Overdue for Murder

œSure, and then there was the time you tried to make Judd that cake and forgot to put the eggs in.”
“I should have caught that.”
“Yeah, we had to put candles on a box of honey buns that day. You got a track record for bad baking, baby girl.”
Zach and Danny ran into the kitchen. “Mama,” Danny said. “We’re going to break the world record.”
“What world record?” Maggie asked.
“All of them!” Danny answered.
“We’re still figuring out what incredible thing we’re going to do, Aunt Maggie, so I’m glad you got your hair done.” Zach stretched out his arms, imagining his future paparazzi. “There will probably be hundreds of reporters out on the lawn after we do it.”
“Thanks for the warning,” she smiled.
I paged through the glossy photos in the cookbook. There were cakes that looked like circuses, swimming pools, insects, hats, cartoon characters. I started having a case of baking terror. “You know, Aunt Maggie. I could always drive into Houston and buy something and bring it back. They’ll never know.”
“You’ll know.”
I sighed.
“You could make a cake out of rubber bands,” suggested Zach.
I nodded. “That’s original, but not too tasty.” I turned the page and spotted the cake labeled “Beginner’s Crocodile Cake.” How kind of them to have a cake that was supposed to be easy enough for people like me. I grabbed a pen and started writing down the ingredients I would need. Surely I could stir up some green frosting and turn it into something.