Diana Orgain's Blog, page 14

Chapter Three Part Two

“Are you ready to begin?” asked Leo.

“I’m, ready when you are,” Mona said as she thought about Lacey
and the circumstances surrounding Collin’s death.

Was it a coincidence that Collin dies only a few weeks after Leo returns to
town?”

“Mona, did you hear the question?” Leo asked.

“Can you repeat it?” Mona asked.

“You told me that Lacey called you just before the fire, is, that
right?”

“It is, it should be on my cell phone, in the history.”

“Good, I may need to see that at some point in the future, so don’t
erase it.”

“Fine. I have it right here,” answered Mona.

“About the warehouse, you and Vicki both said you never used it,
tell me about it,” prompted Leo.

“The warehouse was part of the shop, but it wasn’t renovated, and
the roof leaked. It needed some serious repairs and a good cleaning. I
had high hopes that it would be stocked full of jams, jellies, and your
sister’s honey products, but it doesn’t look like that is ever going to
happen now,” Mona said; her throat constricted, and her voice
cracked.

Leo looked alarmed, and Mona regretted becoming emotional in
front of him. She reached for a napkin to dab her eyes, but Leo pulled
a handkerchief from his breast pocket.

“Here,” he said, handing her the soft cloth.

Their knuckles bumped, sending an electric jolt through Mona
making her cheeks flush. She cleared her throat and nervously wrig‐
gled in her chair.

Oh my Lord! I’m an idiot! Get it together, Mona! She thought.

The doorbell rang and startled them.

Oh no!

Aunt Bee!

Leo swiveled in his chair, turning toward the front room. “Are you
expecting anyone?”

Mona rose. “It’s probably my Aunt Bee.”

There’s no avoiding her now! What terrible timing she has. I should have
returned her calls.

Leo stood with her and walked behind her as Mona crossed the
front room and opened the door.

Aunt Bee stood on the porch. Her curly white hair peeked out
from under a leopard print cowboy hat. She wore an outrageously
bright pink wrap-around skirt and a white blouse with a lacy neck‐
line. Her boots matched the hat. She looked embarrassingly adorable,
and Mona cringed while Leo chuckled.

Aunt Bee threw herself into Mona’s arms. “My dear! Why haven’t
you called me? I thought you’d gone up in a puff of smoke!”

Mona squeezed her Aunt. “I’m sorry, Aunt Bee. Forgive me. I’m
still slightly in a state of shock.”

Aunt Bee untangled herself from Mona and pushed inside the
house. She stopped short at seeing Leo. “Oh my goodness. What is this
handsome young man doing here?” Aunt Bee wiggled her hips and
shoulders and gave Mona a meaningful look.

Oh Lord! Can a hole open up and swallow me whole, please?

Leo smiled. “Hello Aunt Bee. I’m here on official duty I’m afraid.”

Aunt Bee gave a pouty face and grabbed his hand. “One day, Mr.
Leo Lawson, you’re going to realize that my Great Niece is a good
catch—”

“That’s enough, Aunt Bee,” Mona said, her face burning. She
rushed to separate her Aunt from Leo.

Aunt Bee giggled. “But I haven’t finished telling him how great you
are.”

Mona said. “We’ve known each a long time, Aunt Bee—”

“Which means, I know how great Mona is,” Leo said, with an easy
smile.

Aunt Bee shrugged, undeterred. “Well, maybe. But do you know
how head-over-heels in love she—”

Mona coughed over Aunt Bee’s last word, and Leo quirked an
eyebrow at her.

An awkward silence descended over them, and Mona figured
talking about murder was a better option than committing one.

Leo’s here because Collin MacInroy died in the fire yesterday,”
Mona said.

Aunt Bee took a step back, a wrinkled hand jumping to cover her
heart. Her face showed shock, and Mona suddenly regretted blurting
out the news. She clutched Aunt Bee’s hand and ushered her to the
couch.

“Oh, poor Collin! Poor Lacey!” said Aunt Bee. “That’s horrible. He
was so young.”

“Can I get you something to drink?” Mona asked. “I just made a
pot of coffee.”

Aunt Bee nodded at her, and Mona hesitated for a moment to
leave Aunt Bee alone with Leo, but one glance at Leo told her he was
back to business. He’d pulled out his notebook and asked Bee, “Did
you know Collin very well?”

Mona retreated into the kitchen and poured Aunt Bee a rich
sugary cup of coffee. She put a few of Vicki’s honey cookies on a small
tray and headed back into the living room.

Leo and Aunt Bee dug into the cookies, leaving only crumbs on
the tray.

“So, Mona, tell me about the kitchen at Jammin’ Honey. Did you do
any cooking yesterday morning?” Leo asked

Guilt choked Mona, and she couldn’t meet Leo’s eyes. In her mind,
she frantically retraced her steps in the kitchen yesterday. She had
turned off the burner. She was sure of it.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and said, “I made a pot of
coffee and turned a burner on for a quick batch of jam.”
Leo studied her a moment. “Uh huh. Then what?”

“I got a call from Lacey, telling me to get over to the bakery, so I
turned the burner off,” she hesitated and looked at his face for reas‐
surance. When all she saw was grim determination, she steeled herself
and repeated. “I turned the burner off and left the shop.”

Leo’s fingers drummed on the coffee table. “Are you certain that all
sources of heat were turned off?”

“Of course she is!” Aunt Bee screeched.

Mona nodded at Aunt Bee, feeling grateful for her support.

Nothing like a defensive octogenarian in your corner.

“I don’t normally leave anything on, maybe the coffee pot since I
was coming right back, but that shouldn’t have triggered a fire,” she
answered. “Right, I mean it’s got an automatic shutoff …”

“All the newfangled gadgets have automatic shut offs these days,”
Aunt Bee said.

Leo nodded. “Right. And the burner, you’re sure you turned it off?”
Am I sure?

“Yes, I never leave burners on,” Mona said, “At least, I don’t
normally.”

“Never or not normally? To be clear, you don’t recall whether you
turned off the burner or not, is that correct?”

“Don’t badger her!” Aunt Bee squealed.

“I’m not badgering her,” Leo said. “I’m asking a clarifying
question.”

“Ugh! Okay you two, don’t argue,” Mona exclaimed. “I’m doing the
best I can.” She buried her head in her hands.

Aunt Bee stood. “Now you’ve upset her!”

Leo stood too. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to get to the bottom—”

Mona motioned for them to sit down. “Calm down. I’m sorry to
say, I just don’t remember exactly. I swear to you, Leo, I really think I
turned it off … but I’m not a 100%.”

He nodded and made a note.

What did he just write?

