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DANA SWEET BEAMED WITH pride as she piped the frosting on the Buttercream cupcakes of the week at the Cozy Cupcakes Café.
It was five o’clock in the morning and she stood in the kitchen of the café with Katie getting a head start on a busy day with orders. Inga, the baker, would be in soon.
“Mmmm, that really smells delicious,” her cousin Katie commented as she placed another batch of cupcakes into the oven.
The kitchen was busy that morning. They were getting ready to cater a grand re-opening of one of Berry Cove’s oldest small businesses.
“Thanks, cuz.”
“You really outdid yourself this time, Dana. These buttercream cupcakes of the week are going to be a huge hit.”
“I sure hope Ned at Ned’s Antiques thinks so. He said Grandma Rae used to make it so good back in the day and she would always send him and his wife a batch. Buttercream cupcakes were his all time favorite.”
Dana was filled with both joy and anxiety over baking the special desserts hoping it would taste exactly how Grandma Rae used to make it. The icing was the fun part of the buttercream cupcakes. No one could make it melt on your tongue and slide down your throat with delight like Grandma Rae used to make it, but she focused on making it as close to that as possible.
For each batch of a dozen cupcakes, the ingredients Dana used were: 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour; 1 cup of granulated sugar; ½ teaspoon of salt; 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter; 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder; ½ cup of sour cream; 1 large brown egg; 2 large egg yolks; and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
For the buttercream frosting, Dana used: 1 cup of unsalted butter; 2 ½ cups of powdered sugar; and t tablespoon of vanilla extract.
Dana whisked together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. She then added the butter and sour cream, then the egg yolks and brown egg and added the vanilla extract. She beat the mix at medium speed until it was smooth. She baked for approximately 22 minutes.
While the cupcakes were cooling, for the frosting, she whipped the butter on high speed for 5 minutes, then reduced the speed and gradually added the powdered sugar. She then increased the speed to medium high and added the vanilla extract and whipped the mixture at medium to high speed until it was light and fluffy.
Customers went crazy for the Cozy Cupcakes treats because they were never massed produced, only home-made like.
“Oh, trust me, Ned will enjoy these,” Katie said. “I can’t believe he ordered ninety-nine cupcakes for his grand re-opening event. You know that store’s been so quiet this past year. I’m surprised he’s still in business. I mean, aside from Grandma Rae, God rest her soul, who else frequents there?”
“Well, you’d be surprised,” Dana said, “There are a lot of sentimental folks who really appreciate the past and fine furniture and stuff like that. I mean look at our house.” Dana referred to the beautiful Victorian house willed to her by her late grandmother. “It’s so vintage and historic. You can’t get those kinds of qualities these days where everything is massed produced.”
Grandma Rae still had antiques in the home and the furniture was expensive Renaissance designed oak wood. It gave the home a cozy and classic feel at the same time. The girls would spend most of their time in the grand living room by the stone and cast iron fireplace. Each room in the home had a fireplace since the home was built during the Victorian era which predated central heating. But that was all right by Dana and Katie who now lived in the home since it made it cozy. Still, they were slowly updating the house in some areas while preserving others.
“Do you realize that half of the stuff at the Victorian are from Ned’s?” Dana said.
“Sure do. It’s like our home is furnished with his antiques. Grandma Rae sure used to love the vintage stuff. She hardly has any modern stuff in there.”
Dana grinned. “True. I love that vintage phonogram, too. It’s so classy.”
A whole lot of stuff from Ned’s Antiques which Ned Caster III took over from his own grandfather, Ned the first, were in Dana’s house at the Victorian. It was as if Ned was somehow part of the family. Grandma Rae, who used to own the Cozy Cupcakes Café, was a close friend of Ned and his family. Dana was all too happy to help him out after he’d closed down for a bit.
“It’s a shame that he’s going through a divorce now,” Katie said. “It should be finalized soon. I really thought that he and his wife would be together forever.”
“I know. Ned’s really a sweet man. He’s so mild-mannered.”
