Fudge Brownies & Murder - Culinary Competition Mystery #4

Chapter 9

(Amy)

The restroom door thumped shut behind Amy. She was midway through her afternoon shift at the market, and JoJo had sent her on a break. So she made a quick stop to take care of necessary business before heading out for a quick, rejuvenating stroll through the aisles. The Southern Gals booth had erected a blockade of bacon scent in the corner of the retail space. To escape the restroom hallway, she'd have to walk right through the cloud of smoky temptation. Again. As she passed by the first time, Amy had glanced at that day's menu and every entree had bacon in it. But it wasn't the Bacon Bonanza that was the most unusual thing at that booth at the moment.

A woman with the most colorful set of dreadlocks Amy had ever seen was chatting with Rayshelle at the end of the steam table. When the rainbow-haired woman casually turned toward Amy, she gasped and reflexively stepped backward. She just couldn't politely hide her shock. There was a giant eye tattooed in the middle of Rainbow Woman's forehead. Metal balls from piercings on her lip, nose, and both eyebrows glinted in the bright overhead lights. She was like an amped-up, scary horror movie ghoul version of Rayshelle, right down to the inappropriate clothes. While Rayshelle had toned down her underwear as outerwear clothing philosophy while working at the market, this woman took the fashion style to new heights. She was wearing shiny black leggings with so many holes cut in them Amy could see she was wearing underpants printed with Monday even though it was Wednesday. See-through mesh crop tops weren't normal apparel choices in Michigan in early winter. But the unexpected clothing ensemble did highlight another piercing and tattoo. Her belly button, fitted with a giant red rhinestone stud, formed one eye in the depiction of a sugar skull decorated with candy-colored flowers.

Forget about taking a stroll. Amy stopped to examine the community bulletin board in the hallway so she could study the unusual customer a little longer. People walking past gave the young woman a wide berth and uneasy looks. LeighAnne sat on a stool in the front corner, glaring at the cash register. The poor woman's face was as red as the tomato sauce covering the stuffed bell peppers that were the featured entree for the day. While Amy pretended to read the details on a spaghetti dinner fundraiser flyer, she saw, in her peripheral vision, the woman walk away from Southern Gals with Rayshelle following behind her.

She checked the time on her phone. There were a few more minutes left in her break. LeighAnne was wiping her forehead with a napkin when Amy stepped up to the cash register and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'll be better when Rayshelle's little sister gives up and stops nosing around for money."

That connection wasn't much of a surprise, nowhere near that of finding out Rayshelle was Esther Mae's niece. "Wow. I bet their family reunions are very...colorful."

LeighAnne chuckled. The deep frown lines on her face softened. "I've never thought about that, but I imagine you're right. Although I doubt anybody in that family would shell out the money to host a party. Shantelle just wants me to give her money because she was related to Esther Mae. The inheritance she thinks she's entitled to even though I know Esther Mae wouldn't have left her anything. I'll be damned if I'm going to give that freak a dime of my hard-earned money just because she shared blood with my business partner. It's bad enough I have to work with Pumpkin Head, but at least Rayshelle's working for the money I'm paying her. It's the least I can do since she was like a wayward daughter to Esther Mae."

The rant caused her face to redden again. A sharp contrast to her soft-gray, curly hair. After witnessing the same phenomenon on Esther Mae preceding her collapse, Amy didn't want to rile up the older woman anymore. Yet her curiosity was piqued. "I thought you said Rayshelle was Esther Mae's niece."