Coffee Cake & Murder: An Oceanside Cozy Mystery - Book 7 Page 4

  "We wanted to talk to you about the Halloween tea reading event," Heather said.

  "That was another busy but fun night," Gwendolyn said. "Unfortunately, it was so busy that I didn't get a chance to get my own fortune read in the teas leaves. Who knows what it would have said about my love life? Maybe the leaves would have shown me something about my own wedding."

  "I don't know how all this works," Maricela said. "How can your fortune be told in tea leaves? And how did this event work?"

  "People bought tickets for the event," explained Gwendolyn. "There were two things to do with tea. We had our usual array of wonderful flavors that the guests could choose from to leisurely drink through the night. Then they each also had a small cup of tea that they would drink from, and then one of the fortune tellers would look at the dregs in the cup. Based on the shape, they could tell you what your future had in store. I'd love to hear that there's a man and a ring there for me."

  "Now, about the food there," Heather prompted.

  "Well, the tea was the sips part," Gwendolyn said. "And then there were finger sandwiches to eat. It was a like buffet with the sandwiches. And there were supposed to be desserts, but Shirley made a big stink about the donuts."

  "We know," Amy muttered.

  "Did anyone else eat the donuts?" Heather asked. "Or just Shirley?"

  "I had one," Gwendolyn admitted. "While we were setting up. I actually really liked it. But she was going on and on about how terrible hers was. She didn't want to serve them to the guests. I convinced her to try a second one because mine was tasty, but she said that was bad too. So, we just threw them out before most people came."

  Amy shuddered. "I'm sorry," she said. "But that's also on the list of the scariest things we've heard recently. Dumped donuts."

  "Were the donuts she ate in a different location?" Heather asked.

  Gwendolyn frowned as she thought about it. "I guess she did. We had already set up the display on the table, and she didn't want to mess with it, so she took them from a box of extras. She had been keeping them near her purse to bring home."

  Heather exchanged a look with her friends. If Shirley had kept her donuts separate from the rest of the bunch, then it would have made it even easier for the poisoner to target only her.

  "Do you know anyone who would want to kill Shirley Hunt?" Heather asked.

  "No," Gwendolyn said. "She didn't have much of a personal life. And I can't think who would want to kill her."

  "I just have one more question," Heather said. "I'd like to know who was at this event, specifically before you got rid of the donuts."

  "Two the seasonal co-workers were there, but they're not in town anymore. A few local guests were there early. Or maybe just two before the donuts were thrown out. The photo guy there Andy was there taking pictures. And the lady next door at the dog costume place was early. And then, of course, the fortune tellers were there."

  "Do you have any contact information for these fortune tellers?" Amy asked.

  "Maybe they'll find us as soon as they have a vision that we're looking for them," Maricela scoffed.

  "I only know their names," said Gwendolyn. "There was Garnet, Madame Minerva, and a girl named Cassidy that wasn't very good."

  "Cassidy again," Maricela said.

  "I think it's time we had another talk with her," Heather said.

  "We better get a better fortune this time," Amy said.

  Help for the Future

  “This figures,” Maricela complained. “When we don’t want to see her we keep bumping into her because she had a vision about being someplace. When we actually want to find her, we can’t.”

  "The concierge thought that she lived around here," Heather said, as they walked down the cobbled street.

  “I guess she talks to everyone as much as she rambled to us,” Maricela said.

  "Maybe she knew that she should tell the concierge where she lived because she had a vision that we'd need the information," Amy offered.

  “I think we’ve found her,” Heather said.

  “She would have a sign like that,” Maricela said.

  An apartment's building window had a sign in it advertising for "Cassidy's Psychic Services – By Phone Appointment (no telepathic reservations, please)." It was also covered in glitter.

  “That’s giving us the phone number,” Heather said. “Let me call her and see if we can talk to her about the case.”

  She dialed the number and spoke to the excited Cassidy.

  “I’d love to meet with you,” Cassidy said. “I’m at my apartment. Let me guess where you are. Let me try and sense your location. You’re already on your way!”

  “We’re already here,” Heather said.

  Undeterred, Cassidy invited them inside.

  “I don’t usually invite clients up to my apartment. I just use the window for free advertising,” Cassidy said, as she set a table up for them with cards and crystals. “But I can tell that I can trust you.”

  “I appreciate this,” Heather said. “But we’re really here to talk about what happened to Shirley Hunt.”

  “I haven’t had any visions about her murder,” said Cassidy. “But I could try and talk to her spirit about what happened. I haven’t had much success with that sort of thing, but I could try.”

  “I’d actually like to talk about her Halloween Tea Reading event,” Heather clarified.

  “It was a great event. Everyone loved it,” Cassidy said. “But what does it have to do with her murder?”

  “You were one of the tea readers there?” Heather asked.

  “Yes,” said Cassidy. “But I was more of an apprentice. Madame Minerva has been working with me to help me develop my gift, and she invited me to come be a part of it.”

  “Did you try any of the donuts?” Amy asked. “They weren’t bad, right?”

  “I don’t know. There weren’t any donuts when I arrived. Though Shirley did complain about the dessert at one point,” Cassidy said.

