All You Need Is Fudge (7 page)

“Paige Jessop has been arrested in the murder of Carin Moore,” Frances said when she came in to work the next morning.

“What?” I had just finished cutting and putting pounds of chocolate chunk fudge on trays to be sold when the fudge shop opened. I came out of the shop wiping my hands on a towel. “That's crazy. Where did you hear that?”

“I got a call from Irene Spencer about an hour ago.” Frances took off her hat and hung it on the coatrack behind the receptionist desk. “Irene lives next to the Jessops. She heard a commotion outside and saw Rex Manning, Charles Brown, and Officer Kelsey standing in front of the Jessops' porch. The entire Jessop clan was outside in their robes—except Trent. He was dressed for the stables.”

“I don't understand. How does she know that Paige was arrested?”

“She went outside to see what was going on,” Frances said. “She overheard Rex reading Paige her rights. Officer Kelsey then went into the house with Paige while the others waited outside. It seems Paige's father went in to call his attorney. Trent just stood on the porch with his arms crossed glaring at Rex, who handled everything calmly. After about ten minutes, Paige and Officer Kelsey came outside. Paige was dressed and the three policemen walked her down the street. Paige's mother followed of course. Poor Amanda is beside herself.”

“That can't be right,” I said and reached for my cell phone. “Paige had no motive.”

“They must have something on her or they wouldn't have arrested her.” Frances ran her fingers through her chin-length brown hair to fluff it after taking off her hat. Silver dangling earrings jingled from the motion. She had on a white T-shirt with tiny purple flowers, a long dark purple skirt, a beautiful silver belt, and a long dark purple cardigan. She started up the computer on the receptionist desk. “Anyway, the McElroy girl was there so I imagine everything will be up on the newspaper website.”

I dialed Trent, but he didn't answer. The call went to his voice mail. “Hi, Trent, It's Allie. I heard about Paige. Please call me. Is she okay? Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?” I hung up and bit my bottom lip. I noticed Frances had taken her mug over to the coffee bar and filled it up with fresh black coffee. “Are you sure Rex arrested Paige?”

“Irene is reliable,” Frances said, her big brown gaze filled with concern. She took a sip of her coffee and walked back to the receptionist desk. “She confirmed it with Charlene.”

“Why would Irene call Charlene?” I knew the dispatcher was very persnickety about who called the 9-1-1 hotline.

“Charlene starts her shift at 6
AM.
Irene figured she would know where the officers were and why, so she called the dispatch line.” Frances climbed up onto the tall stool that served as her perch behind the receptionist desk. “Charlene confirmed that Rex had a warrant for Paige Jessop's arrest in the murder of Carin Moore.”

I tapped my phone. “I can't believe it. It doesn't make any sense.”

Jenn came rushing down the stairs. She wore silk trouser pajamas and her hair was up in a messy bun. “I just read on the
Town Crier
website that Paige Jessop has been arrested in the murder of Carin Moore. Have you heard anything?”

“Irene Spencer saw the whole thing,” Frances said. She put on reading glasses as she brought up the
Town Crier
website. “She called me and told me. It looks like Liz McElroy was pretty much on the spot. The headline is ‘Jessop Girl Arrested in Connection with the Murder of Carin Moore.'” Frances read, “An arrest warrant was issued this morning for Paige Jessop in connection to the murder of Carin Moore. Moore's body was found floating in the marina earlier this week. Autopsy results are still preliminary, but indicate that Moore was not breathing when she went into the water. Police refused further comment on why Jessop was arrested. There was no early indication that Jessop was even a suspect in the incident. Office Rex Manning states that a press conference will be held at ten
AM
to give further details as necessary.”

“Wow.” Jenn went over to the coffee bar and poured herself a cup. “Just wow. How crazy is that? Allie, have you called Trent?”

“Yes. He's not answering.”

“I imagine the entire family is not answering their phones right now. The press will be all over this.”

“And there is extra press on the island this week to cover the yacht races,” Frances pointed out. “That means both Chicago and Detroit press will be interested. It might make the AP newswire.”

