Banana Coconut Murder: A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery - Book 21 Page 3

  “Yeah, why would he keep that if he wasn’t interested in her?” Amy asked. She paced across the wooden boards and onto the new floor rug. “Shawn is definitely suspicious too, don’t get me wrong. I mean, look at the guy. He fraternizes with his dancers, and he’s possibly jealous of their achievements.”

  “Strange,” Heather said and pressed her fingers to her forehead. “This is a confusing case, and it’s giving me a headache. I guess the best lead to follow now would be Hailey Jaine. I’ve yet to meet her, and she could confirm Sophia’s alibi is legitimate.”

  “Right,” Amy said and clicked her fingers. “I could come with you, first thing tomorrow.”

  “I can’t,” Heather replied. “Lilly’s taken some time off school because of the move and the big change coming up. I’m taking her for a walk tomorrow. Going to tell her about the meeting.”

  “Right,” Amy said. “I’ll manage Donut Delights.”

  Heather rose from the bed and walked to her bestie. She grasped her shoulder and wiggled her a little. “Now, by manage Donut Delights, do you mean manage the donuts? Because I’m sure some of those Banana Coconut Donuts have gone missing.”

  “Hey,” Amy said and raised her palms. “I can’t be held responsible for my binge eating. I put the money in the register, anyway.”

  Heather threw back her head and laughed. “I didn’t doubt that for a second. Come on, let’s go get something to eat.”

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  Chapter 7

  Lilly jogged to the bench, and Dave followed, his doggy claws dug up tiny clods of dirt and grass. Heather laughed and hurried to catch up to them.

  This was their day in the sun. At least she could relax a little before she took on the case. After this, they’d head back to Donut Delights for a treat, and Heather could check in on the new orders.

  They hadn’t received anything from the East Coast, yet, but the orders had poured in over the past few days, and that meant she’d have to hire some extra help to catch up.

  “Lilly,” Heather said, “let’s sit down and talk for a second.” She lowered herself to the bench and pushed thoughts of work – donut and P.I. – from her mind.

  The young girl plonked down on the bench and patted the seat beside her. Dave backed off, then took a running jump and scrambled onto the bench beside Lilly.

  “This is fun,” Lilly said. “Thanks for doing this Au-Heather. I was getting kinda bored at the other house.”

  That was what Lilly called Bill and Colleen’s place, now. ‘The other house.’ Maybe it felt weird for her to call it ‘home.'

  “I wanted to chat with you about something, real quick,” Heather replied.

  “What is it?” Lilly asked, and drew Dave into her lap. She patted his furry head and scratched between his ears.

  “I’m so glad you chose to stay in Hillside with us, but I wanted to let you know that it’s not a set thing yet.” Heather sucked in a breath.

  “I know,” Lilly replied, and flashed a sweet smile.

  “There – wait, what? You know?”

  “Yeah, I googled it and I asked Pamela about the process. She said she has to do some inspection thing with you guys?”

  “Yeah, that’s right,” Heather said. She should’ve realized that the investigator in Lilly would want all the details. “I just didn’t want you to get your hopes up. There’s a small chance that you might have to go to another family that suits you better.”

  Lilly scoffed. Dave’s ears perked up the flopped down again.

  “I’m serious.”

  “There’s no family better than you guys,” Lilly replied. “And I know everything will be fine. Don’t worry about be Au-Heather.”

  Heather grasped Lilly’s shoulder and squeezed. How could one little girl be this strong? Pride swelled in Heather’s chest.

  “Is that all you wanted to talk about?” Lilly asked. “Because I think Dave wants to play fetch.”

  Heather laughed and gestured for the two of them to get to business.

  Lilly and Dave bounded off the bench together. Lils brought a ball out of her pocket and held it aloft. “Ready, Dave?”

  “Don’t go near the street,” Heather called out.

  Lilly rolled her eyes, then giggled and threw the ball toward a hedge. Dave lost himself in excitement.

  “What do we do now?” A woman spoke nearby. Footsteps crunched through the grass and leaves further back.

  “What do you mean, what do we do?” A man replied, in a nasal whine.