  “They weren’t there?” asked Heather. “We were told that the fortune tellers were at the event early.”

  Cassidy blushed. “Yes. Well, the other two were. And I was supposed to be. But I, um, I had a mysterious turn of events in my travels there.”

  “You got lost?” Amy asked.

  Cassidy’s blush deepened as she nodded. “I did find my way there though eventually. Not all the guests had arrived, but I missed the set-up part.”

  “So, you were lost and were late?” Maricela reiterated. “Great psychic work.”

  “It was my fault, but I was tricked a little bit too,” Cassidy said.

  “What do you mean?” asked Heather.

  “Madame Minerva gave me directions to the shop because I had never been there before, but she purposely put some wrong turns in it. It was supposed to be a training exercise. I was supposed to sense what the right way was and sense the dishonesty on the paper. But I wasn’t expecting a test on my way there, and so I failed it.”

  “Does Madame Minerva do these sorts of things often?” Heather asked.

  Cassidy shrugged. “She tries different techniques to bring out my gift. She never gave wrong directions before, but she has tried to test me.”

  Heather nodded. If Cassidy had arrived after the donuts were thrown out, then she couldn't have been the one to poison Shirley Hunt. She would double check her story of her arrival time with the other early guests. Based on the setup of the shop, it would have been tricky for someone to sneak inside without being noticed at all. If the other guests didn't see Cassidy until her late arrival, then she would off of the suspect list.

  “Did you know Shirley Hunt well?” asked Heather.

  Cassidy shook her head. “I had never been to the sandwich shop before. Which is a disappointment because after the tea reading, I was just thinking how much I would like to go there more often.”

  “And yet you didn’t see this happening,” Maricela said.

  Cassidy ignored her and focused on Heather’s
question. “I had met her a few times quickly. When I was learning from Madame Minerva at her table, Shirley stopped by to discuss plans for the event. She seemed like a competent business owner and was nice enough, but I didn’t really get to know her.”

  “So, you wouldn’t know of any reasons why someone would want to kill her?” Heather asked.

  "Not from my interactions with her," Cassidy said. "But I could try and have a vision."

  “I think it might be more helpful if you could point us in the direction of the other fortune tellers who were there,” Heather said. “We’d like to talk to them about what happened at the beginning of the event.”

  “I could get you in touch with them,” Cassidy said. “This is so exciting! I’m helping to solve a murder.”

  Amy smiled nostalgically. “I remember my first time helping. The intrigue. The terror. The donuts.”

  “Well, you’re helping in the sense that you’re going to give us some contact information,” Maricela said.

  “I can do more than that,” said Cassidy. “I’d be happy to accompany you when you talk to the witnesses and suspects. I can help you figure out what the tea reading had to do with her death later. I can use my powers to sense if people are telling the truth.”

  “Great,” said Maricela.

  "I know!" Cassidy said happily, not sensing that Maricela was unenthusiastic. "I could also sense for clues that could be important. Maybe I'll find something you could have missed. And maybe doing this will help me have a vision, and I'll be able to see who killed her."

  "I don't know," Amy said. "We already have one extra person without a license or badge helping us."

  “I’m afraid she’s right,” Heather said. “And I don’t think there should be too many of us banging on suspect’s doors. We’re trying to keep a low profile because the police think that we’re involved somehow.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” said Cassidy. “I could tell from your auras right away that you’re the opposite of killers.”

  “Anti-killers?” Amy suggested.

  “If you need a character reference, I’d be happy to go right to the police and tell them that I sense you’re good and that your search will pay off,” Cassidy offered.

  “No,” said Heather. “We don’t want them to know we’re investigating. At least, not until we have something concrete to show them.”

  “But isn’t there anything I can do to help?” Cassidy asked.

  The other women exchanged a look.

  “Why don’t you try and have a vision here?” Heather suggested. “You might have more success if you’re comfortable in your home environment. And if you see anything important, be sure to tell us right away.”

  “Yeah,” Amy said. “And if you see any signs of danger, let us know too. It sure would be nice to have a warning if the killer is coming after us next.”

  Madame Minerva

  Madame Minerva's room looked like the stuff of movies. There was a giant crystal ball in the center of a round table, and the walls and surfaces were draped with rich, colorful fabrics. There were eccentric devices and star maps around the room.

  Madame Minerva herself was a large woman with even larger dark hair. She wore glasses and a shawl.

  “Come inside,” she had gestured.

  “We’re not really here for a reading,” Heather said. “We—“

  “I know why you are here,” Madame Minerva said, in a soft deep voice that added to the air of mystery. “You’re here to talk about the death of Shirley Hunt.”

  “Wow,” Amy said. “Did you see us coming here in your crystal ball? How do I look in a crystal ball? Does it add ten pounds like they say a camera does? Or do you look better because it’s magical? Did you see us in a vision?”

  “Or did Cassidy call and say we were coming?” Maricela offered.

  “Please have a seat,” Madame Minerva said with a smile.

  They sat around the table in cushioned chairs, and Madame Minerva joined them.

  “Now, I must tell you that I can’t look into the crystal ball and simply see who committed the murder. It doesn’t work quite like that.”

