The Cheesecake Fake: A Culinary Cozy Mystery Set In Sunny Florida (Slice of Paradise Cozy Mysteries Book 2) Read online

  Krystle looked away, her hand on her hip, then blew out a little stream of frustrated air. “Faith, this is our restaurant critic I was telling you about” – said with meaningful emphasis and eye widening – “Tara Johnson. And this is Dr George Asante, our town veterinarian. He writes columns on pet care for us.”

  “Hello,” he said with a friendly wave, and a thick accent that Faith guessed was from somewhere in Africa, though she wasn’t sure where.

  “And last but not least,” Krystle said with an affectionate smile, “this is Molly Pilgrim. She writes about our local sports events.”

  Molly, a very classically good looking woman in her 30s, tanned and toned, flashed Faith a winning smile. “Though I’m usually in my not-so-glamorous job as a Phys Ed teacher at the high school,” she said.

  “Hi,” Faith said to them all. “Nice to meet you.”

  Laura was still explaining all the different canapés to Becky, but looked up and gave them all a quick smile. Faith cursed inwardly that there weren’t any eligible bachelors she could hook Laura up with. Faith, though she knew it was meddling, had wondered if she’d finally be able to persuade Laura that Deputy Valdez was a dreadful choice. But Laura got this dreamy look in her eyes whenever they talked about him, and Faith had to wonder what planet she was on. That was the very same guy who had been chomping at the bit to throw her in jail for murder! It stung a bit, in all honesty. Why would Laura swoon over a guy that clearly despised Faith and everything she stood for? But Laura couldn’t be swayed, it seemed.

  “You know,” Graeme said, chomping on his third mini cheesecake, “I think I might have just found what I’m looking for.”

  “What’s that, the end of your will power?” Krystle quipped, sipping more champagne. Faith couldn’t help but notice she’d tossed a lot of it back, even though the party had just started, and didn’t look like she was about to stop.

  “Oh ha ha,” he said, in a way Faith could tell they were friends. “A caterer. Like the lovely Krystle said, Faith, my wife and I put on an open air production of Shakespeare every year, at our ranch just out of town. Would you and your friend consider catering for it? It’ll be an outdoor buffet and I want as many of these cheesecakes as it’s possible to make.”

  “We’d love to,” Faith said, beaming from ear to ear. What great luck they were having in snagging catering jobs.

  “That’s a sweet potato bite with pesto, cheese, bacon and parsley,” Laura said to Becky a little more tersely than usual, obviously running out of patience. Then she looked over at Faith and Graeme and grinned. “Sounds perfect.”

  “Goodness me,” the veterinarian said. “Look at the sunset.” He had been standing by the large double doors at the back of the boat that led out onto an open deck area.

  Indeed, the cabin had begun to swell with the deep pinks and oranges of the late afternoon, and everyone gathered to admire it. Krystle tottered over to the window in her stilettoes.

  Becky was still picking her way through the canapés, nibbling at one, then tossing it in the trash, then nibbling at another and pulling a face. “Why couldn’t you have done normal food?” she whined.

  Laura gave Faith an end-of-her-tether look, and Faith came over. “Isn’t the sunset beautiful, Becky? It’s throwing colors all over the ocean.”

  Becky looked up at her as if she were speaking a totally foreign language. “Yeah. Um… Fay, is it? Freya?”

  “Faith.”

  “Faith, I want you to go and get me something to eat from one of the places in Paradise Point.” The boat had been moored at Paradise Point but was now moving slowly across the coast. “I don’t want to eat this food, I’m afraid, and since you’re the caterer it’s your responsibility. I think each of the guests should have been consulted about their dietary preferences. That would have been the professional thing to do.”

  Faith was so astounded she didn’t know what to say. She just stood there, holding her platter of canapés, completely dumbfounded.

  “It’s all your fault, anyways,” she said, pointing at Tara. “If you weren’t so insufferable we’d be at The Mango Tree, eating proper food instead of this kids’ party baloney.” She flashed a wolf-style smile at Laura and Faith. “Sorry,” she said, not meaning it.

