Allergen-Free Assignation

By P.D. Workman

From USA Today Bestselling Author, P.D. Workman!

Warm cookies and a cold case

Erin Price, gluten-free baker turned sleuth, is happy to be dabbling in a murder that this time is too old and too cold for her to be considered a suspect. As Erin begins to unearth the buried secrets of Bald Eagle Falls, she is forced to confront her own family’s dark history, a history which she knows little about. But there are others in the small town who are interested in the Price family; people who are determined to end her investigation at any cost.

Can Erin figure out who is behind the threats before more than her family secrets end up dead and buried?

*****I feel like I know these characters in this series and can feel their anguish and pain and their laughter. It just amazes me the twists and turns in this series and how I’m totally surprised by the ending events.

Like baking mysteries? Cats, dogs, and other pets? Award-winning and USA Today Bestselling Author P.D. Workman brings readers back to small town Bald Eagle Falls for another culinary cozy mystery to be solved by gluten-free baker Erin Price and her friends.

Have your gluten-free cake and eat it too. Sink your teeth into this sweet treat now!

• Language: English
• Publisher: P.D. Workman
• Release date: Feb 27, 2018
• ISBN: 9781988390895

P.D. Workman

P.D. Workman is a USA Today Bestselling author, winner of several awards from Library Services for Youth in Custody and the InD’tale Magazine’s Crowned Heart award. With over 100 published books, Workman is one of Canada’s most prolific authors. Her mystery/suspense/thriller and young adult books, include stand alones and these series: Auntie Clem's Bakery cozy mysteries, Reg Rawlins Psychic Investigator paranormal mysteries, Zachary Goldman Mysteries (PI), Kenzie Kirsch Medical Thrillers, Parks Pat Mysteries (police procedural), and YA series: Medical Kidnap Files, Tamara's Teardrops, Between the Cracks, and Breaking the Pattern.Workman has been praised for her realistic details, deep characterization, and sensitive handling of the serious social issues that appear in all of her stories, from light cozy mysteries through to darker, grittier young adult and mystery/suspense books.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Erin stood watching the heavy machinery close in on the little ivy-covered garage in the back yard of the white and green house. Over the weekend, she and Vic had moved the assorted storage boxes, tools, and other bits and pieces into a mobile storage pod for temporary safekeeping and Erin had moved Clementine’s Volkswagen out of the garage for the first time.

Officer Terry Piper moved up beside her, his German shepherd, K9, at his side. He touched the small of Erin’s back, fingers tentative.

Are you okay?

Erin nodded. Her throat was suspiciously tight, but she couldn’t explain why.

It’s just a garage, she said. And I never even used it. No reason I should feel attached to it.

Terry let his hand rest there for a minute, warm and comforting. It’s part of Clementine’s property… I guess that means something to you.

It’s silly. It wasn’t even built yet when I was here as a little girl. It wasn’t built until I was seven. No reason for me to get all sentimental about it. She pressed her lips together tightly for a moment, trying to convince her body that what she said was true. There was no reason to feel bad about them knocking the garage down. There was no reason for sadness or tears or the tight, hot feeling in her throat. This is a murder investigation, she said sternly. We have to do it.

He rubbed her back. I know. But we don’t have to like it.

Erin just shook her head. Terry didn’t discuss it any further. The sheriff was there, wearing a hard hat, and he gave the signal to the bulldozer. Its engine revved and it slammed into the garage.

It wasn’t fast work. Erin had expected the demolition to be quick. Instantaneous. On TV, she had seen huge buildings, business towers and hospitals and the like, imploded with explosives and razed to the ground in seconds. Knocking down the garage wasn’t like that. It was excruciatingly slow. Her legs got tired, standing there watching. The sun climbed the sky and Erin wiped her sweaty forehead with the back of her arm and looked around for a drink. The demolition team had brought in a cooler full of bottled water, and after getting the nod from the supervisor, Erin grabbed one and cracked it open. She sat down on the grass in the shade of the tree. Terry stood for a few minutes longer, then conceded and sat down as well. K9 lay down between them. When Erin was just about done her water, she held it out to K9. She dribbled the last of the water into her palm and he lapped it up.