As if reading her mind, Aunt Bee exclaimed, “What did you write
down? She turned it off. She says she turned it off! Don’t you dare
write anything other than that down. I don’t care how cute you are!”

Leo smirked. “Okay, Aunt Bee. I don’t want to do anything to
make you angry.”

Mona grabbed at his hand. “Leo, if I left the burner on, it would be
the first time I’ve ever done that.”

He gave her a sympathetic look. “Unfortunately, there’s a first time
for everything, and all it takes is one mistake and you have a mess on
your hands,” he said.

Mona stiffened.

It’s coming out all wrong. I sound like an irresponsible dingbat.

“That morning, can you remember any odors?” Leo asked. “Did
you notice smoke or a burning smell?”

“No, not that I can recall, I was in the front of the shop for most of
the morning.”

“Did you see anything unusual or see anyone acting out of the
ordinary in any way?” Leo asked.

Mona racked her brain, every minute of that morning replaying in
her mind, “No. I can’t say that I noticed anything unusual except for
the phone call from Lacey and her insistence that I go to the bakery at
once. I asked her if it could wait, and she insisted that it couldn’t. You
know how Lacey is, she can be …” Mona bit her lip. She remembered
Leo had dated Lacey. Maybe he didn’t know what she meant at all.

“That Lacey can be pushy,” Aunt Bee said.

“Go on,” Leo said to Mona.

“I don’t mean to suggest anything,” Mona said uncomfortably.

“Only that she can be demanding at times, at least she can with me.

“Who was at the bakery when you arrived, and is there anyone
who can vouch for how long you were there?” Leo asked.

“Vouch for her?” Aunt Bee shrieked. “What do you mean? You can’t
possibly think Mona had anything to do with that fire or with Collin’s
death.”

Leo looked unfazed, his expression unchanging as Aunt Bee
berated him.

Mona tried not to let her annoyance show.

Does he really think I’d lie about being at the bakery?

“Yes, there are people who can vouch for me. Lacey and one of her
employees,” Mona said. “And there were customers at the bakery
when I got there, they could confirm my whereabouts.”

Lacey can definitely vouch for my whereabouts at the time of the fire, but
will she?

Mona twisted the handkerchief Leo had given her, her sorrow
slowly turning to anger.

Leo closed his notebook and finished his coffee. “That’s it, that’s all
I need for now. I’ll be in touch.”

“I bet you will,” Aunt Bee murmured.

“Do you have my number?” Mona asked.

“No, let me get that from you,” he said.

She gave him her number and absently wondered when he’d call.

Ugh! It feels like high school all over again.

Leo opened his wallet and handed her a card. “Mona.” He glanced
at Aunt Bee and cleared his throat. “This is strictly off the record, I
talked to the fire chief, and the building isn’t a total loss. The fire
destroyed the warehouse and the kitchen, and there’s some smoke
damage to the shop, but the fire department managed to save the
shop. Does that help?”

“Will it help her pay back Cecelia?” Aunt Bee asked.
Mona cringed.

“I suppose that will depend on the insurance company and the
findings from the arson team.” He tapped his notebook, “but my
records show you turned off the burner.”

“Thank you, Leo,” Mona said, as she held herself back from
hugging him.

She walked him out the front door and stood on the porch as he
drove away.

It’s not fair, how he could come home to Magnolia Falls after all those
years and climb right back into my heart?

Looking at the mountains, she realized that Leo didn’t have to
climb back into her heart, he’d never left.

”I couldn’t stop reading!”

”Fast-paced and fun. I love these mysteires!”

”Diana Orgain is my new favorite author!”

Diana Orgain is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Maternal Instincts Mystery Series, Love or Money Mystery series, and The Roundup Crew Mysteries. Diana is also the New York Times Bestselling co-author of the Scrapbooking Mystery Series with Laura Childs. To keep up to date with the latest releases visit Diana at www.dianaorgain.com

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Published on May 10, 2021 01:21

Murder as Sticky as Jam (Cooking up Murder Mystery Series: Book One) Sneak Peek – Chapter Three

Murder as Sticky as Jam: Book 1

Did you miss Chapter One?

Did you miss Chapter Two?

Chapter Three

Mona turned to Vicki and mouthed, “Murder?”

Vicki was far less subtle, “Leo, that’s not possible!”
she shouted. “There wasn’t anyone there today but Mona.”

“The firemen discovered a body in the shop’s warehouse,” Leo said.

“A body?” Mona repeated, still in shock.

Leo nodded slowly.

Mona frowned. “That can’t be right. The warehouse is all boarded
up. We haven’t even had a chance to clean it …” She shook her head,
trying to process her thoughts.

How could someone have been in the warehouse?

Vicki jumped in to say, “We weren’t using the warehouse. It was
badly in need of repair.”

“It was just me in the shop today, I swear.” Mona said. “There
wasn’t anyone with me.”

“You may not have been using your warehouse, but someone was
there today,” Leo said.

Vicki shook her head and said, “No, Leo. You must have it wrong,
we would’ve known if someone was there.”

Mona thought about her morning at the shop and quietly admit‐
ted, “Wait Vicki, it might be true, I mean I did have the music on while
I was pricing stock in the front of the store. Someone could have been
in the warehouse, and I may not have heard them. I just can’t imagine
who would have been back there, it was a mess.”

Leo provided the answer, “We were able to identify the remains as
belonging to Collin MacInroy.”

Vicki gasped, and Mona stared at Leo, “Collin was in our ware‐
house? What in the world was he doing there?”

“Collin MacInroy?” Mona muttered. “Lacey’s husband?”

“That can’t be right, it just can’t be,” Vicki said.

Leo shook his head back and forth in silence. “I’m afraid it’s true.”

A stunned silence fell on the group. Mona knew Collin had been
Leo’s dear friend in high school. They had served in the military
together, but they’d returned home separately and never seemed close
again. She studied Leo’s face now, full of grief, and she longed to
embrace him. Instead, she reached out and brushed his hand.

His jaw tightened, and he gave her a brief nod.

Vicki had no reservations, she wrapped Leo in a bear hug and said,

“No. Leo! Not Collin. I’m so sorry!”

Leo stiffened under his sister’s hug, and he uncoiled himself
from her grip. He stood. “I have to find out why he was there,” Leo
said.

“I was at Lacey’s bakery today when the fire broke out,” Mona said.

“She called me and, pretty much, insisted that I go over immediately
to meet with her.

“Meet with her for what?” Vicki asked.

“She said I had to approve a recipe, how weird is that, I was at her
bakery when her husband was in the warehouse, that can’t be a coin‐
cidence, can it?” asked Mona.

