Chili Cauldron Curse Read online

  “That’s forty pans of cornbread,” Christina squeaked. “I’ve never even made one.”

  “Then it’s time you learned. The good thing is my recipe isn’t too complicated. And maybe I’ll make a batch of chili to test the cornbread out with. Let’s do forty-one pans or so.” She paused by Christina’s chair and nodded toward the kitchen. Then she waited for her to stand and walk in front of her. “Tomorrow if you’re still banned from the warehouse, we’ll make apple pies for the volunteers. That should only be about five or so pies.”

  “I really don’t know how to cook.” Christina looked over her shoulder at Mia. The look on her face screamed out, Help me!

  Mia laughed. “I can’t believe your mom didn’t teach you to cook before you left the house. No one should have to depend on fast food during their first years adulting.”

  “Seriously, I don’t need to know. I’m going back to school in the spring and I’ll eat out of the dorms. Mom wanted me back in school for fall semester, but I missed the deadline to apply. I get to hang out a while before I start classes.” Christina let Grans tie an apron around her waist, then she went to the sink to wash her hands. “Isaac said I might be able to clear tables at the restaurant if Mom would let me.”

  Mia kind of thought the answer to that request was going to be no. No matter how embarrassed the family had been at Christina’s jaunt to Las Vegas, having her wash dishes for a living would be even more scandalous. Especially if one of Roxanne’s friends found out.

  They had just gotten the first batch into the oversized oven when a knock came to the door. “I’ll get it.” Mia washed her hands and as she was drying them, walked toward the front of the house.

  Opening the door, she was less than shocked to see Officer Mark Baldwin, hat in hand.

  “Mia, I need to speak with your grandmother.”

  “We’re kind of busy here. What do you want to ask her? Maybe I can take the questions into her and then bring the answers back out?”

  “I told you, I need to see her.” Baldwin sighed, clearly not appreciating Mia’s blocking his access. “Tell her some questions have come up.”

  Chapter 4

  “Let the boy in, Mia. He’s just doing his job.” Grans stood behind Mia, drying her hands with a dish towel. “You’re going to have to ask me questions while we cook. The chili cook-off is just days away and this incident is going to put us behind on getting the warehouse ready.”

  “Ma’am, it’s not an incident. Dorian Alexander was murdered. From what the medical examiner said, I’m pretty sure the cause is going to be poison. So I need to know where you were last night.” Officer Baldwin hurried behind Grans into the large kitchen.

  “Christina, pour Mark a cup of coffee. Black, right?” She pointed to the large country table that currently held the ingredients for more cornbread. “You can push some of that toward the middle of the table and sit there. How is your grandmother? Is she still living in that cute little cottage on your folk’s place?”

  “Yes, ma’am. She’s doing fine.” He moved toward the spot she’d pointed out and moved a ten-pound bag of flour toward the middle of the table to give him a little room. “I’m kind of short on time.”

  Grans nodded. “Well, tell her I’ll stop by next week with some treats. Anyway, you want to know where was I last night? What time?”

  “This is stupid. You couldn’t have killed Dorian.” Mia let the words burst out of her mouth but the look her grandmother gave her stopped her from saying anything more.

  “Mix up the wet ingredients for this batch, please dear.” Grans nodded to the other bowl now sitting dry and clean on the island.

  Baldwin settled into the chair and opened his notebook, not even looking up to thank Christina for the coffee as she set it on the table in front of him, then scurried to the other side of the room to stand by Mia. “Let’s say from five to ten.”

  “Easy, I was here. Mia came home about five and we had dinner together. Then we talked until about eight thirty.” She measured cornmeal into a large silver bowl Christina had just washed and dried by hand. “I heard Christina come in just before I went to bed.”

  “And then?” Officer Baldwin looked up. “What happened between eight thirty and ten?”

  Grans paused the cup of flour over the bowl. “I took a bath and got ready for bed. I read a few chapters in a historical romance—I have an affinity for dukes—and then I went to sleep. I get up at five, so nine thirty is a late night for me.”

