"Is he even still alive?" Lexy asked.

"Oh, yes. In fact, he lives right here."

Ida wrinkled her brow. "In the retirement center?"

"Yep. Tommy O'Keefe, 350 Pinewood."

"Oh? He has one of the single homes. Those are expensive, so he must have money." Ida's blue eyes danced with excitement. "Probably got it by being paid off to hide bodies in the homes he built."

Helen swatted Ida's arm. "Oh, Ida, you do have an imagination!"

"I think we need to make a visit to him, ladies. What do you think?" Ida asked.

"Definitely," Helen answered.

They all looked at Ruth for her answer but she was squinting intently at something past Lexy's shoulder, apparently not having heard them.

"Isn't that Mona?" Ruth asked.

Lexy spun in the direction of Ruth's gaze. "Yes, she must not see us."

"Mona! Yoo-hoo. We're over here!" Ida yelled.

Nans stopped short, then slowly turned toward them. Lexy thought she saw a look of uncertainty cross her grandmother's face, but then she broke into a smile and headed toward them.

"Where have you been?" Ida asked.

Nans face flushed and she looked down at the floor. "Oh, you know, just some errands. What are you all doing?"

"We're discussing our new case," Helen said.

"New case?"

"Yes," Ida nodded enthusiastically. "The basement mummy case. You know, the one Lexy found in Jack's basement."

"Oh, right." Nans waved her hand. "I heard about that. Very unusual."

"I'll say!" Ruth pulled a chair over from the next table and indicated for Nans to sit. "So, anyway, tell us what you know and we'll fill you in on what we've found out."

"Know? Why would I know anything?" Nans asked.

"You lived there back then. Surely, you've thought back and remembered something that might have been amiss," Helen prompted.

"We don't even know when it happened." Nans turned to Lexy. "Do we?"

"Not really. I mean, the police haven't said anything, but Jack thinks it happened when the house was being built."

Nans raised a brow. "Oh, really? So they can't pinpoint the time of death?"

"I'm not sure." Lexy looked around the table at the other ladies. "Can they pinpoint the time of death with a body that's been mummified?"

The three ladies shrugged.

"You lived there before they built the house, right, Mona?" Ruth asked.

Nans nodded."So whenever it happened, you were living there. You must have seen something," Helen said. "Think back. Did you notice any strange activity at night? An odd smell? If you want, I can hypnotize you to help you remember."

"Certainly not!" Nans said. "I mean, I don't need any help remembering. My memory is just fine and I tell you, I never saw anything strange going on."

"Well, we've found the builder and he lives right here in the complex. We intend to pay him a visit. Maybe you could bake one of your apple pies," Helen suggested. Nans' apple pies were famous, and the ladies had discovered long ago that bringing pies or pastry to interrogate ...err ... visit ... a suspect was a great way to get them to open up.

"Oh, I don't know." Nans grimaced. "I have a pretty full schedule."

"You don't know?" Ida gave Nans an incredulous look. "Jack is a suspect and that Watson Davies character could screw things up for him. We have to investigate, for Jack's sake."

"Davies might be a little hard to get along with, but she does a fine job," Nans said. "Remember how she uncovered the killer when we had that whole fiasco with your wedding dress, Lexy?"

"Sure, but I think we helped her on that one. And on the copycat baker case, too."

Nans tsked. "Maybe, but she's perfectly capable of figuring out this old case. Anyway, it happened so long ago, who would even care about it now?"

Lexy squinted at Nans. "I would think you would care."

"Yeah, aren't you going to investigate with us?" Ruth asked.

Nans shrugged. "I need to look over the new cases. Maybe if there's nothing else more interesting. I'm very busy and have to pick my cases carefully. You know, some things from the past are better left in the past."

Lexy exchanged a glance with Ruth, Ida and Helen.

Since when did Nans not want to investigate every case?

