Fruit Pie with a Side of Danger Read online

  Fruit Pie with a Side of Danger

  Meredith Potts

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter One

  “Walter, what are you doing here?” I asked.

  When my doorbell rang a few seconds earlier, I had no idea who was standing on my front porch. I certainly wasn’t expecting anyone at that hour. In addition, of all the people in my life that could have paid me an unexpected visit right then, my estranged birth father was the last person I would have predicted.

  After all, this was a man who had walked out of my life forty years ago. For the longest time, I had no idea where he went or what had happened to him. Then, two weeks ago, he returned to Treasure Cove, anxious to reconnect with me.

  While Walter was eager to be a part of my life again, I was reticent to let him in. I still had a number of emotional scars that had not healed. Part of me wondered if they ever would. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that I was a wreck.

  Before I could come to any definitive conclusions about the future, I needed some more time to sort through my feelings. When I told him that a few weeks ago, he appeared to be understanding. He also didn’t put up a fuss when I informed him that I would contact him when I was ready.

  Yet, now here he was, randomly showing up at my house. Apparently, he had grown impatient while waiting for me to reach out to him. To me, that was pretty ironic, considering how long he had been absent from my life. I wasn’t going to bring up that point right then, however. Instead, I let him speak.

  “You know, you can call me dad,” Walter said.

  “Right. Of course,” I said.

  In my mind, Walter had some odd priorities. At that moment, the last thing I was thinking about was whether to call him Walter or dad. I just wanted to know why he had shown up at my doorstep out of the blue.

  “So, what’s going on?” I asked.

  He took one step to the right. That was when I saw a small potted plant on the ground behind him.

  He pointed at the fern and said, “I came over to give you this.”

  “Oh. Thank you,” I said.

  “I know it isn’t much to look at right now, but given a little bit of time and attention, it could really grow into something remarkable.”

  “I’ll bet.”

  “That’s the plan, at least.”

  “You know, you didn’t have to get this for me,” I said.

  “I realize that,” he said. “I just wanted to do something nice for you. Besides, this seemed like a really appropriate gift.”

  My forehead wrinkled. “How so?”

  “I’ve never met a woman who doesn’t like plants,” he said. “And the lady at the home improvement store told me this one could grow really tall.”

  I grimaced. “I don’t know how to break this to you, but I’ve had some bad luck when it comes to taking care of plants.”

  He looked deflated. “Really?”

  I winced. “Unfortunately, they always seem to die on me.”

  “Maybe this one will be different.”

  “We’ll see. Either way, it’s the thought that counts.”

  “Exactly,” he said.

  I leaned over, picked up the pot, and brought the plant inside. Once I finished doing that, I glanced back at Walter. He looked like he wanted to ask me a question, but he was having trouble getting the words out.

  I tried to help him out. “Was there something else on your mind?” I said.

  “I was just wondering if you have any plans,” he said.

  “I’m afraid you’re going to have to more specific. Plans for what? The future?”

  “For right now,” he said. “This afternoon. Are you busy?”

  “Why? What do you have in mind?” I asked.

  “I was hoping we could spend some time together,” he said. “Maybe we can grab a bite to eat.”

  I bit the corner of my lip. “Oh.”

  A look of worry came to his face. “Is it a bad time?”

  I shook my head. “No. It’s just that you showed up here at random. I wasn’t expecting you.”

  “I know I said I’d wait for you to call, but after being out of your life for so long, I thought it might be a good idea to be proactive.”

  “Active is definitely the right word. You certainly aren’t just sitting back on the sidelines.”

  “That’s because I truly do want to be a part of your life.”

  “Do you really mean that?”

  “Of course. Do you actually doubt that?”

  I threw out my arms. “Can you blame me? You were gone for over forty years.”

  He lowered his head. “I know. And I’m sorry about that. I’m here now, though.”

  “True. But a part of me wonders, is it too little, too late?”

  He pleaded with me. “Just give me a chance.”

  “If I do, I just want you to know that I can’t promise anything,” I said.

  “Look. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, just let me know. All right?”

  I stared into his eyes, but I didn’t answer his question. After a few seconds of silence went by, he spoke up.

  “How about we start out small? We could go get a cup of coffee together,” he said.

  “You really are determined to try and make this work, aren’t you?” I said.

  He nodded. “Absolutely.”

  My brow furrowed as I thought about his proposal.

  A few seconds later, Walter was the one to break the silence between us.

  “So, how about that coffee?” he asked.

  Chapter Two

  Forget about coffee. In my mind, this situation called for pastries. And in Treasure Cove, one bakery made better pastries than any other.

