A Witchy Bake-off Read online

  Maybe Joe was going to ask me out on a date… No… that was very unlikely. He saw me as an interfering troublemaker. It was a shame really. Joe was easily the best-looking man in Abbott Cove.

  Archie was reading too much into things, as usual. I shouldn’t get my hopes up.

  I was wiping down table seven when the bell over the door chimed, and I turned to see Deputy Joe McGrady stepping inside the diner.

  My stomach flip-flopped. Then I ordered myself not to be so ridiculous. I shouldn’t let Archie put ideas in my head.

  Determined to be all business, I smiled briskly and walked back to the counter. “Good afternoon, Deputy McGrady,” I said formally. “Archie tells me you are picking up some blueberry muffins.”

  “Afternoon, Harper. Yes, that’s right.” He handed me the money. “Actually, I hoped to have a word with you.”

  Really? I leaned on the counter. He didn’t seem to be in a bad mood, so that was a good sign. I hadn’t gotten myself into any scraps recently. At least, nothing so serious it would warrant a police deputy needing to talk to me.

  Then again, Grandma Grant had been acting weird lately. Had she done something to get the residents of Abbott Cove up in arms again?

  “If this is about my grandmother, you’re probably better off speaking to Jess about it. Grandma Grant never listens to me.”

  “It’s not about your grandmother.”

  “Oh, so what is it about?” I asked bluntly.

  Joe took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, I was hoping…”

  Before he could get to the meat of the subject, the bell chimed again and Mr. and Mrs. Townsend walked into the diner.

  Impeccable timing as always.

  I sighed and pushed the bag of blueberry muffins over to Joe, giving him his change as Mr. and Mrs. Townsend wandered around the diner looking for the best table.

  “I need one with good light,” Mrs. Townsend muttered to her husband.

  The elderly couple came to the diner most days and were intimately acquainted with nearly every table in the joint. I didn’t understand why she was making such a fuss today.

  I shot Joe an apologetic look.

  He leaned closer and spoke in a low voice. “I was wondering if—”

  “Harper!” Mrs. Townsend’s shrill voice cut through me like a knife.

  “I’ll be right with you, Mrs. Townsend,” I said and then turned back to Joe. “Sorry. What did you want to ask me?”

  He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll speak to you later.”

  And with that, he was gone, taking his blueberry muffins with him.

  Mr. and Mrs. Townsend changed their mind about which cake they wanted at least five times. I tried not to be bad-tempered, reminding myself they were an elderly couple who deserved kindness and understanding, but it wasn’t easy to put up with their complaining, especially as they’d interrupted at the vital moment when Joe was about to ask me something important.

  Or maybe I was reading too much into things again. I supposed I would have to wait and see.

  Archie gave me a sympathetic glance through the hatch, but he stayed hidden in the kitchen the entire time the Townsends were in the diner. I couldn’t say I blamed him.

  After the Townsends left, I served a small group of tourists and a family having a late lunch, but it was unusually quiet.

  After I’d served table two, Archie joined me behind the counter. “So, what did Deputy McGrady have to say for himself?”

  “Not very much.”

  Archie’s face fell. “Really? What did you do to put him off?”

  “I didn’t do anything!” I said with irritation. “We were interrupted by Mr. and Mrs. Townsend before he had a chance to say much at all.”

  Archie huffed under his breath, and I caught a movement over his shoulder as Loretta drifted into view. I was surprised she hadn’t been out before now. She usually enjoyed nothing more than sitting in a booth and eavesdropping on some gossip. Today it seemed she didn’t even have enthusiasm for her favorite pastime.

  “He’s going to ask you out on a date,” Loretta said in a bored voice.

  “Why do you say that?” I asked Loretta before remembering Archie was standing right next to me.

  “Say what? I didn’t say anything.” Archie frowned.

  “Oh, I thought you said something. My mistake.” Archie was still regarding me with a perplexed frown, so I hurriedly continued. “I expect I’ll catch up with Joe later.”