“That is interesting,” Leo said, pulling out a small notebook from
the breast pocket of his uniform. “I have to take a statement about
your whereabouts today and the events of the morning, are you
prepared to do that tonight?”

Vicki and Mona exchanged glances, and Mona sighed.

The news of Collin’s death in her warehouse was more than Mona
could handle for one day, she turned to Leo, “You’re the officer in
charge of this case, if I need to make a statement tonight, I’ll do that
for you, but I can’t think anymore—”

“I can swing by in the morning.” Leo offered.

“If it can wait until tomorrow, I’d be grateful,” Mona said.

Leo nodded and put the notebook back into his pocket. “It’s been a
tough day for all of us,” he said, standing. “How does seven tomorrow
morning sound?”

“Seven will be fine, I’ll make sure I’m awake,” Mona said.

Leo turned to Vicki. “Vicki, are you going to be okay?”

“I’ll be okay.” She glanced at Mona and gave her a reassuring smile.
“We both will.”

Mona grimaced but said nothing.

Vicki turned back to her brother. “Do you need a statement from
me, too?”

“I’ll call you tomorrow and arrange for one of the other officers to
take your statement, since I’m your brother. I don’t want anyone
accusing me of having a conflict of interest.”

Vicki nodded. “Okay. If you need me, I’m staying here with Mona
tonight.” She leaned over and gave Mona’s knee a squeeze.

“No problem,” Leo said.

Mona started to stand to see Leo out, but he stopped her.

“Don’t get up,” Leo said. “You’ve been through a lot today, get some
rest and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Vicki said.

Mona waved at them, “See you later,” she called to Leo as he left.

Vicki closed the front door softly behind them, and Mona was left
alone in her living room.

Arson and murder.

Those words replayed over and over in her head as she lay on the
couch and pulled the afghan over her head. Willing herself to wake up,
she found that she wasn’t dreaming.

This wasn’t a nightmare.

It was all happening, and there wasn’t anything she could do to
stop it.

Mona awoke before dawn the following morning, she hadn’t
slept well and the image staring back at her in the bathroom mirror
confirmed that. Even the dark bags under her red, puffy eyes had dark
bags.

Mona showered, dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Brushing
her hair, she debated with herself about putting on make-up.

Do I want to look like I’m trying to get his attention?

Settling for tinted moisturizer, a dab of concealer, and a swipe of
berry lip stick, she walked out of the bathroom and joined Vicki in the
kitchen.

Vicki greeted her with a smile, “Good morning, I made a pot of
coffee.”

“What would I do without you?”

“This morning you might have to find out, I’ve to get back to the
farm, my chickens and honey bees are probably wondering where
I am.”

Mona tried not to panic. She hadn’t planned to be alone with Leo,
“Vicki, can’t they wait until after Leo leaves, I mean, after I give my
statement?”

Vicki slid her purse onto her shoulder and hugged Mona as she
said, “I wish I could stay, but I need to get home to see about the
chicks; they are accustomed to their freedom at five a.m. and I’m
already overdue.”

“I understand, call me later.”

“I sure will, bye!” Vicki waved as she walked out the door.

Mona poured a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and realized that it was quarter to
seven, and Leo would be there any second. Her heart raced, and she
was overcome with anxiety.

Managing to convince herself that she was over Leo all those years
he was in the army, Mona wasn’t prepared for his return. It was easier
to lie to herself about her true feelings when Leo was on the other
side of the world and not seated across from her. Drinking coffee in
her kitchen, her hands trembling, she hated to admit it, she was still in
love with Leo.

She ran to her bedroom and looked at the reflection in the mirror,
she suddenly didn’t like what she was wearing. Staring at the clothes
in her closet, she fretted about what to wear.

Her cell phone vibrated on her nightstand, and she jumped for it.

Maybe Leo was calling to cancel.

The screen told her it was Aunt Bee again. She hesitated, if she
didn’t pick up, Aunt Bee would be on her doorstep soon, and yet, did
she really have the energy to talk to her Aunt right now, when Leo
would be here any minute?

The doorbell rang, it was too late to change or talk to Aunt Bee.

She sent her into voicemail and raced out to the front room.

Mona opened the door to find Leo standing on her front porch
gazing at the mountains in the distance. He spoke in a hushed tone,

“The view from your porch is magnificent. I missed the mountains
when I was in the desert.”

Mona stepped out of her house and joined him, “That is one
reason I stayed in town. I don’t think anywhere else in the world
could rival this.”

They stood side by side, gazing at the green mountains rising into
the low hanging clouds of the morning sky. Neither spoke in that
tranquil moment, but the thoughts swirling in Mona’s head didn’t let
her enjoy the moment.

Leo was standing beside her, her heart ached to feel his arms
around her, his lips on hers, but it was a daydream. Leo had never
held her, and she’d never felt his kiss. If anything, he was always
fraternal with her, but this misty morning on the porch, she
discovered she wasn’t over him.

Resisting the urge to throw herself at him, she looked at the
mountains instead, waiting for him to speak or act.

“I could stand on your porch for hours, but we have work to do,
are you ready?” Leo asked as he tuned to face Mona.

They were only about a foot apart.

It would be so easy to lean in and kiss him.

“Mona, are you okay,” Leo asked.

Mona jolted out of her fantasy. “What?”

“Are you ready to give me your statement?”

“Yes, I’m sorry, I didn’t sleep well, please, come in,” she said. “Vicki
made us some strong coffee before she left.”

Leo nodded and followed her inside to the kitchen. He sat down at
the table and waited patiently for her to pour him a cup.

I could get used to looking at him, Mona thought. He looks like he
belongs here.

He belongs with me.

She placed the coffee on the table in front of him and asked, “How
do you take it?”

“Black is fine. Just a word of warning, this is going to be informal,
so I may have to ask you to come to the station in the future as things
come up, do you understand?”

“Sure,” Mona replied as she sat down.

“Good, let’s get started. I need to ask you a few questions to get the
ball rolling in this investigation. You were the only other person in the
shop yesterday. Any details you can provide will help me solve this
case and find out what happened to Collin.”

“Collin, I’m struggling not to think about that, I had nightmares
about it last night when I tried to sleep. How is Lacey, I mean, how is
she taking it?”

Leo answered, “I’m not supposed to talk about this, but I’ll tell you
she’s taking it hard, telling her about her husband was difficult.”

“I’m sure it was,” Mona said as she assessed the situation.

It had been a strange chain of events, Leo had broken her heart
when he started dating Lacey. Then right after graduation, he left
Lacey and joined the army. Lacey married Collin less than two
months later. Although shortly after that. Collin followed in Leo’s
footsteps and joined the military. Now, he’d died in a fire in Mona’s
warehouse while she was with Lacey, and Leo was the one to notify
her of her husband’s death.