  With that in mind, Walter and I headed over to Mitchell’s Bakery. As Walter sat down at a table, I was interested to see his reaction when he took a bite of the muffin that he ordered. I had a feeling he would go nuts. The truth was, I had never met anyone who wasn’t wild about the pastries that Mitchell’s served.

  I absolutely loved the food there. To the point where I didn’t hesitate to dig in. Just as I expected, my muffin was delicious.

  While I savored my pastry, Walter just kind of sat quietly and looked at me.

  “Aren’t you going to eat?” I asked.

  “Yeah. I’m still just a little confused right now,” Walter said.

  My nose scrunched. “About what?”

  “I figured that we’d go to Daley Buzz to grab a cup of coffee. Yet here we are at Mitchell’s, with pastries in front of us.”

  “These aren’t just any pastries. They are the best in Treasure Cove.”

  “I’m sure they are. But still—”

  “Look. I know you invited me out for coffee,” I said. “I was just in the mood for a pastry.”

  “So, you didn’t choose this place to avoid being seen with me at your family’s coffee shop?” he asked.

  Instead of answering his question, I pointed at his plate. “Try your muffin. I think you’ll really like it.”

  “You know, I wouldn’t make a scene if we went to Daley Buzz. Like I told you a few weeks ago, I’m a changed man. Much different than the guy who left town all those years ago.”

  I put my hand up. “Walter, you aren’t the one I’m concerned about.”

  “Are you worried that I’ll run into your mother?” he asked.

  My nose scrunched. “Why don’t we talk about something else?”

  “Okay,” he said. “In that case, tell me about your life.”

  “Talk about a broad topic.”

  “I’m sorry for being so general. It’s just that, from what I hear, you have quite an amazing life.”

  “That’s one way of putting it.”

  “You know, the more I hear about your accomplishments, the more I feel like a fool for ever leaving in the first place. From the sound of it, I have missed out on so much.”

  I grimaced. “It’s probably better if we don't linger on the past.”

  “All right. Let’s talk about the present then. Why don’t you tell me about your husband and your daughter?”

  I bit the corner of my lip. “Where to begin?”

  “Here’s an idea,” Walter said. “Do you have a photo of them?”

  I pulled up a number of pictures on my phone and showed them to Walter.

  “Your daughter looks a lot like you.”

  “In some ways,” I said. “But she definitely has her father’s eyes.”

  “I see plenty of you in her as well,” he said. “What a cute kid she is.”

  “She’s my little princess.”

  “From the looks of it, she’s
also at a precious age. When life is just fun and carefree. Those are the best of times.”

  “I agree. And that’s why I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure her life is as carefree as possible.”

  “That’s a good call. The longer a child can hold onto their innocence, the better.”

  “That’s what people keep telling me.”

  “I’m glad you’re heeding that advice. Of course, I’m probably not the best person to be giving you pointers about parenting.” He lowered his head.

  “As I mentioned before, it’s probably best if we don’t focus on the past.”

  “Right. Back to the here and now then.” He looked deep into my eyes. “I just want to say, I’m really proud of the woman you’ve become.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re a much better parent than I ever was. Then again, you’re a much better person too.”

  “Even now, after all the changes you’ve made?”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy to be sober. And to have cleaned up my life. But I look at some of the things that you’ve done and I’m just in awe. For example, it’s just incredible to me that you’ve investigated a number of murder cases.”

  “Trust me. That’s pretty wild for me to think about as well. It’s definitely not something that I ever intended to do. But sometimes life doesn't go according to plan.”

  He chuckled. “In my experience, life rarely goes according to plan.”

  “I can’t argue with that.”

  “Speaking of sleuthing, how did you get involved in investigating homicides?”

  “Completely by accident,” I said. “It all began with a case that was in danger of going cold. I was terrified that justice wouldn’t be served. So, I did everything in my power to apprehend the killer. Thankfully, it worked out.”

  “You just threw yourself into danger, just like that?”

  “It wasn’t simple. But in my mind, it was necessary. I couldn’t live with myself if I had the ability to stop a killer and didn’t act.”

  “You’re a brave woman, you know that?”

  “I just wanted to do the right thing, that’s all.”

  “How admirable of you.”

  “What can I say? It’s one of the values that mom instilled in me.”

  “Your mother definitely raised you well.”

  I nodded. “She sure did.”

  “That said, aren’t you ever afraid when you’re investigating cases?” he asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Yet you still do it anyway?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “You really are something special.”

  “I don’t know about that. In my mind, quitting is almost never a good option. If you set out to do something, you shouldn’t stop until you’re successful.”