  I felt slightly uncomfortable discussing my feelings for Joe in front of my boss and a bored ghost who was at least a hundred years older than me.

  I’d never found out how Loretta had died or why her spirit was still tethered to the diner. But today probably wasn’t the right time to ask. I’d attempted to bring up the subject in the past only for her to brush it off. I’d figured when she was ready to talk, she’d open up, but I’d known her for quite a while now, and she still didn’t trust me enough to confide in me.

  Archie glanced at the clock. “Well, I’ll get the kitchen cleaned up. We may as well close soon. It’s pretty quiet.”

  After Archie left us, I turned to Loretta. “Why do you think Joe is going to ask me on a date?”

  “I overheard him discussing it with the chief yesterday.”

  I blinked at her, not quite sure how I felt about that. It wasn’t long ago that Chief Wickham was warning Joe off, displaying a paternal, protective streak.

  “What did they say?” I asked.

  For once, I was quite glad Loretta liked listening in on private conversations. I felt a little guilty, but my overwhelming curiosity won out.

  “Nothing interesting,” Loretta said blandly.

  Nothing interesting! If Joe McGrady was interested in asking me out on a date, I thought that was very interesting. “Loretta, please,” I begged. “What did they say?”

  Loretta smiled, displaying a spark of her old self. “Oh, all right then. Joe said he was planning to ask you out, and the chief warned him to treat you right.”

  “Really?” A smile tugged the corners of my mouth.

  “Yes, I thought it was quite surprising, too. After all, you’ve been a thorn in their side recently, interfering in their criminal investigations. I’d have thought your actions would scare the deputy off for good.”

  I narrowed my eyes at Loretta. She should know better than anyone why I needed to get involved in the cases. I was the only one who could help the ghosts because I was the only one who could see them. It wasn’t because I wanted to interfere, but I felt obligated to help when I could. I was about to point that out to Loretta when Archie came out of the kitchen.

  “Who were you talking to?” he asked.

  Drat. He’d overheard. I tried to look innocent. “No one, I was just singing.”

  “Singing? It didn’t sound like that to me. What song were you singing?”

  “Um, a pop song I heard on the radio earlier. ‘Love Beats’ by the Thrilling Summers.”

  “Oh, I love them!” Archie said and launched into a very energetic rendition, complete with actions from the “Love Beats” routine.

  I watched in surprise as Archie jumped and gyrated around the diner.

  Loretta commented dryly, “Goodness gracious, I will never be able to unsee that.”

  I started to laugh and joined in with Archie. His enthusiasm was infectious.

  We were in the middle of a high five when the diner door opened, and we both straightened up self-consciously.

  Two tall, striking women entered the diner.

  They both had mousy hair and pale skin, but that wasn’t what made them stand out. Their clothing immediately caught my attention. They wore nineteen-fifties-style tea dresses, pillbox hats, and white gloves.

  Their clothes made me think of the historical reenactment society based in nearby Cherrytown. My introduction to that society had been dramatic. There had been a murder, and I’d helped a ghost pass over. I smiled, remembering Monty.
He was a lovely guy. Probably one of my favorite ghosts so far.

  Were these women in the reenactment society or did they simply like fifties-style fashion?

  “Ah, hello again, ladies,” Archie said. “If you’d like to take a seat, Harper will bring you some menus.”

  As I gathered up the menus, Archie said in a low voice, “They’re sisters, new to Abbott Cove. Leslie Lightfoot and Stacie Sutton. They’re living in the barn conversion on Morrison Road.”

  I headed over with the menus and regarded the sisters with interest. Stacie Sutton was the newcomer entering the bake-off competition Grandma Grant had mentioned.

  “Hello, I’m Harper, and I’ll be serving you today.”

  They both smiled pleasantly but didn’t reply.

  “Archie tells me you’re new in town. I hope you’re settling in well.”

  “Yes, thank you,” Leslie said primly and then turned her attention to the menu.