  “Ah, ah, ah,” Krystle said, shaking her head. Her words were slurring though, and Faith didn’t know how long she’d be able to keep her role as a peacemaker. “No fighting, ladies, please. Now, let’s break out some more champagne and maybe some music? We can have a dance!”

  Becky rolled her eyes. “I am not drinking champagne on an empty stomach.” She looked pointedly at Faith.

  Thankfully, Faith had remembered her voice. “I can’t go out and get you anything,” she said. “For one thing, the boat’s moving.” For another, you have no manners, she thought.

  “That’s the problem with this town,” Becky announced loudly. “Everyone always wants a reason to say no. No, no, no.” She pointed at Krystle and mimicked her sunny voice, “No, I can’t pay you for your column.” Then she pointed at Dr Asante. “No, I can’t find a buyer for your cat, even though I’m supposed to be your boyfriend and look after you and do anything you want.” Then she pointed at Tara. “No, I can’t act like a normal human being for five minutes and not antagonize everyone in sight, so that we can eat at The Mango Tree.” Next she pointed at Molly. “No, I can’t put on nice clothes because I’m a Phys Ed teacher and the rule is I must look awful.” Then she looked at Graeme with eyes of steel, like she was trying to find something nasty to say about him but couldn’t, and was annoyed with him for it. Then she turned to Faith and Laura. “No, we couldn’t make normal food because we run a fancy pantsy tearoom.” She was red, almost purple, in the face by the time she gestured upward toward the driver of the boat, who was on the upper deck. “And no, I can’t stop the boat for Becky to get something to eat, even though she’s starving hungry! Argh!”

  She stormed over to where the champagne was laid out and poured herself a huge glass. It bubbled over the top and onto her dress, but she didn’t seem to care. She just knocked it back, her short bobbed hair splaying out all over the place.

  Everyone stared at her in stunned silence for a moment. It was Dr. Asante who broke it, starting to laugh. “Well, better out than in, I say. The truth is sometimes ugly. And on that note, Becky, I will tell you the truth. You are the most horrible woman I’ve ever met when you’re hungry.” Then he came over and put his arm around her. “Aren’t you, huh?”

  Faith thought she’d shove him off, but she actually snuggled into his shoulder and began to sniffle. Faith looked at Laura, totally befuddled.

  “Well,” Krystle said with wide eyes, “I think we’ve done enough talking for this evening. Well, at least some of us have. I think it’s time for that music we were talking about.” She hurried over to the stereo and flicked it on. “Any station will do.” Soon some 90s pop hits came blaring out. Krystle shrugged, and then started to dance in her high heels.

  Soon everyone was dancing to the cheesy pop music and laughing at themselves. Graeme was devouring cheesecake after cheesecake, then recommended them to Dr. Asante, who promptly began his own addiction. Faith and Laura placed their platters on the side and began to join in with the dancing.

  The party was well lubricated with champagne, ever more so as the sun went down. The arguments and drama ceased. Soon even Becky looked to be enjoying herself, though she steered clear of the alcohol herself – that overfilled glass of frustration had been her only one.

  By 11pm most everyone was tipsy, while some guests had crossed the line over into drunk. Faith flopped down in the kitchen area, eating one of the mini black bean burgers with guacamole and salsa on top, while Laura nibbled on double chocolate mini brownie squares.

  “I’d say that was a success, wouldn’t you?” Laura said, her voice slightly more slurred than it would normally be.

  “Yep,” Faith said brightly. “And we’re catering the open air Shakespeare whatsi
tcalled. So that’s a bonus.”

  Then they both heard a huge splash, just about audible over the music.

  “Wh… what was that?” Laura said.

  Faith giggled. “A shark, silly, banging up against the boat. Ooh.” She knew she was being silly, but after the champagne and all the canapés and fun, she was feeling a bit silly.

  “No, seriously.” Laura went to the window and looked out.

  Faith followed, but couldn’t see anything. The moon was bright, but its light only rippled on the gentle water. There was nothing that could have caused a splash that they could see.

  “Weird,” Laura said with a shrug. “It was probably nothing. Maybe it was part of the music or something.”