  “You didn’t leave the house?”

  “I told you that I’d already taken a bath. My ritual is to bathe before bedtime to keep my dreams clear of any residual emotions I might have picked up during the day from others. I would have had to bathe again if I’d left the house after the first one.” She added the rest of the dry ingredients to the bowl and checked the oven. “Let’s not mix the wet into the dry until the first batch is ready to come out of the oven. Christina, you can go to your room and read that book for twenty minutes. No more. Then I want you back down here.”

  Christina bolted out of the room before Baldwin could say anything.

  He stared at Grans. “I was going to ask her a few follow up questions.”

  “That girl didn’t even know Dorian. She has no motive and you just don’t like her because she looks different than what you think a nineteen-year-old should. I’m not going to let you terrorize a child in my home.” Grans poured her own cup of coffee and sat at the table across from Baldwin. “What else do you need to ask? We’re busy here.”

  Grans hadn’t brought up Baldwin’s grandmother again, but even Mia had felt the implied threat to tell his family he was being a jerk. Clearly, he must care what his grandmother thought.

  He went through a few other questions, including one about how long they’d been dating. When he asked if there was any friction with other girlfriends, she finished her coffee and stood. “I wouldn’t know. Dorian was a gentleman and didn’t discuss his past relationships with me. The cornbread is getting ready to come out of the oven. We need to get busy again. Will the warehouse be available tomorrow for Mia’s crew to get ready for the opening?”

  Baldwin glanced around the room. Mia tried to keep the grin off her face. If he’d thought he’d had any power or control on the interview, he’d just realized he’d been wrong. “That should do it. I’ll have the warehouse cleared for you by eight a.m. tomorrow. But if you find something weird, please call me.”

  “Like a note from someone telling me who killed Dorian?” Mia shook her head. “I think the weirdest thing I’m going to find is more cans of artichoke hearts. Who donates that to a food bank for low income families?”

  “Welcome to Magic Springs.” Baldwin almost smiled. “The rich who live across the valley think everyone needs gourmet items in their pantry. You should see the crap Majors Grocery stocks nowadays. I just want a good steak when I get home, not some Asian-inspired chicken wraps. I’ll let myself out. Thanks for letting me get this interview crossed off the list.”

  “I hope you find who killed Dorian.” Grans picked up a tissue and patted it under her eyes. “He was a lovely man and didn’t deserve to have his life cut short like this.”

  After hearing the door shut, Christina came back into the kitchen, glancing around first to make sure Baldwin was gone. She visibly relaxed as she walked into the room. “He scares me.”

  “He used to be a sweet boy. The job has changed his attitude a bit. And when his first girlfriend, Tilly, left for California with that kid from Sun Valley it almost broke his heart.” Grans poured the wet ingredients in with the dry and started mixing the two with a large spoon.

  “I can’t see him dating anyone.” Christina sniffed the air. “The cornbread smells wonderful.”

  “Oh, he’s not dating now. He got married less than a year later. Once you put your intentions out into the universe, the right one shows
up. Anyway, it’s time to get the cornbread out. Mia, you handle that and Christina, you come pour the next two pans.” Grans stepped out of the way so the others could work. “I’m going to finish this coffee.”

  They worked together until the raw ingredients on the table were all gone and in their place, rows of pans of cornbread sat cooling and waiting to be packaged up for Saturday’s event.

  Grans sighed contentedly. “I guess we need to think about dinner now.”

  “I’ll order from the Lodge and have them deliver. I think we’re cooked out.” Mia glanced at the clock. “How about we eat at six?”

  “Why don’t you do carryout? Since we have about three hours before we want to eat, you and Christina can drop off these flyers for the chili cook-off at every business on Main Street. And now that I’m thinking about it, hit the winery and the lumber yard too. That should get most of the town covered.” Grans sipped her coffee. “I’ll stay here and update our planning list for tomorrow. I need to make some calls too, especially to Dorian’s children. I’d like to see when they are planning the service.”