  “Abbott Cove is a very friendly town so if you need help or advice, don’t hesitate to ask.”

  Stacie turned her wide, gray eyes on me. “What would we need help with?”

  “Oh, well, anything really. If you need to know where something is or where in town to get the best blueberry muffins, you only have to ask.”

  “I see. Thank you. We’ll call you when we’re ready to order.”

  I grimaced. I guessed that meant I was dismissed. Now I could see what Jess meant. They weren’t exactly the chatty type.

  They both had the salted caramel cheesecake with English breakfast tea, and although I stayed close to their table, they made it clear they didn’t want to be drawn into conversation.

  As I went over to clear their plates, I tried one last time.

  “I hear you’re quite an accomplished baker,” I said, smiling at Stacie.

  “Oh, heavens, I don’t know if I’d go that far. But I do enjoy it. Who told you that?”

  Stacie was practically glowing, so I’d obviously picked the right subject to talk about.

  “My grandmother. She’s entering the bake-off in the spring fair. She thinks you’re serious competition.” I grinned to show I was just teasing.

  “Oh, don’t get Stacie started,” Leslie cut in. “She is ever so competitive. Your grandmother had better watch out! Stacie likes to win, no matter what.”

  The smile slid from Stacie’s face and she gave her sister a cold glare.

  Well, that was uncomfortable.

  Later, when Leslie came to the counter to pay, I glanced over her shoulder at Stacie. She looked placid and calm. She didn’t seem to be the competitive type.

  I gave Leslie her change, thanked her for the tip, and watched the two sisters sashay out of the diner. There was something so glamorous about their nineteen-fifties dresses. They both looked elegant, with their nipped in waists and flared skirts. I pictured myself wearing a similar dress, then quickly dismissed the idea. I preferred the comfort of jeans or yoga pants.

  My motto was definitely comfort over style.

  Chapter Three

  Not long after the two sisters left, we had another visitor to the diner. We often had strangers visiting Archie’s diner as Abbott Cove was a tourist hotspot, but this man didn’t strike me as a typical tourist. For one thing, he was traveling alone. No family or friends in sight.

  He wore a lightweight, gray jacket with the collar turned up and a blue baseball cap pulled down low, which hid the top half of his face. A bright red handkerchief poked out from the chest pocket of his plaid shirt.

  I plucked a menu from the stack by the cash register and took one over to him, smiling.

  “Welcome to Archie’s diner. Do you know what you’d like to drink or should I give you some time to look at the menu?”

  The man didn’t look up. “I’ll have a black coffee, thank you.” He spoke in a gruff voice and kept his gaze fixed on the table.

  “Coming right up. Shall I leave the menu here in case you fancy something to eat?”

  He put his hand on the menu and shoved it across the table towards me. “No.”

  It seemed he wasn’t the talkative type either. It must be the day for brooding customers who wanted to be left alone.

  I scooped up the menu, walked back to the counter, and grabbed the coffee pot. I kept a smile plastered on my face. He wasn’t in a friendly mood, but that didn’t mean I had to be miserable and sullen in response. He’d probably just had a bad day. Maybe he’d be in a better mood after some caffeine.

  As I poured his coffee, I asked, “Is this your first visit to Abbott Cove?”

  “What’s it to you?” he asked and looked up at me.

  It was the first time I’d seen his face properly. He was older than I’d first thought.

  I guessed he was in his sixties. His hair was graying a little at the temples, and he had deep laughter lines around his eyes. Funny, he didn’t seem like the laughing type to me.

  “Just making conversation,” I said, feeling a little hurt.

  “Sorry,” he said gruffly. “I’m not in the mood for conversation.”

  “Fair enough. I’ll leave you to it. Give me a shout if you need anything else.”

  I left his table and made my way to the kitchen to talk to Archie, who was busy cleaning the extractor fan.

  “Have you ever seen that man in the diner before, Archie?” I asked.

  Archie looked puzzled and made his way over to the hatch. He peered through the opening. “The man in the baseball cap?”

