown assailant, possibly plural, with no weapon or eyesight
.

The car stopped. The engine died. Taffy waited. Nothing happened. Through the car she could hear voices now.

“Come on, let’s get this over with,” said a man’s voice. She strained her ears trying to match it with Austin’s cadence, but that didn’t quite work.

“Just wait, hold on. I can’t do it. You know I can’t.” A woman’s voice, kind of high, but it was hard for Taffy to identify with the bag over her head and the car frame muffling sound. Plus she was feeling lightheaded. She needed more oxygen.

“We’ve gone over this before. She’s out cold. One swing of the bat and she’ll never wake up again.”

“But she’s
my friend
,” wailed the woman. In that moment, Taffy knew it was Ellie.

Ellie?

The man, not Austin, said, “Either you hit her over the head or I’ll shoot her, Ellie. But I’ll have more trouble explaining a used casing to my uncle. It’s easier this way. You’ll see.”

“Is that how you killed Janet?” Ellie's voice wavered.

“For the hundredth time, I didn’t
mean to
. I was just trying to scare her into backing down from her MBC fight against the development of the sanctuary, like Austin told me. Then she recognized me, so I had to do something fast. ”

“So you hit her so hard you
killed
her.”

“Yes, with
your
baseball bat, and you could go to jail for that, if I decide turned you in.”

“You wouldn’t! I didn’t
do
anything!”

“You’ve done a lot of things, Ellie, and I’ve been covering all your break and enters. But there’s evidence that points to you right now. Can’t you see? We’re in it together, Baby.”

“I thought you loved me. I thought you were going to protect me.”

“I am protecting you. And, of course, I love you, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing any of this side work for Austin and Mick and their mafia boss. This Casino construction is going to set us up pretty, you’ll see. In a year or two, once Chief Green is out of the way and I become Chief of Police, we’ll be the king and queen of this town. Then I’ll be able to give you any house you want. Build you a castle even, maybe out on Castle Rock. And you’ll be able to go to as many concerts as you like. Heck, we’ll bring your favorite bands to town, because we’ll be rolling in dough, Baby.”

“You’re that crazy about me?” Her trembling voice calmed somewhat.

“Of course, Baby. You’re my everything.” His voice lowered, grew husky, and they went quiet for a moment, and then Taffy heard shifting and whispering. “Not now, Allan. Not with her in the car. Let’s get it over with, like you said,” Ellie cooed.

The ‘it,’ Taffy figured, was the swift hit-to-kill with the baseball bat they had just discussed. Taffy’s heart started to race.

How could she have made such a mistake about Ellie? First the stealing and now this? She never should have unfriended her over the boots.

The trunk popped automatically, but the conversation in the car continued.

“What about her body?”

“See that big burn pile over there?”

“That’s why you wanted me to fill that gas can?”

“You did good, Baby.”

“What if we get caught?” Ellie’s voice trembled again. “I should be at the gas station right now.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll make it look like you were. Just like it will look like I was playing pool with Mick down at the bar, just like the night Janet was killed. And Austin’s car was taken for a joyride by pranksters who lit up the burn pile. It’s easy enough to make up the stories. No one will ask questions. My uncle believes every word I tell him.”

“Where
is
Austin?”

“Supposedly on a date with Taffy, in a rented limo, and after the play, she’s going to ask him to take her to the airport because she’s homesick, and then she’ll get on a plane back to New York.”

“But she’s in the trunk, and you’re going to—”

“Ellie! Don’t play dumb.”

“Sorry.” Her voice shook.

“No one will think to miss her for awhile. Austin will be so cut up about her departure he’ll get out of town for a few days to mend his broken heart.”

“You two have thought of everything, haven’t you?” She sounded resigned, subdued.

“I’m doing this all for you, you get that don’t you? For us. For our future.”

Taffy hoped the wire was still connected and recording everything well enough. Though what good would it do if it went up in flames? Along with her?

While they continued talking, Taffy slowly, carefully, lifted herself, nudging the roof of the trunk upwards with her cloth-covered head. The cloth hooked on something on the inside of the trunk lid. As it lifted fully upwards on its hinges, it tugged the cloth off Taffy’s head.

She blinked. She was in the forest. Nearby trees were tagged with orange tape, ready for felling. She was at Castle Rock Sanctuary, across from the candy factory, but it was closed and no one was up here. If she screamed, no one would hear, except Gravely and Ellie, and they would be quick to shut her up.

Everyone thought she was on a date with Austin. No one would consider her missing for hours. Would Ethan and Maria err on the side of waiting for the play to finish before intervening? They’d be suspicious if Austin’s Corvette didn’t appear. Though, if what Gravely said was true, and Austin showed up in a limo at the theater, they’d observe him at a distance and think everything was going according to plan. Had he thought to bring a date along who looked enough like Taffy?

“Let’s get this done and then go celebrate. I want you to do the honors, Ellie. Grab the bat.”

“You want
me
to hit her?”

“We’re in it together, Baby, remember? This will seal the deal. You can prove to me that you love me as much as I love you.”

The car rocked as Allan and Ellie climbed out. Taffy heard a metallic clang as Ellie retrieved the bat from the backseat.

Taffy tried hard not to panic.

In a clear, steady voice Ellie said, “I’ll do it to show you how much I love you, Allan. I could never admit it before, but secretly I’ve been wanting to hurt her, since she turned on me when she found out about my stealing problem.”

