Pastry Mystery: Cheesecake Mistake

Chapter Seventeen

The chirping birds in the morning echoed like music in Toby’s ear. After a few stressful weeks, he finally woke up without having to worry much anymore. He was as excited as dancing shoes to start his day. He prepared a fancy breakfast for himself and Libby. She was still as gloomy as yesterday when he saw her before she went to her own bed last night.

Libby couldn’t help feeling worried after seeing seven thousand dollars inside Toby’s backpack but he refused to tell her where he got the cash from. She tried to stay positive but she was afraid if Toby did a wrongdoing in order to prevent her from owing money to Russell. Of course, she didn’t directly accuse him because he might get hurt and offended by that. Toby that she knew was always an honest man, even though he always kept things for himself. Maybe he took out all of his savings, she speculated, but he even used to sleep in the storage room. She ended up staying awake almost all night long thinking of any possibility about the source of the bill.

“Where did you get the money from?” asked Libby annoyedly. She became sulky due to lack of sleep. She didn’t want to hear the same answer like last night but she knew Toby would still hide the truth. “You didn’t rob a bank, did you?”

“So what if I did?” teased Toby but Libby wasn’t in the mood of joking at all. “Of course not! I’ve told you, I didn’t do any illegal business or whatever it is you have in your mind. It’s all my money.”

“Look, I believe you but…”

The doorbell suddenly rang interfering Libby. It was just half past nine in the morning and everybody knew that Pastry Mystery was temporarily closed. Libby couldn’t guess who it might be but Toby seemed to expect their guest already.

“Great, they’re here already!” cheered Toby running towards the front door.

“What’s here?”

Two men from a baking supply company greeted them friendlily as soon as Toby welcomed him. Libby’s mind went blank as Toby signed the invoice paper and helped the couriers unloading some bakery supplies from his box truck. Even though she still unable to understand the situation, Libby gave them a hand to get some small stuff like baking ingredients and cookie cutters. She knew from the brand that they were all high-quality products. She just didn’t remember ordering any of it since she and Toby just finally got the money yesterday.

“Toby, what the heck is going on? What are these things?” asked Libby who wasn’t aware of the other surprise that Toby gave her in the morning.

“For Pastry Mystery. I’ve made a call to Stern as well yesterday and he’s going to fix the back door and the windows tomorrow. He’s going to help me install the new surveillance system as well,” announced Toby nonchalantly.

“What? Stern?” Libby actually didn’t have to worry since Stern was a handyman that her late father used to trust to fix their house and bakery.

“And I’m going to order some new display cases but I’ll let you choose the ones you like,” added Toby.

“Explain to me everything!”

Toby just smiled even though he actually expected a different reaction from Libby. He thought she would be simply happy but instead, she was a little bit upset. He yet didn’t blame her for being suspicious since he didn’t tell her anything about where the money came from.

“Do you trust me?” asked Toby.

“Of course I do. I just want you to explain to me everything,” replied Libby indignantly.

“Libby, I just wanted to give you a little surprise. I thought you’ll like it,” stated Toby. “Yesterday, after picking up my money, I made a call to BakingCos company and order those machines and supplies. I know you want to reopen Pastry Mystery as quick as possible and I’m just trying to help.”

“But…”

“What scares you actually? I thought you trust me.”

Libby sighed. She felt exhausted for worrying about money and she hated it.

“I’m just… I’m just afraid if you committed a crime and then the cops would throw you in jail. They’d accuse you to be the killer again. And I’ll be left alone here. I can’t do it without you,” said Libby carefully. She didn’t want Toby to misunderstood her concern. “I’m sorry.”

“You surely watched movies and drama series too much, Libby!” Toby guffawed. “Please trust me. I swear I didn’t steal or rob anything or anyone. Okay? No cops will arrest me or accuse me to be the killer. And I promise I’ll always be with you. Please, don’t worry about it.”

Libby nodded. She looked around at the kitchen that was now almost filled with baking machines and supplies again. She didn’t want to fight Toby anymore and accept his help. One day he will tell me the truth, she thought. She was yet grateful that Toby was one step ahead of her in rebuilding her father’s old bakery shop. And that he didn’t give up on Pastry Mystery at all.

“So, what are we going to do? We can’t open Pastry Mystery yet, can we?” questioned Libby. She wanted to know what Toby had planned next for them.

“No, we can’t. Well, actually, I want to teach you one more recipe,” winked Toby.

“And what’s that?”

“Japanese cotton cheesecake.”

*

The buttery aroma of Japanese cotton cheesecake filled the air in Pastry Mystery’s kitchen. Toby who went upstairs to pick up his laptop could even smell it clearly. Libby yet refused to leave the kitchen and had been staring in front of the oven to watch the cotton cheesecake rose up beautifully for the last forty minutes. She would have to sit at least half an hour more if she wanted to see the whole baking process inside the new convection oven that they got. She refused when Toby asked her to sit with him upstairs to look at other stuff they needed to buy for reopening the deli. Toby yielded and took his portable computer to the kitchen. He couldn’t hold his laugh looking at Libby’s juvenile act. It was yet the very first successful cotton cheesecake that she ever made and she was just too happy and proud of herself.

In the middle of searching for some new dry display cases and refrigerator for Pastry Mystery, someone buzzed their bell since the main door was locked. Libby looked at Toby suspiciously—she thought it was part of his surprise again. Toby though shrugged, telling her he didn’t know anything this time. He walked to the front to see who it was while Libby taking out the cotton cheesecake that was finally done.

