Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry by Denise Swanson

Police Department, one of her colleagues.
    Skye pointed toward Cherry. “This woman claims hersecret ingredient has been stolen, and she’s accusing Mom of taking it.”
    Quirk spoke into the radio clipped to his shoulder, then approached Cherry and asked, “Ma’am, what exactly is missing?”
    “I’m not saying.” Cherry huffed, “Don’t any of you understand the concept of
secret
?”
    “Well, ma’am, how can I look for it if I don’t know what it is?”
    “It’s in a white paper sack.” Cherry crossed her arms. “And no one had better open the bag if they find it.”
    Quirk turned to May. “Is it okay if I look in your purse?”
    “Sure.” She thrust the large black satchel into the officer’s arms. “I don’t have anything to hide. I don’t need a secret ingredient to win. I have talent.”
    Quirk opened the purse and upended it on a nearby table. He named the objects as he returned them to the bag. “Wallet, checkbook, comb, lipstick, pillbox, tissues, glasses, pen, pad of paper, and roll of mints.”
    Before handing the purse back to May he asked Cherry, “Are any of these your secret ingredient?”
    “No,” Cherry said curtly, her eyes burning with contempt and determination. “But that doesn’t prove she doesn’t have it. I want her strip-searched.”
    “Now, ma’am, we can’t do that.” Quirk pushed his hat back and scratched his head. “May, would you be willing to let this lady pat you down?”
    May started to shake her head until Skye pointed out, “You both realize that if we don’t resolve this matter here, you’ll have to go to the police station, and you’ll miss the tour and the chance to do a dry run of your recipes. Heck, maybe you’ll even be disqualified.”
    “Both of us?” Cherry squealed, wheeling toward Skye. “She’s the crook; I’m the victim. Why would I be disqualified?”
    Skye exchanged glances with Quirk, who nodded his consent for her to go on. “If you make a formal report and we find nothing, we could arrest you for malicious mischief.” Skye had no idea if this was really true.
    “Fine, just forget it,” Cherry said. “Once again the criminal goes free.”
    “Oh, no. You’re not getting away with letting all these people think I’m a thief.” May’s jaw was rigid. “Cherry can pat me down, but if she doesn’t find any paper bag, she has to apologize.”
    Everyone looked at Cherry, who finally shrugged and said, “Very well.”
    As she stepped toward May, May held her arms perpendicular to her body and warned, “No funny business, now. I don’t play for that team.”
    As soon as they arrived at the factory, Cherry cornered Grandma Sal’s son and started complaining about her missing secret ingredient, which had not been found on May or anywhere else in the restaurant.
    Skye stepped within listening range as Jared Fine tried to soothe Cherry by saying, “Don’t worry, ma’am; we’ll get you a replacement before tomorrow. Everything will be all right, I promise. Just tell me what it is you lost.”
    Cherry stomped her foot. “No. I’m not revealing the ingredient until I’ve won the contest. And I don’t want you to go looking on my entry form and telling anyone, either.”
    “Then I’m not sure what I can do for you, ma’am.” Jared backed away. “If you change your mind, let me know.”
    Cherry seethed. “It’s not something you can pick up at any old grocery store. It needs to be special-ordered, you moron.”
    “Sorry, ma’am,” Jared said. “Read your contest rules. We aren’t responsible for missing ingredients that cannot be purchased locally.”
    Cherry pulled out her cell phone and stomped off, glaring at May as she passed her.
    Skye realized that Jared had caught her eavesdropping. She made a face and joked, “Sounds like Cherry has a couple of issues.”
    “A
couple
of issues?” Jared shook his head. “She has the full subscription.”
    Even though they had wasted a good half hour searchingfor