during the day from others. I would have had to bathe again if I’d left the house after the first one.” She added the rest of the dry ingredients to the bowl and checked the oven. “Let’s not mix the wet into the dry until the first batch is ready to come out of the oven. Christina, you can go to your room and read that book for twenty minutes. No more. Then I want you back down here.”
Christina bolted out of the room before Baldwin could say anything.
He stared at Grans. “I was going to ask her a few follow up questions.”
“That girl didn’t even know Dorian. She has no motive and you just don’t like her because she looks different than what you think a nineteen-year-old should. I’m not going to let you terrorize a child in my home.” Grans poured her own cup of coffee and sat at the table across from Baldwin. “What else do you need to ask? We’re busy here.”
Grans hadn’t brought up Baldwin’s grandmother again, but even Mia had felt the implied threat to tell his family he was being a jerk. Clearly, he must care what his grandmother thought.
He went through a few other questions, including one about how long they’d been dating. When he asked if there was any friction with other girlfriends, she finished her coffee and stood. “I wouldn’t know. Dorian was a gentleman and didn’t discuss his past relationships with me. The cornbread is getting ready to come out of the oven. We need to get busy again. Will the warehouse be available tomorrow for Mia’s crew to get ready for the opening?”
Baldwin glanced around the room. Mia tried to keep the grin off her face. If he’d thought he’d had any power or control on the interview, he’d just realized he’d been wrong. “That should do it. I’ll have the warehouse cleared for you by eight a.m. tomorrow. But if you find something weird, please call me.”
“Like a note from someone telling me who killed Dorian?” Mia shook her head. “I think the weirdest thing I’m going to find is more cans of artichoke hearts. Who donates that to a food bank for low income families?”
“Welcome to Magic Springs.” Baldwin almost smiled. “The rich who live across the valley think everyone needs gourmet items in their pantry. You should see the crap Majors Grocery stocks nowadays. I just want a good steak when I get home, not some Asian-inspired chicken wraps. I’ll let myself out. Thanks for letting me get this interview crossed off the list.”
“I hope you find who killed Dorian.” Grans picked up a tissue and patted it under her eyes. “He was a lovely man and didn’t deserve to have his life cut short like this.”
After hearing the door shut, Christina came back into the kitchen, glancing around first to make sure Baldwin was gone. She visibly relaxed as she walked into the room. “He scares me.”
“He used to be a sweet boy. The job has changed his attitude a bit. And when his first girlfriend, Tilly, left for California with that kid from Sun Valley it almost broke his heart.” Grans poured the wet ingredients in with the dry and started mixing the two with a large spoon.
“I can’t see him dating anyone.” Christina sniffed the air. “The cornbread smells wonderful.”
“Oh, he’s not dating now. He got married less than a year later. Once you put your intentions out into the universe, the right one shows up. Anyway, it’s time to get the cornbread out. Mia, you handle that and Christina, you come pour the next two pans.” Grans stepped out of the way so the others could work. “I’m going to finish this coffee.”
They worked together until the raw ingredients on the table were all gone and in their place, rows of pans of cornbread sat cooling and waiting to be packaged up for Saturday’s event.
Grans sighed contentedly. “I guess we need to think about dinner now.”
“I’ll order from the Lodge and have them deliver. I think we’re cooked out.” Mia glanced at the clock. “How about we eat at six?”
“Why don’t you do carryout? Since we have about three hours before we want to eat, you and Christina can drop off these flyers for the chili cook-off at every business on Main Street. And now that I’m thinking about it, hit the winery and the lumber yard too. That should get most of the town covered.” Grans sipped her coffee. “I’ll