Chapter 4 The Helpful Matron of Honor
By Saturday morning, Magnolia Cove had found something new to talk about.
Not the wedding.
Not the flowers.
Not even the groom.
The cake.
Penny discovered this when she opened The Frosted Petal at seven and found a woman standing outside with a newspaper tucked beneath her arm.
The woman looked at Penny.
Then at the bakery sign.
Then back at Penny.
"I'm so sorry," she said.
Penny managed a polite smile.
"Thank you."
The woman lowered her voice.
"Was it really the cake?"
Penny's smile disappeared.
"We don't know."
The woman nodded solemnly, as though Penny had confirmed exactly what she'd been hoping to hear.
Then she walked away.
Penny watched her disappear around the corner.
"Wonderful."
Behind her, Mochi yawned.
Penny looked down.
"You think this is funny?"
Mochi blinked.
Penny unlocked the door.
"Everyone in town thinks my cake killed a man."
She stepped inside.
"And you're enjoying yourself."
Mochi walked past her without a care.
Penny sighed.
She had barely made it behind the counter when the bell above the door rang.
A woman entered.
She was dressed elegantly despite the early hour, wearing a cream-colored blouse, tailored trousers, and a delicate necklace that caught the morning sunlight.
Her blonde hair was swept into a loose knot.
Her eyes were red.
She looked like someone who hadn't slept.
"Penny?"
"Yes?"
The woman approached.
"I'm Daisy Finch."
Penny recognized the name immediately.
Daisy had been Melanie's matron of honor.
She had been everywhere at the wedding.
Helping with flowers.
Fixing dresses.
Organizing photographs.
Whispering with bridesmaids.
And, Penny remembered, hovering near the cake.
Daisy reached across the counter and took Penny's hand.
"I'm so sorry."
Penny stiffened.
"For what?"
"For everything."
Daisy's eyes filled with tears.
"I can't imagine what you're going through."
Penny didn't know what to say.
Daisy squeezed her hand.
"You worked so hard on that cake."
Penny slowly withdrew her hand.
"Thank you."
"It was beautiful."
Daisy's voice cracked.
"Absolutely perfect."
There it was again.
Perfect.
Penny had heard the word dozens of times during the wedding.
But coming from Daisy, it sounded almost rehearsed.
She immediately felt guilty for thinking it.
Daisy dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
"I keep thinking about it."
"About the cake?"
"About George."
Her voice trembled.
"One moment he was standing there. The next..."
She couldn't finish.
Penny softened.
"I'm sorry."
Daisy nodded.
"Thank you."
For a few seconds, they stood in silence.
Then Daisy looked toward the kitchen.
"Have the police said anything?"
"Not much."
"Do they think it was an allergy?"
"That's what Detective Patterson believes."
Daisy exhaled.
"Thank goodness."
Penny studied her.
"Why?"
"Because if it was the cake..."
Daisy's voice faded.
Penny waited.
Daisy shook her head.
"No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't even say that."
She gave a nervous little laugh.
"Your poor bakery."
Penny forced a smile.
"Yes."
Daisy looked around.
"I wanted to make sure you're okay."
"That's kind of you."
"I've been thinking about you."
Penny wondered why.
Daisy stepped closer.
"If you need anything, anything at all, please call me."
"Thank you."
"I mean it."
Daisy smiled.
It was warm.
Comforting.
Sincere.
Penny immediately felt herself relax.
Maybe she'd misjudged her.
Maybe Daisy was simply a grieving friend trying to help.
Then Mochi appeared.
He wandered out from the kitchen, tail held high.
Daisy crouched.
"Oh."
Her entire face changed.
"What a beautiful cat."
Mochi approached her.
Penny expected him to sniff her and walk away.
Instead, he rubbed against Daisy's ankle.
Daisy laughed softly.
"Hello, sweetheart."
Mochi circled her legs.
Then he purred.
Penny stared.
"You don't do that for everyone."
Daisy scratched beneath his chin.
"He's adorable."
Mochi purred louder.
Penny smiled.
"Apparently he likes you."
"I like him too."
Daisy looked up.
"What's his name?"
"Mochi."
"Perfect."
Penny laughed.
"That's his favorite word, apparently."
Daisy smiled.
For the first time since George's death, Penny felt some of the tension in her shoulders loosen.
She had spent the last two days suspicious of everyone.
Maybe that was making her see danger where there wasn't any.
Daisy had been with Melanie all morning.
She had photographs to prove it.
The bridesmaids had confirmed she never left the bridal suite.
She couldn't have poisoned the cake.
At least, not according to the timeline.
Penny felt almost embarrassed that Daisy had crossed her mind at all.
Then she remembered the cake.
And the earring.
After Daisy left, Penny began cleaning the display shelves.
Mochi watched from the counter.
"Don't even think about it."
He blinked.
Penny pointed at the display case.
"You've already knocked down one tray this week."
Mochi looked offended.
"Yes, you did."
She turned away.
A minute later, she heard a soft clink.
Penny spun around.
Mochi was staring at the floor.
Near the back entrance.
Something glittered beneath the edge of a chair.
Penny crouched.
She reached underneath.