Eventually, the walls and the roof were down, and the bulldozers and bobcats pushed the rubble out of the way. They were left looking at the cement pad that had been poured before the garage was built. Erin stood up again to look at it. Terry walked up to it for a closer look, as did the sheriff. Tom Banks, the part-time police officer who was on call when Terry was not available was there too. The whole police department out in force. They walked around the pad, looking down at the cement. They took pictures and had low-pitched discussions, scratching their heads, wiping away sweat, and settling their hats again. Terry returned to stand beside Erin.

There it is, Erin said. The concrete pad and foundations that the Plaint brothers poured.

And under it somewhere… the body of Adam Plaint.

If we’re right about what happened.

I think we are, Terry said. "I think you are. Mr. Plaint disappeared without a trace, and the next day the boys came over here to finish pouring the foundations. Why would they be here the next day? There wasn’t any rush. Your aunt would have understood that with their family tragedy they couldn’t be here that day. She told them they didn’t have to be there."

Erin nodded.

But wouldn’t she have seen something suspicious? I mean… two teenagers hauling a grown man’s body into the yard…? That wouldn’t have been obvious?

Terry scratched at the back of his neck. If it was me… if I was Angela, looking for a way to dispose of that body… I would have brought him the night before and dumped him into one of the trenches dug for the foundations. Covered the body with a tarp or a thin layer of dirt. Then all the boys had to do the next day was mix the concrete and pour it in.

She and the boys moved the body together?

That seems most likely. I don’t know if the two boys could have done it without her help. Davis was only thirteen, and from what everyone has said, he was scrawny. Not built like Trenton.

What’s the next step? What are they going to do? Start breaking the concrete up with a jackhammer?

I’m worried that if we do that, we’re going to damage the body. Whatever is left of it. We need to do this carefully to preserve as much evidence as we can.

So…?

We’ve talked to a company in the city with ground-penetrating radar. That seems like the best solution. See if we can locate the body before we start breaking the concrete up. So we know how to proceed.

How long before they get the machinery here?

I’m hoping tomorrow.

So, you’re done for today?

Pretty much. Other than cleaning up the rubble. I’d like to get as much of this cleared out of the way as possible.

Erin sighed and nodded. The back yard looked empty without the garage there. The concrete pad was like a big scar. She walked closer for a look. Terry made a movement as if to stop her, but didn’t say anything. What was he going to say? Not to touch the evidence? That she might trip and hurt herself? She couldn’t do any damage to the investigation, and it was her own yard.

There was a movement under a bush, and Erin glanced over, expecting to see a bird, or maybe a stray cat. But the shape was not right. She got a little closer. A kitten? It was bigger than Orange Blossom had been when she had rescued him. He’d barely even been weaned. But the shape was chunkier, not the slim, lithe shape of a cat.

Terry…?

Terry moved toward her, hearing the concern in her voice.

What is it?

I think… I think something got hurt by the machinery…

Terry got close enough to see the tufts of fur. K9 was sniffing eagerly, moving in. Erin grabbed his collar and held him back. Normally she wouldn’t interfere with a working dog, but she was afraid of what would happen if she let K9 get too close to the injured animal. Terry took a couple of steps forward and took hold of his collar.

He won’t cause any trouble. It’s a rabbit. He was close enough to make out the shape. You’re right, I think it’s hurt.

Erin moved in. She hadn’t wanted to get too close in case it was a dog or a skunk or something that might attack a human when cornered. But she wasn’t worried about being attacked by a rabbit.

It eyed her as she got closer. Erin could see its back feet kicking out, but there was blood matting the fur and things obviously weren’t working the right way, the rabbit couldn’t run away.

It’s just a baby, Erin said. Its leg is hurt.

Older than a baby, Terry disagreed. Unfortunately, rabbits don’t do well when injured. It will probably die of shock.