“I hear his wife’s really peeved at him though.”
“Why?” Dana was curious.
“Because she tried to sue him for half of his business during the divorce.”
“Oh, no. That’s awful. But I thought that his business has been in his family for over a century.”
“Exactly. You know the laws of wills and estates overrides family and divorce law any time, right?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Even if he’d been married for fifty years. That antique store was willed to him as a child, long before he got married. And the will didn’t mention it was for him and his spouse. So technically you have to honor the last wishes of the dead. The wife couldn’t touch his family estate with a tooth pick, even if she wanted to.”
“Wow, imagine that.”
“I know. Oh, well, That’s life. She’s just going to have to get used to it. I hope she doesn’t try to appeal it. She’d be wasting her time. And I hope she never married him because she thought she’d get the store. I hear she hasn’t been exactly the faithful wife, you know.”
“Oh, no. I hope those rumors aren’t true. Where did you hear that?”
“At Bea’s salon,” Katie said, “I was having my hair tinted.”
“I should have known.”
“What? That I was having my hair tinted?”
“Very funny, Katie. You know what I mean. You can’t always trust sources at Bea’s salon. Well, not all the time, anyway.”
“True, but you have to admit, we’ve found out a lot at that place.”
Bea’s salon was Berry Cove’s famous beauty parlor and the gossip central of Berry Cove. Rich housewives, former TV stars, CEOs, businesswomen and all sorts of clientele frequent there for their upscale treatment and their dose of town gossip with their manicures.
“Well, let’s hope it’s not true.”
* * *
THREE HOURS LATER, after they were done with the initial batch. Inga, the baker, came in through the swinging doors to the kitchen.
“Good morning, ladies.” Inga’s thick Russian accent and loud voice resonated in the kitchen. She rushed in and hung up her jacket. She then punched her time card and washed her hands.
“Thank you for covering for me,” Inga said.
“Hey, no worries.”
Inga was usually one of the first at the café early in the morning to get a head start but she had been at the vet with her hairless Sphynx cat. When Dana had first seen the cat, she didn’t realize that rare breed even existed and thought the cat had been somehow turned inside out. When the cat breathed, you could see the ribcage expand and contract through the skin. She’d never seen a hairless cat before. But he was the cutest thing—in a unique sort of way. Katie didn’t agree with Dana at all and thought there was something seriously wrong with the cat. She said though she was a cat lover, Inga’s one had given her nightmares.
“How’s Bennie?” Dana asked concerned.
“He’s fine now. He’s back at home from the vet. “They said it was nothing to be concerned about.” Inga grabbed a mixing bowl and then gathered the ingredients at the side to prepare another batch of Buttercream cupcakes.
“How is that batch coming along for Ned?” Inga asked, not looking up from her work.
“Oh, it’s great. As a matter of fact, I’m really glad you’re here now. I’m going to deliver this lot now. Ned has his grand re-opening and customer appreciation event starting soon.”
“Good. I wish him good luck too, especially considering?”
“Considering what?”
“Well, I saw his soon to be ex-wife at the vet hospital with their Siamese cat.”
“Oh, no is she all right?”
“The cat or his ex wife?”
Dana grinned and shook her head. “The cat?”
“I think so. She just wasn’t eating much, so she brought the cat in for an observation and some X-rays.”
“I see.” Dana finished placing the cupcakes into each cake box for Ned’s Antiques. Each cake box fitted 24 delicious cupcakes. She then closed the lids on each of the four boxes. “Well, I hope the little kitty is okay,” Dana added.
“Me, too,” Inga said. “Anyway, she’s still bitter over the divorce and not getting any part of that antiques store.”
“I don’t see why she should care,” Katie chimed in, piping the frosting on some cupcakes she’d just finished. “I’m sure there’s no money in that store. He’s not exactly busy there nowadays.”
“Are you kidding me?” Inga said, looking up, her hands on her hips. “That guy has a gold mine in there.”
“A gold mine?” Katie asked dubiously.
“Yes. Do you know how much those vintage stuff are worth?”
