might know something.”
“Doubt it,” Millicent said, again, hinting that she knew something about Charlene the rest of them didn’t.
“Thanks, Kitty.” Holly needed to get over to Just Cheesecake and bake the cream cheese chocolate chip cookies for the Bake Off. “What shall our next step be then?”
Millicent cleared her throat, assuming the leadership position. “I’ll be seeing Trent tonight. I’ll see if I can find out why they haven’t arrested Joel.”
“What about tomorrow at the Festival?” Ann asked.
Kitty’s face brightened. “I’ve got the perfect idea! A very believable idea.” She eyed Millicent and Holly. “If you two are up for it. And if Millicent doesn’t get what we need to know out of Trent.”
“Of course,” Holly and Millicent said at the same time.
***
Holly left the meeting feeling unsettled. Intuition told her they were still missing a huge piece of the mystery. So much of the investigation lacked logic. They’d relied on chance meetings and rogue interrogations. Holly had to admit they’d missed Charlene’s cool logic and direction. Her steely sense of what to do next.
Holly also needed a distraction. Just the thought Millicent was on her way over to Trent’s to subtly interrogate him drove Holly nuts. Not knowing what happened to their relationship or when it had gone off the rails disturbed her. Eventually, she’d have to sit down and ask him.
One road led to another. Before Holly realized it, she was on her way to Charlene’s. Hopefully her friend was home. She pulled into the driveway to a darkened house even though her car was in the driveway. Just in case, Charlene had fallen asleep, Holly approached the front door. She knocked several times.
“Charlene? It’s me. Holly.”
When no sound came from the other side of the door, Holly went back to her car and then her shop. She’d lose herself in baking for a couple hours and then go back to Charlene’s. Eventually, her friend had to come home.
Two hours later, Holly sat back and stared at her lovelies. The golden brown cookies lay cooling. Ready for the competition tomorrow. Maybe simple would work best. Who could resist a delicious cookie? And if she lost, Holly was okay with that too. Her product would still be out there, being tested and tasted.
She sighed. Time to go. This time, she refused to leave until Charlene got home. Kind of like a stakeout. First, she zipped home to feed Muffins.
“Sorry I can’t take you with me on this one.” She scratched behind his ears. “You need to rest up anyway. You’ll be with me all day tomorrow. Your job is to attract kids, so their parents will buy a smoothie. When it comes down to it, you’re my secret weapon.” She added food and water to his dishes. “So don’t give me that pouty look.”
She dressed in dark clothing, packed a thermos of hot chocolate and a bag of trail mix, and drove to Charlene’s. This time, she parked further down the road and walked the rest of the way. It was nine p.m. Charlene never stayed out that late.
With the windows still dark and Charlene’s car gone, Holly put her beach chair down in the woods, hidden behind a large oak tree, and settled in for however long was necessary.
The trees creaked in the warm breeze. Crickets went silent around her. Every once in a while, a squirrel rustled the brush nearby. She tried to focus on the investigation: Chip and Judy arguing, Joel and real estate, and that jealousy has the potential to drive a normal person to commit abnormal acts. Like murder. Her last thought before dropping off was that instead of meeting with the club, she should’ve stayed and followed Chip. Maybe that would’ve been more helpful.
Tires crunched on the driveway. Headlights briefly scanned the woods before focusing on Charlene’s house. Holly shot up. Pieces of nuts and dried fruit littered her shirt and the ground.
Someone walked Charlene to the door.
Everything fell into place. How could Holly
“Doubt it,” Millicent said, again, hinting that she knew something about Charlene the rest of them didn’t.
“Thanks, Kitty.” Holly needed to get over to Just Cheesecake and bake the cream cheese chocolate chip cookies for the Bake Off. “What shall our next step be then?”
Millicent cleared her throat, assuming the leadership position. “I’ll be seeing Trent tonight. I’ll see if I can find out why they haven’t arrested Joel.”
“What about tomorrow at the Festival?” Ann asked.
Kitty’s face brightened. “I’ve got the perfect idea! A very believable idea.” She eyed Millicent and Holly. “If you two are up for it. And if Millicent doesn’t get what we need to know out of Trent.”
“Of course,” Holly and Millicent said at the same time.
***
Holly left the meeting feeling unsettled. Intuition told her they were still missing a huge piece of the mystery. So much of the investigation lacked logic. They’d relied on chance meetings and rogue interrogations. Holly had to admit they’d missed Charlene’s cool logic and direction. Her steely sense of what to do next.
Holly also needed a distraction. Just the thought Millicent was on her way over to Trent’s to subtly interrogate him drove Holly nuts. Not knowing what happened to their relationship or when it had gone off the rails disturbed her. Eventually, she’d have to sit down and ask him.
One road led to another. Before Holly realized it, she was on her way to Charlene’s. Hopefully her friend was home. She pulled into the driveway to a darkened house even though her car was in the driveway. Just in case, Charlene had fallen asleep, Holly approached the front door. She knocked several times.
“Charlene? It’s me. Holly.”
When no sound came from the other side of the door, Holly went back to her car and then her shop. She’d lose herself in baking for a couple hours and then go back to Charlene’s. Eventually, her friend had to come home.
Two hours later, Holly sat back and stared at her lovelies. The golden brown cookies lay cooling. Ready for the competition tomorrow. Maybe simple would work best. Who could resist a delicious cookie? And if she lost, Holly was okay with that too. Her product would still be out there, being tested and tasted.
She sighed. Time to go. This time, she refused to leave until Charlene got home. Kind of like a stakeout. First, she zipped home to feed Muffins.
“Sorry I can’t take you with me on this one.” She scratched behind his ears. “You need to rest up anyway. You’ll be with me all day tomorrow. Your job is to attract kids, so their parents will buy a smoothie. When it comes down to it, you’re my secret weapon.” She added food and water to his dishes. “So don’t give me that pouty look.”
She dressed in dark clothing, packed a thermos of hot chocolate and a bag of trail mix, and drove to Charlene’s. This time, she parked further down the road and walked the rest of the way. It was nine p.m. Charlene never stayed out that late.
With the windows still dark and Charlene’s car gone, Holly put her beach chair down in the woods, hidden behind a large oak tree, and settled in for however long was necessary.
The trees creaked in the warm breeze. Crickets went silent around her. Every once in a while, a squirrel rustled the brush nearby. She tried to focus on the investigation: Chip and Judy arguing, Joel and real estate, and that jealousy has the potential to drive a normal person to commit abnormal acts. Like murder. Her last thought before dropping off was that instead of meeting with the club, she should’ve stayed and followed Chip. Maybe that would’ve been more helpful.
Tires crunched on the driveway. Headlights briefly scanned the woods before focusing on Charlene’s house. Holly shot up. Pieces of nuts and dried fruit littered her shirt and the ground.
Someone walked Charlene to the door.
Everything fell into place. How could Holly
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