  Heather would’ve recognized it anywhere – those were the dulcet tones of Mr. Masterson himself. She casually turned her head to the side and caught movement under the trees nearby.

  Two people backs toward her. They hadn’t realized she was there. Lilly laughed in the distance and Dave barked, then turned in circles at her feet.

  “I mean, she’s gone now, what do we do? We’ve already pushed the show dates back by two days, and the recruiter will be here on Friday. If we don’t –”

  “What is this ‘we’ you keep talking about, Hailey? There’s no ‘we.' It’s my school, and I’ll do as I please.” Shawn Masterson folded his arms. “You’re wasting my time here. I have work.”

  Hailey? That had to be Hailey Jaine. Heather strained her neck to see a little better – without being too obvious, of course.

  She had blonde hair, fastened into a bun.

  “I’ve been practicing over time for this. I can’t believe you’re thinking of dropping the show altogether.”

  “Oh please,” Shawn said, then snorted. “You’re in the chorus. The only reason we’re even talking about this right now is because you want to take Isabella’s place. You want the recruiter to notice you, and only you.” His sentence ended in a snarl.

  “No. That’s not what I want at all, and how can you talk about her like that? How can you even suggest –?”

  Shawn chuckled low in his throat – a sick, wet noise. “You can’t fool me, Hailey. You hated Isabella just as much as I did. Just as much, if not more. She treated you like dirt, and I’ll tell you another thing,” he said and walked toward the tree. His voice faded slightly. “She deserved what she got.”

  “Don’t say that,” Hailey hissed, then followed him. “All I’m asking for is that the show goes on. Okay? That’s all. You can’t punish the rest of us because she’s gone.”

  “Whatever. Fine. It can start on Friday. That recruiter will be here by then. Happy now?”

  Hailey didn’t answer.

  Shawn Masterson sighed. “You’ll never have what it takes,” he said. “None of you girls have what it takes.” Then he disappeared into the distance. Hailey hesitated a second, shoulders sagged, then rushed off in the opposite direction.

  “Heather,” Lilly called out from the stand of trees nearby. “Dave just caught the ball in mid-air. He jumped up and got it.”

  “That’s fantastic,” Heather replied. But she couldn’t focus on Dave’s acrobatic achievements now.

  Shawn Masterson believed that Isabella had gotten what she’d deserved. She couldn’t jump to conclusions. He’d hated her, though? Hate was a strong word, and how did that equate to a love letter from Isabella herself?

  He was up to something.

  Heather licked her lips. She had to find out more. And the final suspect had cropped up at the most opportune moment.

  “Lils,” Heather called out, “five more minutes, then we’ve got to get to Donut Delights. There’s a Banana Coconut Donut with your name on it.”

  Dave stopped mid-hop and landed with a bark. A typical reaction to the word ‘donut.'

  The next interview could wait until tomorrow. Right now, she had a little girl and a dog to treat.

  Chapter 8

  “I hope this one appreciates donuts,” Amy said. “Do you think she’ll be like Sophia?”

  Heather shushed her bestie and rapped her knuckles on the front door of the ballet dancer’s apartment. “Miss Hunt could be in there, right
now, listening to every word you say.”

  “Pffft, I doubt she’s paying attention. Probably admiring herself in the mirror or feasting on a carrot stick,” Amy replied, then cleared her throat. “I think I’ve gained weight. Maybe that’s why I’m so anti-vegetable, right now.”

  “That seems like the opposite of what you’d want to be if you had gained weight,” Heather replied, then knocked again. “And you haven’t gained weight.”

  “Good thing you added that last part in,” Amy said. She lifted the cardboard box, stamped with the Donut Delights logo. “I was about to bury my sorrows in Banana Coconut Donuts.”

  “Heaven forbid.”

  Footsteps thumped through the hall on the other side of the door.

  “Not very graceful, for a ballerina,” Amy whispered.

  The lock clicked, and the door swung inward. A young woman appeared, her cheeks pink and blonde hair knotted into a bun on top of her head. “May I help you?” She asked, then brushed off her navy blue leotard.