No… Erin was too soft-hearted. She didn’t like to see any creature hurt or killed. We have to take it to the vet.

Get a blanket or a towel to wrap it up. It might bite or scratch. We can take it to the doc, but don’t get your hopes up. The kindest thing is probably just to have him put it down.

She was glad that Terry hadn’t offered to do the job himself with his police firearm. Death might be a fact of life for a farm boy or small-town boy who had been through a number of pets, but Erin wasn’t used to animals dying. She suspected Terry was probably more worried about her than he was about the rabbit.

She took off her jacket and got in close, trying to slide it carefully under the injured animal. The rabbit kept squirming away, its eyes wide with panic. Erin was too tentative, too worried about hurting it further to catch it.

Throw the coat over top so it can’t see you, Terry advised. Then wrap it around and pick it up inside the coat.

Okay. Erin tried doing as he said. She was still worried about hurting the rabbit, but it was easier when he couldn’t see her coming and was trapped by the fabric around him. She did her best to wrap the coat around it and bundle it up, like Terry had wrapped up Orange Blossom the day that she had first brought the kitten home. She turned the jacket over and looked at the rabbit. She could just see its nose twitching through an opening. Okay, I’ve got it.

I’ll drive you over to Doc’s, Terry said. But don’t get your hopes up too much. This is a wild animal, and it’s injured. Just the stress can kill them.

Erin sniffled and nodded. Yeah, okay. I’ll try not to.

It was the first time she had ridden in Terry’s police cruiser, and despite her worry about the rabbit, Erin looked around the interior with bright interest. Bars over the back windows, CB radio, onboard computer, a number of knobs and switches she didn’t know the purpose of. Lights and siren, she supposed. Maybe a loudspeaker.

K9 seemed confused about what Erin was doing in the front seat and whined when Terry made a sharp movement for him to get into the back.

Is this where he usually sits? Erin asked as Terry slid in beside her.

Yes. But he’ll be okay back there for a couple of minutes. His friends won’t make fun of him for riding in back.

Erin looked over at Terry and saw the familiar dimple in his cheek.

Nothing was very far away in Bald Eagle Falls, Tennessee, so they were at the vet’s office within a couple of minutes. There were a couple of people in the waiting room, one with a cat and one with a dog.

Sarah Lawson, the pretty young receptionist and vet’s assistant, smiled when Erin and Terry entered, her eyes alive with curiosity.

What have you got? she asked, standing up and walking out from behind the counter so she could look down at Erin’s bundle.

Erin pushed the coat away from the rabbit’s face the best she could. A rabbit. He has an injured leg, or maybe two.

What happened? Did you hit it with your car? Sarah looked sympathetic toward Erin, but not hopeful.

No. One of the vehicles that was knocking down my garage must have gotten it. As Erin thought about the bulldozers that had razed her garage to the ground, she felt nauseated. They could do so much damage to a little creature like the rabbit. What did she think the vet was going to be able to do?

Sarah shook her head, pressing her lips together. Doc’s with a patient right now, but I’ll get him to look at your bunny as soon as possible. Let’s get you into an exam room.

Doc only had one and a half exam rooms. It wasn’t like a big city vet hospital. He would be in the main exam room with a family dog or cat, and Sarah took Erin to the overflow examination table in the corner of Doc’s supply room. Terry stayed with K9 in the waiting room.

Unlike the main exam room, there were no seats or other amenities.

Let’s just have a little peek, Sarah said, easing the bundle out of Erin’s hands. She laid it on the table. She first opened up the end with the rabbit’s head. Its eyes were still wild and rolled back. Its mouth was slightly open and Erin could see its long rodent-like teeth between parted lips. Sarah worked open the other end of the bundle, keeping one hand pressed to the rabbit’s middle to keep it from squirming away. Erin wasn’t sure what Sarah could see when she looked at the bloody back legs. The rabbit kicked a couple of times. Okay. We’re going to need x-rays, so he’ll have to be sedated. Can I get you to hold him again?

Erin took over holding the rabbit down on the examination table, murmuring to it in a soft voice that was usually reserved for Orange Blossom. Sarah prepared an injection.