A single earring emerged between her fingers.
It was beautiful.
A teardrop-shaped stone surrounded by tiny diamonds, hanging from a delicate gold setting.
Penny held it beneath the light.
"Where did you come from?"
Mochi sniffed it.
Then he pawed at her hand.
Penny frowned.
"You know this?"
Mochi stared at the earring.
Penny slipped it into a small paper bag.
She remembered seeing jewelry like this at the wedding.
Melanie had worn enough diamonds to decorate a chandelier.
Daisy had also been wearing earrings.
Penny wasn't certain whether these were the same.
She needed to find out.
She called Tess.
"Do you remember what Daisy was wearing?"
Tess was silent for a moment.
"Why?"
"I found an earring."
"What kind?"
Penny described it.
Tess gasped.
"That's Daisy's."
"You're sure?"
"Absolutely."
"How do you know?"
"I helped her get dressed."
Penny looked at the little paper bag.
"You're certain?"
"Yes."
Penny thanked her and hung up.
Her heart began beating faster.
The earring had been found near the cake stand.
Daisy had been near the cake.
But that didn't mean anything.
People had been moving around the reception hall all morning.
She could have lost it hours before.
Penny knew that.
Still, she couldn't ignore it.
She picked up her coat.
Mochi immediately jumped down.
"No."
He followed her.
"Mochi."
He continued following.
Penny sighed.
"Fine."
Daisy lived in a beautiful house near the waterfront.
Penny found her outside, arranging flowers in a large ceramic planter.
"Daisy?"
Daisy turned.
"Penny!"
Her smile was immediate.
"What are you doing here?"
"I found something."
Penny held out the small paper bag.
Daisy's eyes dropped to it.
For the briefest fraction of a second, the color drained from her face.
It was so quick Penny almost missed it.
Then Daisy smiled.
"Oh."
She took the bag.
She opened it.
"It's my earring."
"I thought it might be."
Daisy stared at it.
"I must have lost it at the reception."
"I found it near the cake."
Daisy looked up.
"Near the cake?"
"Yes."
A silence passed between them.
Then Daisy laughed softly.
"I was probably leaning over the table."
"Why?"
"To admire it."
She smiled.
"It really was gorgeous."
Penny watched her carefully.
Daisy tucked the earring into her palm.
"Thank you for bringing it."
"You're welcome."
Daisy looked toward Mochi.
The cat had been sitting beside Penny.
The moment Daisy bent down, he walked over.
He rubbed against her legs.
Again.
Daisy laughed.
"Your little detective is back."
Penny smiled.
"He's not a detective."
Daisy scratched his head.
"Maybe he should be."
Mochi purred.
Penny watched them.
Something about the scene felt reassuring.
Too reassuring.
She pushed the thought away.
"Take care of yourself."
Daisy stood.
"You too."
Penny turned toward the street.
"Penny?"
She looked back.
Daisy was holding the earring.
Her expression was unreadable.
"Thank you."
Penny nodded.
Then she walked away.
On the way back to the bakery, Penny couldn't stop thinking.
Nelson had a motive.
Nelson had lied.
Nelson had been near the kitchen.
But Daisy had been near the cake too.
And now her earring had been found beside it.
The problem was that Daisy had an alibi.
A strong one.
She had spent the entire morning with Melanie and the bridesmaids.
There were photographs.
Messages.
Witnesses.
She couldn't have been in two places at once.
Unless...
Penny stopped walking.
Her stomach tightened.
She remembered Daisy's words.
I was probably leaning over the table.
Probably.
Penny shook her head.
No.
She was allowing suspicion to take over.
There had to be an innocent explanation.
She continued walking.
But another thought followed.
Why had Daisy's face gone pale when Penny mentioned the cake?
It had lasted only a second.
Maybe less.
But Penny had seen it.
She knew she had.
When she returned to The Frosted Petal, Mochi jumped onto the windowsill.
Penny watched him.
"You really like her."
Mochi blinked.
"Why?"
He looked away.
Penny smiled faintly.
"You're not much help."
She walked behind the counter.
Then she stopped.
Something had changed.
Yesterday, she had been convinced Nelson was responsible.
Today, that certainty was gone.
The murder suddenly felt less like revenge from a disgruntled businessman.
It felt closer.
More personal.
Penny thought about Melanie.
The bride.
The woman who had lost her fiancé on her wedding day.
What secrets could she possibly be hiding?
Penny looked out at Magnolia Cove.
People thought they knew each other in small towns.
They knew who was getting married.
Who was divorcing.
Who was wealthy.
Who was struggling.
Who had argued with whom.
But they rarely knew the whole story.
Penny looked down at Mochi.
The cat stretched lazily.
"Something happened before that wedding."
Mochi's ears twitched.
"Something nobody wanted me to know."
Outside, the town continued its ordinary Saturday.
Cars passed.
People laughed.
A delivery truck rumbled down the street.
And inside The Frosted Petal, Penny stood surrounded by sugar, flour, butter, and secrets.
For the first time, she wondered whether George Tillingham's murder had anything to do with the man who hated him.
Or whether the real danger had been standing beside the bride all along. :::