Virginia Lowell - A Cookie Before Dying

“Look, all I know is, the guy had a jacket on, and the crime lab found a dry patch with blood. You’ll have to ask them how they got it.” The officer snorted. “If you can get one of them to talk to you. All they do is run around complaining how understaffed they are and how they don’t have time to breathe.”

Olivia slipped her arm around her mother, whose shoulders felt as if they’d been carved from stone. “I’m no expert either, guys, I’m just confused. If they’re so busy, how did they manage to produce a DNA match so fast? I mean, I do know it takes a lot longer to do a DNA analysis than television shows would have you believe.”

The second officer, shorter and older, cracked a smile. “No kidding. Anyway, I guess the State’s Attorney decided what the lab got was good enough for now. She wants to move on this.”

Del had been standing off to the side, in neutral territory. Now he joined Olivia and Ellie. “When the State’s Attorney called,” he said, “she told me the lab had produced a ‘match’ with Jason. So which is it, a match or good enough?”

The older officer crossed his arms over his chest. “Both,” he said. “The blood sample was a match to the prisoner’s blood type, and when you add that to his confession, it’s enough to move ahead with. Look, Sheriff, we’re sympathetic. We know this is your town; you probably watched the kid grow up. Maybe he’s a good kid, never been in trouble before. But we hear that all the time. Something made him snap, he killed a guy, it happens. We’ve got our job to do and no more time to sit around and argue.”

“ Blood type. ” Ellie’s small hands bunched into fists. “Jason is type O-positive. That’s the most common blood type there is.”

“She’s right,” Olivia said. “Did the State’s Attorney even consider Charlene and Charlie Critch’s blood types? They are both suspects, too. Or what about me? I found the body, and I’m type O-positive.”

The tall officer shrugged. “We can arrest you, too, if that would make you feel better.”

Del strolled toward the officers and said, “Look, guys, I’m not trying to hang you up, but you can understand why I’m not happy.” Although his tone sounded even and reasonable, Olivia noticed tension in his neck muscles. “We’ve got a kid here who confessed to a murder because he was afraid his girlfriend stabbed her abusive ex-husband in self-defense and didn’t call the police right away. It was noble and stupid, and we’ve all seen it before. Now the kid has recanted. We have an obligation to provide more proof than a blood type before we charge him.” As the tall officer frowned and inhaled to respond, Del added, “So here’s what I propose. I’m going to put in a call to the State’s Attorney. Let me talk this over with her, see what she says. Okay? Meanwhile, you guys go have an early lunch at The Chatterley Café, on us.” Del checked his watch. “Take your time.”

The tall officer hesitated for only a moment. “Yeah, okay,” he said. “We could use some lunch. But when we get back here, no more stalling, okay?”

“Sure,” Del said. “Not a problem. You’ll like the Chatterley. Order the Reuben with the works.”

When the front door of the police station clanked shut behind the two officers, Olivia and Ellie both threw their arms around Del, who started to topple. Olivia grabbed his shoulders to steady him. “Del, you were great. Thank you!”

“Thanks, but don’t get too hopeful. I know the State’s Attorney. She’s smart and ambitious. She doesn’t like dawdling on cases. She thinks it makes the office look lazy, and that doesn’t sit well with voters. But I’ll see what I can do.”

Ellie dragged an office chair behind Jason and pushed him into it. She placed her hands on his thin shoulders and kissed him on the top of the head. “We’ll get you out of this if I have to stage a one-woman sit-in.”

“She’d do it, too,” Olivia said to Del. “She was a terror in the late sixties and early seventies.”

“She’s still a terror,” Del said lightly. “Now let me make that call.” He motioned across the room to Cody to take Jason back to his cell, then retreated into his private office and closed the door.

Once Jason had been led away, Ellie wilted into the visitor’s chair and curled into a ball. Olivia stepped outside the building and dialed Maddie’s cell.

“Livie, what’s going on? I’ve been hearing all sorts of rumors.”

Olivia filled her in on Jason’s situation and the rest of her visit to the dance studio. “I need more information about Raoul and this mysterious dancing companion of his. With all those costumes in her closet, she must have been a professional ballerina.”

“She still dances beautifully,” Maddie said. “Maybe whatever caused her scar didn’t affect her ability or skill, but she was so traumatized she withdrew from the public eye. If that’s what happened, maybe I could find something online about it. I wish we knew her name.”

“About that,” Olivia said. “I did find out Raoul’s last name from Constance. Which reminds me, why didn’t someone tell me Constance is in a wheelchair?”

“Thought you knew. Honestly, I think city life destroyed your knack for gossip. You’ve been back in town over a year now. How long does it take to catch up? Anyway, the store’s getting busy again. Tell me Raoul’s last name.”

“Raoul Larssen.” Olivia waited until Maddie’s laughter subsided before she spelled it out. “See what you can find on the Internet and call as soon as you have something.”

“What are you going to do?” Maddie asked.

“I’ll stay here until we hear from the State’s Attorney. Whatever she decides, we have to move fast if we’re going to save Jason’s neck. I’ll stop by to pick up the cookies for Heather. I’m hoping she has some secrets to share. How’s Spunky?”

“Lording it over the store. We’ll have to order more Yorkshire terrier cookie cutters. Customers keep buying them as soon as they meet that little guy.”

“Yeah, he’s a born sales-pup.” Olivia checked her watch. Past noon already. She’d meant to be back in The Gingerbread House for the whole afternoon. “Do you have plans for this evening?”

“No plans.”

The subtle change in Maddie’s voice told Olivia that all had not healed between her and Lucas. It was about time to be an interfering friend. “Good. We’ll need the evening to bake and research and plan.”

“Your mom is with Jason, back in his cell,” Del said when Olivia returned. “I talked the State’s Attorney into backing off for a bit. She admitted Charlene and Charlie Critch both have O-positive blood, but she figured Jason’s confession was the clincher. I sympathized with the budget cuts she’s gotten socked with lately and pointed out that Jason would be one more prisoner in an overpopulated holding cell. I offered to do more legwork for her. However, if we don’t have anything by Saturday morning, she’s sending officers to transport Jason. He’s already on the arraignment schedule for Monday morning.”

“A day and a half. At least that’s something,” Olivia said.

“And, Livie, when I said ‘us,’ I meant Cody and me. You are not to get involved this time. Yes, I know you’ve been helpful, but this could get dangerous. So stay out of this. Do you hear me?”

“Not a word.”

“ Livie , listen—”

“If I want to put myself in danger to help my brother, I have that right.”

“You’re putting Maddie in danger, too. Heck, last time you put Spunky in danger.”

“Spunky will be staying home this time.”

The front door of the police station opened and the two officers entered, looking cheerful and well fed. Del put his face close to Olivia’s, lowered his voice, and said, “If you get yourself or anyone else injured, I’ll . . . I’ll . . .”