“Oh, my goodness,” Dana added, while piling the cake boxes on top of one another. ‘That’s true, I never thought of it like that.”
“Exactly. I’m sure she would want to shut the store down and take each item and sell on eBay or to some dealer or something. She’d make a killing.”
The word killing sent cold shivers down Dana’s spine for some reason. “Well, let’s just hope they’ll be no killing going on.”
Katie grinned. “Yep. Let’s just hope.”
* * *
WHEN DANA PULLED UP outside of Ned’s Antiques a few minutes later at the Town Square, she turned off her ignition and drew in a deep breath. “Right.” She glanced at her order and grabbed the purchase form and placed it on top of a box of cupcakes. “Let’s see if I can carry these boxes in without dropping any.”
She got out of the car and went to the passenger side where the cakes were secured on the seat. She then carefully picked up a box and tried stacking it, but decided one box at a time was probably best. After all, she had her high heeled black leather boots on. She wouldn’t want to trip on the step going up to the store.
Dana took the first box into the store. The door chime sounded.
“Well, hello there.” Ned greeted Dana with a huge smile. His voice was croaky and his legs were shaky as he walked over to Dana, carrying what looked like a heavy box with one hand. “My favorite person.”
“I thought I was your favorite person.” His assistant Tiffany walked over to Dana. “Here, let me take those.”
“Thanks,” Dana said. “I love your new jacket!” Ned was always wearing a torn grey cardigan but he looked very smart today. The navy blue jacket had a logo saying Ned’s Antiques Grand Re-opening.
“Thank you,” Ned beamed. “My assistant Tiffany bought it for me. She told me I need to start dressing differently now.’
“Well, of course,” Tiffany chimed in while fixing up the cupcakes on the display table. “He’s always wearing that same torn grey cardigan. I told him that it’s enough that he sells antiques but his clothes don’t have to be antique, too.”
Dana grinned. “True, I guess.”
“Aww, she’s just trying to get me to change.” Ned held tight to his walking stick. He then placed the heavy box down.
“Ned, you should be careful carrying heavy boxes.”
“Oh, you know me. The leg might be a bit troubled but I’ve still got my upper body strength. Still work out at the gym, you know.”
“Good for you, Ned. Anyway, how are you doing?”
“Oh, I’m fine now. Especially since you’re here.” He looked around and scratched his head with his free hand. “Wait a minute. Are there 99 cupcakes in that one box?”
Dana grinned. “Oh, no, Ned. There’s three more boxes in my car. I didn’t think it would be wise to stack them up and carry them in. I might not be able to see in front of me.”
“Ah, good thinking.” His warm smile curved his lips. “It really is nice to see you again.”
“Likewise. I’m very happy for you with the grand re-opening.”
“Well, I need to stay relevant around here. Carry on my family’s business. I can’t afford for it to close down.”
“Oh no, Ned. That won’t happen.”
“You sure about that, Dana?” He peeked at her over his black-rimmed glasses. “You’re a mystery riddles blogger. You should be able to solve this riddle.”
“Which riddle is that?”
“The riddle would be: How on earth are little stores like mine supposed to compete with the internet stores doing home delivery with a click of a button?”
Dana felt his pain, many businesses had to adapt or risk going under. “I never thought of it like that.”
“You’re lucky. Most people wouldn’t dream of ordering fresh baked goods online. Plus they like to gather at the cozy place you have there by the fireplace with friends enjoying a good dessert and a drink.”
Dana felt warm inside. “Thank you, Ned.”
“It’s true. Everyone loves hanging out at the Cozy Cupcakes Café.”
“Speaking of which, I’d better bring the next box in.”
Dana noticed that Tiffany had been watching her speaking with Ned but quickly went back to unloading each cupcake on the display tray on the customer appreciation table. Dana hoped Ned’s grand re-opening would be a success. There were already a few people in the large store walking around, glancing at the antiques on display.