”I couldn’t stop reading!”

”Fast-paced and fun. I love these mysteires!”

”Diana Orgain is my new favorite author!”

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Published on May 10, 2021 01:19

Murder as Sticky as Jam (Cooking up Murder Mystery Series: Book One) Sneak Peek – Chapter Two – Part Two

Murder as Sticky as Jam: Book 1

Did you miss Chapter One?

Did you miss part 1 of Chapter 2?

Chapter Two Part Two

The ride home was a blur for Mona, the details hazy as Vicki
drove and parked her car in Mona’s driveway. Somewhere on the
ride home, the deep pain changed and became a numbness that
made the events feel unreal. Turning the key in the lock, she
pushed open the front door. Her purse fell from her hand onto the
kitchen table, the keys left in the lock and Mona collapsed on the
couch.

Vicki grabbed the keys out of the lock and followed her inside.

Mona stared up at the ceiling. It was the same as it had been that
morning when she left home, the same plain white paint and antique
ceiling fan that spun endlessly in circles during the warm months. But
so much had changed since the morning she felt somehow offended
that the ceiling had the nerve to stay the same.

Mona lay on the couch, unmoving, until Vicki peered over her,
blocking Mona’s view of the ceiling fan

“Mona!!! Mona, are you in there?” Vicki asked.

“Yup,” Mona heard herself answer, but her own voice sounded far
away.

“You are seriously as pale as a ghost. Should I take you to the
emergency room?”

“I’m fine,” Mona answered, quietly.

Vicki kneeled down on the floor beside Mona and declared, “I’m
going to make us a couple of stiff drinks. If you don’t look like part of
the land of the living soon, I’m going to call an ambulance.”

“I’m fine,” repeated Mona as she made and effort to sit up.

Vicki grabbed the remote control off the coffee table and clicked
on the TV. “Let’s watch Competition for the Crown; you’ll feel better
when you see some people have it worse than you right now.”

“Competition for the Crown is fiction, Vicki,” Mona whined.

“Still, how you would like to be beheaded for betraying the
crown?”

Mona smiled in spite of herself. “There is no crown.”

Vicki giggled as she left the room to fix some cocktails. “Well, if
there was, I know you’d never betray the crown.”

A battle raged on the TV, complete with horse mounted knights
slaying each other but Mona could hardly watch her favorite show.

Vicki returned to the room with two lemon-drop martinis in
hand. She put the glasses on the coffee table and sat on the couch
beside Mona. She muted the TV and said, “I just got a text from my
cousin, Doug. He’s with the fire department; he thinks it wasn’t a total
loss, isn’t that good news?”

Like a light switch being thrown, Mona suddenly woke out of her
stupor, “Not a complete loss?”

Vicki nodded. “See, it’s like I always say, everything is going to
work out, somehow.”

Mona wiped away a tear and said, “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to
save our shop, all of the stock went up in smoke—”

“Not all our stock, I made a few batches of lip balm and candles
today, and I still have my hives! As long as my Queens are happy …”

She glanced at Mona. “What?”

Mona felt as if she would pass out. “My recipes.”

Vicki frowned. “Your recipes? You know those things by heart.”

“They were mom’s. All I had left of her,” Mona choked on a sob as
Vicki squeezed her shoulder.

Mona’s mother had passed away when Mona was a young girl. Her
best memories of her mother were in the kitchen, cooking and laugh‐
ing. Her mother had taught Mona everything she knew about food
preparation, especially making jelly.

She’d cherished the recipe book that had been written by her own
mother’s hand.

And now it was gone.

“It’s not all you had left of her, Mona. She’s always going to be in
your heart and cooking,” Vicki said.

Mona pressed her hands to her head trying to quell the pain.

Vicki straightened. “Anyway, if Doug is right, maybe we can be
back in business soon, what do you think?”

Managing a weak smile, Mona answered, “I hope so. Every dollar
of my Aunt Cee’s loan was tied up in the shop. What are we going
to do?”

Mona’s cell phone vibrated on the table, both woman leaned in to
look at the caller id. “Aunt Bee,” Mona groaned, sending the call to
voicemail.

Vicki handed her the lemon-drop martini. “Yeah, can’t face talking
to her right now, huh?”

Mona shrugged took a big swig of the martini. “She’s going to give
me the, I told you so, speech.”

The phone immediately buzzed again, and Mona grimaced to see
her cousin Stewart’s face light up her screen. Stewart had no qualms
about letting Mona know he was furious with her for taking Aunt
Cee’s money. Apparently, he’d been asking Aunt Cee for a loan for a
while, and she’d refused.

“You want me to talk to him?” Vicki asked.

Mona shook her head and pressed the red button on the phone,
sending Stewart into silence. She swirled the golden liquid in her glass
and said, “Well, this helps calm my nerves, but it doesn’t do anything
about our predicament.”

“Keep drinking,” Vicki said. “Some idea will hit us.”

After a moment, Vicki suddenly jolted forward and raised a finger
in an aha gesture. “You know, Alexander said we could always sell our
goods in his store,” Vicki said.

Mona stiffened. “When did he say that?”

“Remember? When we told him we were opening up shop.”

“Because he thought our shop would flop!” Mona said. “I can’t
stand him, it’s as if he willed us to fail!”

“No, he didn’t,” Vicki said. “He offered us a safety net.”

“I’d like to strangle him with that safety net,” Mona grumbled.
She found Alexander difficult to deal with. He was temperamental
and hot headed, but every time she mentioned that to Vicki, Vicki
defended him.

Probably, Mona thought, the fact that Alexander looks like a Viking
stepping off the cover of a Harlequin romance is clouding Vicki’s judgment.

Mona put down her martini glass and was just about to comment
on this when she looked over at the TV and saw Leo on the news. He
stood next to a blonde reporter with a microphone thrust under his
chin. His dark hair and eyes sizzled right through the screen and into
her heart. Behind him was smoky rubble, the remains of what had
only this morning been Jammin’ Honey.

She gasped. “Oh my! Where’s the remote! Turn on the volume! It’s
Leo!”

Vicki jumped to grab the remote and accidently toppled her
martini glass across the table. Sticky liquid covered the device as she
pressed every button.

Mona lurched toward the TV, just as the news flash concluded and
a commercial for dishwasher soap took over.

“What in the world?” Mona asked. “Leo was at the fire? Why?”

Her heart beat a mile a minute as she tried to process what his
presence there could mean. He was in a police detective that much
was true, but he wasn’t a fire fighter.

