Excerpt of Fudge Brownies & Murder by Janel Gradowski

Amy stopped to examine the menu. A sweet and savory squash casserole with dried figs and blue cheese caught her eye. When she stepped up to order, the woman behind the counter smiled. Her walnut-colored hair was braided and coiled into a bun on the back of her head. "Hello. What can I get for you?"

Since Amy had never tried a squash casserole even remotely similar to the daily special, she had to order it. Trying unique foods was a compulsion. The woman kept glancing at Amy as she was preparing the order. After exchanging the foam box for payment, she tilted her head to the side and said, "You look so familiar, but I can't figure out why."

Amy smiled. "I was a competitor in the Market Mash-up Melee, teamed up with Brooke's BBQ in the finals."

"Oh, that's right! That was so much fun."

"So did you decide not to use the truck over the winter? I would imagine it's much more comfortable in here than on a street with snow blowing in your order window."

The proprietress, who was wearing a name tag that said her name was Grace, shook her head. "Actually, the van died. It used to belong to my parents. They used it as a camper, so it had a long, adventurous life. I remember camping in it in St. Ignace when I was a kid. When we found out how much it would be to repair, Susie and I decided to apply for one of the spots here. Best decision we've ever made." She leaned over the counter and quietly said, "I would rather have different neighbors. The smell of bacon grease makes me queasy, but business just keeps getting better."

Eau de bacon was drifting from the Southern Gals' hot table with only a jams and jellies booth as a buffer between the two. Talk about conflicting interests. As Amy pondered what to say, Candi Edwards, another competitor in the market's summer cooking competition who had been teamed up with The Veggie Van, slipped between the divider wall and cash register cart to join Grace behind the counter. She smiled, an expression that resembled a dog baring its teeth as a warning more than a friendly greeting. "Amy Ridley. I could swear I saw you working at Riverbend Bake Shop. Have you defected from the barbecue truck?"

"Um…not really. I worked at the downtown location of Riverbend long before I was teamed up with Brooke's BBQ for the contest. I'm absolutely still friends with Brooke and her crew, but I really don't think they were looking for anybody else to work in the truck after the contest anyway."

Candi's wavy brown ponytail, secured with a cheerleader- style white ribbon bow, swayed back and forth as she draped her arm over Grace's shoulder. "Grace and Susie didn't know they were looking for an employee either, but I convinced them that they had to hire me."

The expression on Grace's face seemed more like a silent plea for help than a show of affection for her self- appointed employee. She managed a slight smile and said, "Candi helps us out during lunch rush a few times a week, whether we ask her to or not."