  “You really do take after your mother.”

  “I suppose you’re right. That said, it isn’t like I’ve done this all alone. David has been with me practically every step of the way. I owe him so much.”

  “From the sound of it, he owes you plenty as well.”

  “I’m not keeping score. To me, the only thing that matters is that we take care of each other.”

  “That’s a good philosophy to have.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” I said. “Now, are you going to eat your muffin? It would be a real shame to let it go to waste.”

  Chapter Three

  Walter did finally take a bite of his muffin. As expected, he thought it was amazing.

  In addition to eating, Walter and I talked a little more about life. At least, what was going on in my neck of the woods. The entire time that we spoke, he didn’t bring up his life very much at all. He seemed far more interested in hearing about me.

  That point really stood out to me. Mostly because my mother had always told me how selfish Walter was. How he constantly used to make every conversation about him.

  So, perhaps Walter truly had changed. Maybe he had turned over a new leaf. If so, it was refreshing.

  Before I could really dive into that topic too much, my phone started to ring.

  Instinctively, I reached into my purse to see who was calling. Ever since I became a parent, I never ignored a single phone call. What if it was my daughter’s school? Had something terrible happened? I needed to know.

  Of course, there was also another possibility. With all the crazy things that had taken place in Treasure Cove over the years, I could never rule out the chance that a crime had been committed.

  Then again, a third option was also on the able. Maybe it was just one of my friends calling to chat about their life. I was really hoping that was the case.

  As I looked at the caller identification screen on my phone, I realized there was a fourth option that I had forgotten about. It turned out the call was coming from Daley Buzz Coffee Company.

  As the general manager of my family’s coffee shop, I knew I had to take this call. The odds were that something urgent needed my attention. After all, I wasn’t scheduled to work that day. So, for someone to call me during my day off meant that some sort of trouble was afoot.

  I looked across the table at Walter and excused myself. I then got up and answered the phone. One of my baristas, Becky Tannin, was on the other end of the line. According to Becky, Nick Richardson had just called in sick at the last minute.

  That meant the coffee shop was short-staffed. When I got off the phone with Becky, I immediately called the rest of my employees to see if any of them could fill-in for Nick on short notice. Unfortunately, none of them could. That left me with no choice but to head over to the coffee shop myself until the next shift of workers arrived in the middle of the afternoon.

  But before I left for the coffee shop, I needed to say goodbye to my father. After quickly explaining the situation to him, he let out a sigh.

  “That’s a shame,” Walter said.

  “Sorry to run out on you like this—”

  He put his hand up. “It’s okay. Your employees need you.”

  “Thanks for being understanding.”

  “Are you kidding?” he said. “Thanks for agreeing to meet with me in the first place. It was really good catching up with you.”

  “It sure was,” I said.

  His eyes widened. “Does that mean you’d be up for doing this again sometime?”

  I nodded. “Sure.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “Great.” Walter smiled wide at me. “I’ll give you a call in a couple of days.”

  Chapter Four

  I left Mitchell’s Bakery and immediately dashed over to Daley Buzz. When I entered the front door of my family’s coffee shop, I realized that I had arrived just in time. A sizable line had formed at the front counter.

  That was particularly bad news for my two employees, who were doing their best to keep up with the flurry of orders. Caffeine-deprived customers were notoriously grumpy. It was only a matter of time before someone from the line mouthed off.

  Before anyone lost their cool, I made an announcement. I offered everyone in line a ten-percent discount on their order. From there, I headed behind the counter and helped out my employees. It took about twenty minutes, but we were able to get caught up on orders.

  Once everyone had gotten their drinks, my employees were able to take a much-needed breather. At that point, the rush was over. But just because things had quieted down for the moment didn’t mean that more customers wouldn’t trickle in throughout the day.

  The coffee shop still did a solid amount of business over the next few hours. The crowds just happened to be much more manageable. That was fine by me.

  Since this was an unexpected work shift for me, I found myself counting down the minutes until my next shift of employees arrived. Once they clocked in, I knew the coffee shop would be in good hands without me for the remainder of the day.

  That was a big relief. Not just because I wanted a break, but also due to the fact that my daughter was getting out of school soon.

  After swinging by Treasure Cove Elementary to pick up my little girl, I headed back home.

  When we arrived back at our Victorian-style house on Avocado Drive, Jessica made her way to her bedroom to begin her homework.

  Meanwhile, I thought about the conversation that I had with my father that morning. In retrospect, things had gone much better than I expected. To the point where seeing him again actually made me feel excited. What a refreshing turn of events.