The Mud Pie Murderess: A Bakery Detectives Cozy Mystery by Stacey Alabaster Page A

you tried your best to make it right with her," I said, fishing for more info.
    She nodded. "At least, I tried to," she said sadly. "I knew the bakery she was meeting her friends at that day," she said, a dark look coming over her face as my heart skipped a beat. Was she about to confess that she had been there? Her face took on a very strange expression. "That place has never been good in my opinion," she said, shooting me a look. "It's the worst bakery in Belldale."
    My mouth dropped open a little and it took all my strength to change it back to a neutral expression. I had to remind myself that she was talking about the place her mom had died. "Well, yeah," I said. "I suppose you hate it now."
    She shook her head. "No. It's always been terrible."
    Keep your face neutral, Rachael.
    Angel sighed heavily. "Anyway, I didn't like that she was going there, but I planned to drop by and surprise her anyway, after our fight."
    My heart started beating a little faster. "And?"
    Angel shrugged a little. "I sent her a text, and she replied back letting me know that she was still angry at me. So I didn't end up going in. I didn't want her to yell at me in front of her friends. Again." She finished off her drink.
    My heart sunk. Still, I clung onto a little bit of hope.
    "So, had you seen your mom at all the day, well, you know, the day it happened?" I asked, my face scrunched up in sympathy.
    Angel shook her head vehemently. "No," she said, nodding towards a friend nearby with pale blonde hair, who was nearly as skinny as Angel. "Anna and I decided to get the heck out of town. She'd also disappointed her parents by not getting into any college at ALL, not even her backups, so she was happy to skip town. We loaded up our trunks and started driving upstate to Sherman." I knew the town well, but my face must have entirely fallen because Angel stopped and asked me what was wrong.
    "You were out of town the whole day?"
    "Yes," she said. "Well, until we heard about Mom. Then we turned around and drove back." She frowned. "What is it to you, anyway?" she asked, her polite facade cracking for a moment.
    "I just..." I looked over at this so-called "Anna" girl. "Can your friend confirm that you were out of town the entire day?"
    Angel crossed her arms. "What are you asking that for?" she asked. "What are you, a..." she trailed off, something catching eye over my shoulder. "Speak of the devil," she whispered.
    I spun around to see what she as talking about. My heart stopped. Jackson Whitaker. Wearing his detective badge. He was headed straight for us. But was he heading towards me? Or Angel?
    "Rachael Robinson?" he called out.
    I gulped. Guess that answered my question then.
    "Rachael Robinson?" Angel said, looking surprised and worried as she stared back at me and looked me up and down. "I thought your name was..." She looked at Jackson then back at me with a suspicious expression as she backed away. "Who the heck are you?"
    Jackson kept striding towards me. "We need to speak to you. About the Olive Styles investigation."
    Angel shook her head and backed away until she was huddled in a corned of the courtyard with Anna, the blonde girl who was Angel's alibi. I was so focused on them for a second that I didn't even respond to Jackson. When I finally saw the look on his face, I realized that whatever it was, I was in big trouble.
    He cast me a long dark stare. "What did I tell you, Rachael, about doing things that make you look guilty?"
    I had no idea what he was talking about. Unless he meant me stalking Angel. Oh right, that probably didn't make me look great either way. "I'm here to support a friend of mine. He’s graduating today," I said meekly.
    Jackson shook his head and cast a furtive look in Angel's direction. "I know you're here to speak to Angel Styles."
    My stomach dropped. "Jackson, I..."
    "And after arresting you at her home, I cannot believe you are anywhere near the girl," he said, almost wearily. "But believe it or not, that's not