“Someone put cyanide in my cupcakes. Oh my God.Oh my God.I don’t know why I’m acting like this,” I said, suddenly feeling lightheaded. I’d been hoping it was all a big mistake and that Brooks had just had a heart attack or something.
I tried to rally. I wasn’t Marius’s girlfriend; he didn’t need to deal with my emotional state on top of my legal case.
“The police don’t have this information yet,” Marius added in a low voice. “Though I suspect at some point they’re going to do their own tests.”
“So we need to prove my innocence likenownow.” Then I had a thought. “What else did the report find?”
“Nothing? Cyanide?” He gave me a questioning look.
“Like, what were the ingredients used in the cream filling and the cupcake and the frosting?”
“Yeah, maybe someone passed off a store-bought cupcake as yours.” Zoe grabbed me.
“I’ll have more tests run,” Marius promised. “Until then, you need to be careful. We’re not sure who the real target is, and there’s a murderer out there.”
12
MARIUS
“I’m not giving you any lip, Aunt Frances.” I fought an ugly battle with myself to keep my face pleasantly neutral.
“Good, because I’m not asking for much. Costco is right down the road. Won’t take you long at all to stop in and get a few little things I need.”
“No one needs a candle in a ten-gallon bucket, Aunt Frances.”
“Myra’s granddaughter bought her one. Make sure you get the red-and-white-striped one. I’ll take the green one, but don’t bring one of the blue ones back.”
“You’re driving out in this?” Emmie asked me when I walked through the great room, keys in hand.
Moose didn’t even look up from where he was napping in front of the fire. Snow fell softly outside, coating everything in white.
Emmie tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.
“Apparently, my great-aunt desperately needs a candle.”
“She’ll be the queen of the retirement community with one of those.” Emmie chuckled.
“I have to get going. I’m sure Costco closes soon.”
“It’s the holidays. They unofficially stay open late.”
“Joy.”
“I can come with you… if you want the company.” Emmie was giving me that soft smile again.
“Come on.” I jerked my head.
“I can’t believe you have a car in New York City,” she said as I helped her with her coat.
“The only reason is that my company provides free parking, so I just keep my car in the company deck,” I admitted as I opened the door of the black sedan for her.
I turned on the heat in the frigid car, brushed the snow off the windshield, then we were off, driving in the snowy dark down Gingerbread Lane.
“I thought it was Wisteria Lane.” I frowned.
“The street changes seasonally for the holidays or whenever one of the seniors has a whim. Mrs. Abercrombe still does part-time work at city hall in the mayor’s office. She changes the name for them. The seniors always throw a party for the name change. Yes, it’s extremely confusing for everyone. But it does give the postman job security.”
“You’ve been here awhile,” I said to her, glancing briefly in the dark.
