***
I called Lizzie’s cell, but she didn’t pick up. I hung up because I had no idea how to actually leave a voicemail that said I had been accused of murder. I texted her “911” and waited for the phone to ring.
“What’s up?” Lizzie asked in a distracted voice. As an accountant, she needed to concentrate on adding or balancing or whatnot which is why she usually didn’t answer calls on her cell while working.
“Can you come to the bakery, like right now?” I asked, fighting tears.
“What happened? Are you okay?”
“Barbara, Barbara’s dead and—”
“She’s what? Are you serious? How? What happened?”
“Lizzie, they think I killed her,” I blurted before she could fire any more questions.
“No way! How could they think that you could? I’m there in five.”
I sat at the desk and zoned out. I couldn’t think. Then reality struck. A burning smell seemed to suddenly fill the shop. I leapt up and grabbed pot holders. When I opened the oven, I saw the charred rolls and fanned the smoke away as I snatched them from the oven and set them on the small counter next to it.
I opened the back door to get the smell out and the front door opened.
“Lizzie?” I waved some more as I plopped the pot holders down before stepping back to the counter.
“Ms. Bailey. Can I talk to you for a minute,” Peter Lynch and a uniformed officer who I didn’t know by name stood at the counter.
“Of course, Detective.”
“I wanted to speak with you about the unfortunate situation from this morning.”
I waited for him to say more.
“Well, it seems that Ms. Simpson died under suspicious circumstances. She was murdered.” He stared at me.
I swallowed hard and tried to keep myself calm. Just look innocent, I told myself. Whatever that means, I thought.
“I’m sorry to hear that. Poor Barbara,” I said fighting tears again.
The door opened and Lizzie rushed inside.
“MB, I can’t believe that—“she stopped when she saw Peter and the cop at the counter with me.
“Well, Ms. Stevens. It seems you have heard about the terrible situation this morning.”
“Yes, um, I did. Hi Detective Lynch. Don’t let me interrupt your order.”
“I’m not here for coffee,” he snapped and looked back at me.
“Where were you this morning between two and five, ma’am?”
That’s longer than David said, I thought.
“I was at home until about four and then I walked here to get things ready to open.”
“Were you alone the whole time? Did you see anyone while you were walking here?”
“No one is ever out at that hour of the morning, except the trash guys,” I looked at Lizzie who now looked as angry as she did when Rick told the judge that he’d paid for my education. He’d bought books for one class when I was in graduate school. Her face flushed and her arms were crossed tightly across her chest.
“You didn’t answer the question, Ms. Bailey.”
“Yes, I was alone the whole time and I saw no one anywhere this morning. Why are you asking me this?” I knew the answer, but I just wanted to make him say it out loud.
“Well, we’re looking into her death and have to ask everyone to find out what happened.”
“So you’re asking everyone if they had an alibi for this morning, then?” Lizzie spoke up. “Well, Detective, I live alone, as well and I didn’t see anyone this morning either, so now you know that both of us have time that is unaccounted for like half the world who slept in this morning. Where were you, just for the record?”
He straightened and the officer stifled a small snicker.
“Be careful, Ms. Stevens. You don’t want to interfere with an official investigation,” he said without looking at her.
“One last thing before we go, Ms. Bailey,” he motioned to the officer and turned to leave. “How has your business been lately?”
“Doing pretty well—its better and better every day.”
“I can see that.” He gestured to the empty shop. “Thank you for your time,” he said and left.
“Ooo, the nerve of that guy,” Lizzie fumed as soon as he had gone.
“I guess it’s true. I’m a suspect,” I said still trying to grasp the whole situation.
“How dare he insinuate that your business is in trouble? That is so uncalled for…I ought to—“
“Don’t you get it? He’s trying to make it my motive for killing Barbara.”
“How’s that?”
“If he can make it seem as though I ‘offed’ the competition to make it here in Fish Creek Falls, then they have motive and since I have no one to vouch for me this morning, they’ll be saying that I also had the opportunity to do it.” I paused. “And they found my molten chocolate cake card under her.”
“Oh.” She came behind the counter and slid into the desk chair. “That’s just rubbish, MB. Even with all that stacked up.”
“I know it and you know it, but that might not be enough.”
“What about Detective Hunky? He’ll have to believe that you couldn’t do something like that, right?”
“I hope so. He told me to call a lawyer that he knows in Caraway and he said he’d come by tonight when he could.”
“Tonight? That’s great. What will you wear?”
“Really, Lizzie? Clothes? Come on, this is serious.”
“I know, but really there’s no way anyone is ser-i-ous-ly going to think you murdered Barbara, so just try to relax. I’m sure it’ll be fine. You might be on the hot seat for a bit, but then they’ll find the killer and it’ll all blow over,” she sniffed and wrinkled her nose and located the burned rolls. “What’s with the charcoal creations?”
“Oh, rolls that I forgot about when I went to see what all the fuss was about.”
“You went to the scene of the crime? What were you thinking? That’ll make you seem guilty.”
“Now, how would I have known that when I didn’t even know that it was a crime scene?”
“Oh, yeah. Good point. So any likely suspects in the lookie-loos that came out?”
“I’m not sure. Again, I didn’t think about being suspicious at the time to really notice.”
“Well, now is the time to be suspicious because the real killer is out there.”
The door opened and in came four teenage boys. They laughed and shoved each other as they elected one to speak.
“Hi. Do you have any Death cakes today?” The boys collapsed into laughter.
“Sorry, boys. This one is spoken for. Anything else I can get for you?” I answered trying to not lose patience with them. They scrambled out the door erupting again into uncontrolled laughter.
I went to the door, put up the closed sign and sighed as I sat on the edge of the desk next to Lizzie.
“Apparently, news has spread. Help me clean up and let’s get out of here.”