Death by Cookies
Part 2
"I don't get this at all," Screamed a frustrated Mac as he looked over yet another autopsy. Of course no one heard him because he had an isolated office with doors and with the current racket of rioters being brought in.
It had been two weeks since the mysterious deaths of Elizabeth Webber Lansing, Nikolas Cassadine, Courtney Matthews Quartermaine Morgan Jacks, and Caroline Bensen Quartermaine Corinthos. Those weren't the only victims of these mysterious deaths; countless more have come in, but were rather unknown citizens.
He had, well others too, spent perhaps days looking for a connection, but the only connection you have is they ate at Kelly's, which everyone did and was not dead so it was a dead end to say the least.
Still he tried that lead, it did not pan out. He checked the food resources himself; they were not messed with as in composition. Nothing that would kill, not one thing in even their health records, nothing added up and he was stuck in a rut.
He got up nonetheless and proceeded to leave the police station. Maybe there was something suspicious after all and they were just overlooking it. He entered Kelly's as the bell rang, there were few people there as the kids were all at school and that was who really hung out here.
"Is this a social visit or another investigation site," Mike asked.
"I'm sorry Mike, I really am, but I really need a break here. You have no idea the amount of stress I am on here. Once an international prince dies, people wants answers because he is just that, royalty." Mac explained.
"I can't help you anymore Mac, I told you all I know." Mike offered.
"I'm sure there is something I am missing." Mac insisted and he once again gave the counter a double over and viola, found something. "Hey, were those cookies here a few days ago?" He asked.
"Actually no to be honest, I have found them every couple days there ever since that first batch was found in the kitchen." Mike told him.
"Cookies…mysteriously are showing up, when did they start?" Mac asked could it be the missing link.
"Oh, two weeks ago, they are a big hit and what harm could a cookie do?" Mike supposed.
"Do you know who cooked them?" Mac asked.
"One of the waitresses is my guess. I give them free reign of the kitchen and I think it's an anonymous gift to the diner and me." Mike offered.
"Hmm…do you think perhaps they may be poisoned?" Mac wondered out loud.
"Why would I want to kill my customers' commissioner?" Mike asked hypothetically.
"No, not you, I searched your kitchen, and there is nothing but rat poison in there and that hasn't been touched in a while. I'm thinking this mysterious waitress has it and has decided to make an epidemic of a sort." Mac proposed.
"What, Mac? A serial killer that murders by putting poison in cookies," Mike had a hearty laugh at that. "But go ahead and test them, but I'm telling you, there is nothing suspicious in those cookies."
Mac did and sent a few into testing; gazing at the rest of the evidence while writing a short report on the consideration it might be the problem. The laboratory had little to do surprising so he got it back the next day.
It was all a dead end, like Mike said, nothing suspicious, not a trace unless the chance was that the extra killer ingredient could not have been sensed. Still he had to allow Mike to start selling them again after finding nothing
His daughter, Maxie and her boyfriend Jesse came back with a few after school the next day.
"Maxie, I don't think you should be eating those." Mac argued with her.
"Oh come on dad, they won't kill me. They will certainly kill my waist line and raise my sugar level, perhaps even keep me awake, but they won't kill me. It's only a cookie. You saw the tests; there was nothing wrong with them. Besides, have you tried one? They are delicious." Maxie reasoned.
"They are Mr. Scorpio, can you safely say that you weren't tempted to try one when you had them?" Jesse encouraged.
"Alright, I'll try one." He gave in; it was one dare he could not let go of. He took a bite and it was as good as Maxie and Jesse said. Maybe he was wrong after all, how could something so sweet and delicious kill people?
Days past and Kelly's was rapidly filling again for those looking for a late lunch. Reese was sitting at the counter and biting into a sandwich. She had to go to work soon. Ever since the former Commissioner Mac Scorpio, his daughter Maxie and her boyfriend Jesse had joined the list of the mysteriously dead, she had unexpectantly got his job.
All she knew was Maxie did not mysteriously die, but was still listed nonetheless until recently at least. She had proved it was just too much sugar for her already weak heart. But that was being changed as she ate. She won that one, now to explain the others and especially Mac's death.
Leaving her predecessor's death open would open suspicion on her part. Not that she really wanted his job anyway, but she took what she could get. Jobs were spacious and rare these days, especially in a small town like Port Charles.
"I can't believe Mac won't ever be coming in here again." Mike said, shaking his head. "One of my best customers, he was." Mike was still down by the lack of his best customers. While the business was still thriving, there were faces that would never enter the restaurant again.
"Yeah, the last time he came in he came up with a death by cookies idea?" Reese asked.
"He did, take the whole batch and tested them. Found nothing, went back to selling them seeing there was nothing wrong with them. I told him the same thing, but he insisted on trying that lead anyway." Mike explained.
"I was a FBI agent and I have never heard of that one. I've heard of tea poisoning and maybe red meat, but not cookies." Reese admitted. "But I have got to go, but before I ask, could I have one of those infamous cookies? Maybe they will kill me too." Reese and Mike laughed as he did and she paid her bill.
As she left the door swung open with Tracy Quartermaine coming through. "I tell you, no respect whatsoever." Tracy complained as she took the seat Reese was formerly at.
Mike hated her, but as long as she was a paying customer, he'd not say anything disrespectful. "The usual?" he supposed.
"Yes, please do, and add one of those cookies in while you are at it. If I have to deal with those…those….people I need as much energy as I can get." She told him.
"Very well," Mike did as she said.
The next day came, but neither Tracy nor Reese came to work in the morning. In fact, they never placed foot there again.