  “Yeah.” But Faith knew she’d heard something. And standing there, looking out over the eerily still water, she had a feeling that something was wrong. Very wrong.

  *****

  Chapter 3

  “But where’s… what’s her name?” Krystle said, barely able to stand up in her high heels.

  “Come on now,” her husband Greg said gently, holding her upright.

  The boat had moored just outside Paradise Point, which had long closed for the evening, and everyone was out on the dock. Graeme Trigg, Tara Johnson, Molly Pilgrim, Krystle, Laura and Faith. Everyone except Dr. Asante and Becky.

  “Becky! Becky! Where are you?” They could hear the veterinarian inside the boat, calling out, ever more worried with each word.

  The driver of the boat kept saying, “There’s no one else here!” but Dr. Asante was too far gone for that. His voice was dripping with panic, and everyone else was starting to feel it, too.

  “I’m calling the Deputy Sheriff,” Laura said, struggling to fish her iPhone out of her handbag with clumsy coordination.

  “Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Tara Johnson snapped. “She’s probably hiding somewhere in the boat, delighted she’s getting all this attention. I say we all leave and let her hide until she’s hungry and has to come out. I want to go home, not wait around in the dark for some drama queen. My taxi is over there, waiting.” She nodded toward the sidewalk.

  “Tara!” Molly said.

  “No, no, no,” Tara said. “You heard all those dreadful things she said about everyone. I don’t think we should be putting ourselves out and playing into her little freak show. Let’s all go home.” She was greeted with silence. Then she declared, “Well, I’m leaving. Bye.”

  “Unbelievable,” Molly said, shaking her head at Tara’s back. “That woman.”

  Krystle was biting her lip, leaning on Greg, while Graeme kept peering back at the boat, like he might chance to see her through one of the windows. Dr. Asante calling out, “Becky! Becky!” was getting ever more unnerving by the second. It was clear she wasn’t there.

  “Is Deputy Tyler Valdez there please?” Laura said into the phone, then walked away from the group.

  Faith was beginning to feel more and more worried with each moment that passed. “Is everyone just not saying the obvious thing?” she asked. She hadn’t wanted to be the one to bring it up, but since no one else was talking…

  Molly swallowed, then said in a voice that was little more than a whisper, “The splash.”

  “Right,” Faith said. “I think she… fell off the boat.”

  Graeme nodded, looking pained. “I think you’re probably right.”

  Krystle shook her head. “But… but that doesn’t make sense. She was a star swimmer. She would have managed to make her way back on, I’m sure of it.”

  Molly’s eyes darted from left to right, then right to left. “Maybe she was drunk.”

  “Nope,” Faith said. “I noticed she only had that one glass. I guess, unless she was drunk before the party. She didn’t seem it.” The truth was slowly beginning to dawn on Faith, but she didn’t want to say it out loud.

  “Maybe she was…” Krystle began, but then trailed off.

  Graeme winced. “P… pushed?”

  Everyone looked at each other, eyes wide with alarm. It all sunk in slowly. If it was true, it was one of them – or Dr. Asante – that had pushed her. If it was true, each of them was a few feet away from a killer.

  Laura came jogging back over, looking much more sober. “Deputy Valdez is coming down right now. I think they’re going to… start a search.”

  *****

  Faith gave the empty platters a quick rinse. In all honesty, back home in Minnesota she would have left them out on the side for the night, she was so exhausted. But in Florida, where heat was always in the air, there were too many creatures to take the chance. But halfway through washing, she actually fell asleep standing up. She took the executive decision to shove the crumb-encrusted platters in the refrigerator. She’d deal with them in the morning.

  Her kittens, gray fluff-balls who were getting bigger by the day, wound themselves around her ankles as she practically sleepwalked to the bedroom. It was rare she was out in the evening, and by their plaintive mews she knew they had missed her.

  “I missed you too, Nimbus,” she said. “And you, Cirrus.”