  “I’m Heather Shepherd,” she said and stuck out her hand. “I’ve come to ask you a few questions, regarding Isabella Hunt.”

  Hailey Jaine paled and stared at Heather’s hand. She glanced at her own, then clenched it into a fist. “Sorry, my hands are kind of sweaty. I’ve been practicing for the show.”

  “That’s all right,” Heather said. “May we come in?”

  Amy lifted the box of donuts. “We brought sustenance.”

  Hailey’s eyes lit up at the prospect of food. “All right, sure. I’m Hailey Jaine, by the way.”

  Amy wriggled her eyebrows. “Oh, we already know who you are.”

  Heather nudged her in the ribs, then followed Hailey down the cramped hall and into the living room.

  Hailey fluttered around the room and neatened the cushions, the frames on the coffee tables and walls. “I’m sorry, it’s so messy in here. I didn’t expect company, and Sophia’s been out all day at the studio, practicing.”

  Heather sat down on the sofa. “Has Mr. Masterson selected a new lead for the show, yet?”

  “No,” Hailey replied, and pressed her lips together. “I, uh, what happened to Isabella was terrible, but I’ve been hoping that he’d choose me. I probably shouldn’t have said that. Makes me seem guilty.”

  Amy placed the donuts on the coffee table, then sat down beside Heather. She popped open the box and helped herself to a donut, then gestured for Hailey to do the same.

  The ballerina bit her lip and stared at the banana coconut treats. She didn’t move forward an inch. “I’m trying to lose weight,” she said.

  “You and me both,” Amy replied, and took a bite of her donut.

  “Hailey, I’ve come to ask you a few questions in my capacity as an investigator. Are you okay with that?” Heather asked.

  “Sure. Honestly, I’ve heard all about you around town. Your donut store and you being a P.I. on the side, that’s unique. People talk,” Hailey said and settled back. She didn’t tear her gaze from the donuts, which glistened in their cardboard confines.

  “Right,” Heather said. She wasn’t surprised. The folk of Hillside loved their donuts, and they loved their gossip. Sometimes, the two went hand in hand. “Hailey, were you close with Isabella Hunt?”

  Hailey grimaced. “Not really. Honestly, not at all. She was always mean to me and the other girls. I didn’t get on with her or her sister. They were bullies.”

  Shawn had echoed similar sentiments.

  “But you lived with them,” Heather said.

  “That’s correct. The arrangement came out of, you know, necessity. We’re not exactly earning loads of money. I work part time as a clerk at the health food store, so yeah.”

  “Shawn Masterson’s health food store?” Amy asked and twisted her lips to one side.

  “Yeah, that’s right.”

  Heather nodded and made a mental note of it – her ballpoint had given out that morning. “Where were you on the morning of Isabella’s murder at around 10 am?”

  Hailey blew out her cheeks. “I was on my way to the health food store. I had a shift before ballet practice.”

  Amy’s eyebrows shot up.

  “Interesting,” Heather replied. “Sophia said that you could confirm her alibi. She said she was at home at the time of Isabella’s murder.”

  Hailey Jaine frowned and rubbed at the lines on her forehead. “I did see her in the morning before I left for work, but that was probably at about half past nine. I remember because she came in and teased me for eating a cereal bar.”

  “That’s inane,” Amy said.

  “It was chocolate dipped,” Hailey replied, and hung her head.

  “Because that’s something to be ashamed of?” Amy snorted and pressed the cardboard box toward the ballerina. “Please, for the love of donuts, have one.”

  Heather tuned out the banter and stared into space. Sophia had said that she’d been home at the time of the murder, but her alibi was out by thirty minutes. Would that’ve been enough time?

  “Hailey,” Heather said, and the women quieted down.

  The ballerina paused with a donut, halfway to her mouth. “Yeah?” She said, and swallowed hard.

  “How long does it take you to walk to the dance school?” Heather asked.

  “Oh, probably about thirty-five to forty minutes, depending on how much energy I have,” she replied, then finally took a massive bite of the treat. She groaned and followed up the first bite with a second.

  That ruled out her theory. There had to be something more to this.