Vicki shrugged. “I don’t know. Let me clean up my mess and I’ll
call him.”

Vicki disappeared into Mona’s kitchen as the sound of car tires
crunching gravel on her driveway filled Mona with panic. It was well
after sunset, and she hadn’t been expecting anyone. A car door
slammed shut and then heavy footsteps on the front steps announced
the arrival of an unknown guest.

Mona peered out the front window just as the quiet of the evening
was disrupted by a door bell.

Vicki came out of the kitchen with a wet rag in her hand. “Who is
it?” she asked Mona, who was frozen at the window. When she didn’t
get a response, she looked out the peep hole, then swung open the
front door. “Hey! Did you come to join the pity party?”

Mona watched with bated breath as the man she loved, her crush
for over a decade, walked into her living room. Instinctively, Mona
brushed aside a wisp of hair.

Of all the days for Leo to come by, I must look awful. I’m a complete
wreck!

“Mona, Vicki, I’m sorry about what happened to your store today,”
Leo said as he gazed at Mona.

Mona stood in an awkward greeting. “Thank you, Leo, for stop‐
ping by. That was nice of you, can I get you anything, tea, coffee, a bite
to eat?”

“No, I’m good, I’m still on duty.” Then he glanced around the
room. “Whoa. It smells like a distillery in here.”

Vicki gave her brother a quick hug. “Well you smell like smoke, so
guess that makes us even. Don’t worry. We’re still sober, but I spilled
my lemon drop martini when we saw you on the news.” She
proceeded to mop up the table as she asked. “What was that about
anyway?”

“I’ve been assigned this case,” he answered. “Do you mind if I sit
down?”

Mona blushed as she often did any time she was around Leo,

“Sorry, I don’t know where my manners have gone.”

“It’s fine, you have had a hard day,” he said, touching Mona’s hand
for a moment.

A swirl of excitement fired through Mona’s veins at his touch, but
she fought to contain herself.

Leo looked at her strangely for a moment, as if he wanted to say
more, but he released her hand and sank down in the leather club
chair beside the sofa, instead.

“What is it, Leo?” Vicki asked.

“I’m afraid that the news I have for you all isn’t good; your bad day
is about to get worse.”

Mona collapsed onto the couch, tears stinging her eyes. She
grabbed a throw pillow and pressed her face into it.

She felt on the verge of an ugly cry, but that was the last thing she
wanted to do in front of Leo. She took a deep breath and then looked
up from the pillow and met his gaze. In her steadiest voice, she said, “I
know what you are going to say, the building is gone, right? It’s a total
loss, isn’t it?”

“Leo, please tell us that isn’t true, it would take months to rebuild,”
Vicki said.

Leo shook his head slowly and answered their fears, “I wish it was
that, but it’s far worse. At first, I thought I would be investigating a
fire, but now it looks like arson and homicide.”

Mona felt the blood drain from her face, and the room seemed to
tilt. She reached out to Vicki and gripped her best friend’s hand.
Homicide?

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Published on May 10, 2021 01:16

Murder as Sticky as Jam (Cooking up Murder Mystery Series: Book One) Sneak Peek – Chapter One Continued

Murder as Sticky as Jam: Book 1

Did you miss part one?

Chapter One – Continued

Leo Lawson, Vicki’s older brother, was tall, dark and handsome.

He’d been the first boy Mona had a crush on back in school, and she’d
never gotten over him. In high school, he’d broken her heart when he
started dating, Lacey, the head cheerleader. But shortly after gradua‐
tion, he’d left Magnolia Falls, to join the military, and now he was
back after eight long years.

She knew he worked at the Magnolia Falls PD, but she hadn’t seen
him, yet.

Not properly anyway.

She’d ducked out of the grocery store a few times, when she’d
seen his patrol car pull into the parking lot. And there’d been the
time, she snuck out of the back of the bookstore on Main Street,
when she’d heard his voice asking the clerk for the latest police
procedural.

But she hadn’t spoken with him, yet.

She’d been in the hospital with tonsillitis during his homecoming
party, and she’d missed him twice at Vicki’s due to bad timing.

As she waited for the water to boil, she printed out the inventory
list and the pricing guide and headed back to the shop. With a pricing
gun in her hand, she priced all the blackberry jam and then began
working on the strawberry. Thoughts of Leo filled her mind and she
daydreamed about seeing him at the grand opening.

What am I going to wear? Mona thought in a panic.

Looking around the shop, she wondered if she would have time to
go shopping and pick out something new and sexy before Friday.

Jammin’ Honey was filled with half empty shelves, boxes of jams,
jellies, honey candles, lotions and balms everywhere, she doubted she
would have time to sleep much less go on a shopping trip.

She hummed along with the music and priced the merchandise to
the beat, invigorated by the thought of the grand opening and Leo.

When the phone in her apron pocket vibrated. She answered it
without glancing at the caller ID.

“I knew you couldn’t stay away. Are you bringing me lunch instead
of breakfast?” asked Mona.

“Excuse me?” asked the voice on the phone.

Mona realized it wasn’t Vicki, she looked at the phone and saw
that the caller was Lacey MacInroy from the bakery.

“Lacey, I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else.”

“Obviously,” said Lacey in a condescending tone, “I need to meet
with you at once, can you come by the bakery before lunch?”

“Lacey, this isn’t a great time. I have so much to do before the
Grand Opening. Can you just tell me what’s going on over the
phone?”

“I only called because this is important. It affects the catering
menu for the Grand Opening. One of my suppliers has informed me
that he’s out of that gluten-free almond flour you wanted, so I’ve had
to make a few last-minute changes. I think you’ll find the substitu‐
tions suitable, but I need your approval before I can proceed,”
explained Lacey in a tone that Mona felt sure betrayed the fact that
Lacey was rolling her eyes.

“I’m sure whatever you substitute will be fine, as long as it’s
gluten-free,” Mona said.

Lacey made a clucking noise in the back of her throat. Clearly, she
was put out by Mona’s request. It had been a struggle to get Lacey to
agree to cater the event at all, much less make it gluten-free. But, after
the great write up in the Magnolia Falls Gazette, Mona had been able
to persuade her.

“Do you really need me to come right now?” Mona asked. “I’m in
the middle of prepping the shop, and I have so much left to do. Can I
just give you my approval over the phone?’

“Not if you want me to cater this affair. I must have you taste the
final recipe. I need to know that you will be pleased with the pastry
selections, and this morning is the only time I have available.”

Mona stuffed down her impatience. Lacey’s bakery was the only
caterer in town and with only few days left before the grand opening,
she didn’t have the time or energy to make enough food for the event.