  “We wouldn’t expect it too,” said Heather.

  “Though it would sure make our jobs a lot easier,” Amy said.

  “We wanted to talk to you about something that you were there for,” said Heather. “The Halloween Tea Reading event.”

  “Why do you want to know about that?” Madame Minerva asked.

  “Because we believe a crime was also committed there,” said Heather.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Madame Minerva said quickly. “And I don’t know what bearing it could have on the murder.”

  Heather raised an eyebrow. “Do you know any specifics about a crime that night?”

  “Of course not,” Madame Minerva said. “And you must realize that I can’t talk for too long. I have to be available for paying customers. Telling fortunes is how I make my living.”

  “That’s fine,” Amy said, digging in her purse. “We can be paying customers. I’d love for you to do a reading for Maricela. She’s a nonbeliever.”

  “And you believe in all this?” Maricela asked.

  Amy shrugged. “I think it’s fun. And not all the predictions we’ve had were wrong. Remember room five? Besides, this could be helpful to the case.”

  “How?” Maricela asked, grumpily.

  “Because we could see how a tea reading works firsthand,” said Heather.

  Madame Minerva relented and began heating the water. Once it was hot, she added it to a cup with a pinch of tea leaves.

  “It needs to sit for a few minutes,” Madame Minerva said.

  “Perfect,” said Heather. “It gives us just enough time to ask you about the food at the Salem Sips and Sandwiches reading.”

  “The food?”

  “Did you arrive early for the event?” asked Heather.

  “Shirley and her employees were already there setting up. I was the first of the readers to arrive, but Garnet did arrive in time to help prepare the tea with me,” said Madame Minerva.

  “Who else was there before the event started?” Heather continued.

  “Patty from the pet costume store and the photographer Andy. We let the guests in all at once, and my apprentice only just beat the crowd in.”

  “Were you there when Shirley Hunt tasted a donut?” asked Heather.

  “Yes. She hated them. She thought it was the worst thing that she ever tasted. She thought that the bakers should be ashamed of themselves. And that the donuts shouldn’t be called donuts.”

  “Okay. That’s enough,” said Amy.

  “Was she taking the donuts from the table?” Heather asked.

  “No,” Madame Minerva said. “She took them from a box by her purse. I don’t think I would have remembered this if she didn’t make such a big deal about throwing out that box before she had her employees throw out everything that was on the table.”

  “Did you happen to notice anyone near that box before she tasted them?” Heather asked as casually as she could.

  “No,” Madame Minerva said. “Why?”

  “Just curious,” said Heather.

  “I don’t see what the tea reading could have to do with her death. They were nearly two weeks apart from each other. And there were no problems at the event. Maybe Cassidy wasn’t great at reading, but it wouldn’t make anyone angry enough to kill.”

  “And you don’t know anyone who would want to do Shirley Hunt harm?” Heather asked.

  Madame Minerva shrugged. “Maybe the bakers of those donuts? She said that she was going to leave some terrible reviews because the food was so bad.”

  “I don’t think it was them,” said Amy.

  Madame Minerva checked the teacup. "I believe you're ready."

  “Are you sure one of you doesn’t want this reading?” Maricela asked.

  “I’m more of a coffee drinker,” said Amy.

  Heather agreed. “Unless it’s
from Col and Mona’s tea shop.”

  “Fine,” Maricela said, picking up the teacup.

  She followed the instructions and drank the tea, leaving only the tea leaves and a small amount of liquid at the bottom of the cup. Then she placed the cup down and grabbed the handle, moving it around in a circle three times. Finally, she placed the cup upside down on the saucer so the remaining liquid could drain away.

  “And everyone did this at the event?” Heather asked.

  "Yes," said Madame Minerva. "They'd follow our instructions with their teacups. Garnet and I split up and gave all the guests their individual readings. While the others waited, they enjoyed their sandwiches and the flavored tea."

  Heather decided to let the tea reading continue to put the other woman at ease. Maybe later she could find out what she had been so secretive about earlier.

  Madame Minerva examined the shapes in Maricela’s teacup.

  “Is it messy?” Maricela asked.

  “In a way,” the fortune teller responded. “I see love here, but it’s not simple. There are complications. You’re going to have to make a choice soon. You’re not looking forward to it, but I think you’ll feel better after you do.”

  “These are vague statements that could apply to anyone,” Maricela said, quietly.

  Heather wanted to change the subject because she could tell that Maricela was getting uncomfortable.

  “Where were you the morning of the murder?” she asked.

  "I was here. Conducting readings," Madame Minerva said, annoyed.

  “So, there are people who could back up this alibi?” Heather asked.

  “If necessary, I suppose so.”

  “How many tea readings did you do during the Halloween event?” asked Heather.

  “I did about fifteen during the event, and a few before it officially started.”

  “Wait. Who did you read before it started?” Heather asked. “We know that Gwendolyn was sad that she didn’t have an opportunity to have a reading.”

  “She’s looking for Mr. Right in the leaves,” said Amy.

  “Because I was early and I was waiting for Garnet to set up, I read the photographer’s leaves.”