Eclairs and extortion, p.17
Eclairs and Extortion, page 17
Ava looked confused and scared in equal measure. Was she wondering, like Maddie and potentially Gran, how truly deranged William’s niece was?
Another lightbulb flashed in Maddie’s brain. “You were using Marcus to keep anyone from suspecting that you intended to get rid of William and pin it on my mom.”
Amelia nodded. “Bingo! It was going to be a win-win situation. Until Marcus fell under her spell. Suddenly, he didn’t want to hurt anybody. The simpleton not only mixed up the glasses, he also let slip that he was the one who called for help.”
“Did Marcus help Mom get away?”
Amelia’s eyes narrowed. “I’m sure he did, but your mother would know for sure.”
Ava sobbed into William's chest.
“So you followed Marcus to Maple Falls and killed him.” Maddie pulled her attention back from her mom.
Amelia gulped, the only sign that she wasn’t totally without remorse. “When I arrived in Destiny, Marcus was threatening to come clean to William. We fought, and I pushed him. He hit his head on a rock. It wasn’t my fault.”
Nicholas leaned toward his daughter. “You need help. You don’t know what you’re saying.”
She arced the gun around the room once more. “If I kill you all, then no one will be able to pin any of this on me, because no one has seen me but you people.”
“You were in my garden!” Angel shouted.
Bizarrely, Amelia laughed. “Everyone thought you were crazy, but I was a star gymnast, so those walls didn’t slow me down at all. I’d been amusing myself watching you all at the bakery while I waited for William to show himself.”
The woman must be unhinged, which meant that she was capable of killing them all, and Maddie had run out of ideas. She glanced down the hall again. No Ethan. Could she possibly disarm Amelia on her own?
“Well, this has been fun, but I need to get out of town. We all know what that means,” Amelia growled. “Father, you have a choice to make. Are you with me or not?”
Nicholas sat straighter. “I could never condone killing anyone, let alone my brother. I don’t understand you, Amelia. I love you, and I’m begging you not to ruin your life this way.”
The gun wobbled a little, and Amelia seemed less sure of her objective. Maddie gave her friends a pointed look before facing the woman again.
“Do you have enough bullets for all of us, and aren’t you worried that someone will hear so many shots?”
The others gave her horrified looks, but Maddie ignored them.
Amelia seemed to sense that Maddie was up to something. She made sure to keep out of Nicholas’s reach, circling them to give herself more room and see Maddie, and now her back was to the hall.
“No one’s around. You live on a small farm, and there are fields around you. So convenient,” Amelia chuckled.
Maddie frowned, as if giving that some thought. “What about the shops? People live above the block of four where my bakery is. They’re not so far from here.”
Amelia stared at her. “I doubt anyone will think it more than a car backfiring.”
“Several times?”
Amelia shot Gran’s easy chair. A hole pierced the fabric and lodged in the wall behind it. “Shut up! You’re giving me a headache.”
Ava’s scream led the following pandemonium. William threw himself in front of his wife. From the top of the dresser, a ginger ball launched itself and landed on Amelia’s head. She wailed, the gun clattering to the floor when she reached both hands up to pull Big Red free and throw him from her. Hackles up, making a horrible sound, he slid a few feet before darting under the table.
Heart in her mouth, Maddie yelled something unintelligible and kicked the gun away from Amelia. Nicholas stood, but seemed incapable of doing more.
“Stay where you are!”
Maddie could have wept in palpable relief as Amelia swung to face Ethan. He’d slipped from the mud room and down the hall, as quiet as a mouse.
Then the front door swung open. It banged and reverberated against the wall as Detective Steve Jones ran into the room. He stood in front of the group, his gun also trained on Amelia.
Outnumbered and outmaneuvered, Amelia paled, her hands in the air. In the slickest of movements, Ethan snapped cuffs on her wrists.
“I’m not a U.S. citizen,” she said lamely.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. “That’s true, but it bears no relevance to the fact that you committed several crimes while in our country, and I heard you admit to all of them.”
Ethan placed a hand under Amelia’s elbow and marched the shocked woman past the people she’d terrorized. When he got to the door, he handed her over to Deputy Jacobs, who took her outside.
“I’m so sorry,” William said softly to the room at large.
“It’s I who should apologize,” Nicholas said, his face awash with tears. “How could I have been so blind?”
No one answered, and as much as Maddie disliked how he’d treated her mom, her heart ached for him.
“What will they do with her?” Nicholas asked.
“My deputies are taking her to our cells for the night. Tomorrow she’ll go on to Destiny, where she’ll face a trial. I can’t say how long that will take, but there will no doubt be prison time,” Ethan explained.
Ava leaned her head against William’s shoulder. “I’m sure you can afford a good lawyer to get her home as soon as possible.”
He kissed her forehead and managed a trembling smile. “You are a remarkable woman, Mrs. Blackwell.”
Ava flushed. “I just know how much you love family, and even Amelia killing Marcus won’t change the fact you feel somehow responsible.”