Obviously, Lacey wasn’t giving her a choice.

With a sigh, Mona said, “Give me ten minutes. I’ll be right over.”

“Fine,” answered Lacey.

Mona was about to say goodbye, but Lacey had already hung up.

She slipped the phone into her jeans pocket and tried not to think
about how infuriating Lacey was. Pulling the apron over her head, she
vowed not to let Lacey’s attitude ruin her day. Despite the inconve‐
nience of having to stop work and test drive a few pasties at her cater‐
er’s insistence, the day was going well. If she kept working at her
present pace, all her stock would be ready to sell by the weekend.

Walking to the back, she was tempted to burst out in song. She
loved everything about her new shop, it was truly a dream come true;
thanks to Aunt Cee’s investment and belief in her.

She turned off the burner and unplugged it for safe measure.

Aunt Bee’s coupon clippers would have to wait for their special, at
least for the moment. Then, sliding her purse onto her shoulder, she
walked out of the store and locked the front door

The bell above the door chimed cheerfully as Mona walked into
the bakery. A quick glance at her watch confirmed that there was no
time to spare in her hectic schedule for this last-minute errand.

Checking off the items on the endless to do list was Mona’s priority,
not placating the caterer.

Fresh baked bread and sweet pastries crowded the glass cases, and
their aroma combined to create a decadent ambrosia. Mona inhaled
the soothing scent, surprised that a woman as cold as Lacey MacInroy
could create warm and delicious baked goods.

“Can I help you?” asked a freckle-faced young man.

Glancing at her watch once more, Mona answered, “I’m here to see
Lacey.”

The man disappeared behind the door that said Kitchen.

The door swung open, and a woman wearing a white apron over
tailored capris and a crisp pink polo greeted Mona, “Mona, please join
me in the kitchen.”

As Mona crossed toward the kitchen door, Lacey smiled and
wiggled her fingers in a friendly wave at an older gentleman waiting
in line. With her shoulder length honey-blond hair pulled back in a
ponytail and only a hint of bronzer on her cheeks, Lacey appeared to
be as fresh faced and beautiful as she had been in high school.

That’s Lacey, everyone’s friend except mine.

Whatever did I do to get on her bad side?

Lacey’s warm smile disappeared as the kitchen door closed behind
them.

“Do you have any idea how difficult it has been to find that gluten
free flour you wanted?” Lacey asked with a frown.

The grand opening was only days away, and Mona didn’t want risk
upsetting Lacey. If the caterer backed out now Mona didn’t know
what she would do.

Mona met Lacey’s frown with a smile, it wasn’t sincere, but it was
the best she could muster under the stress. “Lacey, I don’t understand
why your supplier was out of this flour, gluten-free is popular. My
request wasn’t that unusual, I have seen that flour at all the big
grocery chains.”

“That’s just it, it’s very trendy, so every bakery from San Francisco
to New York is using it for wedding cakes, breads, you name it. My
supplier told me I should have ordered it over two weeks in advance.”

I tried to book your catering service for over a month.

Hiding her frustration, Mona tried a different approach and said
diplomatically, “I appreciate your efforts to find a solution. You said
you may have found a suitable substitute?”

Opening a drawer, Lacey pulled out a card that was covered in
neat rows of handwriting. Handing the card to Mona she asked,

“What do you think of the recipe? I can use half gluten-free almond
flour I found at the health food market and half gluten-free self-rising
flour.”

“What’s in the self-rising flour, and will it taste the same?” asked
Mona.

Mona planned to offer samples of her jams and Vicki’s honey
along with the pastries. They had to be good!

“Garbanzo beans, ground fava beans, it sounds disgusting, but by
the time it’s all mixed up, no one can tell the difference,” Lacey
answered.

Mona was certain that she would be able to tell a difference
between almond flour and ground beans, but it was too late to argue
over ingredients. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, she was
almost willing to agree to the changes in the recipe when a question
popped into her head, “If you could find almond flour at the health
food market, why can’t you buy enough of that to use instead of using
it for half of the recipe?”

Lacey rolled her eyes as she answered, “Do you have any idea how
much that stuff costs? I’m already doing you an enormous favor just
accepting this job, and now you want me to not make any money
on it?”

Her first impulse was to tell Lacey to forget it, instead Mona said,
“Lacey, I understand you have to make money, just bill me for the
additional amount and please use the good flour, no ground beans.”

The tension between them was palpable. In ten years, nothing
had changed, Lacey still treated Mona with contempt, when it
should have been the other way around, after all Lacey won the heart
of Leo.

“Fine, have it your way, but I promise you it will be expensive, and
I’ll bill you. I don’t care if your shop doesn’t sell a single jar of jelly, I
expect to be paid on time,” Lacey snapped as she snatched the card out
of Mona’s hand and scribbled the changes to the recipe.

Silently seething, Mona wanted to tell Lacey that the deal was off,
but common sense prevailed, “Lacey, I’ll pay you in advance if that’s
what you want.”

Lacey opened her mouth to answer but was drowned out by the
wail of fire-truck sirens.

Forgetting their argument over gluten-free almond flour, the two
women stared at each other before Mona said in a loud voice, “That
sounded close.”

Lacey nodded and walked out of the kitchen followed by Mona.
Stepping onto the red brick sidewalk, Mona was startled when a
fire truck with its lights flashing sped past. The sirens were louder
outside the bakery, she could smell smoke which meant the fire was
really close.

A plume of dark smoke rose only a few blocks from the bakery.
Slowly, Mona came to the awful realization that the smoke was
coming from the direction of her shop.

Oh God, please no, not Jammin’ Honey!

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Published on May 10, 2021 01:10

May 9, 2021

Murder as Sticky as Jam (Cooking up Murder Mystery Series: Book One) Sneak Peek – Chapter Two

Murder as Sticky as Jam: Book 1

Did you miss Chapter 1?

Chapter Two

Without saying a word to Lacey, Mona ran to her car
and jumped in the driver’s seat. Jamming the gear shift
into drive, she tore out of the parking space, driving like a racecar
driver speeding towards Jammin’ Honey. Praying as she drove, she ran
a red light and a stop sign. Frantically hoping that it was not her shop
on fire, although she had a sinking feeling with each passing block
that she’d arrive to find the place, her dream fully engulfed.

How could this happen?

Fear gripped her heart as she saw a police barricade surrounding
the street where Jammin’ Honey sat. The barricade prevented her from
driving any closer to the scene of the fire, but she didn’t need to be
any closer to realize the awful truth.

My shop is on fire!

