Scones, Skulls & Scams (6 page)

Feeling a change of subject was in order, she stood and grabbed Jack’s hand. “Let’s go over to our place. I have dessert.”
 

Jack smiled, the glint in his eye telling Lexy his idea of dessert probably consisted of more than the frosted brownies she’d left on her counter.

“That’s the best offer I’ve had all day,” he said as he followed her out the door.

Chapter Eight

Lexy scowled out the window at the WOKQ van parked in front of
The Brew and Bake
, her fists clenched so tightly the nails bit into her palms.

So, the television station really
is
doing a piece on the other bakery
, Lexy thought as she watched the camera crew unpack the van. Her heart sank when she compared the front room of
The Brew and Bake
, bustling with customers to her own empty one.

A movement on the sidewalk caught Lexy’s eye. A customer? No, it was just the orange tiger cat that lived in Victor Nessbaum’s antique store. He was an indoor cat, but sometimes he slipped out when the door was open. Lexy always tried to herd the cat back to Victor’s whenever she saw him outside.

She stepped out onto the sidewalk, bending down to try to lure the cat over so she could pick him up and bring him back to Victor.

“Here, Kitty.” She stuck out her hand to the cat who eyed her warily.

Behind her, she heard Victor’s door open.

“Oh, that’s where you are,” Victor said to the cat. He pushed the door wide and gestured to the interior of the store. “Get back in here.”

The cat turned, flicked his tail in Lexy’s direction, and then trotted off into the store.

“He likes to get outside, but then doesn’t know what to do with himself.” Victor laughed. “Say, I’m glad I ran into you … I sure would like to taste whatever it was you were baking yesterday afternoon. It smelled delicious in my store.”

Lexy stood and crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, you want to taste my baked goods and not those from across the street?”

Victor’s brow creased and a sheepish look spread across his face. “Oh, did you see me over there? I was only trying out a sample so I could speak with authority when I said your pastries were the best.”

Lexy thawed at the sincere look on the man’s face. “Oh, okay, then … come on over and you can try out my great-grandmother’s famous scones. I made a slight variation to the recipe yesterday. That’s what I was baking.”

“Perfect. I’ll just lock up.” Victor reached inside his shop, grabbed his cane then flipped the lock on the door before closing it tight.

Lexy held her own door open while Victor shuffled down the walk, nodding to her as he stepped inside
The Cup and Cake
.

Behind the bakery case, Lexy pulled out the glass pedestal cake plate on which she’d arranged the scones and placed it on top of the case so Victor could get a better look.

“Which one do you want?” she asked.

“Hmm …” Victor frowned at the pile his eyes inspecting each scone. His brows furrowed and he rubbed his chin. “They all look so good.”

His cane fell to the floor next to the case with a clatter and Lexy bent down to pick it up for him.

“Thanks,” he said, then pointed to one of the scones on top. “I’ll take that one.”

Lexy smiled. “If you want, you can take a seat at the table and I’ll bring it over along with some coffee or tea … I’d love to know what you think of it.”

“That would be wonderful.” Victor turned and made his way to the self-serve station. “I can get my own tea.”

Lexy put the scone on a small plate and took it over to the table where Victor sat with a steaming cup of tea in front of him. She slid into the chair across from him, eagerly watching the expression on his face as he took his first bite.

“This is delicious,” he said chewing thoughtfully. “I particularly like the crumbly cinnamon and sugar top. You don’t normally get that on a scone … I think you have a winner here.”

Thanks.” Lexy beamed proudly as the bells over the door jingled to announce Nans, Ruth, Ida and Helen.

The four ladies greeted Lexy and Victor before marching purposely to one of the tables and slinging their purses over the backs of the chairs. Ruth gingerly placed several rolled up papers she’d carried in under her arm on the center of the table.

“What have you got there?” Victor asked.

“These are the blueprints for the old sewer system.” Ruth unrolled one of them, spreading it on the table and holding down the ends with her hands while Nans, Ida and Helen rummaged in their purses for something to weight it down.

“You don’t say?” Victor pushed his glasses up on his nose and leaned over for a better look at the print. “Where’d you get those?”

