Read Online Scones, Skulls & Scams by Leighann Dobbs - Free Book Online

them. “Hey, I want my ring back and I might want to press ch—”
    Davies closed the door, cutting off Caraleigh’s rant. She kept her vise-like grip on Lexy’s elbow, propelling her across the street and into The Cup and Cake .  
    Nans, Ruth, Ida and Helen, who had watched them intently as they crossed the street, sat facing the door with questioning looks.  
    “Well, did she do it? Nans asked.
    “She denied it, but it must have been her,” Lexy replied.
    “What are you guys talking about?” Davies forehead creased at Lexy.
    “A food critic found hair in Lexy’s scones … so naturally, we assumed that other woman planted it.” Nans gestured to the scone on the table, one small bite taken out of the corner.
    Davies looked at the plate. “It does have hair on it. But how would she plant it? Was she over here?”
    Nans pressed her lips together. “I didn’t see her. Was she here Lexy?”
    Lexy frowned. “No … but it must have been her.”
    “Maybe it was just an unhappy coincidence,” Ruth offered.
    “Is that what you were arguing about?” Davies asked Lexy.
    “Yes. She’s been out to get me since she opened.” Lexy felt her anger rising again. “I mean just look at how she made her bakery the same colors and design as mine … the sign is almost the same and she’s been undercutting my prices! It just had to have been her that broke in! And can you believe she had the nerve to accuse me of trying to ruin her business?”
    “The casual observer might see it that way,” Davies pointed out.
    “What? Are you saying you think I’m behind all this?” Lexy asked incredulously.
    Davies held her hand up to ward off Lexy’s anger. “I said the casual observer. If you think about it logically, you have a solid motive because her business is a threat to yours. So, since she has an alibi for the break-in, I should probably get one from you, too.”
    “You seriously don’t think I broke into my own bakery, do you?” Lexy fumed.
    “No, but it won’t hurt for you to prove you couldn’t have.” Davies whipped out her cell phone and poised her fingertips over the keypad. “So where were you that night?”
    “Well, I’m sure I was home with Jack. No, wait. That was two nights ago? I went out with Cassie after work, then home with Jack.”  
    “Okay, great. Where did you go with Cassie? A restaurant or bar? Did anyone see you?”
    Lexy’s top teeth worried her bottom lip. She was starting to regret the dumpster dive—now she was getting even deeper into the lie and that was never a good thing.
    “We went to The Glenview for dinner.” Lexy grimaced at the high pitch of her voice. She’d have to remember to get her story straight with Cassie. Of course, she probably should come clean about where they really were, but that would make her look guilty for sure. “We didn’t see anyone we know there though.”
    “Did you pay with a credit card? We could verify it that way.”
    “No, we paid in cash.” Lexy absently wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans.
    Davies sighed. “Okay, well that doesn’t give me much to go on, but at least I can find out when you got home from Jack. If only I could narrow down what time the break-in happened, that would make it so much easier.”  
    “I can’t believe my shop was broken in to and now I’m the suspect,” Lexy said.
    “You’re not a suspect,” Davies answered. “I’m just covering all the angles. You must admit you do seem to have quite the adversarial relationship with Ms. Brewster.”
    “Well, she’s not very easy to get along with,” Lexy said.
    “Yeah, I know.” Davies slid her gaze across the street. “She got on my bad side too, remember? Honestly, I would be happy to discover it was her, but I have to work with the facts.”
    “Right. Sorry. I guess this sewer business has me all worked up.” Lexy gestured toward the torn up sidewalk. “No one can even get to my shop and she’s getting all the business.”
    “Hang in there. The