  “But I was planning on checking out a movie…” Christina swallowed the rest of the sentence as Grans stared at her. “I mean, I’ll be glad to help. That’s why I’m here, after all, to help.”

  “And I appreciate it.” Mia patted Christina’s shoulder. “Why don’t you run upstairs and get ready. Maybe change into a sundress. I think it’s going to be a scorcher out there. I’ll pack us some water bottles.”

  After she left the kitchen, Mia turned to her grandmother. “You shouldn’t be so hard on her. She’s trying to find her footing.”

  “That’s the problem, no one has been hard with her. Her mother put all her energy into that son of hers and let Christina do whatever she wanted.” Grans paused, holding up a hand. “I’m sorry. I’m tired and upset about Dorian. I just need a little quiet in the house for a minute.”

  “You don’t have to apologize. We’re the ones invading your space. If you want me to get us a hotel room, I will.” Mia studied her grandmother. She looked paler than she had this morning. Mia had known that letting Mark Baldwin talk to her had been a mistake, but she couldn’t tell Grans anything.

  “No, I just need a minute to breathe. Finding out about Dorian has affected me more than I’d expected.” She reached down and petted Mr. Darcy. “I’m actually glad I’m not alone this week. It will make the time bearable. Go get the flyers out so you can get back here and we can eat. I think I’ll make up an apple cobbler for our dessert while I’m waiting for you.”

  “I thought you were going to work on the paperwork and make calls?” Mia stuffed several water bottles into a small lunch bag cooler.

  “I can multitask. Besides, I’ve already got the apple filling in the freezer. All I have to do is make the topping.” Grans opened her laptop and waved Mia toward the door with a laugh. “Shoo, let me work child.”

  “Yes ma’am.” At least she was feeling better. Mia moved toward the front door. Christina was already waiting there, dressed in a burgundy sundress that made her hair shine. It would also absorb a lot of light and heat as they walked, but that would be her problem, not Mia’s. “Let’s get going then. We’ll stop at the Lodge first and give them our order so we can pick it up about quarter to six. Just make sure you don’t let me take too long delivering the flyers.”

  “We could drop them at the top of Main Street and let the wind take them.” Christina suggested, her tone hopeful. She held open the door and they walked out to the car. They climbed inside as Mia considered Christina’s suggestion.

  “Sorry, we’ll do it the old-fashioned way. Let’s get our dinner ordered and then we’ll head to the winery and lumber yard first. Then we can work our way back to pick up the food.”

  “Whatever.” Christina stared out the window. Then she sat up straight. “Did you see that?”

  “The mama deer and baby in the meadow? Yeah. Babies are late this year.” Mia turned the car down the road that would take them to the lodge.

  “Wow. You don’t see that in Boise.”

  Actually, Mia had seen a deer run across the snow-covered highway that ran through downtown once when she’d been working an early shift at a local restaurant, but that had been years before the downtown revitalization had happened. She rarely saw deer anymore, not even in the parks by the river.

  By the time they got to the winery, Christina was all chatty about her future career plans in the hospitality arena. She’d declared that being a front desk receptionist would be a great way to work her way up into hotel management. Mia wondered how Christina’s mother was going to take this new career direction. In the past, Mother Adams always directed the girl to be a lawyer or doctor, to not waste her time and talent in the restaurant business like her brother had. Mia thought that maybe Christina would be banned from talking to her next.

  Walking in the darkened room, Mia was drawn to the old barn wood they’d used to cover the walls. The space had character. Small tables were scattered around the room with candles lit inside hurricane lamps, making the atmosphere romantic. A few couples were scattered around the room and classical music feathered down from speakers on the ceiling. An empty hostess’s stand declared they should seat themselves.

  “There’s a waitress station over near the bar. I bet someone’s in there.” Christina pointed and sure enough, a young woman dressed in all black stepped out of the darkened area and directly toward them. She picked up menus as she passed by the hostess stand.

  “Two for a late lunch? Or is it an early dinner?” The young woman paused in front of them.

