Free Chocolate Crunch Murder by Susan Gillard

of the situation. Randy had had a kind heart, after all. His grandmother, not so much.
    “Listen, Jung, I’d like to see that letter,” Heather said.
    But Jung didn’t answer. Rustling and scraping came through on the other end of the line. A yell, and then a familiar voice. A moment of silence.
    “What on earth? Jung? Are you there?” Heather asked. “Jung!”
    “Heather?” Amy’s voice on the line splashed cool water into Heather’s soul.
    “Ames, what on earth is going on down there?”
    “Ryan just came in and arrested Jung,” Amy replied. “He’s cuffing him and reading him his rights, now.”
    Heather gasped. Tremors ran up and down her arms, her fingers clenched reflexively. She rammed the phone into her ear. “You’re not serious. Can you put Ryan on the phone?”
    “Hold on a sec,” Amy said.
    The scratching and muffled voices started up again, and Heather tapped her foot on the sidewalk, thoughts racing through her mind. How had it come to this?
    Ryan couldn’t have enough evidence to lock up her assistant. Was this necessary?
    “Yeah, hello?” Amy again.
    “Where’s Ryan.”
    “He can’t come to the phone, right now. He’s escorting Jung out to his cruiser. I’m sorry, Heather, I don’t know what else to do.” Amy’s voice trembled for a change.
    She’d been a rock after her initial breakdown a couple of months ago.
    “Heather?”
    “I’m here,” she replied. “I’m here. You can’t do anything?” Of course, she couldn’t. What was Amy supposed to do? Interfere with a police investigation?
    “No, I can’t.”
    Heather hesitated a second. The facts swirled around her head, barely visible glimmers of hope. She snatched at them. She needed to stop Jung from getting hurt.
    “All right,” Heather said. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”
    “I’ll do what I can, but I don’t think it’s much,” Amy replied, then hung up.
    Trust Amy to be pragmatic about the whole thing.
    Heather tucked her phone back into her pocket, then unlocked her car and slipped into the driver’s seat. She started the engine, then drove off down the road, focus burning her eyes.
    Or maybe that was a start of a migraine.
    “I’m coming, Jung,” Heather muttered. She’d be late, for sure. Ryan was a professional. He wouldn’t hang around after he’d made his arrest.
    What was worse, he wouldn’t make an arrest unless he deemed it necessary.
    Heather shook her head. “No. It’s not possible. Jung wouldn’t hurt a fly. He wouldn’t!” She tightened her grip on the wheel, and her knuckles turned white. But what if he had?
    Her assistant, an employee of Donut Delights, her good friend.
    “No,” she repeated. “Don’t you doubt him for a minute.”
    Heather put her foot down. If she didn’t make it in time, she had a backup plan. Evidence to bring to light. And a grandma to interview.

Chapter 18
    “Are you ready for this?” Heather asked. “You’re about to meet the least friendly woman in the world.”
    “If she gives my mom a run for her money, I’ll be surprised,” Amy replied, but the humor didn’t shine through in her voice.
    Jung’s arrest had put a dent in Amy’s usually sunny disposition.
    Heather had arrived at Donut Delights, just in time to see Ryan’s taillights disappearing at the end of the street. Ames had arrived at work in time to see Jung’s arrest.
    Both women sat back and sighed, staring up at the dull fluorescent sign of Randy’s Burger Bar, plastered against the brick-faced wall.
    “What do we know?” Amy asked.
    “We know we have to save Jung from unlawful incarceration,” Heather replied. “And, well, that Randy didn’t trust his grandmother. I think he hated her. And she could walk. She can walk, I mean.”
    “What?!” Amy asked.
    “Yeah, Lilly got her on a recording. She can walk,” Heather said, then shook her head. “And I had her forward the evidence to Ryan, and everything.”
    Amy sucked her bottom lip. “I’m worried, Heather.