He kissed her again, and Maddie took the opportunity to hug Gran. It was over. Nothing she’d imagined came close to how this had turned out. She had more family than she’d thought possible—some not so good—and William was proving to be everything Ava had hinted at. Her mom was also proving to have more to her than Maddie had thought.
Leaving William to console his brother, Ava came to join her mother and daughter in a hug that was both alien and natural. Maddie could barely breathe, but she didn’t care. They were all safe.
“Where does this leave us?” Nicholas asked.
William shrugged. “In the same situation, I guess.”
Ava pulled away from the group hug to tap William’s arm. “I’ve been thinking about that, dear.”
His voice became instantly softer. “Yes, my love?”
“I have no need of a castle, and you don’t care if you live there or not. Why don’t you and Nicholas swap places?”
William’s eyes widened. “Swap? Well, I don’t know about that. It wouldn’t look right,” he blustered.
Ava raised an eyebrow. “Do you care so much what people think of you, especially after this fiasco?”
“Not the majority of people, but there are our peers,” William admitted.
“Will they think less of you for not living in a castle when you have an estate to run? Won’t Nicholas become their focus, and you could live more peacefully?”
William rested his hand on Ava’s hip and drew her close. “Is this truly what you want?”
“I want whatever makes you happy, and I’ll live wherever you choose, but Nicholas wants the castle so badly. He has tried to protect you. In his own stupid way and from the wrong people.”
William stared hard at his brother. “He didn’t try to protect you, though. I don’t know if I can forgive him for that.”
Ava cupped his chin and made him meet her eyes. “Yes, you can. He’s your brother and, unfortunately, your only living relative who isn’t incarcerated.”
He frowned. “Do you forgive him?”
“I didn’t think I could, but now that I’ve heard his story and see how passionate he is about the castle and your family name, I think he should have his dreams fulfilled. After all, it was only a fluke of birth that he didn’t get it in the first place.” Ava sighed. “It will be hard enough having his daughter behind bars and knowing it was she who killed Marcus.”
“And could have killed either one of us.” William noted as he turned to his brother. “We used to be so close.”
Nicholas looked distraught and awkward, not at all like the self-righteous man he’d portrayed. “I no longer know what to say, except I’m sorry.” His voice choked with emotion. “I knew Amelia was having anger issues. To be honest, she’d been troubled for many years. I should have looked into them more instead of pretending they didn’t exist.”
“We all wish you had. Still, I’m glad that you weren’t involved. Maybe Ava’s right about the castle, but I’d have to look into the legalities.” William stared hard at his brother. “And from this moment, you will treat my wife with every respect.”
The cloud over Nicholas seemed to lift a little. He nodded effusively. “I don’t deserve this, and you have my word. Ava has proven that she is a much better person than I could hope to be.”
Gran sat down in her chair, looking every one of her seventy years. “Don’t fuss,” she said to the Girlz who crowded around her. “Now that things are more or less settled, I’ll take a moment to calm down and then I’m off to bed.”
Maddie nodded, understanding how she must feel, since her own legs were decidedly wobbly. She looked around the room, feeling incredibly relieved. Then she frowned. “Where’s Laura?”
“Behind you.” Suzy grinned. “Poor thing fainted as soon as she saw the gun.”
“I’m okay, just a bit woozy,” Laura said from where she sat on the floor.
“You poor thing. I’m sorry I didn’t notice.”
From behind her, Ethan took her arm. “I believe you were otherwise engaged.” He pulled her into the kitchen and into his arms. “You never listen to me, do you?”
She smiled and put a hand on his cheek. “When it counts.”
He grinned and kissed her. Suzy couldn’t help herself, as a small whoop from the other room made them more prudent.
“How did you know Amelia was in the house?”
“Steve’s been here since before you got back. He messaged me after I brought in Nicholas to say a woman had been spotted climbing in an upstairs window. Then Jerry was found outside wandering around in a daze and that kept the other’s busy for a few minutes.”
“I wondered what was taking you so long,” she teased.
He grimaced. “Without help I didn’t know how we were going to get everyone out safely. It scared the life out of me.”
Maddie nodded, appreciating his anguish. “Me too.” Suddenly she was overwhelmed with emotion and dabbed the corner of her eyes. “So many secrets, half-truths, and a touch of crazy in one room. I felt completely out of my depth.”
Ethan cupped her chin. “It certainly didn’t look like it, and you had your sidekick to help.” “He nodded at Big Red who appeared no worse for his ninja-like tactics. “Besides, this was a harder case than usual to untangle. Getting Amelia to fire the gun that way was genius, if a little foolhardy.”
She snorted. “I think I went a little crazy too.”
He grinned again. “I got Rob’s message about the phone. Now, that was brilliant detective work.”
She shrugged. “We couldn’t access any messages yet, but it was Marcus’s so I’m sure there’s good information on it.”
“Hopefully, but at least you solved the riddle of the pointing finger.”
The glow from his praise warmed her heart and as he held her tight Maddie relished the feeling of safety.
Chapter Twenty-Six
When they joined the rest of the group, Detective Jones was about to leave.
“You did a good job today, Madeline.”