When Dana went back outside to her car, she noticed there was a man standing across the street looking at Ned’s Store. He’d been there for a while since she first walked in. Her hot detective friend, Troy, always encouraged her to look around at her surroundings and notice things. To notice everything. One never knew when it would come in handy.
When Dana went back into the store with the next box, Ned was standing at the till wiping his lips with a napkin.
“Mmm. Those buttercream cupcakes are a hit!” Ned tasted one and was in a dream land. He was so grateful for the favorites. “Just the way your nana used to make it. Thank you so much.”
“Hey, it’s no biggie.”
“It is a biggie. These buttercream cupcakes are so rich and creamy it just melts in your mouth. No one makes it like the Sweets family.”
Dana flushed.
Later, she’d finished bringing in the rest of the boxes. Tiffany quickly unpacked each box and placed the cupcakes on the Customer Appreciation table by the cashier’s desk.
Dana then glanced around the antiques store and felt a pang of nostalgia. Her grandma used to bring her there when she was much younger and pick out her favorite antiques for her Victorian home. Many of the stuff in the home were passed down from her ancestors, but some were bought from Ned’s. Grandma Rae loved to keep the vintage feel of her home. That was why there were so few upgrades.
“Wow, these are beautiful!” Dana’s eyes caught the fireplace section of the store. She looked at the iron fireplace tool set on display and thought of the grand living room at the Victorian. It would go so perfect there.
“You like?” Ned hobbled over to her with his wooden cane. He was getting old now. He adjusted the black-rimmed glasses on his nose. His grey hair was gelled back off his face.
“They’re gorgeous,” she said.
“Feel them. They’re authentic iron like they used back in the 1800s.”
Dana glanced at the tag. It read: Antique Rust Wrought Iron Coal Fireplace Tool Set. Back in the Victorian era, coal burned longer than wood and since the homes were not centrally heated, that was a norm back then.
“Really?” Dana picked up the fire poker and held it in her hand. “Gosh, this is really heavy.”
Ned grinned. “Yes, those are vintage one of a kind bronze and iron set. Made in the 1890s.”
Her jaw fell open.
Just then the door chime sounded.
Ned’s ex wife, Kim, stood at the door with her Siamese cat. “Well, she’s going to be fine,” Kim said.
Dana remembered hearing something about them agreeing to share custody of their cat once the divorce was finalized.
Ned sighed. “I’m glad to hear that. Now, what are you doing here?”
“You know why I’m here, Ned.” Kim gave Tiffany a deleterious glare. She then eyed Dana up and down as Dana held the fireplace poker in her hand. Dana then flushed and placed the poker down.
“I think I’d better leave now,” Dana said quietly to Ned.
“I still think it’s unfair what you’re doing to Mittens and me,” Kim said to Ned, ignoring Dana.
The cat’s name was Mittens.
“I gave you all that you need, Kim. There’s nothing more to say to you.”
Before they could finish, Dana heard the loud screeching sound of tires. Everyone’s head spun to the direction of the loud sound, eyes wide open, jaws on the floor.
It happened so fast.
A blue sedan zoomed towards the store and drove head on into the glass window of Ned’s Antiques. Dana quickly ran to the side and ducked. Glass, antiques and cupcakes flew everywhere. Loud piercing screams of the customers were heard.
Then Dana heard the sound of the car reversing back and out of the window display and rushing away from the scene.
The car sped away fast.
“What the...? What just happened?!” Dana’s heart smashed hard against her ribs, pounding hard and fast like a bass drum.
Ned had been knocked over by the force of the collision.
Dana rushed to his side to see if he was all right. Tiffany was crouched down but got up. Kim was standing by the corner, stroking her Siamese cat as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.
Out of nowhere, Bea rushed in. Her salon was a few doors down from Ned’s Antiques in the Town Square. She must have heard the commotion when she left her salon to get her usual morning coffee. Everyone heard the commotion.
“You guys okay? What happened?” Bea said with a coffee cup in her hand.
Dana was too shocked to speak at first. Then she looked in horror at Ned.
Ned lay on the ground. His glasses knocked off his face. His eyes closed.
Was he dead?