Chapter 17 #2
“Yes.” That was exactly the problem, but I didn't say it out loud. Because the alternative was worse—someone trying to get to me might not have cared who got caught in the crossfire. “I need you to get the owner on the phone, Carmine Amato. Tell him I need to speak to him immediately, it’s an emergency.”
Julia nodded and hurried to her desk.
I sat silently in thought, waiting for the phone to buzz.
“Mr. Amato is waiting on line three.”
I picked up the phone. “Carmine, it’s Quentin.” I rubbed my chin trying to find the right words. “We’ve got a situation.”
I spent the next five minutes explaining that I believed someone had tried to poison me using the zeppoles. I needed him to shut down the bakery and wait for Stone to arrive.
“You really think someone would poison a bunch of my customers just to get to you?” Carmine’s voice held concern and disbelief, along with a hefty dose of anger.
“I’d like to think the world hasn’t come to that.” I hated the idea of an assassin with a grudge against me using La Crumbedonna so unprofessionally. “It’s likely I was targeted specifically but why take the chance that some kid gets hurt?”
“Agreed. I’ll shut down right now.”
“I’ll make it up to you. I’ll cover your losses, plus twenty percent.”
“Thank you, Quentin.”
“Tell me what ingredient is most unique to the zeppoles you make for me?”
“That’s easy. The Amarena cherry. I only use them on a couple of items. Today the only thing that’s gone out with those cherries as a garnish was your order.”
“I’ve got an employee named Serenity who’s going to ask you to show her the jar.
Please accommodate her in every way. Also, my head of security, Nathan Stone will be dropping by to talk to your staff.
Please don’t let any of them leave. If anyone is acting suspicious, call me immediately.
I’ll cover all your expenses. Thank you, Carmine. I owe you one.”
I hung up and dialed Serenity. After I got her up to speed on the situation, I called Stone, who was already in the building. He walked into my office a minute later, his brows drawn together and worry tightening his eyes. “What’s going on?”
I explained everything to him. “And don’t say ‘I told you so.’ We have no proof Julia is involved.”
He shook his head and glanced at me sideways. “It would have been the perfect setup.”
“But she’d be the immediate suspect.” I rubbed my temples. “I mean, she is the first suspect. She had the opportunity. If Serenity hadn’t been here, and in the mood for something sweet—”
“You’d probably be dead.”
I thought about that for a second before continuing. “Maybe. We don’t actually know for sure if her vision means what we’re assuming.”
“What else could it mean?”
“Perhaps I just swallowed wrong and was choking?”
Stone raised a brow. “You don’t believe that.”
“No.” I shook my head slightly. “You’re right.
We’re going to have to reevaluate Julia, from top to bottom, unless of course, Serenity finds something at the bakery.
Or you do. Why don’t you head down there now.
The owner, Carmine Amato, is expecting you.
Press the employees, but play nicely. Carmine is a friend. ”
“You got it.” Stone stood and stretched, all coiled muscle and restrained violence.
“I'll play nice as long as they do.” He cracked his knuckles, the sound sharp in the quiet office.
His grin was all predator. “But if someone's a threat, I'll handle it.” He strode toward the door like a man hoping for a fight.
“I’m glad you’re on my team.”
∞∞∞
Serenity called after she left the bakery. “Sorry. I didn’t get anything.”
“What about the cherries?” I figured this was the most likely way the poison would be delivered.
Amarena cherries were tart and could easily mask a poison.
It also made more sense to add poison to a jar of cherries that were specific to my order.
Poisoning all the flour, butter, or sugar wouldn’t make sense.
Besides, if a dozen or more people dropped dead, the authorities would be investigating an act of terrorism instead of a lone murder. That isn’t the way a pro operates.
“I took the liberty of grabbing the open jar of cherries, even though I didn’t get a reading on them. I’ll take them to Dino for testing.” Dino was short for Detective Scardino, who was on my payroll and could get them tested for me.
“Smart. Better safe than sorry.”
“Yes. And I also managed to touch Julia’s arm on my way out. I got mixed messages, so it’s hard to explain.”
“Like what?”
“Well… I think she’s in trouble, but I don’t know how. Just some kind of conflict she’s facing that isn’t resolved.”
“But nothing about the poison?”
“I don’t know. Unless that’s part of the conflict. But it doesn’t feel like it. Sorry. Wish I had more.”
“It’s fine. For now, get those cherries to Dino.”
“Will do."
I hung up and called Stone. “What did you find?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary. There’s one baker I haven’t talked to, but he’s the oldest employee. Carmine says he’s been working with him over twenty years. He came in early this morning, but he’s got a sick kid at the hospital and left early.”
“You’ll still pay him a visit?”
“Yes, it’s on my to-do list. But…” Stone hedged.
“Spit it out.” I knew what he was going to say.
“It would have been easy to switch out one of the garnishes on the drive from the bakery to the office.”
“I know.”
“Vanetti, who served you the specific zeppole—”
“Julia, but it was the one that Serenity touched that triggered her vision.”
“Maybe she’s more involved than you—”
“She was going to eat one, too.”
“She could have been pretending to eat one.”
“It can’t be her. Keep investigating.” I slammed down the receiver, anger and frustration curdling my stomach.
My interactions with Julia ran cold throughout the rest of the day. I hated not trusting her, but Stone had made his point. If the poison wasn’t introduced at the bakery, then there was only one way it got there. Julia.
Her face flashed through my mind and my chest constricted. I didn't want her to be guilty. More than that—I needed her to be innocent. The desperation in that need told me I'd already crossed a line I shouldn't have. These feelings weren't just serious. They were dangerous.
A knock sounded at the door and Julia stuck her head into the room. “You okay?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Do you need anything before I leave for the day?”
“No.” I didn’t meet her gaze, instead I picked up the office phone, as if I had a call to make. “I’ll see you Monday.”
“What about our dinner tonight?”
“Oh…” I shook my head. “Something’s come up.” I tried to smile. “Raincheck?”
Pain flashed in her eyes before she glanced away. “Sure. See you Monday.”
As she shut the door, the room felt hollow. Cold. Like she'd taken all the warmth and air with her, leaving nothing but emptiness behind.