Chapter 2
Maurice hadn’t heard anything from inside the bakery. He might really have waited for the police, since he was pretty sure the intruder was gone. The white powder strewn across the floor was the best indicator. Footprints through the powder lead out the back.
To make sure the place was empty, he flipped on the light switch and went in. He was careful not to disturb the footprints in case the sheriff could match them to a specific shoe, though it seemed unlikely, as much of the fine dust had been smeared.
The bakery was a mess with the fine white dust covering nearly every surface.
The consistency of the powder made Maurice believe it was flour.
He found a large sack ripped down the middle as if someone had stabbed it with a knife.
The source of the flour. Cannisters of other ingredients had been emptied, recipe books and books containing pictures of wedding and birthday cakes had been slung across the floor.
Refrigerators and ovens stood open and every cabinet door hung ajar.
Nothing moved. No one hid in the storage closet or behind the display counter. Whoever had been there had done the damage and left.
Maurice hurried back out to find Amelie standing next to the back door, speaking softly to the dispatcher. She met his gaze.
“It’s empty.”
“Did you hear that, Minnie?” she asked. “Okay. We’ll wait for Stewie. Thanks.” She ended the call and glanced through the door. “How bad is it?”
“It’s a mess,” he said. “Did you have any valuables in the register or a safe?”
Amelie shook her head. “I take my deposits to the bank every evening and only keep enough money in the register to make change. So many people prefer to use credit cards these days. Was there any equipment damaged?” she asked, craning her neck to see inside. “Is that flour all over the floor?”
“I assume it’s flour, as the sack it was in has a giant hole in it. I couldn’t see any damage to equipment, but every door was open, including the refrigerators and ovens.”
“We need to close the refrigerator doors, so what’s inside won’t spoil.
” She started to go inside and stopped. “No. It doesn’t matter.
There’s no telling what the vandal touched or disturbed.
I’ll have to toss everything and start over with supplies.
” She wrapped her arms around her middle and shook her head. “Who would do this?”
“I don’t know.” He glanced at the corners of the building and the light over the back porch. “Do you have security cameras?”
She sighed. “Not yet. I ordered a system a week ago. It should be here tomorrow.” Her lips pulled downward on the corners. “I was going to install it next Monday.”
“And you still will. I’ll help.” Maurice’s gaze followed the white powdery prints that led off the porch, fading with each step the perp had taken. They led away from the back door and toward...
“Is that the staircase to your apartment?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
“It is.” Amelie’s frown deepened. “Do you think he went up there?”
Maurice stared at the bottom step where a trace of flour answered her question.
Before Maurice could stop her, Amelie raced up the steps and pushed through the open door.
Maurice took the steps two at a time, arriving at the top to find the doorframe splintered, the door hanging slightly open and Amelie standing in the small apartment, staring around at the destruction.
Maurice flipped the light switch and hurried toward the woman. He pulled her against him, shielding her body with his as he looked around, braced for attack.
Silence surrounded them.
He nodded toward the only other door leading off the combination living room and kitchen. “That your bedroom?”
“Yes,” she said.
He pinned her gaze with his. “Will you stay here while I check it out?”
She nodded and sniffed. “Yes.”
He ducked into her bedroom, checked beneath the bed, in the closet and the bathroom, stepping around or over drawers that had been pulled from the dresser, clothes that had been ripped from the closet and the mattress that hung halfway off the bed.
He returned to the living room where Amelie stood as if shell-shocked, her face pale, her arms wrapped around herself.
The wail of a siren sounded in the distance.
Maurice pulled her into his arms. “It’s just stuff,” he said.
She rested her cheek against his chest. “I know. But it’s terrifying that someone could get in so easily and destroy so much.” She shook her head. “I’ve only been gone a couple of hours. What if I’d been home when he’d busted in?”
“You weren’t here. He probably knew it.”
Her fingers curled into his shirt. “Oh, God. He could’ve been watching me. That’s even creepier.”
“The important thing to focus on is that you’re okay. You’re safe.”
She leaned back and stared up into his eyes, frowning. “I won’t be able to open the shop tomorrow. I don’t know how long it’ll take to clean up this mess, and I’ll need all new supplies.”
“When the sheriff gets here, you’ll need to look through everything and see if you’re missing anything.”
She glanced around her apartment. “I don’t own anything of much value except for the ovens and refrigerators. It’s not like he could abscond with them that easily.”
When a sheriff’s vehicle pulled up outside the bakery, Maurice and Amelie descended the stairs and met him out front.