“That's horrible. I need to go to the police station.” I pivoted on my heel and went to close up the fudge shop. It wasn't officially open for another two hours so it wasn't like I would lose business.

“Wait for me to get dressed and I'll go with you. Paige is a good friend.” Jenn raced up the stairs.

“Maybe if I call Rex,” I said out loud as I pulled the glass doors shut and turned the lock. The lock was a simple key bolt. It wasn't a security measure so much as a way to ensure the cat couldn't open the doors and get into the kitchen.

“Don't,” Frances said.

“Why not?”

“First of all, he'll be busy with the investigation.” Frances studied me over her reading glasses perched on her nose. Today they were black with white polka dots and were attached to an amethyst chain around her neck. “Second of all, you can't use your friendship with him to help Paige. You know he's a stickler for the rules. All he'll do is tell you he can't say anything.”

“Right.”

“Third of all, you're on your way down there anyway. I'm sure you'll find out more by being there. Besides, Paige and Trent need your support.”

“You're right.” I took off my sugar coated chef's jacket and hung it on the coatrack near the receptionist desk. Under the coat I wore a simple pink tee with the McMurphy logo on the top of the left breast pocket and a pair of black slacks. My feet were comfortably ensconced in black athletic shoes.

Jenn came hurrying down the stairs. I don't know how she could change in five minutes and look like she'd spent half an hour getting ready. Her hair flowed softly around her shoulders. She had on mascara and lipstick, which enhanced her golden skin. A blue T-shirt and boyfriend jean shorts completed the outfit. “Ready, let's go.”

“Open the fudge shop if I'm not back by ten,” I said to Frances. “The trays are full. If we run out we run out.”

“Will do. Go be good friends to Paige. Send them my regards.”

We left the shop and walked through the cool morning air. The streets were relatively deserted at eight
AM.
The ferries had just started arriving with a handful of early visitors and most of the yachts and the crews were either out on the water or sleeping in from late nights of partying.

We hurried down the street and around the corner to the white administration building that housed the police and fire department. A small crowd of people stood outside the door. I didn't recognize any. Most looked down at their smartphones and thumbed through them or typed on them.

“What's with the crowd?”

A young woman glanced up from her phone. “They're not letting anyone in the building yet.”

“Why?” Jenn asked as I tried the door. The young woman was right. The white doors were locked. It was unusual. Usually you could go right in.

“They said they were scheduling a press conference and until then, only authorized people can go inside.”

“Are you press?” Jenn asked.

The girl's blue eyes twinkled. “I'm Kaitlyn Jean. I have a blog that sometimes gets picked up by some of the news agencies. Mostly, my stuff makes the Trending Now info on Internet news sites.”

“Huh,” I heard Jenn say as I peered into the windows to see if I could see Trent. “Why are you on Mackinac?”

“I was doing a piece on the race. This is even more interesting, though,” Kaitlyn said. “I've never covered a murder before. This one is just like the TV shows. Two young beautiful wealthy women competing their entire lives until one is found dead. The other is arrested and two lives are lost forever.”

“Do you know why they arrested Paige Jessop?” Jenn asked.

I saw Officer Brown walk by and waved frantically. He glanced my way and then kept going as if not seeing me.

“No,” Kaitlyn said to Jenn. “Not officially, but I did a little checking. It seems both women went to the same schools, even the same college. One beat the other out of homecoming queen, then the other beat the one at lilac festival queen. They were both runners up for college homecoming queen. I've been told they even had a boyfriend or two in common. That kind of competition is a setup for murder if there was one.”

“That's ridiculous.” I searched the windows to see if I could catch someone else's eyes. “People don't murder someone over a homecoming queen position.”

“Please, people have been murdered for much less,” Kaitlyn said. “I read that a woman was mowed down by a car for two packs of cigarettes. Then there's road rage where strangers shoot each other over being cut off in traffic. It's a mad world.”

“I'll say,” I said under my breath. It seemed to me that Kaitlyn and the rest of the young faces of the so-called press were a little too eager to convict someone based on a warrant. “Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?”

“In the court of public opinion all that matters is that the police arrested you,” Kaitlyn said and returned to her phone. “Ask anyone.”

