Chasing Santa |Pushing Daisies Christmas Story|

Chapter Three: Taste Of Satisfaction

Chapter Three: Taste of Satisfaction

The following day had started as any usual day.

Except, of course, the air of silence that fell upon Chuck and the Piemaker.

Although he tried, Ned couldn't find the words to apologize.

Similarly, every time Chuck tried to talk to him, she would be reminded of his moment of hesitation and her words were choked back by a feeling hurt.

She realized that it was better, for the present time, to not talk.

So they allowed a heavy silence, which was quite rare, to fall between them.

But as the day progressed, the normalcy was about to be interrupted by Emerson Cod, who walked in with only the confidence and excitement a fresh case could provide.

Ned was glad for the distraction.

"We've got a suspect."

Emerson didn't sit down to enjoy his usual slice of pie, which made Ned realize that he was intending to leave immediately.

"Who?"

"Lucas's wife."

Reluctantly leaving Chuck to take care of the Piehole he accompanied Emerson in his ride toward the meeting point that he arranged with Lucas's wife.

Ned found it quite hard to focus on the woman when they arrived, for his thoughts were still with the brown eyed girl at the pie shop; but taking in a deep breath he shook his head and cleared his thoughts.

Maybe it would be better to forget about such a worrying topic and distract his mind for a moment.

"I loved Lucas, I would have never killed him." The dark haired woman said with fervor and her black curls bounced as she shook her head.

"It's hard to believe that when you were unfaithful to him." Emerson narrowed his eyes, "And you didn't keep it hidden either."

"I did it to gain his love back." Rosaline's eyes blazed and never wavered from Emerson's deducing stare.

The facts were these:

Lucas Abad and his wife, Rosaline Josephina Abad, had loved each other dearly; at least in their early years of marriage. Not long after their marriage, she started to feel as if the relationship was completely one-sided.

"How so?" Emerson asked.

"He became obsessed with his work and always trying to please his boss. He always thought of him as a mentor and admired him greatly, but to me he was only stealing my husband's time and affection from me."

"The neighbors said you fought a lot."

Rosaline nodded, "It wasn't uncommon. It usually ended up with me telling him he had to choose between work or our relationship." She brushed a tear away form her cheek. "He never chose me."

"So you sought affection from another?" Ned questioned softly.

"I tried to make him jealous, but I realize now how immature that really was." Rosaline eyed Emerson and quickly added, " If you still don't believe me I was with another man the night he died. He can affirm we were at a club nearby his apartment."

Emerson knew that she was finished with this interrogation and would answer no more. He could sense his trail grow cold and diminish before him in a matter of one meeting. So, he nodded and turned to leave.

He, however, did paused for a moment to glanced over his shoulder to say, "Just one last question. Where did your husband work?"

"Guilty Pleasures Bakery." She replied. "He was moving in early for the new opening for tomorrow, Christmas Eve."

Ned gasped and glanced at Emerson before returning his shocked expression toward the woman, "His boss wouldn't happen to be Aaron Merrock, would it?"

Rosaline nodded, her red lips formed in a thin line while Emerson and the Piemaker shared a glance of perplexity.

Emerson felt a smirk pull at his lips as he could picture the trail materialize before him once again and Ned was frowning, realizing that he had gone to one worrying topic to another.

Meanwhile, the killer was enjoying a nice slice of satisfaction for seemingly getting away without any suspicions directed towards him. Satisfaction tasted a lot like Key Lime, and it was wrapped up nicely in the Piehole's to-go box.