“Down at the town hall,” Nans said producing a small stapler from her purse and plunking it down on one corner of the blueprint.

“Oh, I thought you had to wait ages to get those old prints run off down there.” Victor returned his attention to his scone.

“Normally you do,” Ida said placing the small rock she’d taken out of her purse on another corner of the print. “But it turns out someone had just recently gotten a copy of these, so Meredith had them right on her desk, waiting to put them away.”
 

“’Course it helps to know someone down there.” Helen threw down her purse and grabbed a stoneware mug from the self-serve coffee station, then placed it on the third corner of the blueprint.

“What do you plan to do with them?” Victor asked.

Ruth plunked her smartphone down on the last corner. “We’re investigating the murder.”

“Murder?” Victor’s gray brows met his hairline.

“You know. The skull they found out there.” Nans tilted her head toward the end of the street where the sewer work was still ongoing.

“I didn’t realize there was an official murder investigation going on about that.” Victor narrowed his eyes at Nans.

“Well, there isn’t … I mean not officially. The police don’t seem interested in investigating. They said the murder was too long ago. But Ruth, Helen, Ida and I run our own detective agency, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to find out the truth.” Nans reached into her purse and pulled out a business card, which she handed to Victor.

Victor looked down at the card. “‘Brook Ridge Falls Ladies Detective Club.’ That’s impressive … and sounds like fun. Have you solved any good cases?”

Nans nodded. “We work with the police all the time and have helped them solve lots of cases. But, of course I can’t be more specific due to confidentiality and all that.”

“Of course, I understand,” Victor said, “but what makes you so sure the person who belonged to the skull met with a suspicious death?”

Nans glanced at the others. “Well, we’re not entirely sure, but we have it on good authority the skull had a bullet hole in it.”

Victor gasped. “A bullet hole? Well, that sure does sound like foul play … or maybe suicide.”

“Either way, we need to investigate,” Helen said. “He could have family members that have been wondering about him all these years.”
 

“Of course.” Victor slid his chair over next to Helen and bent his head over the blueprints. “So you’re looking for a way into the old sewer system then?”

Ruth nodded. “We’re hoping we can find some clues as to what happened back then.”

“But how will you get in? I hear all the entrances are being sealed off with this new sewer project,” Victor said.

“They are,” Ida answered. “But we’ve learned there are some underground entrances and we plan to find out exactly where they are.”

“Do you have any idea who the victim is?” Victor glanced at Helen out of the corner of his eye.

“None at all,” Helen said. “We only know he’s been down there for decades … maybe sixty or seventy years even.”

“Well, this sounds kind of dangerous,” Victor said.

“And exciting,” Nans added.

“It does sound rather exciting. An old buck like me could use some excitement. But you ladies could get hurt.” Victor put his hand on Helen’s arm. “Maybe I should accompany you.”

“Maybe …” Helen, Nans, Ruth and Ida exchanged uncertain glances. Lexy could tell they were torn between being polite and not wanting to let Victor in on their plans.

“I’m not sure,” Nans said. “Lexy’s the only one we ever let help us with our investigations.”

“Perhaps we should take a look at these plans first,” Victor suggested.

“Yes, let's.” Helen re-anchored the corner that had come loose from under the mug and the five gray heads bent over the blueprint.
 

“This is the downtown section.” Nans pointed to something on the upper left. “That’s where the manhole cover for the main entrance is.”

“Perfect, we’ll just go in through there,” Helen said.

“You can’t,” Lexy cut in and everyone turned to look at her. “Jack said it could only be opened with some special tool. It’s too heavy for you and besides, it’s right in the middle of downtown. What are you going to do? Stop the traffic so you can climb in the sewer hole?”

“We’ll just have to find some other way,” Nans said picking up one of the other rolls and spreading it on the table.

The five of them studied it for several minutes without finding an easy entrance to the sewer.
 

“There’s nothing on this one, let’s check the next one,” Ruth said.

Victor looked at his watch. “Darn, I better get back to the store. I’m meeting a customer who wants to consign some vintage jewelry. You ladies will let me know if you need my assistance later on, won’t you?”
 

