Cremas, Christmas Cookies, and Crooks Read online

  “You shut up! You think I’m scared of you?” A man’s voice was coming from the direction of the Burrito Wagon.

  Amelia couldn’t understand the muffled reply, but then another explosion of words made them both jump.

  “This isn’t over! I’ll be back! Yeah! Come down here and say that to me!”

  Carefully Amelia stretched and looked around the Turkey Club to see what was happening. Adam moved to look too, but Amelia held him close, not wanting him to get too close.

  A man was stomping off down the sidewalk, his arms flying and his voice rising and falling while he continued to carry on the argument he’d had with whoever was at the Burrito Wagon.

  “I know that guy,” Adam said. “That’s Mr. Indesh. Peter Indesh.”

  “Ruth Indesh’s husband?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Didn’t he used to be partners with Bill Banks at your skateboard shop?” Amelia asked.

  “Shooshies. Yeah. Used to. Until he started stealing money. I’m going to go see who he was yelling at.”

  “You’ll do no such thing.” She held Adam by the back of his shirt collar. “Respect people’s privacy and their right to argue when they want. It doesn’t concern us.”

  “But aren’t you curious?”

  “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” And the marriage. “The Vegas are our neighbors down the street at home. We don’t want to act like greedy hogs, sniffing around in their business. They can handle whatever it is, I’m sure.” Amelia didn’t mention the size of Mrs. Vega’s nephew but was sure she was as safe as a kitten whenever he was around.

  Adam rolled his eyes and slumped.

  “Need a lift home?”

  “No. Swooshies is getting some new Port Nation gear I wanted to check out.”

  “Okay. Be home right after,” Amelia said. “We’ve got mutant burritos for dinner, and if you’re too late, your little sister will eat a whole one herself.”

  “All right, Mom.”

  Her son hopped on his skateboard and headed toward his favorite home away from home.

  Finally, she climbed into the cab of her truck—the front seat feeling like a mound of down pillows—revved the engine, and pulled out of Food Truck Alley. She hadn’t realized it, but that was the first chance she’d gotten to sit down all day. Her legs and back cried with relief. It was the kind of exhaustion that came with knowing you did your best.

  Amelia yawned as she stopped at the bank to make her deposit. Before heading home, she also made a stop at the St. Michael’s Food Pantry to donate two dozen cupcakes that hadn’t been scooped up by the end of the day. Nothing had gotten really burned. There had been no accidents. No one came running back to the truck clutching their stomachs claiming ptomaine poisoning. Plus, she had fourteen dollars and thirty-seven cents in the till. This was a fantastic day.

  The following days were an absolute landslide of business. The weather was great, with the majority of rain peeking in between mostly sunny skies. The customers were lining up, requesting dozens to take to their offices and asking if the Pink Cupcake did weddings or bridal showers. Amelia found it all very encouraging.

  “Weddings and showers. That’s not a bad idea.” Lila’s eyes widened.

  “No. It certainly is not. But I think we better get this truck under control first and then see how we can branch out.”

  “Yes, proceed with caution, of course, but cupcakes at a bridal shower is as logical a partnership as peanut butter and jelly.”

  “Oh, now there’s an idea. Peanut-butter-and-jelly cupcakes.” Amelia began composing a list of ingredients in her head in order to try the new concoction and bake a couple of test batches at home. “Can you believe it’s Friday already?”

  “Nope,” Lila said while wiping down the counter. “This sure does beat the heck out of working in some office.” She leaned out the window to take in the scenery and see what, if anything, was going on.

  “Don’t fall out,” Amelia teased.

  Lila pulled her head back in and smiled. “Have you met the people at the Turkey Club?”

  Amelia shook her head. “No. I’ve seen the woman who runs it and waved hello a couple times.”

  “Did she wave back?”

  “Yeah. I think she is a workaholic, you know. No time for socializing. Just do the J-O-B. Nothing wrong with that.” Amelia shrugged.

  Lila nodded. “What about the guy on the left? What does he sell? Philly cheesesteaks?”

  “Yeah.” Amelia said, looking down at the decorating project she was working on. If she wasn’t careful, her frosting would end up looking like slugs rather than delicate orange petals.

  “That’s it? Yeah?”

  Amelia felt a blush fall over her cheeks.

  “Wait a minute. What? Are you… blushing?”

  Amelia said nothing but shook her head.

  “Oh, I have got to go get a look at this!” Lila teased, dashing toward the back door.

  “No, you will not. You are my employee, and you have to stay in the truck.”

  Lila froze, turned, and, flashing that gaping smile, waved her red-nailed hands toward herself. “Spill it.”

  “I haven’t spoken to him.” Amelia rolled her right shoulder up to her ear. “I just waved. Besides, hadn’t you noticed that his customers are almost seventy-five percent female? Young females.”

  “No, but I will now,” Lila said. “How old is he?”

  “Actually, he looks like he’s about our age. His hair is almost all gray, but it’s cut really short, you know. Like he might have been in the service or something. He’s no kid. But you don’t mix business with pleasure.”

  “Certainly not. That would be just horrible.” Lila laughed.

  Suddenly a sharp, high-pitched scream echoed through Food Truck Alley.

  Sweets and a Stabbing is available everywhere

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Recipe 1: Café Crema

  Recipe 2: Gingerbread Cookies

  Recipe 3: Sugar Cookies

  All Books by Harper Lin

  A Note From Harper

  About the Author

  Excerpt from Sweets and a Stabbing