Her heart raced, and a wave of nausea broke over her as she
parked the car. Flashing red lights, smoke and the crackling of fire
consuming her building created a surreal scene that would be etched
into her memory for the rest of her life.

Running down the street toward the fire, she was stopped by a
police officer she didn’t recognize. He held her back from getting any
closer to the structure fire that was her lifelong dream being
destroyed right in front of her eyes.

“It’s my shop,” she wailed.

The officer nodded. “Is anyone in there?”

Mona shook her head. “No. Just my…just…my…inventory.” Her
knees felt weak. “And my recipe book, too.”

Yellow and orange flames climbed into the sky, and the smoke
carried the sweet scent of sugar, making Mona think of all the boxes
of jam in the kitchen and strewn all over the floor of the shop.

Tears spilled from her eyes and fell down her cheeks, as she sunk
to her knees on the sidewalk. The police officer helped her to a bench
across the street.

“Ma’am, are you going to be alright?” the police officer asked.

Mona was too stunned to answer, she sat still on the bench feeling
the weight of his eyes on her.

“Ma’am, if it’s any consolation, the fire department is doing every‐
thing they can to save it. Is there anyone I can call for you?”

“No, I mean yes, I mean – “Just as Mona was about to say Vicki’s
name, her voice rang out.

“Mona!” Vicki rushed across the street arms outstretched as she
raced to pull Mona into an embrace. “Oh my Lord! I was so scared
you were in there! Thank goodness you got out!”

The police officer nodded, glad to see Mona taken care of. “Ma’am,
I’ll be right over there if you need anything.” He walked across the
street just as curious onlookers were approaching the scene.

Mona’s chest ached with the weight of a broken heart as another
fire truck approached.

She gasped as sharp pain assaulted her with a shortness of breath.

Vicki rubbed her back. “You’re freezing. Let me get a blanket from
my car.”

More flames plumed over the top of the building as Vicki ran to
her vehicle.

I can’t watch this. Mona thought

She turned the other way and saw a group of people gathered
looking at the blaze. It made her nauseous to see everyone staring at
the blaze that had just moments ago held so much promise for her.

Using all her strength, she managed to stand, her hand on the
bench to steady herself. Her head was swimming, her breath shallow,
she knew she should sit back on the bench before she crumpled into a
heap on the ground. She dug deep and found a reserve of strength
inside.

I won’t pass out! She promised herself.

Summoning all her strength, she willed her legs to move forward.

She couldn’t sit still. She had to help the firefighters.

Vicki ran back to Mona. “What are you doing? Get back!” She
pulled Mona back to the bench and wrapped the crocheted afghan
she’d retrieved from her car around Mona’s shoulders. “Come on, girl.
Don’t get all crazy on me. There’s no way I’m going to let you run
back inside that building. Is that what you were trying to do?”

Mona shook her head. “I wanted to help.”

Vicki grabbed Mona’s hand. “The best help we can offer is to stay
out of the way.” Vicki rubbed Mona’s fingers. “Honey, you’re frozen.”

Mona was stunned that she could be cold with an enormous fire in
front of her. And yet, she did feel chilled.

Shock.

“When I heard about the fire, I called your cell. But when you
didn’t answer your phone, I thought you might have been in the shop
when it, the fire, happened. I was so worried”

Mona nodded numbly, “I was at Lacey’s when it happened. If only
I had been in the shop, I could have stopped it. It’s all my fault for
leaving.”

Vicki kneeled down on the pavement by Mona’s side and declared,

“Mona, you can’t say that, if you were there you may have been killed.
I’m glad you weren’t.”

“Vicki, everything is gone. It’s horrible,” Mona said, tears running
down her face.

“Not everything is gone. Not you! Not you or me. That’s the
important thing. We can start over, honey.”

“My Aunt Cee’s investment … it’s …” A wail bubbled up in Mona’s
throat, and she let her best friend pull her to her chest to cry.

How will I ever repay Aunt Cee now?

After a moment of release Mona managed to say, “How did you
hear about the fire?”

Vicki motioned over to the crowd of bystanders. “Alexander
called me.”

Alexander Kaas was the owner of Magnolia Falls Wine and Cheese
shop, As You Slice It. Mona and Vicki had worked at the shop for many
years before Mona left in the spring to open her own store. Mona
turned to the crowd and saw Alexander. There was a grim expression
on his face, and he gave her a meek wave.

Mona remembered the day she told him she was leaving to begin
her business; he was so mad that he turned bright red. He was furious
and told her she had no business experience and her store would fail.

“He was right,” Mona said.

“What?” Vicki asked.

“I had no business trying to run a store. Alexander told me the
shop would fail and now look—”

Vicki rubbed Mona’s back. “Don’t say that! This isn’t your fault—”

Vicki’s hand froze mid-way down Mona’s back. “Oh … gosh, honey.
When you left to go to Lacey’s shop … were you making jam—?”

“I turned off the burner! Vicki, I swear,” Mona said, a lump
forming again in her chest.

I did turn off the burner, didn’t I?

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Published on May 09, 2021 23:27

April 27, 2021

Murder as Sticky as Jam (Cooking up Murder Mystery Series: Book One) Sneak Peek – Chapter One

Murder as Sticky as Jam: Book 1

Chapter One

Soft jazz played in the background as Mona Reilly bustled
around the empty shop. In just a few days, in time for the
Memorial Day weekend, would be the grand opening of her shop
Jammin’ Honey, but only if she finished the prep work in time.

Memorial Day weekend was the official opening of the summer
tourist season in the scenic mountain town of Magnolia Falls. Mona
knew it would be the perfect time to open the doors to the shop that
had been only a dream a few months ago. Tucking a strand of glossy
black hair behind her ear, she sat down at the café table by the
window to catch her breath.

Picking up the Magnolia Falls Gazette, she read the report on the
front page about the grand opening. Pride filled her chest with
warmth as she read the article once more. She couldn’t believe this
was happening.

It’s real, Mona thought, her nerves kicking up a notch.

A pair of tourists stopped out front and peeked through the
window. Mona jumped to attention; her shop was supposed to open
in a few days. She had to get a move on.

Where’s Vicki? Mona wondered.

It was a quarter past ten and she hadn’t heard from her best friend
and business partner, Vicki Lawson. Vicki was an organic beekeeper and
was the honey part of Jammin’ Honey. Mona reached for her cell phone
to call Vicki, but the phone buzzed in her hand before she could dial.

She saw from the caller I.D. that it was her Great Aunt Beatrice.

She’d been able to finally finance the opening of her shop through a
generous loan from her Great Aunt Cecilia, Beatrice’s identical twin.
The two Aunts were identical in everything except the way they
handled money, and now Mona cringed at that the thought that Aunt
Bee was calling to impose some sort of financial frugality.

