Susan Gillard - Chocolate Chip Custard Murder

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Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the authors imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright 2017 by Guardian Publishing Group - All rights reserved.

All rights Reserved. No part of this publication or the information in it may be quoted from or reproduced in any form by means such as printing, scanning, photocopying or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder.

Table of Contents

Its a regular chip off the old block, Eva said with an impish grin. Her eyes twinkled behind her wrinkles.

Heather was so focused on preparing the coffee order at breakneck speed that it took a moment for her to understand what her favorite customer was referring to. Heather let out a noise that was half laugh and half groan as she plated up her newest confectionary creation: a Chocolate Chip Custard Donut.

With a joke like that, Im going to have to accuse you of spending too much time with Amy. Heather joked back.

She looked around to see if her bestie had arrived at Donut Delights yet, but it looked like Amy was running late from her errand. It wasnt unlike her if there were fast cars to admire on the way back, or if there was a new tasty treat to try. In fact, sugary sampling could lead to the inspiration for a new donut, so that might even be considered work related. Luckily the two P.I.s werent involved in a current ongoing investigation, so Heather didnt have to worry about anything case-related happening to her friend. Unless Lyle Clarke was up to something...

Heather shook her head and pushed those thoughts away from it. She wasnt going to let that Mafioso-esque contractor make her paranoid, or to spoil her morning. Instead, she listened to Eva laugh about her Amy-like joke.

Heather put her hand on her hip in mock annoyance and said And in this donut old block scenario, am I the old block? Or are you suggesting I have a gooey center?

Im suggesting that, like chocolate, you are sweet, can give a boost of joy, and are a necessary part of this morning.

That made Heather smile.

Leila joined them at the counter and took her usual spot - attached to her best friend Evas hip. She balanced a pile of magazines in her arms and asked, Did I miss it?

Miss what?

The grand introduction of this weeks donut.

Heather assured her she had only missed some silly jokes. She wasnt sure that her donut descriptions were grand, but the taste of the donut should speak for itself and she could add a little flavor about how she made it.

The Chocolate Chip Custard Donut starts with a chocolate donut base and then inside is vanilla custard with tiny chocolate chips mixed inside. The custard is thick enough that you would consider it custard, but not so much that it makes this treat feel heavy.

Good. Because I think well want to eat several. Eva said, licking her lips.

Its drizzled with vanilla and chocolate icing, and is of course covered with more chocolate chips.

It sounds so delicious that I want to throw these magazines away to get my hands on those donuts quicker, Leila said, threatening to do so.

How about I just bring your order to your table? Heather said, picking up the plates and leading the way to their usual spot.

The ladies tried the Chocolate Chip Custard Donuts and gushed about its deliciousness. They also agreed it was the perfect donut to accompany their rebuilding and redecorating discussion. They flipped through the pages of the home dcor magazines in between chocolatey bites.

We might as well look at what the ideal rebuild would look like, Eva explained. We can be more realistic when we see how much the insurance will pay.

Excellent idea. Leila nodded. I think we should install a tower!

What? With our knees!

Heather admired their resilience. Eva and Leilas home had unluckily been the scene of a crime and had been set on fire in an attempt to cover up evidence. It made Heathers blood boil just to think about it. While her two friends were obviously bothered by what had happened, they werent letting it get them down. Instead, they were focusing on fixing the damage and moving forward. They were an inspiration.

She wished there was more she could do for the ladies. True, she was letting them stay at her house until things were settled, but her daughter Lilly had so much fun with these sleepovers that it often seemed more like a party than a favor.

Heather wandered back to the counter and away from her friends who were discussing the benefits of installing a moat around a house. She added a note to her mental to-do list about helping them bring the house back to its former glory. It was on the list right next to put Lyle Clarke behind bars and use caramel in a new creation.

She was pulled out of planning mode when she saw her bestie entering. Amy had the bag of assorted office supplies they needed and a bounce in her step.

You know, I think Im really getting the hang of this investigator stuff, Amy said, grinning from ear to ear. But before you say it no, it wasnt that I found the store and solved the case of finding the paper clips we needed.

I would never make a joke like that, Heather assured her.

I solved a mystery all by myself.

Heathers face must have shown a mixture of pride and shock at this announcement. Was her bestie putting herself in harms way when she was alone? Heather might have to run her own store errands from now on.

Just a mini mystery. Not a murder. I wouldnt leave you behind for that.

Heather chuckled and then listened to Ames describe her mini case. Heather was always amazed how easily Amy could befriend people, and it seemed it happened at the office supply store that morning.

The managers lunch kept getting stolen from the fridge. Not a call-the-police sort of crime, but it was a prank that was getting annoying. So the manager installed one of their cameras from the store in the break room to see who was taking it. Thats when it got weird because nothing was appearing on the video. Thats when I made the genius deduction that it had to be an employee who was trained to use the video equipment.

That was smart.

I know. Im a smart cookie. Or maybe a smart donut by this point. Well, there are only a few people at the store who know the video equipment. So then it was just a process of elimination

Her story was interrupted by something even more dramatic. The shop door made a loud bang as it was pushed open with force. An irate man barged in yelling. Then he pointed directly at Amy.

Thief!

Amy looked as confused as Heather did. The man kept screaming at Amy and calling her a thief, but he added some distraught pacing in for good measure in between insults.

Sir, Heather said, taking action and a step forward. Please calm down.

Calm down. He said, throwing his arms up. The Hillside Private Eye wants me to calm down.

His entrance had been such a confusing moment that Heather didnt realize she had met this man before, but when he called her the Hillside Private Eye the memory jogged up to meet her.

Kelly Lemon?

Inspector Lemon. He corrected. Or at least it was until she stuck her nose in where it didnt belong.

You need to stop pointing at me, Amy said. Didnt your mother teach you that its rude?

Heather was not only concerned about her bestie but about her customers in the store. Some were looking pointedly at their donuts, trying to seem invisible. Others were scooting their chairs away while watching this gossip-worthy scene unfold. Eva and Leila had put their magazines away and were waiting to be called in to help. Heather knew she needed to contain this situation.