Pies & Peril - Culinary Competition Mystery #1

Chapter 17

(Amy)

"There were only a few dollar bills and lots of pennies. A handful of change shouldn't add up to more than a couple dollars, right?" Amy leaned sideways so she could make eye contact with Alex as he stole another biscuit from the basket sitting on the kitchen island. "It isn't worth going back there, don't you think?"

He split open the black pepper flecked biscuit and spread pimiento cheese on each half. "You didn't need to go to the bakery and mess with Maxson in the first place. I'm making the decision. You are not going back again for a few cents. You said he's been behaving oddly. Even if he wasn't driving the pickup, you still need to stay away from him."

Amy frowned. She was glad he didn't know about her eavesdropping expeditions. Hopefully, Shepler wouldn't mention the "overheard" conversations. Alex would pack her suitcases and ship her to Alaska as a precautionary measure. "I wasn't messing with him. I was being courteous and trying to pick up the donation jar so he wouldn't have to bother with it anymore."

Amy opened the oven door a crack to peek at the chicken. Crispy, panko bread crumb crusted chicken breast strips with spicy maple dipping sauce, flaky biscuits, and steamed green beans were on the dinner menu. Comfort food with a hint of healthiness from the beans.

The chicken needed to bake a bit longer. No matter how much Elliot freaked her out, she was incapable of leaving a loose end twisting in the wind. "I'm going to send him an email. I'll say we have enough money, so he can donate what's in the jar to the animal shelter or wherever he wants. He can throw the jar away or use it as a vase. I don't care."

"Sounds like a fantastic idea," Alex said as he pulled the cork out of a bottle of Prosecco.

An hour later Amy leaned back on the cushioned bench in the breakfast nook. Bubbly wine and crispy chicken shared with a hunky husband. And the police were hot on the trail of the killer. Life was good. Across the kitchen, the computer sitting in the little office nook beeped. She had forgotten to close the email program after sending Elliot the message.

She picked up the wine bottle and raised an eyebrow at Alex. "Is that email from Elliot, a spammer, or someone else? The correct answer wins you the last glass of Prosecco."

Mischievousness glittered in his eyes. "All of the above."

Amy feigned an annoyed pout. "That wasn't an option. Only one beep, so only one email came in. Can't be all three at once."

"What if it's a mass marketing letter begging you to buy cookies from Maxson's Bakery and it's signed by Elliot and his wife?"

She took the bottle with her as she crossed the room to the computer. She sucked in a breath. Elliot had replied to her email. She had expected him to be in jail for attempting to murder his wife by that time, not taking care of office work. What was going on?

I dont want to keep it. Meat me at the bakery in 2 hrs to pickup the stuff.

She stared at the screen while her heart shuddered behind her ribs. "Points for creativity on your part, but you just missed the correct answer by a hair. It's Elliot. I have to say, I didn't think he'd have time to answer me tonight."

"So close! Why did you think he'd be busy?"

Ummm. "I overheard him talking to Kristi this afternoon. Sounded like they had plans, but now he wants me to come by the bakery in a couple of hours to pick up the donations, for some reason."

"Tell him no, you're busy."

She jumped. Alex had crossed the kitchen while she was panicking. He pushed back her hair and kissed the spot on her neck that always made her shiver from head to toe. It felt like her body had been sprinkled with spicy, tingly Szechuan pepper. A nice distraction at any other time, but not when a killer was trying to lure her to an empty building. She swallowed. Until she figured out what was happening, she needed to act normal.