Virginia Lowell - A Cookie Before Dying

Olivia reached for a hunk of toilet paper.

While Maddie made noise in the kitchen, Olivia picked up her cell and headed for the kitchen door. When Maddie paused the mixer and glanced up at her, Olivia said, “I want to call Del and find out what happened with Heather.” Maddie nodded and went back to work.

Spunky was curled in a ball on the padded seat of an antique chair near the large front window. His head lifted when he saw Olivia. “Hey, you lazy bum.” Spunky wagged his fluffy tail and tried to lick Olivia’s face as she picked him up. When she sat on the brocade-covered seat, Spunky circled in her lap and collapsed into a ball again. Olivia wove her fingers into the silky fur that tended to fall over his eyes. Time for a trim. Spunky sighed with contentment as Olivia massaged his ears and stared out the window at the park. The setting sun lent a warm glow to the collection of copper cookie cutters hanging from tiny suction cups on the window. Sometimes she felt as if she lived in a real gingerbread house . . . except, of course, the oven was used only to bake cookies. Olivia had a feeling this might be her last contemplative moment for some time.

With her free hand, Olivia opened her cell phone and called Del. He answered immediately. “Livie, are you okay?”

“Fine, Del, really. I don’t think Heather was actually aiming her truck at me. Did you find her?”

“We did, although we can’t take much credit for it. She’d pulled over only a few miles from her farm. We found her curled up on the front seat, balling her eyes out. Getting anything coherent out of her took some time. She cried all the way back to the station and through most of the interview.”

“Was I right? Is she a suspect?”

“We consider her a suspect, yes.”

In her excitement, Olivia shifted suddenly, causing Spunky to tumble off her lap.

“That’s good news for Jason,” Del said. “Heather has a motive but no alibi. A knife similar to the murder weapon was part of the loot you found in her barn, so she might have had access to another in the same set. That’s not for general consumption.”

“Understood.” Spunky lifted his front paws to Olivia’s knees, scouting out the possibility of regaining her lap. She patted her thigh, and he jumped up. “Did you find out if Heather knew about the stolen goods in her barn?”

“Denied all knowledge. Claims she didn’t know someone was hanging out there, that she rarely entered that barn.”

“I’m inclined to believe her,” Olivia said. “No horses, no cats . . . Heather loves animals. She’d have no reason to trek way out to a run-down barn unless there were animals to care for. Except . . .”

“What?”

“Well, I suppose she might have seen the stuff if she decided to check out the condition of the folding chairs. Gwen said Heather had volunteered to bring them to the baby shower. That’s why I was there, to get those chairs.”

“Thanks. I’ll follow up on that. For now, we had to let her go. We had no evidence linking her to King’s murder. However, since she has no alibi for the night of the murder, she stays on the list. Do I dare hope you will let me take it from here?”

With a light laugh, Olivia said, “One can always hope. I do have a request, and it has nothing to do with the murder. I know how busy you are, but could you see if you can find any information about the car accident that killed Maddie’s parents? They lived in Clarksville when they died, but maybe you know someone who could dig up some details? Maddie won’t check for herself, she doesn’t want to know.”

“But you think she should?”

“Long story, Del. Let’s just leave it that Maddie needs to work through a few things before she can move on to another stage in her own life. I’d like to help her do that.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Are we still on for tomorrow evening?”

“Tomorrow? Friday?”

“Tomorrow would be Friday, that is correct. Dinner?”

“Oh gosh, Del, I’m so sorry. I sort of . . .”

“Forgot. I get it,” Del said, a touch of curtness edging into his voice. “Did you make other plans?”

“Well . . . The Gingerbread House might be staying open late tomorrow for sort of a special event.”

“Sort of a special event? Is it, by any chance, the sort of event where a guest might suddenly get whacked with a blunt object?”

“Del, you are so suspicious. Although you’re a cop, so it’s understandable, and besides, you’re probably on the right track. We have so little time. I can’t help thinking there are folks who know more than they realize. I’m looking for a way get that information as fast as possible. I might decide it won’t work.”

“Well, let me know if you want me to hang around. Meanwhile, I’ll put Cody to work on the Briggs’ car accident.”

“Oh, and I have one more request.”

“Which is?

“It’s about Jason.” Olivia hesitated, searching for the right phrasing. When it eluded her, she went for blunt. “Jason needs to be here tomorrow evening. Now hear me out, Del. You and Cody can watch him every minute, as long as you’re subtle about it.”

With an exaggerated sigh, Del asked, “Are you planning to tell me why you think this bad idea is actually a good one?”

“Of course,” Olivia said. “I want everyone to think Jason has been cleared.”

“Again, why?”

“So that I can clear him, of course. Thanks, you’re the best.” Olivia closed her phone before Del could respond.

A moment after Olivia hung up her cell, Maddie burst through the kitchen door. “Livie, that ex-husband of yours is on the line. I told him you’d been sold into slavery, but he ignored me. He always ignores me. You have to talk to him.” Maddie disappeared into the kitchen without waiting for a response.

“Sorry, Spunks, you’re on your own again.” Olivia scooped him out of her lap and nestled him back onto the seat alone. He curled into the warm spot she’d left behind.

When Olivia entered the kitchen, Maddie had the mixer going as close as possible to the phone receiver. With a rhythmic splat-splat , the paddle whacked the ingredients into a smooth dough. Maddie slid the mixer farther away but didn’t turn it off as Olivia lifted the phone receiver.

“Ryan?”

“What is that racket? Can’t Maddie do that someplace else? I’m on the phone.”

“You’re actually in The Gingerbread House kitchen, Ryan.” However, Olivia shot Maddie a pleading look, and the mixer stopped.

“That’s better. Livie, listen, I’ve got great news. The clinic is moving along faster than we ever anticipated, and we might be able to open in a month. I need to talk to you about that as soon as possible. I’ll stop by tomorrow evening. We can go out to dinner somewhere. I know there isn’t much in that little town, so we’ll head out and find something more interesting. I’ll pick you up at seven. I’ve got a lot—”

“Ryan, stop, take a breath. I’m glad the clinic plan is going well, but tomorrow is impossible for me. I have other plans.”

“Cancel them. This is important.”

“My plans are important, too, and I resent your—”

“Look, Livie, I don’t have time to argue. I’m meeting tonight with a backer, and I can’t be late. You and I have something very important to talk about, and it can’t wait any longer. So I’ll see you—”

“Ryan, do not come here tomorrow, do you hear me? Ryan?” Olivia slammed the phone on its cradle. “He hung up on me. Can you believe that?”

“Oh yes,” Maddie said, “I can believe it. If he does show up, can I punch him in the nose? Or perhaps a more sensitive spot?”

“I can’t worry about Ryan right now.” Olivia flopped down on a chair. “We have only one more day to come up with something, anything, that will keep Jason from being taken away and booked for Geoffrey King’s murder. I need to think.”