Quincy stretched, putting his front paws on her lap before jumping up and settling in.
She opened the file and paused, then knocked back against the chair with her mouth agape. Quincy flinched, but didn’t jump down. It was stupendous, given what he had to work with. It was just what she had imagined, with placeholders for the pictures she hadn’t sent yet. The home page displayed the address, phone number, and a map that could be used to get directions to the Bar None. Across the top was a banner in pink and white stripes, to match the wallpaper, with the shop name and sketches of dessert bars scattered in among the letters. Tabs for “Products” and “Ordering” and “Contact” were empty. She had a lot of material to send to him yet.
Tanner had been more observant than she thought on his one visit, last week, when Anna was out. She could imagine what Anna would think if she saw him, with his nose and eyebrow rings, not to mention the colorful dragon tattoo on the inside of his arm. He had a habit of running his glossy black fingernails through his shaggy brown hair when he was hunkered down at Chase’s computer.
The timer in the kitchen dinged and she hurried in to take out the last batch of bars, dumping her cat onto the floor and slamming the office door shut behind her.
While she was waiting for the bars to cool, Quincy made a racket in the office.
“Oh, poor baby,” she said, going back into the office. “Sorry I abandoned you so rudely. Do you have a tummy ache from all that sugar you got into today? Such a bad boy.” Her actions contradicted her stern words as she swooped him up and gave him a cuddle. He’d missed his customary noon Kitty Patty, but Chase decided to forgo it today.
She and Anna were planning on taking Quincy to the fair in his crate tomorrow, once the fair started, since Chase didn’t want to leave him by himself in the office or her apartment all week long. There were things a bored cat could do to express his displeasure, she knew from experience. Of course, being in a crate all day wasn’t good either. She’d have to find a place to let him exercise a bit during the days.
When the Hula Bars were cool enough to pack, she toted them to her little Ford Fusion, parked in its space behind the shop, and drove back to the Bunyan County Fairgrounds. Even though the fair wasn’t open yet, most of the bright lights were shining tonight, giving the place a festive look. The merry-go-round music still tinkled from the main parking lot. She parked in the exhibitors’ lot and carried the bag to their booth. The evening air was turning decidedly chilly.
Anna, pulling her azure sweater tight around herself, gave a shiver when Chase approached.
“We’ll need jackets here at night.”
“Anna, is that sweater all you brought? It’s fifty degrees out here. Here, put these somewhere and let’s get you someplace warm.”
“I have to finish putting everything else in the storage boxes.” The fair had provided large, heavy metal boxes, bolted to rings in the ground and equipped with padlocks, so exhibitors could store their goods overnight. They were expected to take cash home with them but, fortunately, didn’t have to schlep the goods back and forth for the whole week.
Chase stuck the ten replacement cartons in one of the metal boxes and clicked the padlock. “There, now you come with me.”
“I’ll do no such thing,” Anna said. “There are still these to pack.” She gestured to some dessert bar boxes at the bottom of the basket that Chase had overlooked. “And these.” Anna pointed to more goodies that were tucked under the table, where they’d stashed them when they first arrived. “I’ll finish up, and I have my car here.”
“Well, then come over to my place for a hot chocolate when you’re finished.”
“That would be lovely. Should I call Julie?”
“Please do. I’ve been trying to get her all day. I need to talk to her.” Maybe Anna would have better luck. Chase rushed home to get the cocoa started.
* * *
Anna and Chase were settled in Chase’s homey living room, Quincy in Anna’s lap, his narrowed eyes on the marshmallows heaped atop her cup of chocolate, his nose twitching. Chase had just handed Anna’s cup to her and returned to the kitchen to get her own mug when the doorbell chimed. There were two doorbells outside the back door, one for the shop and one for her apartment. Downstairs, the back door led into a hallway outside the shop kitchen, where a set of inside stairs went up to Chase’s apartment.
She ran down the stairs to admit Julie. Anna had gotten hold of her, and Julie had said she would be right over. However, when she opened the door, two people, not one, stood outside. Julie had her grandmother’s periwinkle-blue eyes and wore her brown hair cut short. Chase was an inch or so taller than her friend.
“Chase,” Julie said. “You remember Jay, right?” She smiled up at her taller companion.
How convenient. She could talk to both of them now, rather than going through Julie. “Of course. Jay Wright, right? You’re the guy who got me out of jail.”
Jay chuckled, showing a deep dimple in his right cheek. That only made him more good-looking than he already was, although his supershort haircut was not to Chase’s liking. “Yep, that’s me, the right Jay Wright. I heard there was hot chocolate available here.”
“Come in out of the cold. I have a favor to ask after you get settled.”
Chase led them upstairs. Jay and Julie sat on the leather couch, Chase’s one extravagance when she’d furnished her nest. Anna and Quincy were ensconced in the cinnamon-and-mocha-toned stuffed armchair, so Chase pulled a seat in from the kitchen after she put a plate of Lemon Bars on the hassock, within everyone’s easy reach.
“We’re so glad you decided to do the fair,” Julie said, giving her hot drink a cautious sip.
“We’re glad, too,” Anna said. “But why are you both glad?”
“Oh, didn’t I tell you? Jay’s aunt is on the organizing committee. That’s the reason I told you to go in the first place. I owed Jay a favor.”
“I guess I owe you one, too,” Chase said, remembering his kindness when he had shepherded her out of the police station.
“Have either of you heard what happened at the fairgrounds today?” asked Anna.
They shook their heads.
“One of the butter sculptors died,” Chase said.
“Murdered,” Anna added.
Julie sucked in a mouthful of air through rounded lips. Jay raised his eyebrows.
“You almost made me spill my cocoa,” Julie said.
Chase turned to Anna. “I know the homicide detective was there, but are you sure the person was murdered? Or that it was a butter sculptor?”
“I talked to his wife. They wouldn’t let her into the ambulance. She was walking down the midway looking lost and I offered her a ride after you left, but she didn’t take me up on it.”
“So, give.” Julie leaned forward. “What did she say?”
Anna hesitated, looking at Chase.
“What?” Chase asked. “I’m not in trouble because Quincy was there, am I? I didn’t find his body.”
“No. Dr. Ramos did. He’s a suspect.”
FOUR
“Elsa said she went to find her husband, Larry—” Anna began.
Julie interrupted. “Larry Oake, the famous butter sculptor?”
Anna turned to her granddaughter. “What do you know about butter sculptors?”
“I’ve been reading up on the featured exhibits.” She glanced at Jay.
Chase sensed a chemistry between the two that was a few degrees warmer and cozier than it would be between business associates. Jay and Julie had attended law school together. He was a criminal defense lawyer, while she worked for the district attorney, prosecuting criminals. Chase wondered how that was going to work out.
“Oake is well known in the world of butter sculpture,” Julie went on. “He was sent a special invitation to attend and participate in the Minnesota Symbol Contest.”