“Please, come in, Barth,” invited Toby. Libby who could hear it from the kitchen suddenly remember that she promised to call Barth back yesterday. She felt guilty and rushed to see him without even taking off her oven gloves. She recalled he sounded a little bit concerned yesterday on the phone, yet she completely forgets to reach him.

“Oh my god, Barth. I’m so sorry. I totally forget to call you back yesterday,” apologized Libby immediately.

“It’s okay, Libby,” answered Barth, smiling wryly. Anxiety drew clearly on his look and he kept on looking behind him. “Is there anybody here but you two?”

Toby shook his head, “No. It’s just us. What’s wrong?”

“Let’s talk in the kitchen. We just baked a cotton cheesecake as well,” suggested Libby.

“To the kitchen?” asked Barth halting them. “The cops once accused me to be the killer and the one who put poison in your cotton cheesecake.”

“So what? You didn’t do it, did you?” confirmed Libby. Barth was one of her father’s trusted friends and she believed he wouldn’t do any harm to them.

“So, you, believe me, don’t you?” assured Barth one more time. Libby nodded as they walked to the kitchen. She made a cup of coffee for the old man who was clearly tense.

“Barth, nobody is here but us,” Toby affirmed him once again. “Why do you look so uptight? Is someone following or bothering you?”

“Look, kids. It might sound crazy but-but I know who the killer is. I know who is behind everything,” announced Barth carefully.

“What? Are you serious?” shrieked Libby and Toby at the same time.

“I know someone who framed us all. He is someone who wanted to take revenge on your father,” added Barth.

“Revenge on my father? Did he have any rival or enemy back then? I couldn’t think of anyone…” said Libby trying to figure out who it might be.

“It’s a long story, Libby. Their rivalry happened before you were born. And now his son wants to avenge his father’s death.”

“What are you talking about? My father never killed anyone!” argued Libby.

“He didn’t, but according to him, Jimmy killed his father.”

“Who is he then?” asked Toby. Goosebumps crept all over their body. They never expected such a big secret like this.

“He is…”

Ding-dong.

“Darn it!” groaned Libby as the doorbell rang once again. “Hold on, Barth.”

It was Russell who dropped by after he returned from his business trip at Honeydew Bay. Yesterday, after Libby met Toby in front of Cake At Break, she went to see Russell to decline the offer once again but he wasn’t there. In the end, she just sent him a text stating that she no longer needed his help but she was still grateful for him. Libby suggested him to join the rest in the kitchen.

“Barth is also here,” announced Libby.

Russell snooped around the old deli in an awe. He didn’t think they would be able to purchase those baking equipment without his help. Most importantly, he was baffled to see his gardener sitting with them there.

“Look who’s here. It’s Barth. I’ve been looking for you,” grinned Russell patting the old man’s shoulders.

“Yeah, Barth said he knows the….”

“I got to go, Libby!” cut off Barth. He appeared to be more anxious than before and his hand even trembled. He avoided an eye contact with Russell and hastily put on his coat.

“Oh, yeah. You’ll miss your appointment with your dentist,” added Toby who had a quick response to Barth’s odd behavior. “Shall I take you there.”

“No, don’t! Stay here. Always stay at Libby’s side. I’ll- I’ll walk myself out,” said the old man but Libby stopped him. She quickly cut some pieces of cotton cheesecake that she and Toby made earlier.

“Don’t worry. This one is surely edible and tasty. Toby helped me to make it. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

Barth stopped and looked at her deeply in the eye. He hugged the little girl who used to play a prank on him and now had become a mature woman. His eyes were teary but he wiped them off before anybody could see it. He kissed Libby on her forehead as if he would never see her again.

“Jimmy is surely proud of you, Libby. Take care of yourself. Don’t be sad and keep on fighting. Goodbye,” said Barth.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” cried Libby before Barth disappeared behind the door but he didn’t say anything in return, not even spinning around to wave. Maybe he didn’t hear it, she assumed.

“What do you want?” asked Toby uninterestedly as Russell made himself at home in his kitchen—well, technically, in Pastry Mystery’s cook’s room. He didn’t see any point of dealing with him anymore for Libby had said no to his financial aid.

“I just wanted to see it with my own eyes that you both can really do it without me. Well, I’m impressed,” stated Russell.

“Toby uses his parent's inheritance for this,” made up Libby. She didn’t know what to say but she surely didn’t want Russell to think that Toby might have stolen in whatsoever.

“Inheritance money, huh? I didn’t know that your parents were rich.”

“You don’t know anything about me,” bickered Toby.

“Anyway, who wants a piece of cotton cheesecake?” cut off Libby keeping an argument between Toby and Russell from happening.

*

Libby and Toby woke up earlier this morning since Stern was coming to renovate their patisserie today. The set aside some furniture and baking machines so they wouldn’t be in the way when Stern did his job. The handyman was supposed to come at nine o’clock in the morning but it was barely half-past seven and he was already at their door. Toby was still in the shower and Libby opened the door for him. Her mouth was still full of leftover cotton cheesecake that she had from yesterday when she welcomed her father’s other best friend beside Barth.

“Libby, if it’s okay, can we start the renovation tomorrow?” excused Stern without even stepping his feet inside the deli.

“Yeah, sure. Is there something wrong?” asked Libby cluelessly.

“Barth… Barth is dead.”