Death Takes The Blue Ribbon: Lizzie Crenshaw Mystery

By Teresa Watson

When a beloved member of Brookdale face plants into a pie during the county fair, it's up to Lizzie Crenshaw and her friends to figure out who the real murderer is before his widow (and Lizzie's archenemy) spends the rest of her life in prison.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Teresa Watson
• Release date: Jan 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781507016572

Book preview

Chapter One

I was sitting in one of the back booths at the Eat It or Starve Café. Papers covered most of the tabletop. Half of them were for the upcoming county fair; the other half was ads about the fair for the newspaper. Truth be told, I wanted to toss the whole pile in the air and run away screaming.

Reaching for my glass, I realized I had finished all of my sweet tea. Maddie, owner of the café, appeared next to me with a pitcher and refilled my glass. I’d leave this here, but I don’t see an empty space to put it. What is all this?

Stuff for the fair and the newspaper, I sighed. Somehow I was ‘volunteered’ to supervise the pie-eating contest this year.

Oh, I know how that happened, Maddie replied. She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. Gladys did it.

I looked past her to my arch enemy, Gladys Norwell. She had been a royal pain in my behind since I moved back here three years ago. She couldn’t resist goading me about anything and everything any chance she got. You’ve got to be kidding me.

Nope, she chuckled. I was at the meeting when she did it. She said that the younger generation needed to get more involved. She said you were the perfect choice to judge the pie-eating contest, since you were always shoveling pie into your mouth.

That sounds like her. Why didn’t you warn me?

Because I didn’t want you to try and shove a piece of pie in her face to get even.

I would never do that, I gasped in mock horror. That would be a waste of a perfectly good piece of pie!

Glad to hear it. Want me to bring you a slice of the usual?

I nodded. A big one. I’m going to be here a while. I hope you don’t mind.

Not at all.

As she left, Jake Mathias slid into the seat across from me. I had to admit, looking at his handsome face was a lot better than staring at the papers in front of me. Good thing I was immune to his charms. What are you doing sitting inside on this beautiful fall day? he said as he started to straighten the papers on the table. You need to be outside, soaking up the sunshine.

I snatched the papers out of his hands. I would be if Dale hadn’t taken off for parts unknown again. He knows the county fair is one of the busiest times of the year for Brookdale. But no, he had to get away. That’s all he’s been doing for the past six months! He works for a week, and then disappears for a month. We’re the ones running the paper; we should just buy it from him and send him on a permanent vacation. I glanced over at Gladys. I found out that the wicked witch across the room over there is the one who drafted me for the pie-eating contest.

If you’d stop egging her on, Jake said, you wouldn’t be in this mess.

She usually starts it. Her and her high and mighty, holier-than-thou ways. Someone needs to take her down a peg or two.

As long as it’s not you, I’m fine with that idea.

Mother would kill me.

Maddie placed a large slice of pecan pie in front of me. Good afternoon, Jake. How’s the most handsome man in town?

Oh Maddie, you sweet talker! What is it you want me to do this time? Jake laughed.

Before she could reply, we were interrupted by a loud argument near Gladys’ table. Don’t you dare try and deny it, Gladys Norwell! Durlene Snodgrass said, jabbing a bony finger in Gladys’ chest. I saw you with my own two eyes!

Ha! You can’t see your finger without your glasses on! Gladys retorted.

I’m not the only one who noticed. Charlene Sims was with me.

Charlene is one of my best friends. She would never say anything against me.

Well, I’m not one of your friends, and I’ll shout it from the rooftops.

Gladys glared at Durlene. You do, and I’ll sue you for slander.

Uh oh, Maddie said, this is going to get ugly.

Just then, Gladys picked up her glass of water and threw it in Durlene’s face. People scrambled out of the way as Durlene picked up a piece of pie and smashed it in Gladys’ face.

Alright, that’s enough, Maddie yelled as she rushed over to stop the fight. She grabbed Durlene’s arm and tried to pull her away, but Durlene just shook her off, grabbed another glass that was sitting on the table, and dumped it down Gladys’ blouse, ice cubes and all.

Jake got up and went over to the two fighting women. I reluctantly followed him. I was enjoying seeing someone else getting into it with Gladys. He grabbed Durlene, pushing her backwards. I stepped in front of Gladys; why, I have no clue. Unfortunately, I stepped in front of her at the wrong time. She smashed a piece of apple pie with whipped cream in my face.

I stood there for a moment, shaking my head. Someone put a towel in my hand, and I wiped my face off as best I could. Glancing at Gladys, she didn’t look very contrite about her actions. Would someone please explain what is going on? I said calmly.

I’ll tell ya what’s going on, Durlene said. We’re supposed to use only fresh fruit for the pie contest. I spotted her, she pointed at Gladys, buying frozen blueberries and blackberries at the store the other day.

That doesn’t mean she used them in her pie, Jake said.

Oh yes, she did, Durlene replied. Charlene and I saw her do it.

Were you standing in the kitchen when she did it? Maddie said. Durlene mumbled something. Speak up, woman. We can’t hear you.

I said we were watching through the kitchen window.

How did you know when she was going to bake the pies? I said.

Because she always bakes them two days before the contest. That way, if something goes wrong, she has time to make another one.

So you stood in her backyard and watched?

Not exactly. We stood in the neighbor’s yard, the one right behind her house, and we watched through binoculars.

I saw people shaking their heads in disbelief. The contest was a big deal in our small town, and the rules were very specific. Frozen fruit was not allowed; only fresh ingredients could be used. The winner got bragging rights for a year, and some of these women could be downright insufferable after they won. We just have your word for it that she used frozen fruit, I pointed out.

Durlene reached into her bag and pulled out a Ziploc bag that contained two empty frozen fruit packages. How did you get those? Gladys sputtered.

I dug them out of your trash, Durlene said proudly.

That’s invasion of privacy, Gladys said. I could have you arrested.

The trash was on the street, which makes it public property.

I looked at Jake, who was trying hard not to laugh. I wasn’t sure if he was laughing at the stupidity of the situation, or the pie and whipped cream that was still on my face. Gladys, did you use frozen fruit in your pies? She looked down at the floor and didn’t answer. It’s a simple yes or no question. Either you did or you didn’t.

Yes, alright. I used frozen fruit this year. The store was out of blueberries.

So why didn’t you choose strawberries, peaches or something else?

"Because I had already told too many people