I looked at Jenn and she looked at me. That didn't bode well for Paige.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the press,” Rex Manning said at the top of the stairs, “thank you for your patience.”

It had been an hour since Jenn and I had arrived. The throng outside the police station had doubled in size as people heard about the news. Trent had yet to return any of my thirteen calls. I had taken to texting, but he wasn't answering that either. It was frustrating to not be able to help him.

“At this time we are announcing that we have a suspect in custody for the murder of Carin Moore. Exact details will be laid out in court should a not guilty plea be entered.”

“What? Of course, she's not guilty. Rex, what is going on?” My voice was drowned out by the questions being shouted by the bloggers and part-time press that circled him. The locals stood on the outside of the ring with their arms crossed, listening carefully but saying nothing.

“That's all I can tell you at this time,” he said. “We'll keep you posted as the judicial process progresses.”

“Is it true you found a murder weapon?” someone called out.

I noticed a muscle in Rex's jaw twitched.

“I've got nothing further at this time.” He turned and walked back into the building, the door closing behind him.

“Well, that was useless,” Kaitlyn said with a sigh. “Just when I thought I had something juicy for my editor.”

“I'm headed over to the Jessops' house,” one of the young men told Kaitlyn. “I bet the family has plenty to say about this.”

“Oh, good idea. I'll come with you,” she said.

The crowd seemed to melt away as the small clutch of press headed toward the Jessops' in search of more interesting information. I sighed and leaned against the white clapboard of the building. I dialed Trent one more time as I watched Jenn work the locals, trying to find out something, anything, about what was really going on.

“Hey, Allie,” Trent answered. “I can't talk right now.”

“Trent, wait,” I said before he could hang up on me. “Where are you? What can I do?”

“Nothing. There's nothing for you to do. Go make fudge. I'll talk to you later.” He hung up on me.

I stared at the phone, feeling hurt and frustrated. I dialed him again, but it went straight to voice mail. Pushing off the building, I looked through the windows one more time, but there was no one to flag. “Darn it!” I was completely shut out of the situation. “Come on, Jenn. I'm going to the
Crier
to talk to Angus.”

Jenn turned from talking to Patricia Evans. “Sure. Talk to you later, Pat.” She caught up to me as I strode down the street to the newspaper office. “What do you think Angus will tell you?”

“I don't know, but Trent is shutting me out and I have to do something.”

“He's shutting you out? How?”

I lifted my phone. “After thirteen messages, he finally picked up only to tell me he can't talk. Then when I asked where he was and what I could do to help, he told me to go back to fudge making.”

“Ouch.”

“Right?” I frowned. “I want to help. I should help. I'm not wrong, am I?”

“Oh, no,” Jenn reassured me as we walked up to the
Crier
. “You two have been dating for nearly three months. He should expect that, at the very least, you would want to be by his side.”

“That's what I thought.” I pushed open the door.

Angus sat behind the front counter. He was a big man with bushy white brows and brown eyes. He wore a plaid short-sleeve shirt over a dark T-shirt. “Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in,” he said in his deep voice.

“Angus, what is going on with Paige Jessop? Do you know?” I asked as I stormed the counter.

“Did you read the website?” he asked me.

“Of course she did,” Jenn said beside me. “It didn't say anything, really.”

“It said everything we know,” Liz said as she came in from the back room. “What do you know?”

“I don't know anything,” I said as frustration slipped into my tone. I ran my hand through my hair. “Trent isn't talking to me and neither is Rex.”

“The Jessops are all hunkered down, waiting for their high-powered attorney to fly in from Chicago,” Liz said. “I talked to Sophie. They've chartered the Grand Hotel's plane to bring him onto the island. She left an hour ago to go get him.”

“Well, that's something,” I said and crossed my arms.

“I sort of figured you'd be with the Jessops right now,” Liz said, “or I would have called you.”

“They're shutting her out,” Jenn said.

“Seriously?” Liz looked at me with concern in her hazel gaze. She was a tall, pretty woman our age. She had dark curly hair that was currently brushed back into a no nonsense ponytail. She wore a light blue camp shirt and a pair of jeans.

