This is the Mini Mystery that Woman’s World finally bought. I still have no idea why they preferred this one over the other three. It’s actually my least favorite.

Some folks will do anything to win…

The Bitsy Farmer Rocky Mountain Cake Bake-Off had played host to many wonderful desserts over the past ten years, but this was the first time it played host to a criminal.

Bitsy stared at the five finalists and frowned. When she began the contest a decade ago, it was to help new chefs. But things had gotten ugly. Really ugly.

Bitsy’s skills in the kitchen had given rise to a multi-million dollar cake-mix company. Always the innovator, Bitsy used the Rocky Mountain Cake Bake-Off to encourage amateur cooks. The winner received ten thousand dollars, plus her recipe would be sold through Bitsy’s company. But never before had Bitsy been faced with this dilemma.

An anonymous phone caller had informed Bitsy that one of the remaining contestants was planning to sabotage her competitors. Not only was that unfair, but the scandal could hurt the integrity of the event—an integrity Bitsy had spent years building.

Bitsy knew she had to figure out who the villain was, before the competition was ruined.

She walked over to Contestant #1, Suzi Snow. The elderly Ms. Snow reminded Bitsy of her grandmother; hair up in a gray bun and always smiling.

“Hello, Ms. Snow. What are you baking for us today?”

Ms. Snow grinned, showing off super-white dentures.

“My famous angel food cake, with a fresh raspberry glaze. I have a secret ingredient, passed down through six generations.”

“What is it?” Bitsy asked, curious.

Ms. Snow winked. “I’ll only share it if I win.”

Bitsy wished her luck, and walked through the kitchen studio over to Contestant #2, Maureen Hamilton. Maureen was Bitsy’s age, but shorter and perpetually scowling. She looked to be in a mood when Bitsy approached.

“The altitude is murderous,” Maureen moaned. “It will be a miracle if this chocolate cake turns out. Plus I don’t think this oven is calibrated correctly. I don’t want to lose because of faulty equipment.”

“I’ll send a technician over to check it out,” Bitsy said. She spoke into her walkie-talkie and asked someone to come by.

Maureen frowned and kept mixing.

Contestant #3 was Maria Espinoza. She’d brought her teenaged daughter with to assist, which the rules allowed. Both wore white latex gloves, which was definitely sanitary, but somewhat unusual.

“This will be the best angel food cake you’ve ever eaten,” Maria beamed.

Bitsy noticed that Maria’s daughter was opening a package of raspberries.

“Are you making a raspberry glaze?” she asked.

“Yes. I know that other lady is making a similar cake, but mine will be better. You’ll see.”

Bitsy bid her good baking and moved on the Contestant #4, Holly Doolittle. Holly was opening up packages of cream cheese, and Bitsy noted that her counter top was covered with graham cracker crumbs.

“Bitsy! I’m so excited to meet you! You’re my idol!”

“Thank you,” Bitsy said, a little embarrassed.

“I only hope my cake is half as good as one yours. You’ve got the be the best baker in all of Colorado. Boy, I just love you!”

Bitsy endured a hug, then moved along to the final contestant, Georgia Peters.

“Ms. Peters, I…”

“Shhh!” Georgia put a finger in front of her lips. “The first layer of my quadruple golden layer cake is in the oven. With this elevation, I can’t take any chances.”

“Sorry,” Bitsy whispered, somewhat mollified. “Good luck.”

“I don’t need luck,” Georgia whispered back. “This cake will win for sure.”

Bitsy’s walkie-talkie squawked. Georgia shot Bitsy an evil look at the intrusive sound, and Bitsy hurried away.

“What is it?” she asked into the radio.

“We found something.” It was Niki James, Bitsy’s assistant. “You’d better come and look.”

“Where are you?”

“In the hospitality suite.

Bitsy flew through the kitchen, down the hallway, and to the suite. When she arrived, Niki was as pale as cake flour.

“It was under the sofa, in a plain paper bag.”

She pointed to the table, and Bitsy gasped when she saw a gun laying next to a bowl of chips.

“When I became your assistant, I never knew I’d have to deal with anything more dangerous than a spatula,” Niki said. “Who would bring a gun to a bake-off?”

“Did you touch it?” Bitsy asked.

Niki nodded. “I didn’t know what was inside, so I reached in.”

“No name on the bag?”

“It’s just a regular paper lunch sack,” Niki said.

“How about on the gun?”

“I didn’t look close enough.”

Bitsy thought out loud. “How long has the hospitality suite been open?”

“It’s been open all night. I know for a fact that every contestant has been in here, some several times.”

Bitsy rubbed her temples. She couldn’t believe that one of the women she’d just met would commit murder just to win.

“Should we call the police?” Niki asked.

“Yes. We’ll have to cancel the bake-off.”

“The negative publicity will be devastating.”

“I know. But there’s nothing—”

Bitsy’s voice trailed off when her eyes locked on the gun. There was something unusual about it. She crept closer to get a better look.

“This isn’t a regular gun,” she said. “Look at the writing on the side.”

Niki came over and read the word engraved into the stock.

“Starter pistol? What’s that?”

“It’s used for races. It doesn’t fire real bullets. Only makes a loud noise.”

As the words left Bitsy’s mouth, she smiled.

“Call security. I know who the saboteur is.”

Who is the saboteur, and how did Bitsy know?

SOLUTION: Bitsy believed Holly Doolittle had brought the starter gun. A loud noise, especially at the high altitude in the Colorado Rockies, would cause flour-based cakes to collapse. Holly was making a cheesecake, which would be unharmed by the loud bang, ensuring a win. Holly had bragged about her plan to her next door neighbor, who placed the anonymous call to Bitsy.