She blushed at the praise. “It was a team effort.”
“Finding that phone could make all the difference to the case in confirming or refuting what Ms. Blackwell told us.”
Maddie shook her head. “That part wasn’t really me. We have Mrs. Dolomore to thank for that. Her keen eyes picked it out of all the undergrowth when I missed it.”
“I don’t know her, and I’ll make a point of thanking her, but this was more than finding a phone. Perhaps you should think about a change of career?”
Surprised, Maddie laughed at the outrageous comment. “No, thank you. I’m happy being an ordinary baker in a quiet town.”
“Hmmm. I don’t think you’ll ever be just that.” The detective grinned for a moment. “Mr. Blackwell, are you ready?”
“Yes, and thanks for the ride. I need to check on Amelia,” he said to them all, but was looking at William.
“Of course you must. We’ll talk soon.” William shook his brother’s hand.
With a final apologetic glance around the room, Nicholas left.
Steve Jones bid them all goodnight, and after a nod to Angel he followed.
Maddie felt so good right then, but there was more to come.
“I’m so proud of you.” Ava smiled happily. “I knew you were the right person to help. You’re so much braver than me.”
Maddie’s eyes welled. “I’m glad you trusted me. And I’m glad you came home and brought new family.” If her mom could forgive Nicholas, then she should take a leaf out of her book. As for being brave, Maddie decided that her mom might have passed on a few of those genes.
William kissed her cheek. “Thank you. I’m delighted to be a part of three wonderful and beautiful generations of Flynns. We’ll certainly miss you and your friends. If you’re ever over in our neck of the woods, you should come for a visit, anytime you feel the urge.”
Maddie nodded. A trip to England? That sounded amazing. “I’d like to drive you to the airport, if that’s okay?”
He smiled. “You’ve done enough. We can take a taxi.”
Maddie shook her head. “I’d like to see you for a little longer without all the chaos around us. Maybe chat about that trip?” she teased.
Ava looked to her husband, who nodded. “Then we’d love that too.”
Maddie heard the truth in her mom’s voice.
“Perhaps you could rustle us up something to eat?” William gently asked his wife when his stomach growled.
Maddie gasped at the request, but her mom didn’t appear put out. “You cook?”
Her mother raised both eyebrows. “No need to sound so surprised. I lived with Gran until I was nearly nineteen. Naturally, I picked up a thing or two.”
“Your mom was a very good cook. She would stand at the kitchen counter just like you did and bake beside me,” Gran noted wistfully.
Maddie turned to her mom. “I didn’t know that.”
Ava shrugged. “I guess you only saw the bad things I did.”
Gran tutted. “I promise that I told Maddie about all the fun times we had. You, me, and your father.”
“I’m glad she got to have that too. I’ve never said how much I appreciated Maddie was well looked after and loved. It helped with the guilt.” Ava’s mouth trembled.
“This is turning sad. How about someone gets in the kitchen?” Suzy’s watery eyes conflicted with her firm voice. “Besides, there’s so much food here, no one needs to cook!”
“Well, I’m starved,” Angel admitted.
They all laughed, even William. Angel’s love of food was spreading. Ava shook her head and with a grin headed to the kitchen, waving away Gran, who had stood.
“You take it easy for once, Mom,” Ava told her.
A sniff had all eyes turning to Gran. Tears rolled down her face, and Maddie enveloped her in her arms. “What’s wrong?”
Gran looked to the kitchen, joy flowing from her like the tears. “Don’t mind me. I’m a silly fool who, despite such appalling things happening, is just so happy she could burst.”
“You’re not old, and you’re certainly no fool,” Ava called from the kitchen. She wore a broad smile as she donned one of Gran’s aprons.
The world shifted beneath Maddie, and she hugged Gran closer. It seemed that everyone could change and the world wasn’t black and white. What you knew and what you assumed could also be born in lies you told yourself.
The house buzzed with conversation. This was family. A hotchpotch of blood relatives and those who behaved as though they were.
Maddie wouldn’t have it any other way, and neither would Big Red, who meandered through the crowd, accepting tidbits until he looked as though he would burst. Again.
Eventually, he lay under the table, keeping half-closed eyes on his family.
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Fudge and Frenemies
They climbed the majestic staircase which opened up to a hall where rows of portraits hung in orderly lines. Opposite these, the group looked over the railing to the floor below. With this second amazing perspective, Maddie fell in love with the castle. It was a shame that it would be given to William’s brother, but her stepfather and Ava seemed happy with the decision.
Her mom waited patiently for them to finish gawping before heading to the right. “Our rooms are in the other wing and yours are down here.”
They walked a long way before Ava stopped in front of the first door and opened it. “Mom, this is your suite.”
Excitedly, Gran walked into the small sitting room. Beyond this was a bedroom. “A whole suite? For me?”
Angel ran around the rooms like a headless chicken, exclaiming over everything. “The size of this is crazy! Come, look at the bed—it’s a four poster. I love this suite. Oh, my—the furniture is Georgian. Sugar, you have to see the bathroom! A clawed bath and gold taps.”
