The Diva Frosts a Cupcake (25 page)

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Dear Natasha,

I’m sewing a dog bed, but I have no idea how big it should be. Is there a rule of paw to follow?

—Crafty in Sleepy Creek, West Virginia

Dear Crafty,

Measure your dog from his nose to the end of his tail. Add six inches on each end. Then measure him from his paws to the top of his head and add six inches on each end. Those are your measurements!

—Natasha

“Sophie is nothing to me.”

I never thought I’d be so happy to hear a man utter
those
words!

“I would like to believe you,” said Clarissa. “But if that’s true, then why are you here?”

Uh-oh. That wasn’t good. Not good at all. Where was Wong?

I watched as Clarissa stood up.

Spenser shouted, “Clarissa, please!”

I threw open the door. The dogs shot toward them, and I raced behind. When we reached them, Clarissa sat on Spenser’s lap with her arms around him.

“Can’t a girl get a minute alone with her best guy?” she asked.

Thankful that she wasn’t aiming a gun at him, I blurted out, “You were reading Agatha Christie to figure out a way to kill Nick!”

Clarissa cocked her head and pouted. “The fava-bean flour in his cupcakes didn’t work. How was I supposed to know he wasn’t eating them?”

“So you tried to prick him with jimsonweed.”

Spenser’s expression contorted. “Clarissa! You didn’t!”

“Stupid Joy got in the way.”

“And then you tied a string on his stairs, hoping he’d trip.”

“In Christie books, they always die from a fall . . .”

“Did you lure Nick here by promising him money?” I asked. “Why here?”

“So it would look like you clobbered him.”

Spenser lurched to his feet. “Clarissa, what have you done?”

Wong barreled into my yard from the gate that led next door to Francie’s house. Wong was all business. “I’d like you to come down to the station with me for questioning, Clarissa.”

Clarissa’s chin trembled.

“How about if I take Buddy home, and we meet you there, Officer Wong? Would that be okay?” Spenser sounded reassuring.

Clarissa buried her head in his shoulder.

Wong smiled. “I’m sure Sophie wouldn’t mind babysitting Buddy for a few hours.”

Hah! Wong wasn’t letting Clarissa slip away.

I beckoned Wong over while Clarissa untangled herself from Spenser. “Did Nick die?”

“Rumors move fast around here.” She smiled at me. “No truth to that one. Hey, everyone down at the station was mighty curious about your frosting tip.”

“Nick hasn’t confessed yet?”

“His lawyer never leaves his side.”

Aha. Everyone needed a cousin like Alex. “So we still have no idea why he killed her?”

She winked. “Nothing I can share with you, cupcake.”

Two days later, I opened the local newspaper to find the headline “Local Socialite Fends Off Killer.” I settled at my kitchen table to read the article.

“Clarissa Osbourne could have been the next victim of Nick Rigas, who allegedly murdered Muffin Pruitt in an apartment over the Sugar Baby cupcakery. Osbourne, charged with attempted murder, claims she saved her life by fighting back when attacked. Women have rallied to her aid, causing her to become a media sensation. Apparently Rigas had sweet-talked money out of women of every age and description.”

Spenser must have hired a humdinger of a lawyer to twist the facts that way.

Nina opened my door, holding the paper in her hand, and Francie barged in with her.

“Did you see this?” asked Nina.

“Alex better be a great attorney,” I said. “I’m amazed by the way they’re describing what happened. Have you heard anything about Maurice?”

“He’s already out on bail! I can’t believe it after all the sneaky things he did.”

Francie frowned. “He was an idiot to cross the police tape and sneak around in Renee’s apartment. You’d think he would have realized that. I heard he claimed taking the cupcake from the desk wasn’t stealing because it once belonged to him. Now, let me see if I have this straight. He wanted to plant the cupcake in Spenser’s car and report it to get Spenser into trouble?”

“That’s what he told me.” I hooked Daisy’s leash onto her collar.

Nina roared. “But Martha grabbed it and wouldn’t give it back to him. When he took it from her, she bit him, grabbed the cupcake, and ran! What a feisty little girl she is! Spenser isn’t pressing charges against Maurice for breaking and entering at Cake My Day, so if he has a good attorney, he might just get some community service.”

