Read Online Sweet Suspects (The Donut Mysteries) by Jessica Beck - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jessica Beck
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something that reassured me immensely. If my boyfriend wasn’t inured to the sight of dead bodies in his job by now, then most likely I never would be, either, and I took a great deal of comfort in that fact. I hoped that murder never became that mundane to me.
“Were you just calling to say hello?” I asked him, purposely lightening my own tone.
“Is there a better reason that you can think of?” he asked, matching my attempt at levity.
“You could always just call to tell me that you love me,” I said. “I never get tired of hearing that.”
“And I don’t ever tire of saying it. Suzanne, be careful. I love you.”
“I love you, too, and you be careful yourself, mister,” I said.
After we hung up, I realized that I suddenly felt better. Grace and I were no closer to finding Zane Dunbar’s killer than we had been before, but I’d spoken with Jake, and that had been enough to take away some of the burden I’d been feeling from the murder. It was nice having him in my corner, even if he was clear across the state.
I still had a little time before Grace and I were due to meet up again, so I decided to pop back home and take a shower before we had lunch. Since I’d made the donuts that morning even though I hadn’t sold any, I still had the scent of them on me, and while I knew that a great many men found the aroma enjoyable, I decided that, all in all, I’d rather be clean.
“Suzanne, what are you doing home so early?” Momma asked me as I walked into the cottage we shared on the edge of the park. She was at her desk in the living room going through a mound of papers. There was a fire crackling in the hearth, and soft classical music played in the background. All in all, it was exactly what a home should be, and I was happy to be a part of it.
“I didn’t work the counter at the donut shop today,” I told her.
“What happened?” Momma asked, a look of concern spreading quickly across her face.
“Haven’t you talked to Chief Martin today?”
“Phillip’s been tied up with a fresh murder,” she said. “Suzanne, tell me that you’re not involved with this one, too.”
“I’d like to, but I can’t,” I said as I kissed the top of her head. “It was Zane Dunbar from my high school class reunion.”
“You never had anything to do with that boy,” Momma said.
“He’s hardly a boy now, not that it matters. I didn’t, but it turns out that he and Grace had a history, and the two of them argued last night before he was murdered.” I brought her up to date on how I’d found the body across from the donut shop, and what Grace and I had been up to since then.
After I finished, Momma nodded. “Of course you two have to investigate. Is there anything I can do to help?” My mother had taken Grace under her wing ever since Grace’s parents had died. She considered her one of her own, which was just fine with me, since Grace was the closest thing to a sister that I’d ever have.
“We’re just getting started,” I said, “but thanks for the offer.”
“And is Phillip being reasonable with you?” Momma asked further.
“The chief is being great,” I said.
She nodded happily. “That’s good to hear.”
“Though I have a hunch that it’s got more to do with you than with me,” I said with a smile.
“Nonsense. He told me just last week that he’s come to respect your ability to investigate crime.”
I had to admit that it was nice that he felt that way. Grace, and even George, had contributed immensely to my investigations in the past, and I took any acclaim that I got as praise for my team. “That’s nice to know,” I said.
“I still can’t believe that you just shut Donut Hearts down entirely.”
“I didn’t,” I admitted. “I made all of the donuts earlier, but Emma and her mother are still working the front. Grace and I have more work to do, so I decided to let them close up for
“Were you just calling to say hello?” I asked him, purposely lightening my own tone.
“Is there a better reason that you can think of?” he asked, matching my attempt at levity.
“You could always just call to tell me that you love me,” I said. “I never get tired of hearing that.”
“And I don’t ever tire of saying it. Suzanne, be careful. I love you.”
“I love you, too, and you be careful yourself, mister,” I said.
After we hung up, I realized that I suddenly felt better. Grace and I were no closer to finding Zane Dunbar’s killer than we had been before, but I’d spoken with Jake, and that had been enough to take away some of the burden I’d been feeling from the murder. It was nice having him in my corner, even if he was clear across the state.
I still had a little time before Grace and I were due to meet up again, so I decided to pop back home and take a shower before we had lunch. Since I’d made the donuts that morning even though I hadn’t sold any, I still had the scent of them on me, and while I knew that a great many men found the aroma enjoyable, I decided that, all in all, I’d rather be clean.
“Suzanne, what are you doing home so early?” Momma asked me as I walked into the cottage we shared on the edge of the park. She was at her desk in the living room going through a mound of papers. There was a fire crackling in the hearth, and soft classical music played in the background. All in all, it was exactly what a home should be, and I was happy to be a part of it.
“I didn’t work the counter at the donut shop today,” I told her.
“What happened?” Momma asked, a look of concern spreading quickly across her face.
“Haven’t you talked to Chief Martin today?”
“Phillip’s been tied up with a fresh murder,” she said. “Suzanne, tell me that you’re not involved with this one, too.”
“I’d like to, but I can’t,” I said as I kissed the top of her head. “It was Zane Dunbar from my high school class reunion.”
“You never had anything to do with that boy,” Momma said.
“He’s hardly a boy now, not that it matters. I didn’t, but it turns out that he and Grace had a history, and the two of them argued last night before he was murdered.” I brought her up to date on how I’d found the body across from the donut shop, and what Grace and I had been up to since then.
After I finished, Momma nodded. “Of course you two have to investigate. Is there anything I can do to help?” My mother had taken Grace under her wing ever since Grace’s parents had died. She considered her one of her own, which was just fine with me, since Grace was the closest thing to a sister that I’d ever have.
“We’re just getting started,” I said, “but thanks for the offer.”
“And is Phillip being reasonable with you?” Momma asked further.
“The chief is being great,” I said.
She nodded happily. “That’s good to hear.”
“Though I have a hunch that it’s got more to do with you than with me,” I said with a smile.
“Nonsense. He told me just last week that he’s come to respect your ability to investigate crime.”
I had to admit that it was nice that he felt that way. Grace, and even George, had contributed immensely to my investigations in the past, and I took any acclaim that I got as praise for my team. “That’s nice to know,” I said.
“I still can’t believe that you just shut Donut Hearts down entirely.”
“I didn’t,” I admitted. “I made all of the donuts earlier, but Emma and her mother are still working the front. Grace and I have more work to do, so I decided to let them close up for
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