We have to do this in order to get x-rays and examine him properly. She tapped the needle to break loose the air bubbles. But you should know that sedation will depress his vital functions, and together with the shock he’s already in, we could lose him. Okay? We have to do it, but it’s risky.

Erin nodded and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Okay.

Sarah grimaced at her. Sorry. She pulled the jacket back once more, and injected the sedative. It took effect almost immediately, and Sarah unwrapped the jacket completely, returning it to Erin. Baking soda works best on bloodstains, she advised. Soak it in cold water while it’s still wet.

The rabbit looked tiny and vulnerable laying on the examination table. Though Terry was right, and it was bigger than Orange Blossom had been, it was still not full-grown.

It’s a domesticated breed, Sarah observed. Not a cottontail. Is it someone’s pet?

Erin shook her head. I don’t know. It was outside. I suppose it could belong to a neighbor and just got away from them…

Maybe. Or someone might have released a previous generation. People think they’re doing a kindness by releasing pet rabbits into the wild when they’re not wanted anymore. Born free and all that. But they’re not doing any favors to their pets or the environment. A pet isn’t equipped to survive in the wild, but if they do, rabbits are notorious for overpopulating. This one’s pretty young, I can’t see anyone releasing it at this age. It’s probably feral.

Erin cleared her throat and swallowed again. She could see the rabbit’s rapid respirations as it lay there. But other than that tiny movement, it looked as though it were already dead.

I’ll get some x-rays and get Doc to have a look as soon as he’s done. Why don’t you wait with Officer Piper in the waiting room?

Okay. Thanks.

She retreated to the waiting room and sat down in the chair next to Terry’s. K9 was watching the cat and dog across the room, his tail sweeping back and forth in a wide, slow arc, and he paid no attention to her.

Are you okay?

Yeah. She’s going to take some x-rays.

He nodded. Erin took a couple of deep breaths and tried to steady her nerves. She was shaking and still felt sick.

I should touch base with Vic and see how she’s doing.

If it’s busy, she won’t be able to talk.

Erin worked her phone out of her pocket and checked the time. She should be having her lunch.

CHAPTER 2

Vic sounded slightly out of breath when she answered the phone.

Erin? What did they find?

For a moment, Erin was confused. Then she realized that Vic was wondering about the police investigation. If they had found Adam Plaint’s body.

Oh… well, nothing yet. They knocked down the garage, but they’re talking about how to locate the body… if there is one… without breaking all of the concrete up and maybe destroying evidence. They want to see if they can find it using x-ray equipment, so they can get it out with as little damage as possible.

Yeah, that makes sense. So how long is that going to take?

I don’t think it will be today.

Are you coming in, then?

Uh… yes… but I may be a little while yet.

There was a moment of silence. Are you and Terry going out for lunch, then?

No. We had… we found… there was a little rabbit that was injured by some of the machinery. We brought it to the vet. We’re still finding out what they are going to do about it. If they can do anything.

Oh… Vic drew the word out in a long crooning noise. What happened? You don’t know if it is going to be okay?

No. I don’t know. Terry said not to get our hopes up. And Sarah said even the sedation could kill it. I guess rabbits don’t make very good patients.

Okay. Well, I’ll hold down the fort, and you get in when you can. Or let me know what’s going on.

Is everything okay? Are you managing all right? I know it’s crazy busy when it’s just one person… we really do need to get someone in there part-time who can cover when one of us has something else going on or is sick.

It’s busy, Vic admitted. And people… behave differently when you’re not here.

Erin bit the inside of her lip. What do you mean? How are they acting? Erin had hoped that they were past everyone being shocked that Vic was transgender and could just accept it and move on. But she could tell by the familiar note in Vic’s voice that the ‘behavior’ she was talking about was probably something to do with her gender identity.

More… preachy… than usual, Vic said eventually. When you’re here, they don’t generally bring out the scriptures and what God thinks of me.