  I nodded.

  “I don’t think so. It’s hard to say with his cap pulled down so low.”

  “Yes, it’s almost as if he’s deliberately trying to hide his face.” I folded my arms as I stood beside Archie. “When people try that hard to be inconspicuous, they only end up standing out more.”

  “What’s gotten you so interested in him?” Archie asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know. He just seems a little odd, and he was quite brusque when I was serving him.”

  Archie shrugged. “Some people just like peace and quiet with their coffee.”

  There was more to it than that. I was sure of it. As Archie went back to cleaning the fan, I walked back into the diner. There was something odd about the man, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

  It wasn’t just because he’d been standoffish. There was something about the way he avoided eye contact and looked around furtively that made me wonder what secrets he was hiding.

  “Oh, charming!” Loretta’s voice came from behind me and made me jump. “You said you’d come and talk to me as soon as you were free. I’ve been waiting in the back room, and you’re just standing out here, staring into space. Well, at least I know where I stand. I’m obviously not important to you.”

  She tossed her head dramatically and pressed a ghostly hand to her chest.

  I made a little shooing motion with my hand to indicate that Loretta should return to the back room. I couldn’t risk talking to her here.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked in a whisper as we entered the back room, Loretta floating in front of me.

  “I think I’m entitled to be a teensy bit annoyed. You are the only one I can talk to after all.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I just got a bit distracted. Did you see the man sitting in the diner? Have you seen him before?”

  “No, I don’t think so. He’s probably just some tourist. Now, if you don’t mind focusing on me, instead of that silly man in his ridiculous baseball cap.”

  “Absolutely. You have my full attention.” That wasn’t strictly true. I was still listening out in case I was needed back in the diner.

  “Good,” Loretta said, mollified. “I have been feeling quite down recently. That is only to be expected, though, because spring is when it happened.”

  “When what happened?”

  Loretta’s eyes widened. “That’s a very personal question!”

  I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “How am I supposed to help if you won’t tell me what happened?”

/>   “You know I don’t like to talk about it. All I wanted was a bit of sympathy.” She sniffed. “Everyone in town is about to go off and have fun at the spring fair, and I will be stuck here, alone, as usual.”

  “Yes, that must be upsetting.”

  “It is. Very upsetting.” She pouted before continuing. “You see, it all happened in the spring, and remembering everything makes me miserable. Most of the time I can block it out, but in the spring…”

  I really had no idea what Loretta was talking about.

  I guessed it had something to do with her past, maybe even her death, but if she didn’t want to talk about it yet, I wasn’t sure how I could help.

  I just nodded and tried to look sympathetic.

  “I suppose I will just have to make do with you telling me all about it.”

  “All about what?” I asked, a puzzled frown creasing my forehead.

  “About the spring fair, of course,” Loretta said. “Do keep up, Harper. The whole town will be there.”

  Loretta was right. The spring fair was always very popular, and this year, with the bake-off competition, it would draw even bigger crowds.

  “I’ll take photographs on my phone, so I’ll be able to show you everything. Of course, it won’t be quite as good as being there in person, but at least you’ll be able to see what it was like. In fact, I can take videos, so I could record parts of it and show you on my next shift.”

  Loretta’s eyes lit up. “Oh, thank you, Harper! That really is very thoughtful of you. I’ll look forward to that.”

  I smiled and left Loretta in a happier mood.

  Back in the main area of the diner, I checked on the mysterious man wearing the cap.

  He was still nursing his cup of black coffee, which he’d hardly touched.

  Checking the time, I realized I only had another ten minutes until my shift was over. I wondered whether Archie would close early, since it had been so quiet today.

  I got on with my chores, cleaning out the coffee machine and the panini toaster, and my mind wandered to Deputy Joe McGrady.

  What had he been going to ask me today? If it was something important, maybe he’d call me later. He had my cell phone number. I was so preoccupied I didn’t notice the man get up from his table and make his way to the counter.