✔Cupcakes to Kill For

6. Don't Trust Him🧁

Sleeping in for a baker was relatively rare, but with Mad Batter temporarily closed, Casey stayed in bed later than usual. He tended to wake when the sun rose and the birds greeted the day with their chirping symphonies. Even Wyatt slept later, and Casey didn't mind that at all.

Nightmares haunted Casey in his dreams. When he closed his eyes, he saw his mom's sullen face and frightened eyes glaring up at him from inside their bakery's dumpster. Sometimes he woke up sporadically through the night, drenched in sweat and heart pounding a mile a minute.

The rustling wind outside his window made him want to snuggle back under the covers, but he found himself dragging his bare feet across the carpeted floor. Wyatt must've already woken up, probably down in the living room with his dad or Lani, as he no longer slept in his bed. With a yawn, Casey trudged over to his closet and donned warm clothes.

Casey decided to take Wyatt and Lani out for lunch, trying to take his mind off the murderous madness these past few days. They settled on a retro diner out near Hell's Hollow called The Wallflower. As they crossed the black and white checkered floor, a jukebox in the back corner of the restaurant played an old rock song, something that sounded like his dad would listen to.

The Wallflower served the best milkshakes in town and Casey loved their waffle fries there. They chose a booth in the front section near a window, where he could watch the traffic drone on. A male waiter came over to them shortly, donned in their standard uniform: a lime green button up and black apron. His name tag had Emmett printed on it.

"What can I get you guys to drink?" Emmett asked, retrieving a little notepad for their orders.

"We'll take a coke and apple juice," Casey replied.

"And I'll have a sweet tea," Lani said.

"Sure thing. You need time to go over the menu or would you like to order now?"

"Now's fine," Casey said. "I'll have a butter steak burger with a side of waffle fries and Wyatt will have some chicken fingers with a side of waffle fries."

"And, for you, mam." Emmett turned his attention to Lani.

"I'll have the same thing as Casey, but with no onions."

Emmett nodded, jotting down their order. "I'll bring your drinks out here in just a sec."

"Alright, thank you."

Casey sighed, turning his attention back outside to the traffic. The weather had warmed up, but only slightly, and not enough to melt much of the snow. Most of it clung to the sides of the roads, covered in filth. Wyatt quietly doodled on a kid's color menu, seeming a world away from him.

"Has Dad told you anything else about the person who threatened us?" Lani asked.

"No, he's been reserved ever since we went to the police station." Casey fiddled with a napkin dispenser. "I've been worried about him. I think he blames himself for what happened to Mom."

"What do you think he did for those gang members?" Lani leaned closer, lowering her. "He said he gave them money and did everything they asked of him. What could he have possibly meant by that?"

Casey bit down on his inner cheek, wondering how much he should tell her. His dad didn't seem to want anyone knowing what he did, especially not after he learned how Mom had been killed.

"I don't know." Casey shrugged.

Soon enough, their waiter came back to the table with their drinks. Emmett paused at their booth for a moment, then turned around and headed back into the kitchen.