The four ladies murmured a “Yes” and Victor stood, then nodded at each of them. Lexy thought she saw him wink at Helen, but she couldn’t be sure.
 

He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and turned to Lexy. “What do I owe you?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. It’s on the house,” Lexy said as she walked him to the door. “We neighbors have to stick together.”

“Ain’t that the truth?.” Victor glanced knowingly across the street then headed out.

“I thought he’d never leave.” Nans sighed.

“Yeah, imagine him trying to hone in on our investigation,” Helen said.

“I think he’s kind of sweet on you, Helen,” Ida teased.

Helen’s cheeks turned pink. “What? Don’t be silly … he’s way too old for me.”

Nans, Ruth and Ida raised their brows at her.

Helen looked at Lexy and smoothly changed the subject. “Did you ask Jack if the police found out anything about the murder when they were down in the sewer?”

“No, they didn’t find anything and he made it sound like they aren’t going to pursue it anymore,” Lexy said.

“I figured that,” Nans answered. “So it’s up to us.”

“Right.” Lexy chewed her bottom lip. She wasn’t sure how involved she wanted to get in this whole sewer business. Victor was right, it
did
seem dangerous. And the murder was decades old, so who really cared? But she didn’t want to disappoint Nans and she knew the older woman would go ahead no matter what. Lexy knew she couldn’t talk Nans out of it. Her only hope was that Nans would get too busy with the historical society project to have time to investigate.

“I did find something in Jack’s basement you guys might be interested in,” Lexy said.

“Really?” Nans raised a brow at Lexy.
 

“Yeah, he had a stack of newspapers from 1948 down there. I saved them out for you guys.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful … does it have articles from the bank robbery?” Ida asked.

“I don’t know. I didn’t read any of them.”

“Let’s see them.” Ruth looked around the shop. “Where are they?”

“Sorry, I left them at Jack’s,” Lexy said. “But I promise to pick them up tonight and bring them to work tomorrow, so if you guys are going to stop by, I’ll have them.”

“We’ll make a point of it, won’t we, girls?” Ida asked.

“Of course,” Nans answered and then turned to Lexy. “Now let’s get back to these sewer plans, I don’t see any entrances we can use on either of these.”

The ladies rolled out the rest of the sheets and poured over them. Finally, Nans said, “I don’t think we have the whole town here.”

Lexy frowned down at the papers. “It sure looks like it.”

“No,” Nans insisted. “Look. Here is Adams Street, then Berkley, then Maple, but it ends at Cedar. This section of town here is missing.”

“Hmmm … You’re right,” Ida said.

“Wait. Let’s lay them out end to end.” Lexy grabbed the papers to do just that when the bell over the door jingled and Lexy turned to see a middle-aged man enter the bakery.
 

A customer!

She dropped the papers, a smile springing to her lips as she made her way behind the bakery case from which, hopefully, the customer would be making some purchases.
 

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“Why yes, I’d like one of these scones, if I may.” The man pointed to the glass pedestal and Lexy grabbed a square of waxed paper and selected the largest scone.

“Is that to eat here?” Lexy asked.

“Yes.”

“We have coffee and tea over at the self-serve station if you’d like,” she offered.

The man looked over as he pulled out his wallet. “I’ll take a large coffee too.”

Lexy rang up the purchase and the man ambled over to pour himself a coffee while Nans, Ruth, Ida, and Helen moved the papers that were spilling over onto the other tables.

The man took a seat and the ladies bent back over the blueprints talking in hushed tones. Lexy busied herself cleaning off the self-serve station.

“Aghh … pfft.”
 

Lexy whirled around to see the man grabbing at his tongue while making choking and gurgling noises.

“Are you okay? What happened?” Lexy rushed to his side.

“Okay? Pfftt …” The man glared at Lexy as he continued to grab at his tongue. “I should say not!”

Nans, Ruth, Ida and Helen had stopped talking and were staring at the man.
 

Lexy raised her brows at him. “I don’t understand, what’s the matter?”

“I’ll tell you what the matter is,” he said stabbing his finger at the half-eaten pastry. “There’s a big clump of hair in my scone!”