Stewie took pictures, dusted for latent prints and took Amelie and Maurice’s statements. “I’m sorry this happened to you, Amelie. You know how much we all love your bakery. We’ll do our best to find out who did it.”
Stewie was just wrapping up when Deputy Shelby Taylor arrived in her personal vehicle.
As soon as she parked, she jumped out and ran to Amelie. “Oh, sweetie, we were just leaving the Crawdad Hole when I heard, or I would’ve been here sooner.” She hugged her friend. “You should’ve called me.”
Amelie grimaced. “I called 911. You’re not even on duty. You should be on your way home to your baby, not here.”
“I’m always there for my friends. Besides, Remy relieved the babysitter.
Jean-Luc is in good hands.” Shelby tipped her head toward Maurice.
“I’m glad you didn’t come home alone like you wanted.
I’m sure it would’ve been even more of a shock.
And dangerous. What if the vandal had still been here?
” She shook her head. “I don’t like it.”
“Whoever did it was gone by the time we arrived,” Amelie said. “But I’m glad Maurice was with me. I...” she shook her head, “it was like a punch in the gut.”
“I’ll bet it was.” Shelby stared around the interior of the bakery. “Remy and I can come over in the morning to help clean up. I’m sure you’ve already given your statement, but was anything missing?”
“Not that I could tell,” Amelie said.
Shelby frowned. “By the way, all the drawers are pulled out and the doors to the cabinets are open. Could he have been looking for something?”
Maurice frowned. “I had the same thought.”
“I really don’t own anything of value,” Amelie said.
“I don’t wear expensive jewelry, mostly because I don’t own any.
I don’t keep wads of cash lying around. I make daily deposits to avoid that.
The cash register wasn’t even opened. All the bills and change appeared untouched.
If stealing something had been the goal, they would’ve taken the money. ”
“Any missing paintings, coin collections, electronics?” Shelby asked.
Amelie shook her head. “None of that. I put every bit of profit back into the business or in the bank.”
“Maybe it was a group of teens looking for trouble,” Shelby offered.
Maurice shook his head. “Teenaged boys would’ve eaten their way through the donuts and cookies.”
“None of the displays were touched,” Amelie said. “Just the drawers below. They were pulled out and dumped on the floor.”
“Stewie, are you finished here?” Shelby asked the other deputy.
“Yes, ma’am,” the tall, lanky man replied. “I’m heading out. “Are you going to be all right, Ms. Aubert? Do you need a place to stay tonight?”
Amelie pushed a hand through her hair. “I’m all right.”
“She’ll be staying with me,” Shelby announced.
“No.” Amelie held up a hand. “I’ll stay in my own place. Besides, I need to dive in, clean, organize, make a plan and a grocery list. I can’t afford to be closed for too long.”
Shelby crossed her arms over her chest. “You can’t stay here alone.”
“It’s not like I’ll sleep,” Amelie said. “I’ll be awake, alert and ready to take anyone down who tries anything funny.”
Shelby snorted. “And if he comes back, what are you going to do? Hit him with a fist-sized wad of pastry dough?”
Amelie’s lips quirked. “Maybe.”
“You can’t stay here alone,” Shelby persisted.
“I’ll be with her,” Maurice said.
Amelie frowned. “I don’t need—”
Maurice touched one of his big fingers to her lips, liking how soft they were. “The right response is thank you. “No” is not an option.”
Amelie met his gaze. “Okay, I know when I’m arguing with a stone wall.” Her lips twisted into a wry grin. “To tell the truth, it would be nice to have someone who has my back. Fair warning, though... I’ll be working all night.”
“Can’t you let it be for the night?” Shelby asked.
“No,” Amelie said. “Right now, I’m too upset to consider sleep. Working and keeping busy is what I need. Making food, even desserts, is my therapy. The sooner I can clean up the evidence of destruction and get back to what I do best, the better.”
Shelby focused on Maurice. “You’ll stay all night?”
He nodded. “We’ll be okay. I have a pistol in my truck. I’ll bring it in for protection.”
“I’d still rather Amelie came home with me,” Shelby murmured.
Amelie touched her friend’s arm. “Thanks for caring.”
“I don’t like it,” Shelby said. “If you need anything, call 911 and then me.
“Got it,” Amelie said. “Now, go home to your baby.”
Shelby smiled. “He’s such an angel when he’s asleep.” Her smile twisted. “Then he wakes up and keeps me on my toes all day long. I go to work now to get rest.”