  Then all she could manage to do was flop down onto her bed, still in her party clothes. She told herself she’d just cuddle with the kitties for a few minutes, then get up and take her makeup off and slip into her favorite pajamas with ice cream cones all over them. But the bed felt so soft it was heavenly. Nimbus, the more cuddly of her kittens, came and snuggled up by her belly, curling into a ball and squeezing his eyes shut in cat-bliss once she’d started sleepily stroking him under his little chin. Cirrus, the ever-playful one, prowled up and down the bed by her legs, pawing her from time to time as if to say, “Come on, get up and play with me!” Within moments, Faith was asleep.

  When she woke up the next morning, she saw four missed calls on her ancient flip phone. She read the caller ID through bleary eyes. Nathan. Then she sat bolt upright, suddenly awake. She’d totally forgotten!

  She scrambled out of bed, hitting call on her cell. Then she hurried to the closet to find something to wear, as the kittens woke up mewing. “Nathan, I’m so sorry!”

  “Where are you?” he asked, sounding a little put out.

  “Oh man, I was asleep. Are you still out there?” They’d arranged to meet at Paradise Point. On Mondays they never opened the tearoom until lunchtime – nobody ever came in before then – and she and Nathan had decided to go for a walk down the coastline. It was something of a tradition for them, and one that Faith immensely enjoyed. Sinking her feet into the soft warm sand, hearing the waves lap in and out with their gentle hiss, and looking out over the horizon, which always gave her perspective and a sense of calm. And of course, interlacing her fingers with Nathan’s.

  “Yep,” he said. “Just checking out the new planting arrangement by the swimming pool.”

  “As usual,” Faith said teasingly, as she picked out a nice cornflower blue sundress. It had heavy lace detailing around the neckline and hem, and was one of her favorites. “When are you going to talk to Samantha about it?”

  Nathan’s passion was landscape gardening. “I love to transform places,” he’d once said to Faith, his eyes bright with excitement. “You know, seeing a place that’s all bare and ugly, and making into something…” He’d trailed off, running his hand over a tropical palm leaf as he walked through the gardens of Paradise Point, Faith by his side. His dream, ever since he’d come to fix up the little garden out front of Slice of Paradise, was to join the team working Paradise Point gardens. Only he was brushing up on his tropical plant knowledge and didn’t want to approach park manager Samantha until he was sure he’d snag the role.

  “Not yet,” he said. “So how long will you be?”

  “Less than 10 minutes,” Faith said. Thankfully, Paradise Point was within walking distance. It would probably take her longer to get from the entrance kiosk to the swimming pool, than it would to get to the entrance from her apartment. “I just have to have the quickest shower known to man and then I’ll be there. So sorry
, Nathan.”

  She could hear him grinning down the phone. “You know, I usually can’t stand it when people are late. But… You do something to me, Faith Franklin. You make me different.”

  Faith could hear her heartbeat then. “In a good way?”

  He laughed. “I hope so.”

  *****

  Faith loved how it felt when Nathan reached out and held her hand. The first time he’d done it she had felt like her heart would explode right out of her chest. Every color had looked more vivid than it ever had before. The sky had been the most intense blue, while the golden evening sun had been so rich and warm. The sound of the sea had been like the sweetest music to her ears, and the warmth of Nathan’s hand like the feeling of coming home after a long journey.

  These days the feeling was not quite so intense, but she still loved it. Since she was a baking sort of person, she thought of everything in baking terms. Holding Nathan’s hand was like… savoring a spoonful of melted chocolate in your mouth, freshly warm from the melting pan. Or… that same feeling of satisfaction she got when she pulled a batch of chocolate chip cookies from the oven with her favorite teal oven gloves, the delicious smell and their golden brown sheen telling her they were baked to perfection. It all felt right. Just right.

  Her last – and only other – boyfriend Jeremy had made her heart flutter and her pulse speed, but in a danger-pleasure sort of way that she couldn’t quite tell if she liked or not. It had always made her feel on edge, anxiety pumping through her.

  But with Nathan? It was all as calm and natural as the crystal clear tides that rose up gently to wash the sand off her feet.

  “Your birthday’s coming up,” he said. “The big 2-5. I’ve been thinking about what I should get for you. Something baking related, right?”