“Humphrey’s feeling much better now that all the charges against him have been dropped, but Renee and Myra are still driving him nuts.” I locked the door, and we walked to Bernie’s new house, located kitty-corner from mine.

Naturally, Muffin’s murder was the talk of the neighborhood when we gathered in Bernie’s backyard for a housewarming barbecue. Moe manned the grill, and all the food was catered by The Laughing Hound.

Bernie caught up to me. “I hear we’re going to name a house drink Gossip.”

Moe hoisted a beer. “I’m working on it.”

“What’s the latest gossip?” I asked.

“Sort of sad.” Moe flipped a rack of ribs. “Clarissa is getting all the attention, but Muffin was the brave one who stood up to Nick.”

“What I don’t understand,” said Mars, “is why he didn’t take the cupcake with him. Why was it still there for Maurice to find?”

“I think I know the answer to that.” I accepted a glass of iced tea from Bernie. “Humphrey barged in. There’s a little bell that dings when someone enters the cupcakery. I’d bet Nick was in a panic and left out the back way as fast as he could. There were cupcakes baking! It all must have happened pretty fast.”

Renee overheard and rubbed the base of her throat uncomfortably. “I’d bet anything that it was Nick who was trying to get in that night after I moved back.”

“Think he didn’t know that Maurice had removed the cupcake?” I asked.

Renee sipped from a glass of wine. “That’s all I can imagine. Spenser heard Muffin shouting about Joy’s grandmother’s ring the day Nick killed her. I bet he found it and sold it.”

Moe scratched the side of his head. “Word around town is that Sophie’s devastated because Spenser went back to Clarissa.”

I burst out laughing. “I can’t be devastated, because there was never a relationship to begin with. And I’ll share a little news. Spenser didn’t go back to Clarissa. I happen to know he bought a house with a doggy door and a fenced yard in the back for Buddy.”

We’d hesitated to invite both Renee and Joy, but Bernie insisted a barbecue was the perfect place to mend fences. It amused me, though, to see Humphrey caught between Renee and Myra.

Evidently Myra had taken Francie shopping. Francie’s bubblegum pink top over zebra-striped leggings was a huge departure for her.

Martha the Chihuahua wore a dress of abstract pink and green swirls on a white background and a double strand of pearls. Natasha wore the same thing. It looked better on Martha.

I noticed that Leon held her leash. “Is Martha still biting Natasha?”

Leon grinned. “Every chance she gets. Natasha has come to the realization that she’s not a dog person.”

The rest of us had known it all along.

Natasha sidled up to me. “I don’t see Alex.”

“He should be along anytime. Are you giving Martha back to the breeder?”

“Heavens, no! Martha will be a show dog. She’ll travel with her handler, and when she comes home—”

“She gets to stay with me.” Leon picked up Martha and cuddled her. “Natasha and I will be co-owners.”

Sounded like a perfect arrangement to me.

“So you’re out of the doggie-clothes business?”

“It’s entirely Bernie’s fault. If he hadn’t thrown me out, I’d be the queen of a clothing empire right now.” Her scowl morphed into a beam. “Alex! I’m so glad you could make it.” Natasha snaked her arm around him. “Let me introduce you to everyone.”

“I’d like that, but someone is picking me up in a few minutes. I’m afraid I can’t stay.”

“I’m so disappointed.” Natasha didn’t let go of him.

Bernie, Mars, and Moe watched from the grill. A trio of maiden aunts couldn’t have looked more critical.

“I hope I’ll see you when I return, Natasha.” He stepped out of her grasp. “Sophie, could I have a quick word?”

We left through the gate. I didn’t have to turn around to know Natasha’s eyes were blazing.

Alex twined his fingers with mine. “When I said I wanted to practice law here, I never imagined that my first client would be a relative. Now I guess I’ll have to come back.”

What could I say that wouldn’t frighten him? That would let him know I was excited by the prospect of him living in Old Town but wouldn’t be too sappy? “I hope—”

He cut me off in the very nicest way, by kissing me. A horn honked.

“That’s my ride.”

“What happened to your car?”

