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LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Dana left the Cozy Cupcakes Café to walk next door to see Jimmy, the locksmith.
“Hey, Jimmy.”
“Hey, Dana. Nice vanilla cream cupcakes. The guys here love it. What do you guys put in it? It’s so yummy, creamy and addictive.”
Dana grinned. “Now you know we can’t tell you Grandma Rae’s secret ingredients, Jimmy,” she teased. Though love and warmth was one of the non-food ingredients. Grandma Rae used to always say you have to put a lot of warmth and love into what you do, especially cooking or baking. If you’re in a bad mood or depressed while cooking, it would transfer to your food and it wouldn’t taste good. So Dana would always keep that in mind and remind the baking staff, too.
“Anyway, thanks for the compliment, Jimmy. Glad you guys enjoyed our cupcakes of the day.”
“We sure do.” He said cutting a key in his machine. “Hey, what can I get you today?”
“Actually,” she said, pulling out Katie’s set of keys for the Victorian. “We’ve been having a bit of trouble lately with the door lock.”
“You have?”
“Yes. It’s annoying really. We love the character of the home and want to preserve as much of it as we can, but the door lock and frame are really outdated. Could you possibly come over and change the lock and cut some new keys?”
“Sure thing. I can have someone over right now.”
“That would be great. I have some time now. I’m on break and Katie is running things over at the café.”
“Good.”
“Hey, I thought I saw you in here,” Kerry’s voice sounded behind Dana.
“Hey, Kerry. How’s it going at your new job?”
“Between work and my grad studies. It’s a toughie, but I’ll manage.”
“Good for you. Oh, I’m glad you’re here, I need to ask you a question. Jimmy, just a minute,” she turned to Jimmy to excuse herself.
“No worries. I have to cut a few keys here. Hey, Kerry.”
“Hey Jimmy.”
Dana walked over to the side with Kerry. “Kerry, did you ever notice Mr. Terrence wearing a bright blue shirt?””
“Um...hmmm. Nope. I don’t think so.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Wait a minute.”
“What is it?”
“I remember when Lichelle’s brother came to look for her at the Maison. Man, he had the ugliest shirt I’ve ever seen. A bright blue shirt and a bright orange tie. Imagine that? Okay, I’m no fashion queen but come on. He just looked like such an odd ball.”
“Oh, my God!”
“What?” Kerry said.
“That’s it. He was wearing a bright blue shirt when I saw him, too.” Dana narrowed her eyes. Did Mr. Terrence have some sort of scheme with Thomas? Was he covering for Thomas by destroying the shirt as evidence? Her mind was spinning.
Dana pulled out her cell phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Just making some notes for later. Thanks so much, Kerry. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Hey no worries. I came to give this to your little kitty.”
“Oh, what is it?”
“Her own pair of ear muffs.”
“Aww, that’s so sweet of you, Kerry. Thank you.”
“No worries. See you later.”
Just then, Dana bumped into Gerdie Sue. “Oh, hi Gerdie. How are you doing today? Any news from the boys in blue?”
“No. Not yet. I guess no news is good news. I mean, I have an alibi for the time...you know.”
“I know,” she said quietly.
“Anyway, what are you up to, child?” Gerdie asked in a southern drawl. She’d spent some time in the south after her divorce from Mr. Sampson, and shortly before moving to Berry Cove.
“Oh, nothing. You know I have to change the lock on my door. Old keyhole.”
“I hear you child. Your Grandma kept that house in tip top shape, but she really liked to keep things ancient,” Gerdie teased.
“I know,” Dana said, longingly. Boy, she really missed Grandma Rae. She wished she was around now. Especially with what’s been going on lately. Grandma Rae was a take-charge kind of woman and would always keep things together with her wit and wisdom and quick thinking. She missed her dearly.
“I’m also cutting a few keys just in case we get locked out.”
“Smart. I guess everyone’s doing that these days.”
“Everyone? Who do you mean everyone?”
“Everyone,” Gerdie continued. “Jimmy, are you having some sort of sale, I don’t know about? Because if you are...?”
“No. No. Believe me, Miss Sue. I would let you know.”
“Good.” Gerdie looked good this morning, considering all that was going on in her life with being accused of murdering her former step-daughter.
Gerdie dyed her hair color as often as people changed their clothes. Today, she sported a brighter red hairdo—a different shade from the previous week, showcasing her spiraling curly hair. For her age she looked amazing. Her brows were done and lined of course. Her make up and thick fake lashes were perfect. And her matching red matte lipstick was applied perfectly. Her overcoat was by Ralph Lauren and she sported another high-end designer bag. The other day it was Louis Vuitton. Today it was Chanel. A black double-flap handbag.
She looked as if she was going to walk a red carpet instead of walk through the Town Square in a conservative small town like Berry Cove. Still, she loved to look like a queen. She was one of Bea’s Salon’s favorite clients. She was always there doing something. Especially chatting. Of course, this week, she wasn’t chatting very much.
Dana wished she could take that time it must have taken Gerdie to do her make up like a Hollywood star. But Dana was always up early to work on her blog before opening the café. After she finished her blog entrees, she did some Yoga, took care of Truffles, prepped for the business day at the café and did the early opening up of the café and checked stock and inventory and supplies. How on earth would she have time to do anything else?
“Well, anyway, Gerdie, I’ll talk to you later. Keep strong.”
Gerdie looked a bit sad in her eyes but then shifted her mood. “Oh, I will, honey child. I intend to. Right now, I’m off for my weekly manicure.”
“Weekly?”
Gerdie grinned. “You know I like to change my nails to match whatever hair style I’m wearing. See you later darling,” she said before walking off.
Dana couldn’t help but grin. “Of course. See you later, Gerdie!”
It was good that Gerdie was keeping up her spirits. She was such a good friend to her Grandma Rae, and Dana really believed Gerdie’s innocence.
Just then a few tourists stopped by outside the café taking some snapshots. “Yeah, killer cupcakes,” one giggled. “They’re used in murder a lot.”
“Here. Take a selfie. Take a selfie,” the other tourist said to the first one as they posed in front of the café.
Dana’s heart sank like a stone in the river.
“Hey, you guys move away from there!” Jimmy said to them.
“It’s okay, Jimmy.” She sighed. “They’re tourists. They’re entitled to free speech.”
“While defaming Grandma Rae’s café?”
He had a point. But what could she do? Dana sighed deeply. She really hoped she would figure out who the real killer was soon so that this town could go back to normal.