Evil Eclairs (28 page)

“Why do you say that?” George certainly knew how to get my attention.

“I’ve heard talk that some folks around town suspect that you’re the reason she’s gone.” He said it flatly, as though he were announcing baseball scores.

“Just because she was last seen here doesn’t mean I had anything to do with it.” My voice must have gotten a little louder as I spoke, and a few folks in the shop glanced over at us. “Hang on a second.” I wasn’t about to get into that conversation with customers still in the donut shop. “Folks, it’s closing time. Thanks for coming to Donut Hearts, and we hope to see you all again tomorrow.”

After everyone was gone, I locked the door and turned back to George. “I’m sorry,” I said once I managed to calm down a little. “I shouldn’t have raised my voice like that.”

“Don’t apologize to me. I’m just telling you what I’ve heard. We need to do something, and do it fast.”

I grabbed a broom and started sweeping. “Slow down. Whether I look into this or not, you’re not invited this time. You’re recuperating, remember?”

“This?” he asked, waving the cane in the air. “It’s no hardship; more of an inconvenience, really. I might not be able to chase anyone down in a footrace, but that doesn’t mean I’m completely useless.”

From the tone in his voice, I could tell that I’d angered George, the last thing I wanted to do. “I can’t risk letting you get hurt again,” I said, the honesty in my answer surprising me as much as it clearly did him.

“Suzanne, a meteor could fall from the sky in the next ten seconds and I’d be just as dead as if something else happened to me. Being alive is one constant risk, but it’s not something I’m ready to give up on. You don’t have to include me in your investigation, but that doesn’t mean you can stop me from digging around into what happened to Emily on my own. She’s a friend of mine, too, and I aim to find out what happened to her, with or without your blessing. Do we understand each other?”

I knew I was fighting a losing battle, so the only hope I had of reining him in was including him in my own investigation. “Want a donut?” I asked.

“No, thanks, I’ve already had my breakfast, and I’m headed out to lunch now.”

“You can put it in a bag and take it home for later,” I said as I grabbed a plain cake donut and slid it into a bag. As I handed it to him, I said, “It’s still all I’m able to pay you for your help.”

He took the bag, and then asked, “What, no coffee anymore? I used to get both when I worked for you.”

I laughed despite my reservations. “One coffee to go, it is. You drive a hard bargain.”

George smiled at me. “I don’t know; you’re no pushover yourself.”

I filled a to-go cup, then gave it to him. “Now I know you’re lying,” I said with a grin.

“When do we start?” George asked, now all business.

“As soon as I finish closing up the shop I’m going to call Grace. Why don’t you disappear for twenty minutes, and then come back.”

“You’re not going to do anything without me, are you?” The look of concern on his face was clear.

“I have a lot of work to do before I can leave Donut Hearts,” I said. “Come on, George, don’t be so paranoid. It doesn’t suit you.”

“Point taken. See you later.”

After he left the shop, I watched him walk away. I wasn’t sure if it was just my imagination, but I could have sworn that George’s limp had suddenly gotten better. I suspected that having a purpose again was taking his mind off his injury. He was right. I had no business trying to tell him how to run his life. If he wanted to take a few risks in order to feel alive, I wasn’t going to stop him. All I could do was try to make them more manageable, and I couldn’t do that if he was off investigating on his own.

I kept working in the front, and a little later, Emma came out drying her hands on a dishtowel. “The dishes are done and the trays are clean.” She glanced at the case. “I see you boxed up the last couple of dozen donuts. Anything else I can do to help out here?”

“No, we’re good. I’ll balance the register, and then I’m taking off myself.”

She grabbed a broom. “I can sweep up if you’d like.”

“I took care of that already,” I said. “Emma, are you stalling for some reason?”

“I don’t want to go home,” she said, and I saw her fighting tears.

“Why not?” I asked softly.

“Dad means well, but he’s going to ask me a thousand questions about Emily, and I don’t know how to answer a single one of them. She’s not a story to me; she’s my friend.”

“Mine, too,” I said, touching her shoulder softly.

“You’re going to find her, aren’t you?”

“I don’t know,” I said, not wanting to give her false hope.

“You’ve got to,” she said, the pleading in her voice heartbreaking to hear.

“That’s what George said, too,” I said. “I’m calling Grace, and then I’ll see what I can do. In the meantime, you can’t keep avoiding your dad. Tell him what you just told me, and ask him to give you a break. He’s not a bad guy if you give him half a chance.”

“I know,” she said, and suddenly tried to smile. “I’m okay.”

“Good girl,” I said, and let her out. The cash register balanced out, to my unending joy, and I prepared the bank deposit. When I was ready to lock up, I grabbed my phone and called Grace at home. I knew she was there doing paperwork, part of her responsibilities as a supervisor for her company.

“Hey,” I said, when she picked up.

“I was just getting ready to call you,” she said.

“What about?”

“Believe it or not, I’ve got a problem. Someone I know just disappeared.”

It didn’t even surprise me that she’d already heard about Emily. “Trust me, I know. She was last seen at the Donut Shop this morning.”

“What are you talking about, Suzanne?”

I was baffled by her response. “Emily Hargraves,” I said. “Isn’t that who you’re worried about?”

“No, someone else in town is missing. It appears as though we’ve got an epidemic on our hands.”

ST. MARTIN’S PAPERBACKS TITLES

BY JESSICA BECK

Glazed Murder

Fatally Frosted

Sinister Sprinkles

Evil Éclairs

Praise for the Donut Shop Mysteries by Jessica Beck

“Jessica Beck’s
Glazed Murder
is a delight. Suzanne Hart is a lovable amateur sleuth who has a hilariously protective mother
and
great donut recipes! Readers will have a blast with this book.”

—Diane Mott Davidson,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Fatally Flaky

“A tribute to comfort food and to the comfort of small-town life. With great donut recipes!”

—Joanna Carl, author of
The Chocolate Cupid Killings

“If you like donuts—and who doesn’t?—you’ll love this mystery. It’s like a trip to your favorite coffee shop, but without the calories!”

—Leslie Meier, author of the Lucy Stone mysteries
New Year’s Eve Murder
and
Wedding Day Murder

“The perfect comfort read: a delicious murder, a likeable heroine, quirky Southern characters—and donut recipes!”

—Rhys Bowen, Agatha and Anthony award–winning author of the Molly Murphy and Royal Spyness mysteries

“Jessica Beck’s debut mystery,
Glazed Murder
, is a yummy new treat in the culinary mystery genre. Skillfully weaving donut recipes throughout a well-plotted story, the author proves that life after divorce can be sweet; all you need are good friends, your own business, and comfort food. Delicious!”

—Tamar Myers, author of
Death of a Rug Lord
and
The Cane Mutiny

“A clever plotted cozy mystery with a wonderful small Southern town …
Fatally Frosted
is a great follow-up to
Glazed Murder
. Suzanne is a great heroine. Ms. Beck has a sure-fire winner!”

—
Fresh Fiction

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

EVIL ÉCLAIRS

Copyright © 2011 by Jessica Beck.

Excerpt from
Tragic Toppings
copyright © 2011 by Jessica Beck.

All rights reserved.

For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

ISBN: 978-0-312-54107-1

St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / May 2011

St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

eISBN 978-1-4299-8049-4

First St. Martin’s Paperbacks eBook Edition: April 2011