  “Actually, we need to see the manager. We have flyers for Saturday’s chili cook-off to benefit the Magic Springs Food Bank, and we’d like to leave some here.” Mia rattled off the pitch she’d been practicing in her head since they’d left Grans. Selling wasn’t her groove, even when it wouldn’t cost the other person anything, like hanging up flyers.

  “Of course. Please follow me. She’s back in her office. She’s a popular person today.” The woman didn’t miss a beat, she just turned away from the dining room and led them back to the employee-only area. Instead of turning left to enter the kitchen, they turned right on the hallway. The first door said break room on a placard, but the second had Manager in big letters. The woman knocked, then held open the door. “Go ahead. I’ve got to get back to the customers.”

  Mia started to enter, but then heard the raised voices.

  “I don’t care what you have to do. You need to reverse the spell. I told you last week if you didn’t, I’d have to take action.” A woman’s voice threatened. “And what did I find out yesterday? He’s proposed to the woman. She got my ring. My ring. And my future. She’s not even out of college. He was supposed to fall in love with me. You promised.”

  “Sometimes spells can backfire. It’s a sign that he wasn’t the one. You need to be patient. Your soulmate will appear when the Goddess determines, and then the potion will work.” A calm voice Mia recognized as Pricilla’s spoke quietly, warmly. Mia also recognized the calming power of the spell Pricilla was weaving into the words to try and settle the other woman.

  “Patience is not my virtue.” The woman took a breath. “Look, I don’t want to hurt you. I just want him to love me like he was supposed to. Like I paid you for.”

  Mia didn’t like the implied threat in the words so she loudly knocked on the door. She pointed to Christina to stay back in the hallway. There was no need for them both to step into the fray. “Pricilla? Are you in there? We need to talk. The chili contest is coming up and we have flyers.”

  She didn’t wait for an answer, just pushed through the door. Mia stepped around the doorway and into a plushy, decorated office. The carpet felt soft under her feet and the walls were a soft-peach color. Behind a white antique desk, Pricilla Powers stood, her face as white as the desk.

  “Mia, so nic
e to see you again. What brings you here?” Pricilla pointed to the woman who was standing in front of the desk, shaking so hard, Mia could see her body tremble. “This is Julia Breggs. She lives over near the high school here in Magic Springs.”

  Mia had to hand it to Pricilla. Even in the middle of a fight, Pricilla was calm and feeding Mia information just in case the woman pulled a gun. Of course, if it did go that way, the crazy woman would probably just shoot Mia as well. Mia pushed a flyer into Julia’s hands. Keeping her busy might be a more pro-active action. “Nice to meet you. The food bank is doing a chili cook-off Saturday in the warehouse on the south side of the school. Please come and support us.”

  Julia glanced at the flyer and let her hand crumple around it. Mia could see the anger was still there, but the over-the-top moment had passed. She didn’t look at Mia as she answered, focusing instead on Pricilla. “I don’t know. I’ll try. Pricilla, fix this! You know where to find me.”

  Mia watched as Julia stormed out of the office, brushing past a shocked Christina who had been peeking around the doorway, watching the show. When she came inside the office, she stepped close and spoke to Mia.

  “She went out the side door. Man, was she hot. I swear the doorknob probably made a mark on the outside siding the door hit so hard.” Christina stepped toward Mia. “Everything all right now?”

  “Everything’s fine. I’m glad you showed up when you did. I’m not sure I’d be alive if you hadn’t. I knew Julia had some mental health issues, but I never expected this type of anger.” Pricilla sank into the office chair and closed her eyes. “People need to lighten up. This is why we have wars. Everyone’s so quick to anger.”

  Mia didn’t doubt that was the problem, but she was sure that Pricilla’s failed love potion was the trigger that had sent Julia off the deep end. Her grandmother would think it impolite to point this out to an older, more experienced witch, so she bit her tongue and held out the pile of flyers she’d brought into the winery. “Look, we’re just here to drop these off. Can you give them out at your hostess station?”