Scones, Skulls & Scams Read Online Free

lit up. “Really? Did he say where?”
    “Nooo.” Lexy drew the word out.
    “Well, that’s no help,” Ida said. “Maybe we can go to the town hall and look up the blueprints. That’s what they always do on TV.”
    “We need to go down there anyway to do some more research for the historical society display,” Ruth added.
    “Which reminds me …” Nans rummaged inside her purse, pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Lexy. “… we found this newspaper article showing your great-grandma winning the Brook Ridge Falls Octoberfest with her famous scones, so all those times she bragged about the recipe being a sure-fire contest winner she wasn’t just shining us on!”
    Lexy’s heart warmed as she looked at the paper. She had vague, but fond memories of her great-grandmother who had died when she was eight. The picture showed a younger version of great-grandma, proudly holding a blue ribbon.  
    “Boy I wish she were here to help me make the scones for the contest,” Lexy said.  
    “Oh, don’t worry dear.” Nans patted her hand. “You’re a wonderful baker. You’ll make the prize-winning scones and you’ll certainly beat out the other bakery.”
    “Of course, and I have great-grandma’s recipe right here.” Lexy fingered a dog-eared yellow piece of paper that stuck out from the edge of the book. “Actually, I think I’ll go back to the kitchen right now and make a practice batch.”
    She stood, clutching the book to her chest. “Cassie, can you watch the front?”  
    “Of course.”
    “Thanks.” Lexy started toward the back. She should feel good. After all, she had the recipe that had proven to win dozens of contests for both her great-grandmother and herself. Plus, she knew the baked items at the other place didn’t even taste that good.  
    So, why did she feel less than confident?  
    Maybe it was because of what Cassie had said about seeing the other owner out at the dumpster. That seemed to indicate she wasn’t just someone who didn’t have the business smarts to not open a bakery across the street from an established one, but that she was actively trying to compete with Lexy.  
    But why would she do that?
    Lexy couldn’t come up with a good reason. On her way to the kitchen, Lexy peered out at the dumpster.  
    Was there information to be gained by looking through another bakery’s dumpster?  
    Lexy had no idea, but she also had no intention of letting the other baker get the upper hand.  
    Two could play at the dumpster diving game.

    ***

    The scent of butter and sugar from an afternoon of baking scones hung in the air around Lexy and Cassie as they crouched down in the darkness of the front room of The Cup and Cake .
    “Is she ever going to leave?” Cassie hissed peeking up over the edge of the window to look across the street at The Brew and Bake.
    Lexy shifted her position in an attempt to stop her legs from cramping. It was almost eight o’clock and they’d closed down The Cup and Cake over an hour ago.
    Lexy pulled the black knit hat down across her forehead, then looked up over the edge of the window. Across the street, the blonde bustled around her cafe tables, wiping them down and rearranging the napkin and sugar holders. Lexy’s heart skipped and she quickly ducked back down when the other woman glanced out toward her.
    “I don’t think she can see us. It’s pitch black in here,” Cassie said as if reading Lexy’s mind. “Thank God, she’s turning the sign on the door.”
    Lexy poked her head back up in time to see the blonde turn the sign to “Closed” and grab her coat from a coat rack beside the door before turning off the light and exiting the shop.
    “Let’s go.” Lexy scurried to the back door. The two of them crept outside, then ran across the street like shadows in their identical head-to-toe all-black outfits.
    It had turned cold after sunset. Puddles topped with thin ice crunched under Lexy’s black boots as she slipped along the side of