“Yes,” I said with disgust. “Trent told me to go make fudge.”

“Ouch,” Liz said.

“They're circling the wagons,” Angus said. “I don't think it's personal.”

“But I thought I was part of his family,” I said. “At this point, I should be there with him.”

“You found the body,” Angus said. “Their attorney might have told them to keep you out of things.”

“I don't like it,” I said with a pout.

“Of course you don't.” Jenn patted my back. “But attorneys think of things we don't.”

“But clearly Paige is innocent,” I pointed out. “There is no reason for her to have killed Carin—no motive and no evidence.”

“There's enough for them to get a warrant and arrest her,” Angus said. He raised one of his bushy brows. “Or it wouldn't have happened.”

“Why weren't you at the press conference?” I asked Liz.

“I have insider info. I knew Rex wasn't going to say anything that I haven't already published.”

I frowned. “Really? What else do you know?”

“I can't say,” she said, her face suddenly serious.

“What do you mean
you can't say
?” Jenn pushed her. “This is important to us. Spill!”

“I can't say,” Liz said again and looked me square in the eyes. “Or I'll lose my exclusive.”

“You dug up something, didn't you?” I asked, wanting to pull my hair out. “What?”

“She can't say”—Angus crossed his arms, looking downright chipper—“but if you are nice to me, I might be able to point you in the right direction.”

“Oh for goodness sakes.” I wanted to leap over the counter and shake him, but I restrained myself. These were my friends, after all.

“Spill!” Jenn was the one to step in and push him.

“There may have been a witness to an incident the evening Carin was killed,” he said obliquely.

“Someone saw Carin and Paige fighting?” I jumped to a conclusion I hoped was wrong.

“Maybe,” Angus said.

Liz had hitched her hip on the edge of the desk behind the counter, picked up a pen, and started doodling.

“Maybe,” I said with a sigh. My thoughts tumbled. “So there has to be a strong motive and there has to be evidence for them to arrest Paige. That means that this witness most likely has provided something the police think is strong motive.”

“Who's the witness?” Jenn asked, cutting to the chase.

“Can't say,” Angus said.

“Well, what did they see happen?” I asked.

“Can't say.”

“Fine. Blink once for yes and twice for no,” I said, putting my hands on my hips. “Did the witness see Paige push Carin into the water?”

He blinked twice and chuckled.

“Well, that's a relief,” I said.

“Did they see Paige on the pier or the yachts with Carin?” Jenn asked.

He blinked twice.

“Well, then what could they have seen that would be a strong motive?” I mused.

“That's not a yes or no question,” Angus said.

“Wait. Liz, you told Angus, but you can't tell us?” I pointed my finger at her grandfather.

She stopped doodling and looked up. “He's the adviser for the paper.”

“I thought he was the editor,” I said.

“And adviser and publisher,” Angus said with a smile, his arms still crossed. “I'm also a lawyer so I know a bit about the law. She came to me for advice.”

“If you're a lawyer,” I said with a sigh, “you aren't going to tell us anything. Are you?”

He blinked once.

I tossed up my hands. “This is all ridiculous. How can I help if no one will let me?”

“Maybe you really do need to go make fudge,” Liz said and walked over to me. She handed me a folded piece of paper. “Here's my order. I hope you deliver.”

“We don't deliver,” Jenn said defensively.

“Maybe you should start,” Liz said. “Listen. It's been fun talking, but I've got to run. There's news to deliver and Grandpa needs lunch. See ya.”

“You can't just dismiss us like this,” Jenn protested.

The weight of the paper Liz handed me was interesting. I suspected there was more than a fudge order on it. I put my arm through Jenn's and pulled her toward the door. “Bye, guys. I'll send Frances over with your order.”

Once we were outside in the sunlight, Jenn pulled away from me. “What was that all about?”

I opened up the paper. “This is more than an order for fudge.” I glanced at the top of the paper. It did indeed list three fudges and the desired quantities. But under that was the message I was looking for—
deliver the fudge to Eleanor Wadsworth.
I glanced up at Jenn. “I think I know who we need to talk to next.”