Sugar Rush

“Got another damn e-mail!” He shook his fist and Eliot saw the crumpled papers for the first time.

He took the pages and pretended to be interested in what he was reading. He already knew it was for the Willows Day Care. He’d seen the requisition for their order yesterday. He considered warning his uncle that there would be one coming from the Thumbelina Nursery, as well, but decided that was only asking for trouble.

“Here we are sinking, and you’re out gallivanting around.”

“I told you I’m taking care of it.”

“How? By spending the day doing whatever the hell you do, instead of finding a way to get rid of this little pain in my ass!”

Eliot picked up his pen and twirled it between his index fingers. “What if I told you I spent the day working in the kitchen of the Mayfield Bakery and now know a lot more about them than I did two days ago?”

For one of maybe three times in his life, Eliot realized he’d managed to surprise Carl.

“What?”

“I went there to speak to the owner. They all assumed I was the new baker, so I played along to get the feel of the place. Do you realize they are still using a recipe book?” He shook his head, still stunned by that fact. “The owner is a woman named Mae Ann Mayfield, but the real brains of the operation is the granddaughter, Sophie. She’s the real threat.”

“How big an operation is it?”

“It’s just what we thought it was—a small-town bakery. But I could see they were improving their equipment and processes, and with Sophie in charge they will be able to really compete soon enough.”

“They are already competing, that’s the problem. But…you were inside the store, huh?”