“I sold it. It never was my style. My law partner talked me into it. I think it was
his
dream car, actually. What I’ve always wanted . . .”

“What?”

He acted sheepish. “You’ll think I’m silly.”

“A lot of my friends are silly.”

“You’ve probably never heard of it anyway. Ever since I was a kid I’ve wanted an Alfa Romeo Spider. A vintage one seems like just the right thing for Old Town.”

Maybe there was hope for us after all. A spider wasn’t a beetle, but it was close enough. We snuck another quick kiss, but the horn honked again.

“Impatient driver,” he grumbled.

He ambled backward, still holding my hand as long as he could. When our fingers no longer touched, he turned and jogged to the car waiting in the street. His car. His snazzy BMW, being driven by the person I had to presume was its new owner—the general.

After dinner, Renee called out, “Everybody, I’d like to show you all something.”

She held a platter of cupcakes. “You won’t believe what I found in the freezer this morning. Muffin must have been working on these the day she was murdered. She told me she’d come up with a recipe for a chocolate hazelnut cupcake that she loved. I thought it would be nice to share them with you.”

There was something unsettling about eating cupcakes that had been baked by a deceased person. I didn’t rip the paper off right away. Of course, there was no point in keeping them. Maybe Renee had the right idea. Maybe the way to honor Muffin was to enjoy her last effort.

Joy shrieked. “Is this some kind of trick?”

“No.” Renee seemed confused. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t believe it.” Joy split her cupcake open to reveal a ring. “It’s my grandmother’s ring. The one from Tiffany.” She looked up at Renee. “Did you bake it into the cupcake?”

Renee swallowed hard and fought back tears. “No. Muffin must have been on to Nick all along. She hid it for you someplace she knew he would never look.”

Joy and Renee burst into tears.

Even some of the men wiped their eyes.

Renee and Joy hugged, and it was as though a spell had been broken.

But even as Joy and Renee chattered to catch up, I saw Renee and Myra shooting killer glances at each other. They shuttled Humphrey between them, each calling him over or dragging him away from the other one.

After a particularly nasty exchange, a hush fell over everyone, and Joy proclaimed, “It’s time you two ended this. You’re both my friends. I say Humphrey should pick between you and end this foolishness. So which one is it? Myra or Renee?”

I expected Humphrey to be confused, to balk. Instead, he smiled with a twinkle in his eye. “I don’t think there’s any need to choose right now.”

Humphrey was right. I laughed aloud. He loved being sought after and deserved the attention.

I looked over at Mars. Alex had left, but he would certainly be back. I lifted my glass in a toast. “To new friends, and old ones.” I didn’t need to choose anyone right now, either.

RECIPES & COOKING TIPS

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

CARAMEL

1 medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan

1 wooden spoon

¹
/
₂
cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

¹
/
₄
cup water

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¹
/
₄
teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Have all ingredients ready to use. Warm the cream in the microwave for about 30 seconds. In a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan, mix together the sugar, water, and light corn syrup. Stir with a wooden spoon and turn the heat up to medium high. Stir until the mixture begins to bubble. Immediately quit stirring. Watch until the mixture turns a rich golden amber. Do not allow the mixture to burn! Remove from heat immediately. Stand back and pour in the cream, stirring to mix. The cream will sizzle up, but stirring will combine the ingredients. Stir in the butter and salt. When completely mixed, cool for 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate when cool.

CUPCAKES

1
¹
/
₂
cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¹
/
₄
teaspoon fine sea salt

¹
/
₂
cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cream the butter with sugar. Add the eggs and beat well for about 3 minutes. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk until completely mixed. Add the vanilla and mix.

Divide among cupcake liners. Bake 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

FROSTING

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (
³
/
₄
stick)

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

¹
/
₄
cup heavy cream

¹
/
₄
cup caramel (recipe above) plus extra

Cream the butter, adding the sugar
¹
/
₂
cup at a time, alternating with the cream. After the second cup of the sugar is added, mix in the caramel. (Mix in more sugar if necessary to achieve desired frosting consistency.) Cool cupcakes on a rack before frosting. Drizzle a tiny amount of caramel over the top of each cupcake.

(Makes 12 cupcakes)