  “Did you ever see anything suspicious at the studio? Anything involving Isabella?” Heather asked.

  Hailey gulped down the last of the donut, then licked banana cream off her fingers. “No – oh wait. Yeah, there was one time I walked in on Isabella and Shawn hugging, but that could’ve been a friendly thing. I thought it was weird because Sophia and Shawn are dating, you know?”

  “Yeah,” Heather said, then rose from her seat. “Thanks for your time, Miss Jaine. I think I’ve got everything I need.”

  Amy stood too, then pointed to the donut box. “You can keep those. You need them more than I do.”

  Chapter 9

  Shawn Masterson lived in the middle-class suburbs, behind a white picket fence. He had a porch swing. Heck, he had a wraparound porch and a garden which brimmed with roses and other dark shapes which could only be hedges, bushes, and decorative plants.

  “You know, when Lilly moves in with you guys, you won’t be able to drag me off to late night stakeouts, anymore,” Amy said and sank lower in the passenger seat of Heather’s car.

  “And I’m fine with that,” Heather replied. “Should we add stakeouts to the list of things you’re afraid of?”

  “Whatever,” Amy said, but she didn’t argue the point further.

  “He’s suspicious.” Heather unlocked her car door and opened it. “And Ryan is working on another lead tonight. He asked me if I could find out more about this guy.”

  “Where are you going?” Amy hissed.

  “Where do you think?” Heather slipped out of the car and shut the door, quietly, then strolled across the street, casual as could be.

  Amy’s car door slammed a second later, and her bestie crept up beside her in an exaggerated Pink Panther walk.

  “You don’t look conspicuous, at all,” Heather said.

  Amy straightened immediately and blushed bright red. “I’m telling you, Shepherd, I’m not cut out for this kind of thing.”

  Heather walked down the sidewalk and tucked her hands into the front pockets of her jeans. She passed the Masterson house and glanced up the drive. Two cars parked one behind the other. No white Ford Fiestas, thank goodness.

  She kept up her pace, then stopped in front of Shawn’s next door neighbor’s fence.

  “Are we done yet?” Amy asked, and glanced up and down the road.

  “Nope. I need to know what Shawn’s relationship with Isabella was, and I get the distinct feeling th
at he only owns one car. He’s a bachelor. Someone’s in there, with him,” Heather whispered.

  “You’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking, are you?”

  Heather patted Amy on the back. “Don’t overthink it.” This time, Heather slipped into a crouch and made for the low picket fence. She clambered over, then extended a hand to her bestie.

  Amy swatted at her, then climbed over by herself. “I might be a coward, but I do work out,” she whispered.

  Heather slunk between the trees in the garden. A thorn scratched her calf, and she bit back a yelp. Crickets chirped in the gloom. A single garden light lit a cobbled path to the back door.

  Shapes moved behind the curtains in the windows beside it.

  “Come on,” Heather said. She tiptoed through the tulips – quite literally, there was a bed directly beneath the windows – and dropped into the crouch.

  Amy joined her a second later and wobbled on the spot. “I bet they can see us down here,” she breathed in Heather’s ear.

  Heather pressed her index finger to her lips.

  “So you’re not going to try to explain this to me?” Sophia’s voice shrieked inside the house. “You’re just going to avoid the question and keep on avoiding it until I figure it out for myself?”

  “It meant nothing. It was just a gift,” Shawn replied. His shadow moved inside, beside the back door.

  Heather slunk closer to the wall and bumped against a bush directly beneath the window. Amy sat in place, further out.

  “A gift. Why would you buy my sister a gift?” Sophia asked. A crash rang out above Heather and Amy’s head.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Isn’t it obvious?” Sophia asked. “I’m breaking your stuff. You break my heart. I break your stuff. That’s how this works.”

  “Says who?” Shawn growled. “You’re out of your mind, Sophia.”

  “Don’t you care that this hurts me?” She yelled, and another crash rang out.

  Amy jumped and toppled onto her knees, then scrambled back into her crouch position.

  “Of course, I care. Look, it was just to congratulate Isabella on getting the lead in the show, that’s all,” Shawn replied.