Chapter 28

Arien took the tray out and sniffed them and pondered for a moment. "Can you get another tray or plate or something?"

Halle gave him an empty tray.

"Hey," Pace came out looking nervous. "I checked them all and . . ."

"And what?" asked Halle. "Are they all empty?"

Pace saw Arien placing a few cupcakes on a tray after carefully scrutinizing it. "They're all full except for one bottle."

"What's that?"

"Mint essence."

"We don't use mint."

"Yes," Pace hesitated before continuing. "And according to my calculation, most of the bottles should be getting over by the end of this week. But they're all full. And . . . I found the mint essence lying on the floor closer to all that flour."

Halle didn't want to believe, she would've been happy to be called paranoid than have all these happen.

"These all smell different than the normal ones you make." Arien got her out of her thoughts. "If it's okay with you I'll take them with me."

"What are you going to do with those? We'll rather throw it out."

"A friend of mine can find out if some new chemical is mixed with it. I want to check it."

"Okay." Halle sighed. "Maybe we should close the shop for today."

"No, the others are completely fine." confirmed Arien.

"But those bottles . . ."

"Did you make these today?"

"No."

"Then use them. I'll check those bottles as well." A flash went through Arien's eyes.

Pace took him to the Baking Room to show where she found them. "Feels like we're doing an investigation." she heard Arien say like it was an interesting murder story.

*Who should I suspect?*

Halle knew it could be Kairo but now it just felt ridiculous even to herself. Why would he go to such lengths? What was he trying to prove? Could it really be someone else like Pace said? Who in this town held a grudge on her to do this?

Halle changed the shop sign to 'Closed' and locked the café from the inside and went to the Baking Room. They appeared to be in a heated conversation.

"What are you two talking about?"

Pace stiffened.

"I think someone was really trying to get you two framed." Arien broke the silence. "Or one of you. I don't know which."

"Why do you say that?"

"First of all," Arien turned grim. "You have to clean the whole place up and buy all new ingredients to bake. Don't use the old ones. It is difficult to find out which ones are tampered and which are not when there's too many of them in a small room. As for the essence bottles, they all have been tampered. It looks lousy because both of you know when it will get over but they filled it to the brim. Either they thought both of y'all aren't smart enough to find it or they didn't think about it. All of them smell like they've been tampered with and the bottle on the floor reeks of that smell more than the others. Which would mean that they brought something in that bottle and mixed a little of that in each of the other ones. But they accidentally left it here before leaving."

"That's . . ."

"I checked the door as well, it doesn't look damaged, so they might have the key, which makes sense since one of you lost them."

Halle stared at Pace. She wouldn't make eye contact.

"Now my question," Arien stood up. "Any idea who's doing this? Any suspects? Anybody who holds a grudge on you? Anything?"

"Well—" Pace looked at her and vigourously shook her head. "nothing that I know of."

Halle knew Arien noticed Pace shaking her head like that, but he acted like he didn't. "Okay. I'll check these out as well." He picked up the bottle.

"Thank you, Arien." said Halle. "Don't know what we would've done if you hadn't come today."

"No worries." Arien smiled.

Buzz!

It was halle's phone. "Give me a sec." she checked her phone. Not the number she was expecting. She put it in silent and went to unlock the door.

"Who was it?" asked Arien.

Shoot!

"Uh . . ." she looked at Pace. "You remember my sister?"

"The one you said you won't call?" asked Arien.

"Yeah, that one." said Halle. "It was her husband, Elric."

"Yeah, he said he'll call you back right?" Pace said thoughtfully. "Why didn't you take it?"

"If I tell you," said Halle. "You'll call me paranoid."

"Why?"

"It didn't feel right?" said Halle after a while. "He called me late in the night yesterday. Didn't feel like it was the right time to talk with him. And what if I was causing a rift in their lives?"

"You think too much." said Arien. "But it wasn't wrong that you didn't take the call."

Halle gave him a small smile for acknowledging her fears.

"So, now what do we do?" asked Pace.

Halle understood her pain. What will she do for cash if she can't rely on her sister or the café? She'd be broke soon considering she'll put all the money she had . . . and get a loan.

"Why don't you call her again?" asked Arien.

"What if he takes it, then he'll think I don't trust him."

Arien gaped at her for her absurd reply.

"I don't trust him but I don't want him to know that." explained Halle.

"Don't want to hurt any feelings."

"Shut up." Halle muttered.

"May I offer the option of using to the payphone?"

Both Pace and Halle stared at him.

"Uh . . . is something wrong?"

"No." Halle shook her head and smiled. "It's a good idea."

"Thanks."

"Pace, you call her and if he takes it, ask to talk to Juniper." said Halle. "If Juniper takes the call then give it to me."

"Why me?"

"He doesn't know you."

Pace squawked.

"May I join you on your quest?"

Halle laughed. "Why do you intend to call it that?"

"No reason. Sounds fun."

"It is nothing close to being fun."