The Brook Ridge Falls Retirement Center buzzed with tension as Lexy Baker put the finishing touches on a triple-tiered platter loaded with pastries. The occasion was a debate being held between the two residents running for president of the small community center inside the retirement village. Lexy was catering the event, and she wanted everything to be perfect. The last president had met with an unfortunate accident that involved one of Lexy’s pies, and she was a little nervous that something might happen again. Not that the last incident had been her fault, but she didn’t want to get a reputation.
Lexy adjusted a sprig of mint that decorated a tier of thickly frosted mint-chocolate bars and stood back to admire her handiwork. The hall was decorated in red, white, and blue streamers. Tables with crisp white linen tablecloths lined the side of the hall where Lexy stood. On the tables sat an assortment of Lexy’s pastries as well as piles of paper plates, napkins, and plasticware. At one end was a coffee urn and Styrofoam cups.
The air was spiced with the smell of sugary pastry and percolating coffee. The muted sounds of plasticware scraping paper plates and people slurping coffee could be heard as background noise.
Gray metal folding chairs were set in rows facing the front of the room, where Lexy’s grandmother’s dear friend Helen stood at a wooden podium. She was wearing a smart, tailored suit in dark gray and a contrasting magenta blouse. She looked great except for the fact that the podium was a little tall for her and her head only reached just above the top.
Helen was facing off against another resident, Mario Blondini, in the retirement center’s version of a presidential debate. Each was giving their speech about what they brought to the table and why the residents should vote for them.
The two had been campaigning hard for the position and had put up signs all over the retirement center grounds. There had already been two debates like this. This was the last one as voting would be in three days. Lexy couldn’t figure out why they put in such an effort. It seemed like a lot of work for a position that paid no money, but maybe when you were retired, having something to do—whether it paid or not—was a big deal.
“Helen does not look happy.” Mona Baker, or Nans, as Lexy called her, had come to stand beside Lexy. The senior citizen was very observant. She had to be in order to run her detective agency, and Lexy noticed that while Helen did appear composed and commanding, the lines around her mouth were a little deeper, her brow a bit more furrowed.
“Why is she unhappy?” Lexy asked.
“Mario Blondini. Just listen to him. He’s one-upping her on everything!”
Lexy turned her attention to the stage where Helen was speaking.
“…and as community center president, I promise to replace those old plastic folding tables with nice new laminate ones!” Helen said.
The crowd clapped.
Mario cleared his throat and yelled above the crowd. “I promise cushioned folding chairs!”
The crowd applauded more loudly.
Mario had a smug look on his face as he glanced over at Helen, whose brows furrowed even deeper.
“Just look at the way she’s cheering him on. Practically mouthing what to say at him,” a voice behind Lexy whispered. She turned to see Ida and Ruth, Helen and Nans’s other partners in crime-solving. Ida was nibbling on the corner of a flaky almond croissant. Ruth had her hair cut in a new silvery bob. Lexy noticed she wasn’t eating any of the pastries. A few weeks ago, Ruth had been on a low-carb diet, and that hadn’t worked out too well. She hoped Ruth wasn’t back on it—Lexy couldn’t imagine not eating pastry!
“Who?” Nans asked. “Oh, you mean Endora? She does seem a bit controlling.”
Lexy glanced to the corner of the room next to Mario, where Endora Saltinado stood. From what Lexy had gathered through the gossip mill, Endora was Mario’s new girlfriend. She looked quite a bit younger, especially in the tight sequined dress she was wearing. She looked like she was made up for a walk on the red carpet with her white-blond hair piled high on her head and flashy earrings and necklace. Not to mention the stilettos… Lexy couldn’t even wear shoes that high, and while Endora looked young for her age, she had to be at least pushing seventy.
“She still keeps in shape, I see.” Ruth had followed Lexy’s gaze and was looking Endora up and down.
“Mffeew… krumbbb… yoga.” Ida mumbled around her mouthful of croissant as she gestured to her own trim figure.
Lexy was used to Ida talking with food in her mouth and easily translated the garbled sentence to “we keep in shape with yoga.” It was true. The four senior citizens were quite trim and spritely for their age, and that was largely due to their frequent yoga classes. While most seniors took care of their hearts for longevity reasons, Lexy suspected they did it so they could maneuver around crime scenes better. Their hobby was investigating murders, much to the dismay of Lexy’s husband, police detective Jack Perillo.
“She used to be in their acrobatics show. That’s how she knows Mario,” Ruth said.
Lexy turned to Ruth. “Acrobatics show?”
“Mario and his family were big in the Circo Acrobata—you know, that act that travels around. It’s like Cirque du Soleil with trapeze and other acrobatics, but on stage.”
Naturally, Lexy was familiar with Cirque du Soleil. She squinted at the front of the room, trying to picture Mario in tights then quickly looked away, trying to replace the unpleasant image. Mario was no looker. He had bushy white hair and matching bushy eyebrows that were now frowning at Helen. He was slightly hunched over and had a bit of a paunch. His gnarled, weathered hands clutched the podium as Helen listed off the improvements she intended to make if she were elected.
“…and we’ll have a coffee social the first Saturday of every month complete with pastries from the Cup and Cake.” Helen nodded toward Lexy, and several people turned and clapped. Lexy’s bakery, the Cup and Cake, was a popular destination among the Brook Ridge Falls retirement crowd, and she’d offered to provide the pastries at a deep discount for the Saturday socials.
“I’m going to have sandwiches and pastries at mine!” Mario yelled then glanced back at Endora, who nodded her approval.
“Helen is getting really mad now. Look how red her cheeks are,” Nans said.
“Yeah, that Mario is very abrasive with his tactics.” Ida sidled over to a tray of cream cheese brownies and selected one.
“I think he’s kind of cute,” Ruth said in a small voice.
Lexy, Ida, and Nans turned to stare at her. She shrugged. “What? I mean, at least he has his hair. Besides, he just lost his granddaughter, so he is likely pouring his emotions into this campaign. I’m sure he’s not normally so loud and abrasive. Everyone deals with grief differently, you know.”
“I suppose…” They turned their attention back to the front just as the two candidates were ending things. They managed to shake hands and thank each other. The crowd leapt up from their chairs and ran for the pastries and coffee. Helen made her way through the crowd toward them, shaking hands and smiling at folks on the way.
“Did you see that? Mario kept one-upping me!” Helen scowled across the crowd at Mario, who was talking to folks, a fake smile on his face and Endora at his side.
“He plays dirty,” Nans said.
“Shameful!” Ida added.
“I still think you’re the favorite,” Lexy assured Helen.
“Don’t worry.” Ruth patted Helen’s arm. “It’s all going to work out just fine.”
“Yeah, and look on the bright side. At least this meeting didn’t end in murder.” Ida glanced around at the crowd, her expression darkening when it fell on Mario. Mario glanced over at them, the smile fading from his face, menace glinting in his eyes. “Well, at least not yet.”
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