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“I’ll put you out of your misery, then. It’s good news. Or at least, better news.”
Blowing out a breath, I felt my whole body sag. “Really?”
“The lab down in Missoula finished going through every sample we took and compared it to what was found in the kids and in the cupcakes. There’s no evidence of it anywhere in your store or workspace.”
Of course there wasn’t, because I didn’t do this. I didn’t say it out loud, though, instead waiting for him to continue.
“Personally, I find it unlikely if you poisoned your own baked goods, there would be no sign of it where you made them.”
“Yeah.”
“I can’t say you’re off the hook entirely,” he sighed. “We still don’t have an answer about who did this or why, and parents are still banging down my door, coming for your head. But I’m lifting the restriction on Deja Brew. You can open the store if you want.”
I spun in a circle, letting my joy overwhelm me just for a moment. “I’m not sure opening it is a good idea, but thank you.”
“Yeah. I’d wait if I were you.”
“What was it?”
Charlie cleared his throat. “What was what?”
“What was it that made everyone sick? I was never told.” And of course, I wouldn’t already know since I wasn’t the one who put it there, I added silently.
“Oh.” The sound of shuffling papers came through the phone. “Funnily enough, it was metal.”
I stopped my pacing in front of the garage. “Metal? What kind of metal?”
“It was a mixture of a few, but mainly copper. Doctors told me it’s ‘acute copper poisoning.’ Obviously worse in the kids who ate a lot more. Those are the ones who ended up in the hospital. But the last one should be going home tomorrow.”
That was a relief, at least. No one died. That was good. But copper? Weird. “Thanks, Charlie. If you learn anything else, let me know?”
“Will do.”
The line went dead, and I stared at the phone. Copper poisoning. I didn’t even know such a thing existed, and yet something tickled in the back of my mind. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was like déjà vu without the actual original.
Ben was waiting with my bill when I went inside. I took out my wallet, prepared to wince at whatever was on the paper. “Good news?” he asked. “I saw you dancing around for a second there.”
“Partially. I’m allowed to open the bakery again if I want.”
He smiled. “That is good news. Congratulations.”
I signed the bill and swiped my credit card. “Thanks. It’s good, but it doesn’t change the fact that at least half the town thinks I tried to poison their kids.”
“No, it doesn’t,” he chuckled. “But once they find the asshole who did it, I’m sure people will come around.”
“One can only hope. She’s ready?”
He handed me the keys. “She is. And if you ever do decide to retire her, I will happily come help you put her up on display somehow so you can still have her but not drive her.”
“Noted.” The throaty purr of Bessie’s engine was soothing. I pulled out of the garage and waved to Ben, resisting the urge to test her speed on the way back home.
Worry still clung to every part of me, but this was better. For the first time in days, it felt something like hope. The fact that Jude was waiting on the other end of the drive only made it better.
* * *
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure,” Jude said, pulling me to him and wrapping his arms around me. He was tall enough he had to lean down a little bit to rest his chin on my head, but I loved when he did it. It made me feel small and protected.
