Doughnuts & Deadly Schemes - Culinary Competition Mystery #3

Chapter 14

"Needs some work," Shepler said to the mustachioed tailor who had found Luke's body. Matt joined the man with the impressive, handlebar facial hair to examine Shepler's suit. Both of them plucked at the loose fabric along the muscled detective's waist. Shepler shook his head and said, "I've run into some difficulties, like I've never encountered before, in researching what we discussed."

"I figured you would." Matt lowered his voice and said something to the tailor who was drawing dotted chalk lines on the gray fabric. He looked back at Shepler. "I've told you everything I know."

Carla seemed oblivious to Shepler's lapse into work mode. Or she just chose to ignore it in the hope that it would pass quickly, like a summer rain squall. She thrust a light blue tie at him. "Try this one first."

Shepler dutifully knotted the silk tie around his neck then repeated the process three more times until Carla was satisfied with the perfect shade of blue. The tailoring manipulations continued as the couple discussed white rose versus daisy boutonnieres. Shepler won the debate. Sophisticated, classic roses won out over funky, trendy daisies.

"I want to stay to make sure I like the alterations before we go to the flower shop," Carla said to Amy.

"No problem." Amy flopped into one of the nearby leather chairs stationed in front of the dressing rooms. Of course, Carla would want to see what the tailor planned on doing to the suit. With just over one week left until the wedding, there was no room for a redo. The squishy chair was ridiculously comfortable. Amy leaned her head back and stared at the metal duct pipes suspended from the ceiling. She sucked in a breath when her head bobbed forward. It wasn't the correct time or place for a nap, especially since it would most likely be accompanied by embarrassing snores.

She looked around the store and spotted Thane sitting behind the checkout counter. A conversation with him would keep her awake. She dragged herself out of the nap-inducing chair and trudged to the front of the store.

"You look tired," he said as he carried a stool around the end of the counter and set it down opposite from where he had been stationed. "Have a seat."

Amy wiggled onto the wooden stool. A small victory that she was able to do so without demonstrating how to be a klutz. Tall stools and her short legs could be a difficult combination to navigate even when she wasn't tired.

"Thank you. I am running a bit low on energy. So how has business been lately?"

He shrugged. "It's picked up a bit. It seems that the murder is starting to fade from people's memories now, so customers are beginning to come back to buy things instead of to see where Luke's body was found. We sell accessories like ties and cuff links online, so I've been trying to drum up traffic on our website to make up for the decreased foot traffic."

Selling online, where news of the murder wasn't common knowledge, was a great way to make up for the difference in foot traffic into the actual store. It would take a while for the disconcerting murder to fade from the memories of local customers. Thane must've picked up his uncle's business sense, along with the physical resemblance.

"So, did Matt teach you about managing a business?" Amy asked as she leaned forward to rest her elbows on the counter. Now her back was aching. The leather chair was much more comfortable, but she didn't need to end up sound asleep with everybody cringing at the drool dribbling out of the side of her mouth.

"I always learn something new from Uncle Matt, but I did major in Fashion Marketing with a minor in Graphic Design." He turned the computer monitor sitting beside him, so Amy could see the screen. The Finley & Crowe website carried over the style of the store. Simple, with eclectic touches like wood-grained borders that framed the pictures of onyx cuff links and designer neckties. "I built the website for my senior project, from creating all of the art to setting up the layout."

"I love it! Somebody recently suggested that I start a food blog. Is that hard to do?"

"You'll probably want to get a website then publish on a blog on there. It would give you more flexibility to customize it. Setting one up isn't bad once you get used to how everything works. Of course, most people don't do all of the graphics themselves." He grinned as though Amy had just given him a big bowl of chocolate ice cream with hot fudge on top. "I would love to help you set up a blog if you'll let me link to it in my digital portfolio. Get yourself a domain, and I'll help you with everything else."

The offer was very tempting. When Kendra suggested a blog the idea burrowed into Amy's brain and kept re-emerging at very inconvenient times, like when she was trying to quickly fall asleep in the precious little amount of time she had to sleep. "I may take you up on that offer...after my friend's wedding is over."