“Oh, I like to hear that, Baby. It kinda turns me on. When I found out you snuck into other people’s houses, I thought that was just so sexy. Now, the thought that you’re going to deliver a killing blow is having a profoundly
solid
effect on me.”

“Later, Baby. Soon,” Ellie said sweetly as she started walking around to the back of the car.

“I’ll go get the gas can,” Allan said. “I stored it here earlier, after using it at the house.”

He’d been the one to start the house fire?

“The fire was supposed to stop her search. That and pinning the death on Swain. Why didn’t she just let it go then? We wouldn’t be here now if she’d taken the hint and walked away.”

Ellie said, “She was a fool to come here, acting all high and mighty.” Her steps were getting closer. Was she coming around the car? “She never really belonged here in our little town.”

A second later Ellie was in front of the trunk.

She almost jumped when she saw Taffy sitting there, hands and legs tied, mouth taped, but wide awake. Her eyes darted across the car, toward Allan, who called out, “Is she still unconscious, Baby?”

“Uh… yes!” Ellie said. “Out cold.”

Taffy frowned, confused.

“Hit her once, good and hard.”

Ellie lifted the bat above her head. Taffy tried to scramble backward, but there was nowhere to go.

Ellie called to Allan over the top of the car. “Did you know her dad was in a rock-and-roll band that I just
hated
all through middle school?”

Ellie had lied about that, too?

“The lead singer was an
ugly
bastard.” Ellie was giving Taffy a meaningful look as she lifted the bat to swing. Her arms were trembling.

“Wait, I want to see you hit her, Baby.” Taffy heard Allan’s footsteps approaching alongside of the car.

Ellie gave Taffy an urgent, wide-eyed look as she swung the bat hard and fast. Taffy ducked slightly, and Ellie whacked the side of the car where the head bag had landed. Taffy crumpled back into the trunk and held her breath.

“That was a good wallop. I heard it from over there. I wish I’d seen it. I’m proud of you, Babe.”

“I am, too.” Ellie started wrapping her arms around Taffy’s inert body and dragging her from the trunk.

“We’re in it together now, aren’t we? Forever bound. Need help?” Gravely drew closer. Taffy kept her eyes glued shut.

“Nope. I got it. She’s practically anorexic. I can lift her by myself. Where do you want her?”

Ellie was a big girl and Taffy was rather petite, so Ellie only had a bit of trouble yanking Taffy from the trunk. When her boot caught on the inside edge, and Ellie's pulling didn’t free it, Taffy gave a little kick to free herself and then went limp again in Ellie's arms.

She dragged Taffy by pulling her backwards under her arms. Taffy’s brown suede boots slid against the muddy ground. It must have been hard for Ellie to see, given how much she’d coveted those boots. Taffy would have gladly given Ellie her boots to avoid this predicament.

“Put her on the woodpile.”

It reeked of gasoline.

“Here?”

“Right there, Baby. Now where did I put that lighter?” After patting his pockets and coming up empty, he said, “Must be in the glove box.”

“I’m going to take her boots. I’ve always liked them.”

“You go right ahead, Darlin’. I’ll be right back.”

Ellie whispered desperately in Taffy’s ear. “I’m so sorry. What do I do? He’s crazy.” Ellie pulled back a corner of the duct tape from Taffy’s mouth. Taffy, still seemingly unconscious, whispered back, “Buy some time—take my boots off slowly. Make a lot of noise if you can.”

But who would come looking here? Ethan and Maria were camped out in Blancheville in front of the theater. How were she and Ellie going to get out of this?

“Whatever you do,
don’t
let him start the fire.”

Allan was on his way back, so Ellie dropped Taffy a little roughly, but Taffy went with it, sprawling as naturally as she could and suffering another deep splinter. The rough wood tore at the tape around her wrists. If she worked it, she might be able to wriggle her hands free.

Ellie started pulling off one boot.

“Maybe I should shoot her anyway, just for fun.” Allan laughed. Taffy heard the safety unlock on his gun.

“It’s not worth the risk, Allan,” Ellie said, shakily. “Like you said, you’ll have to explain a missing bullet, and even after the fire someone could find the shell casing, right?”

“Once the fire blazes, everything will burn away. All evidence will be gone.”

“But, like you said, not the casing. Let’s just go. Let’s leave her here.”

Taffy cracked her eye open a smidgeon. Ellie was trying to drag Allan back to the Corvette.

“You’ve got to return this car to the impound lot, don’t you?”

“We should burn the car, too,” Allan said gleefully. “Austin won’t care.”

“Allan,
Baby
, we’ve committed the near perfect crime. Let’s get away while we can.”

“You’re forgetting we have to light the fire first. This whole forest’s gonna go up. Serves them protestors right. And then once the bulldozers come in, shell casings and any bones and teeth will be buried forever. Really, I think I should shoot her, too. For fun.”

“Wait! Allan.” Ellie's voice changed. “Oh, Baby, you’re turning me on
so
much. I don’t know if I can wait until later. Let’s not burn Austin’s car, let’s let our passion ignite on the inside. Come on, there’s things I want to do to you.”

Oh, poor Ellie. Would Gravely actually fall for that? Taffy heard him let out a low whistle, click the safety back in place, and follow Ellie to the car. “Now you’re talkin’.”

In the quiet of the forest, Taffy heard Ellie's clumsy attempts at seduction. Gravely sounded even clumsier. Within minutes the car horn started blaring.