Murder, Mischief, and Meringues: A Hazelwood High Jinx Cozy Mystery by Noble Samantha

Author:Noble, Samantha
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Redbirdie Publishing
Published: 2024-08-30T00:00:00+00:00

6

The Puzzle Deepens

The crisp morning air nipped at Ava Sinclair's cheeks as she pushed open the door to the small-town Bakery. The bell above jingled, announcing her arrival just as dawn painted streaks of orange and pink across the sky. She was on a mission: to dig deeper into the mystery that shrouded Agnes Pocket’s untimely demise.

"Morning," she greeted Mrs. Jenkins, who sat at her usual table by the window, nursing a steaming cup of coffee in her delicate hands. Mrs. Jenkins looked up with a warm smile, crumbs of her blueberry scone scattered like confetti over the napkin in front of her.

"Good morning, dear," Mrs. Jenkins replied. "You're out early. On the trail of a new story?"

"Something like that," Ava responded, her eyes scanning the pastry case before settling on a muffin. "Actually, I'm looking into Agnes's... situation. Heard anything about it?"

Mrs. Jenkins leaned in, lowering her voice as if the sugar jars might be eavesdropping. "Now that you mention it, I did overhear Agnes arguing with that other baker, what’s his name, last week—quite the tiff they had."

“Really? Are you talking about that Bennett guy?” Ava perked up, accepting a coffee from the barista.

“Yes. Voices raised, fingers pointing—the whole spectacle," Mrs. Jenkins said, shaking her head with a tsk. "I thought nothing of it then, but now..."

"Thank you, Mrs. Jenkins," Ava said, her mind already racing with possibilities as she left the table with a grateful nod.

Fueled by the tidbit of gossip, Ava made her way down the street to the rival establishment, the Butter & Crust, the scent of freshly baked bread wafting out as she stepped inside. The atmosphere shifted upon her entrance; the employees' eyes darted towards her, then quickly away, tension knotting the air.

"Hi there!" Ava flashed her best newcomer's smile to the nearest employee, a girl with flour dusting her apron and a guarded expression. "I'm Ava Sinclair, just moved to town. You must love working in such a delightful place?"

"Uh, yeah, it's great," the employee responded, her voice tight, a forced smile failing to reach her eyes.

"Must be quite the competition with Agnes Pocket’s Bakery, huh?" Ava ventured casually, picking up a danish with a piece of baker’s paper and examining it, as though it held the secret to lifelong happiness.

"Competition is healthy, right?" the girl replied, glancing nervously towards the kitchen, where a pair of eyes peeked through the swinging doors.

"Of course, it pushes everyone to be their best," Ava agreed, placing the danish back under the glass. "But it can get intense sometimes?"

"Sometimes," the employee conceded, then seemed to catch herself. "But it's all just business, you know?"

"Absolutely," Ava replied, her dark eyes sharp, taking note of every hesitant gesture and evasive glance. "All in the spirit of good business."

Her instincts told her that beneath the veneer of pleasantries and pastries, something more sinister was at play.

The flour-dusted tiles of the bakery floor were a patchwork of pale chaos, but amidst the powdery mess, one oddity caught Ava's eye—a small, twisted piece of bread that didn't resemble the usual fare.

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