Giving Blood at the Danton Bakery

8. Madeleines

Theo grumbled as he unlocked the back door of the shop. Black umbrella, long black coat with the collar up, sunglasses, and a hat helped him deflect the last few rays of daylight so that he could safely reach the store in time for the reporter's call.

One of these days he's going to get the cops called on him, but that would be a bridge to cross when he came to it.

Stepping into the back room of the bakery, Theo locked the door behind him and headed for the office. Taking his first steps through the kitchen, a loud clang caught him off guard.

"What was that?" Theo asked, raising his voice for anyone in the bakery to hear him.

"Sorry!" A light voice called from under the counter. A head of straight brown hair and a smear of freckled popped up and gave Theo a sheepish smile. 

"Bea," Theo said, composing himself again. "It's alright, just a little startled. What are you doing down there anyway?"

"Well..." Bea ducked down again and pulled up an armful of specialty baking pans, setting them on the counter in a clanking heap. "I was looking for a pan to make Miss Maggie's Madeleines."

"I'm afraid I am unfamiliar," Theo said, removing his hat, glasses, and coat as he spoke, hanging them on the hook just inside his office door.

Beatrice began sorting the pile of pans on the counter, spreading them all out to have a better look. 

"Miss Maggie was Grandpa's neighbor growing up, and Madeleines are little cakes baked in a pan to make them look like, well, they look like seashells to me but I suppose I should be calling them little flueted cakes." She finishes sorting the pans and frowned, not finding the one she wanted. "Miss Maggie made the best, or so I'm told. Her recipe holds up at least."

"And you need a special pan for the design?" Theo asked.

"Right. And maybe some cute sauce containers. I thought I'd make them with a chocolate ganache for dipping." Bea blushed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. 

"Hm, maybe I didn't buy a Madeline pan," Theo said. "But I thought I bought one of everything the store had."

"I'll keep looking," Bea said, opening a new cabinet. "I still don't know where exactly every item is yet, but I'll get the hang of it."

The phone began to ring, and Theo's expression fell.

"Drat." Theo waved a hand and stepped inside his office. "Feel free to rearrange any of the supplies, it's your kitchen, after all. Miss head baker."

His only reply was the rattling of more pans.

Theo sat at his wooden desk in his leather chair, sighing at the ringing phone as he picked it up.

"Danton Bakery, this is Theo Danton," he answered.

"Mr. Danton, I'm so glad I caught you." The familiar voice of the reporter from yesterday came through the line clearly, hushed office sounds murmuring in the background.

"Of course, of course," Theo obliged, trying not to sound too bored already. "Beatrice was kind enough to speak to you on my behalf yesterday, I do apologize that I was otherwise occupied. She did make me aware of your call today though."

"Completely understandable Mr. Danton," the reporter said. "If I can just ask a few more questions to finish my article, it should be in the paper soon."

"Certainly, what can I do for you?" Theo glanced out the open office door, smiling as he watched Bea try another cabinet, growing flustered when it opened to boxes of paper supplies and not baking pans.