Baking is Murder (A Bee's Bakehouse Cozy Mystery) (Bee's Bakehouse Mysteries Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

meals. That day it was homemade chili. Finally, Jessie had found something she could really throw herself into—she may not have been a baker, but she adored cooking. After only a couple days in Springdale, she was already dreaming up recipes they could offer if the trial was successful.
    “I just bumped into Charles Daly,” Julia whispered, even though there were only three or four people left in the café other than themselves and Bee. “He’s the police chief here in Springdale. But of course you probably know that.”
    “Oh?” Jessie eased herself down into the cute bentwood chair opposite Julia.
    She didn’t know why she was so intrigued—murder was a daily fact of life back in the city; an unwelcome one, of course, but it happened every day. This was different, though. Jessie wondered if it was because she’d come to see Springdale as a welcome oasis away from urban life. Was she being naive? After all, it was a town of tens of thousands of people. It wasn’t exactly the wilderness.
    “They’ve identified the body. They’re going to announce it soon.”
    “Who is it? Is it a local?”
    Julia nodded. “It’s a dog breeder from near here.”
    Dread gripped Jessie. “Not Clarice,” she said, remembering the kindly expression of the woman who’d allowed a complete stranger to walk one of her expensive pups.
    “No, no,” Julia said. “No, she’s from out of town, out on Route 552. You might have met her.” She thought about it. “Actually, come to think of it I haven’t seen her around much since she had that argument with Clarice.”
    “Oh?”
    Julia nodded and speared a forkful of cake. “There was a dog show in Glenvale a couple months back—Lydia and Clarice had a screaming argument. Apparently, Lydia was stepping on Clarice’s territory when she began to breed puggles. It was all anybody here could talk about for weeks—she’s usually so mild-mannered.”
    “Oh come now,” Aunt Bee said, suddenly hovering over them with her arms folded. “It’s not nice to gossip.”
    Jessie rolled her eyes and looked at Julia. “The only time she doesn’t like gossip is when she’s not the one doling it out.”
    Bee swatted her arm. “Now that’s not true, young lady.” She pulled out a chair and sat down, wiping her hands on her apron. “No, I wouldn’t go blaming Lydia’s absence on Clarice.”
    “You wouldn’t?”
    “No. I think it has more to do with the trouble she went through with her husband.”
    Jessie’s eyes widened. “Trouble?” She couldn’t help herself—Bee had a way of telling stories that just drew you in.
    Bee bit her lip and nodded, knowing she had a captive audience. “They were so different, those two. She was so light and friendly. He was always such a misery, even before the diabetes.”
    “Yeah, I’d forgotten that,” Julia agreed. “Before, he used to sit there in silence as she chatted to us. But it was even worse after he was diagnosed. He’d disappear into the washroom to do his insulin, which was fine. But he’d just storm out when he was finished, throw back his cake and leave without saying a word. After several mornings like that Lydia just stopped coming.”
    Bee shook her head. “Poor man. She took such good care of him—he’ll be lost without her. Who would do something like this?”
    Julia looked from side-to-side. “You don’t think Clarice…”
    Bee balked. “No. Of course I don’t. It was a very nasty business between them, but…” she trailed off.
    “How has Clarice taken the news?” Jessie asked.
    “That’s the thing—I called over there last night and this morning, and she didn’t answer the door,” Julia said with a shrug.
    Jessie’s eyes widened. “You don’t think she’s in danger?”
    “Oh goodness no, dear. No, I’m in the dark as much as you but I very much doubt whoever came after Lydia is going to target Clarice just because she happened to breed dogs too. Their personalities are as different as night and