"But for now, I need to get upstairs. I have some calls to make." Nans slid the keys across the table to Ruth. "Thanks for the loaner."

Nans stood, plucked a meringue cookie from the box and took a bite. She turned to leave, swallowed then looked down at Lexy. "This is good, but it needs a bit more sugar."

And with that, Nans shuffled off across the lobby, leaving Lexy, Ruth, Ida and Helen staring after her.

Chapter Six.

"Do these seem like they need more sugar to you?" Lexy held one of the orange and vanilla meringue cookies out to Cassie.

Lexy had been a bit concerned the day before with Ruth, Ida and Helen's unusual silence about the cookies. The three ladies usually raved about Lexy's baking, so she figured that was their way of politely telling her they didn't like the taste. Nans had said they needed more sugar, which Lexy found hard to believe since she'd upped the amount for that recipe, but she took the advice and had come to the bakery early to bake another batch with a teaspoon more sugar.

That batch was now cooling in the oven, but she wanted Cassie's opinion on the recipe from the day before just to be sure she was doing the right thing.

Cassie bit into the cookie. She scrunched up her face comically, then swished the bite around in her mouth. She swallowed, then nodded. "Yep. Just a tad, though."

"Thanks. Maybe today's batch is sweeter." Lexy glanced over at the oven. She'd turned it off an hour ago and resisted the urge to peek in. The secret to perfect meringues was letting them cool slowly, and opening the oven would let in a rush of cold air, so she willed herself to be patient until the timer went off.

The smell of almonds drifted over from the counter, where Cassie was drizzling icing on a batch of almond scones. Lexy's mouth watered as she sidled over to the tray, reaching her hand out for one of the freshly drizzled pieces.

"I think I need to taste test this," Lexy said. "I rushed in here early to bake these meringues for my visit to the builder of Jack's house and I'm starving."

Cassie raised a pierced brow as Lexy took a bite. "You found the builder?"

"Yep. Ruth found him on the internet." Lexy broke off a corner of the scone while she finished chewing the piece she had in her mouth. "Did you hear anything more about the case from John? Davies won't tell Jack a thing, and last night Jack said he hadn't had a chance to catch up with anyone else in the department about it."

"No. He said Davies was doing all kinds of tests to figure out who the mummy was-when he died, and what killed him."

"Do you think they can pinpoint any of those things?"

Cassie shrugged. "Who knows? Jack must be anxious, though."

"He's trying to act like he's not, but I think he is." Lexy's heart twisted as she remembered their good-bye kiss earlier that morning. Jack had asked her to check in with him right after they talked to the builder and she could tell he was nervous. "But I think he'll be cleared soon since he's helping us on the case."

"That must be a rare treat for Nans and the ladies-usually it's them helping him."

Ding!

The timer announced that the meringues were ready and Lexy shoved the rest of the scone in her mouth, her taste buds delighting in the sweet icing and cake-like scone. She crunched one of the slivered almonds that had been sprinkled on top as she slowly opened the oven door.

She held her breath and peered inside, relieved to see rows of perfectly puffed meringue cookies, their tops peaking in a swirl. Perfect. She slid the tray out of the oven and grabbed a white bakery box, then carefully placed the cookies in the box.

Lexy untied her apron and pulled it over her head, smoothing her white, sleeveless blouse and checking her tan capris for spots of flour. Satisfied with her appearance, she grabbed the box and headed toward the door.

"I'm off to meet the ladies and visit Mr. O'Keefe," she called to Cassie.

"Okay, I'll hold down the fort," Cassie said. "Good luck."

Fifteen minutes later, Lexy pulled up in front of the retirement center, where the ladies were waiting anxiously at the door. They descended on her VW Beetle like a swarm of ants to a picnic and somehow Ruth, Ida and Helen managed to fold themselves into the tiny backseat while Nans slid into the passenger seat. Lexy always marveled at the dexterity the ladies displayed when getting into her car-they claimed it was all due to practicing yoga.

