Free Custard Crime: Donut Mystery #14 (The Donut Mysteries) by Jessica Beck Page B

condemned
prisoners get a last meal.”
    “I’m sure it will all be fine,” Grace said as she
held the door to the restaurant open for me.
    “I hope you’re right,” I said as I walked inside.

 
    Grace had a full meal, and even though I’d promised
myself to eat lightly, I ended up consuming way too many calories before we got
out of there.   I couldn’t hurt
Angelica’s feelings, could I?  
    We were both stuffed as we drove back to April
Springs.
    “I don’t envy you this evening,” Grace said.   “It’s not going to be all that pleasant
dealing with Jake, is it?”
    “I don’t know about that.   He’s usually a very reasonable man,” I
said a little uncertainly.   “I’m
sure we’ll find a way to work things out.”
    “I hope so, for both your sakes.   Suzanne, you’ve never been happier.   Don’t let this case jeopardize that, do
you hear me?”
    “Yes, Momma,” I said with a smile.
    She grinned back.   “You don’t actually expect me to be
offended by that, do you?   Calling
me your mother is the highest compliment you could ever pay me.   Besides, we both know that my advice is
the exact same thing that your mother would give you if she had the chance.”
    “Well, she’s not going to get the opportunity,” I
said.   “I’m going to deal with the
situation with Jake on my own.”
    “I suppose I could hang around to lend you a little
moral support if I had to,” she conceded.
    “Thanks, but like I said, I can tackle this all by
myself,” I said.
    Halfway back to April Springs, Grace asked, “Are you at
all nervous about tomorrow?”
    “What about it?” I asked absently.   It was growing dark, and a set of
headlights on high beams was in my rearview mirror.   I tried flipping the mirror to the
dimming position, but the inside of the car was still lit up.   “What is this guy’s problem?”   I tapped my brakes, and he backed
off.   After tapping them twice more,
he must have realized that his high beams were on, and they shifted back to
their normal intensity.   “There,
that’s better.   Now, what were you
saying?”
    “I was wondering how you felt about going back to the
donut shop in the morning,” she said.   “It’s been a month since you’ve worked there.”
    “That may be true, but I’ve popped in every now and
then since I left it in Sharon and Emma’s hands,” I said.
    “I know that, but it’s going to be a whole different
thing running it again.   The hours
are going to kill you, for one thing.”
    I didn’t tell her that I’d never truly adapted to the
new sleep schedule since I’d been taking care of Jake.   I seemed to wake up every morning at
exactly the same time, regardless of whether I was using an alarm clock or
not.   “I’ll manage.”
    “Don’t forget, you’ll be on your feet a lot more,
too.”
    I looked over at her for a second.   “Grace, are you saying that I shouldn’t
go back to Donut Hearts tomorrow?”
    “What?   Of
course not.   Everyone knows that’s
where you belong.   I’m just saying
that you shouldn’t be surprised if it’s difficult at first getting used to
being back in the saddle.”
    “Thanks for worrying about me, but I’m sure that I’ll
manage just fine.”
    “Of course you will,” Grace said.   “What do you think Jake’s going to say
tonight?”
    “I’m not sure, but I’m betting that I’ll find out
soon enough,” I said.
    We were back in town before long, and I pulled into
Grace’s driveway so I could let her out and then make my way back to the
cottage.  
    “Good luck,” she said as she squeezed my hand before
she got out of the Jeep.   “Call me
later if you need to talk.”
    “Grace, stop worrying about me.   Everything is going to be just fine.”
    “Just keep repeating that, and maybe it will turn out
to be true,” she said with a hopeful grin.
    I watched her go to her door, unlock it, and step
inside before I made my way to the cottage.   I wasn’t