They knew that Erin, as an atheist, wouldn’t put up with that kind of crap. Vic tended to take their words to heart, but Erin would throw their religion back at them. Didn’t Christianity say they were supposed to be loving and accepting?

Erin sighed heavily. Don’t listen to them, she said. You have my permission to refuse to serve anyone who thinks they can come into my shop to preach. They pay for the baking, not for the privilege of harassing my employees.

Vic gave a short laugh. Uh—yeah.

I mean it. Don’t take it. They don’t have any right to tell you what to do or what to be.

Okay. Thanks, Erin.

I’ll be in just as soon as I can get this sorted out. Hang in there.

Vic hung up. Terry raised his eyebrows. Who is bothering her?

I have my suspicions. Why is it the most religious who are the least tolerant? Shouldn’t they be the most loving and accepting? Isn’t that the whole idea of Christianity? God is love and all that?

He raised his hands, palms out. Don’t ask me. You can’t paint us all with the same brush. Everyone has their own faults.

Erin took a deep breath and let it out. She was furious that people thought it was okay to bug Vic just because Erin wasn’t there. Her heart pounded and her blood boiled. But that wasn’t Terry Piper’s fault. He didn’t have anything to do with it. And he had never treated Vic with anything but respect, even when she was a murder suspect and he first found out that she was transgender. He had never suggested that she was more likely to be the murderer because she was some kind of deviant. Not like others in town would have, if they had known back then. But the townspeople had only recently found out, and were still all in a tizzy over it.

You’re right. I’m sorry. I won’t take it out on you.

If you want to vent, I’m here. Just don’t think I condone it. And if either of you ever wants to lay charges for hate speech or harassment, you let me know.

I hope it won’t ever go that far.

So do I.

Erin busied herself playing with her phone and waiting for Sarah or the doctor to come out.

Time passed slowly, but Erin knew it wasn’t even noon yet when Doc came out to the waiting room, walking beside Sarah as they spoke in low tones. Sarah went back to the reception desk and sat down. Doc turned to Erin.

Why don’t you join me, Miss Price?

Erin stood up. She looked at Terry, but he just nodded for her to go ahead. The exam room was small, and maybe he thought it would be too much to have him and K9 squeezed in there with Erin and Doc and the rabbit. If K9 decided to bark at the rabbit, he might scare it right to death.

Erin had met Doc Edmunds before, getting Orange Blossom’s vaccinations and other necessary medical procedures taken care of. She was afraid he was going to say the same thing as Terry had, that the kindest thing would just be to put the rabbit down. She couldn’t bear to make that decision.

The rabbit was not in the exam room. Doc put a file folder down on the table and looked at Erin over the rim of his glasses.

I’ve had a look at your little friend and the x-rays that Sarah ran.

Erin nodded.

He has a fracture in one of his back legs. Clean. The other one has only superficial injuries, nothing broken. Spinal cord injuries are always a concern with rabbits, but everything seems to be okay with its back in this case.

Does that mean it will be okay? All you have to do is fix the broken leg?

That’s about all I can do. Doc hesitated and gave a little grimace. But that’s not the only issue with cases like this. Wild animals can’t always be rehabilitated and in this case, we’re looking at an invasive species that cannot be returned to the wild. There is a risk that it won’t be able to cope with the trauma it has already experienced, or with being caged or in close proximity to people. There are problems associated with sedation, feeding, risk of infection…

Erin rubbed at her eyes and swallowed, trying not to let the lump in her throat grow and take over her emotions.

You sound like you’re saying we shouldn’t try.

I have concerns. I don’t think a positive outcome is impossible… but we have a lot of factors working against us. I don’t know if you want to risk it.

I do.

He didn’t respond immediately, studying her face, looking into her eyes, trying to read everything he could from her expression.

Okay. He nodded. I’ll do what I can. I’ll set the broken bone, give it IV fluids and antibiotics, and try to keep it calm and relaxed when it comes out of sedation. The rest will depend on the critter himself. I can’t promise a positive result, but I’ll give it a try.

Thanks.

"I have your numbers on