Blue Ribbon Murder

         She scrutinized the apple, starring it down on the kitchen counter, with a sharp, shiny blade in her hand ready to slice and dice. This apple, innocent as it was, was going to contribute to her delicious, and quite famous (if she did say so herself) apple pie alamode. The annual River’s Bend pie-baking contest was coming up and Adina won it every year. It was a wonder why anyone else even competed sometimes. She wasn’t a self-centered woman, all the time, but she was very proud of her baking accomplishments. She had six blue ribbons for her pies and they hung proudly over the stove, reminding her to work hard.

         She cut into the small, green apple; its yellowish juices flowing like little rivers down its side. With a smug grin on her face, she sliced it into four sections and cut those into halves. Her eyes kept peeking out the window at the backyard at a large mound of dirt, just under the large, sweeping willow tree. He had gotten in her way, she thought. He deserved everything she had given to him. She’d been hearing rumors that Mrs. Nettleton had been cooking up a winning recipe and was going to be big competition for Adina. Well, Mrs. Nettleton would get the same thing Adinas husband, buried out back under the willow tree, had gotten, if she didn’t beware. Nothing came between Adina and that blue ribbon.

         Once the pie was in the oven and baking, Adina took off her apron and washed the knife that she had used. She thought back to two years ago, when Charlie Morten had tried to cheat to win. Adina had found out of course, that he was going to buy a store bought pie and had promptly taught him a lesson by spiking his Mountain Dew with rat poison. He had suddenly disappeared and Adina was the only one who, to this day, knew where he lay. Adina Glass had won that year, as she had in years before and years to come. It was her pride and joy, these pies. It was a secret family recipe passed down through the generations, starting with her great-great grandmother. Looking out the window of the back door, she saw old Mrs. Nettleton in her kitchen, baking her contest pie.

         She knew the old hag was going to try and cheat her out of her blue ribbon. She was sure of it. It was always something every year. Charlie with the store bought pie, Marnie Chestnut three years ago who had tried to spike her pie with hot sauce, and her very own husband last year who tried to tell her she was insane and that it was just a pie. Just a pie! Ha! Just a pie. It was not just a pie. It was a little slice of heaven, pure ecstasy and joy. She shrugged. Well she had shown him anyway. She’d shown them all. And she would show Mrs. Nettleton. The smell from the pie had started wafting through the kitchen. It smelled so lovely. This was her best pie yet.


~*~*~*~*~


         It was almost dawn and Adina had a plan. Every night at 6:30 Mrs. Nettleton took her trash out. And promptly at 7:00 she sat down to eat dinner with her ten cats. The old widower was probably a witch, Adina speculated. An old witch who was going to cast a spell on her own pie to win the judges over. Well, Adina thought, that’s not going to work either. Behind her back, She hid a large silver kitchen knife, the same one she had used to slice her apples. This also would contribute to her winning of yet another blue ribbon. It would be a seventh to add to the growing line above her stove.

         At 6:25 Adina went out back and hid beside the side of Old Mrs. Nettletons house. She waited patiently, after all patience was a virtue, for the old woman to emerge from her back door carrying a medium sized brown bag in her hands. When Mrs. Nettleton’s back was turned Adina made her move. She grabbed Mrs. Nettleton around the waist.

         She held the knife at the old womans throat, threatening to cut at any second. Mrs. Nettleton squirmed and tried to scream but they really just came out as muffled cries.

         “So you think you can win this year eh?” Adina said, her usually steady voice wavering. Mrs. Nettleton squirmed in response.

         “I can smell your pie from here ma’m, it will be delicious,” then she laughed. A sort of high pitched maniacal laughter. This time of year always made her a teensy bit crazy, stressing out over the pies and what not. Finally Adina dragged Mrs. Nettleton into the house, still holding the knife to her throat. She locked the door behind her.

         “It’s been really great being your neighbor for so long Mrs. Nettleton, but I just can’t have you as competition. I mean, really, what would become of my reputation?” Adina laughed again, the idea of her losing was preposterous.

         “Maybe Heaven will enjoy your pies,” she said.

         “Kill me if you want, but it will come back on you,” Mrs. Nettleton muttered through Adina’s fingers. Adina just laughed, not taking the old woman’s threats seriously. One last look into the old woman’s frightened eyes and she slid the knife evenly across her throat. Blood ran over the knife and down Mrs. Nettletons dress and over Adina’s hands. She dropped the body to the floor as if she were a rag doll. Adina sighed. Now she would have a mess to clean up, but that was a small price to pay, after all, a blue ribbon was a blue ribbon.

         Adina cleaned up her hands and the knife and disposed of the body. Buried it in the backyard beside her husband. Adina was exhausted and washed the dirt from her hands. She could still smell Mrs. Nettletons pie and didn’t want it to burn. She took it out of the oven and tasted a bit. Oh this was good! Mrs. Nettleton would have won the contest for sure, had Adina not taken care of the situation. Thank goodness!
She picked up the pie and brought it back to her house. All was quiet now, the neighborhood was dark. Everyone had gone to sleep. But Adina was still working on her pie. She checked it and decided it should stay in there for a bit longer. She cut herself a slice of Mrs. Nettletons pie and helped herself. She took a huge bite and savored its freshness and sweet apple taste.

         After a second helping, she wrapped up the rest and put it in the refrigerator. Her own pie was finally done and did the same with it. She got ready for bed and then went to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

         The next morning Adina woke up with a stomach ache. She must have had too much pie last night. She tried to get out of bed but when she sat up she was immediately dizzy. She lay back down and brought her hand to her forehead. It was hot. She must be getting sick.

         Then a horrible thought struck her. What if…? No that was impossible. That old wench wouldn’t do such a thing. Slowly, so as not to fall over or pass out, she got out of bed and dressed. She hobbled to the pies in the refrigerator and suddenly realized she couldn’t tell them apart.

         As quickly as she could she made her way sneakily to the old woman’s back yard and into the kitchen. And to her horror, something she had not seen last night, on the counter sat a box of rat poison. The top was open as if it had been used recently. But they didn’t have rats here, Adina had lived here her entire life and had never once laid eyes on a rat.

         She gulped and felt her stomach tie in knots. She had been poisoned. How had Adina Glass been bested? What would become of her pies and her well known reputation? Before she could think of answers to the questions, she passed out in the kitchen and she was never heard from again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

         Her body was found days later and police came to the conclusion that Adina Glass had committed suicide and the case was closed. Mrs. Nettleton and Mr. Glass have yet to be discovered lying buried in the backyard of the Glass residence.

         A young lady named April Vinehart won River Bends Pie Baking Contest that year and thus began a new dynasty of the pie kind.

THE END