Helen poked her head in between the two front seats. "Thanks for picking us up, Lexy."

"You're welcome."

"O'Keefe's house is only about a half-mile up the hill, but we don't want to walk in our good shoes," Ida added.

"Plus, Ida's bunion is acting up," Ruth said and they all chuckled, except Ida, who elbowed Ruth in the ribs.

"I'm glad you decided to join us today," Lexy said to Nans as she drove across the parking lot to the road that led to the retirement center's single family homes.

"Well, I guess if you guys are going to investigate, I'll tag along." Nans half turned so that she could address everyone. "I'm just not sure this case warrants our time. And anyway, it seems cut and dried that it's the builder. But if the police can't pinpoint the time of death, then how can they prove it?"

"I'm not sure about that," Lexy said. "Cassie told me that Davies was running some tests to figure out when he died."

Nans swiveled her head toward Lexy. "Did she say how accurate they can be?"

"No."

"If its within days then that can help, but if its within years, I don't see how that would be of much use."

"Here's the house right here." Ruth shoved her hand in-between the front seats, her index finger pointing at a large, Tudor-style house on the right.

Lexy pulled into the driveway, eyeing the carpet of green grass and perfectly manicured shrubs that were ringed by purple, red and white flowers. It sure did look like Mr. O'Keefe had money, just like Ida had said. The question was ... did he get that money from building homes or from something else?

"I don't think we'll find out much here." Nans stepped out of the car and folded the front seat over for Ida, Ruth and Helen.

"Why not?" Helen asked. "If he's the killer, I'm sure he'll slip up somehow."

"That's right." Ruth started up the walkway. "Besides, we have a sixth sense for these things. If he's guilty, we'll know."

They reached the polished oak door and everyone looked toward Nans to take the lead as she usually did. Nans, however, didn't seem to want to take the lead and got busy studying her nails, so Ida pushed her way to the front of the group and punched the doorbell. "You guys let me do the talking. Just follow my lead."

The doorbell chimed and, after a few seconds, the door opened to reveal a pleasant-looking, white-haired gentleman who raised bushy white brows at them. His lips curled in a welcoming smile.

"Well, what can I do for you ladies?"

Ida glanced back at them and Lexy knew what she was thinking-he was acting awfully nice for a cold-blooded killer.

"We're neighbors from the retirement center," Ida said. "We've come on a welcoming visit."

His brows knit together in confusion. "Really? I've been living here for quite some time."

"Oh, we know. It takes us a while to get to everyone." Ida grabbed the bakery box from Lexy and held it up. "We brought cookies from The Cup and Cake downtown. Lexy here is the owner."

"Oh. Well, if there are cookies, then please come in." He pushed the door wide and they all filed into an oak-floored foyer.

"I'm Ida and this is Ruth, Helen, Lexy and Mona." Ida held her hand out.

"Tom O'Keefe." Tom favored each of them with a firm handshake, then turned down the hall. "Come on in to the kitchen."

Lexy peeked into the rooms as they followed him down the hall. The furnishings were expensive, but tasteful. Not opulent. The rooms were clean. The large kitchen at the back of the house boasted a panoramic view from the top of the hill along with stainless steel appliances, granite counters and an impressive fieldstone fireplace. Tom set the box down on the oversized kitchen island and bent down to rummage in the cabinet.

"How long have you ladies lived here?" His muffled voice came from inside the cabinet. "I don't believe I've met any of you."

"Ruth's been here for about ten years now. I've been here for seven and Helen and Mona have only lived here for a few years," Ida said. "Lexy is Mona's granddaughter. She doesn't live here, of course."

Tom surfaced from the cabinet and put a round platter on the island.

"I see she's got a few years before she's of age," he said, winking at Lexy as he took the cookies from the box and put them on the platter.

"Those are made from a new recipe Lexy is fixing to enter in the Brook Ridge Dessert contest," Ruth said.