“Hello Aunt Bee,” Mona said into the phone.

“Mona! Is everything ready?” Bee asked, her voice cracking with
enthusiasm.

“Just about. Putting on the finishing touches, you know.”

“Cecilia will be very proud.”

“I’m sorry she won’t be at the opening,” Mona said.

Her Great Aunt Cecilia had shocked everyone declaring that, as a
celebration for her 80th birthday, she’d be traveling around the world
on an exclusive cruise with her new beau, Herman. Herman was a
spry and debonair seventy-year old, and Beatrice swore the man was
only after Cecilia’s money.

As if in a show of defiance, Cecilia had loaned Mona the seed
money to open her shop, further annoying Beatrice who firmly
believed that everything in life should be a struggle; that which
doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, was her motto.

Of course, Beatrice had opted to stay in Magnolia Falls and cele‐
brate in her own way, saying that a cruise was way too extravagant,
not to mention expensive.

“Are you going to make us a coupon for opening night?” Beatrice
asked.

Mona laughed. Bee ran a coupon clipping club. Her frugal reputa‐
tion preceded her. She was notorious for working over every business
owner in the community and hustling discounts for all her members.

“What do you suggest?” Mona asked.

“BOGO,” Bee said eagerly.

Mona chuckled. “If I offer buy-one-get-one on opening night, I’ll
be out of business before the party’s even over.”

“Okay,” Bee said reluctantly. “How about a BOGO on your special
blackberry ginger jam?”

Mona glanced at her shelf stocked with jams. There weren’t
enough blackberry ginger jars to run a special, but if she made a few
more batches, she could accommodate Aunt Bee.

“For you, I’ll do it,” Mona said.

“Ah! You are a dear. I’ve got the coupons already printed.”

“What? You printed the coupons before I even agreed?”

Aunt Bee cleared her throat. “No. Of course not. I only meant you
could consider it as good as done.”

Mona laughed. “You’re a terrible liar.”

Bee giggled. “Well, I can guarantee the whole club will be there
opening night. And that’s another thing I wanted to speak to you
about. Don’t go all crazy on that party. No need for caterers, or a band
or whatever you’ve got planned. Just put up a few balloons.”

Mona winced. There was no way she was going to hold back on
her party. She’d been dreaming about opening the shop for too long.

She looked around at the hardwood floors, the cherry trim, the glass
cases and brass lined counters. It all screamed that no expense had
been spared. The shop had a vintage yet modern look. It was a
cheerful environment that she knew would be a success.

“Well, you know what Cee says, it takes money to make money,”

Mona said through a smile.

Bee let out a high-pitched scream, “Don’t listen to that old bag! She
knows nothing.”

Mona giggled. “I knew that’d get your goat. I have to go now, Bee. I
have to make some more jam for your coupon clippers.”

She hung up and hightailed it to the back of the shop where she
plugged in a small burner. As she measured out the water to boil, her
cell phone buzzed again.

It was Vicki. Mona poured the water into the pan and answered
the phone.

“Hey, what’s up? Where are you? I was getting worried,” Mona
said.

“Sorry! I should have called you earlier, but I got a little carried
away here at home and made an extra batch of honey lip balm and
honey candles, just in case.”

“Just in case, in case of what?”
“What if we sell out? I don’t want the shelves to be empty on our

grand opening weekend, do you?”

“My Aunt Bee called you, didn’t she?” Mona asked.

Vicki chuckled. “Yeah, I agreed to a—”

“Two for one special?”

Vicki moaned. “You too?”

“I’m just starting another batch of my blackberry ginger jam,”
Mona said.

“Oh,” Vicki said. “I thought you were already at the store?”

“I am. I brought my portable hot plate,” Mona said.

“Well don’t burn the shop down!” Vicki said.

“Come on,” Mona laughed. “I’m not that stupid!”

“Okay, I’ll be there soon. I’ll bring breakfast,” Vicki said. “Biscuits
and coffee sound good?”

“You know me too well. In the meantime, I’ll be here all alone,
working my hands to the bone.”

Vicki laughed. “I know you’re such a workaholic! Anyway, I’m
going to make it up to you.”

“Yeah, well coffee and biscuits will only get you so far. I need you
to scrub the bathroom and stock shelves.”

“I know,” Vicki said and by the tone of her voice Mona could tell
she was smiling, “But I have another little surprise for you.”

Mona gripped the phone tightly. She hated surprises. “What’s
that?”

“Leo is coming for the grand opening,” Vicki said, giggling as she
hung up.

“Wait! Wait!” Mona said into the dead phone. She stared at the
phone in her hand, trying not to hyperventilate.

Leo’s coming to the grand opening?

”I couldn’t stop reading!”

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Published on April 27, 2021 14:07

April 13, 2021

Nursing a Grudge (Maternal Instincts Mystery Series: Book Four) Sneak Peek – Chapter Three Continued…

Did you miss Chapter One ?

Did you miss Chapter Two ?

Chapter Three Continued

After the hospital checked Paula into an observation room, the
first words out of her mouth were, “When can I get the epidural?”

The nurse, a small blonde who looked not a day older than 12, said
sweetly, “Oh, we need to see how far along you are before we can even
get you admitted to Labor and Delivery.” She tapped at a computer
monitor then said, “I’ll be back in flash. I just need to get you set up in
our system.”

Paula smiled sweetly back to the nurse, but as soon as she left the
room Paula let out a stream of profanity that someone suffering from
Tourette Syndrome would envy. She finished with, “I want the stupid,
stupid, stupid epidural now.”

“Hey,” I said, rubbing her shoulder. “They’ll get it to you soon.”

She let out a series of deep moans that frightened even me.

Another nurse peeked into our room and asked cheerfully, “Every‐
thing all right in here?”

Paula replied quickly, “Oh, yes. Thank you. My friend rubbed my
shoulder and I feel better already.”

I frowned. The mere presence of the nurse had calmed Paula
down.

The nurse proceeded to complete her check of Paula, including
attaching as many monitors as possible. Neither Paula nor that baby
would make a move or take a breath that wasn’t accounted for.

While the nurse worked, Paula had a contraction but breathed
right through it. No moans, no swearing, no yelling. But as soon as the
nurse left, satisfied that Paula was progressing as expected, Paula let
out another scream.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“It’s another contraction, dummy,” she said.

I cringed. “Sorry.”

The blonde nurse returned to check on Paula’s IV, which again
turned Paula into an angel. When the nurse left, Paula began to moan
as if she’d been stabbed.

I squeezed her hand. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Don’t touch me,” she said.

“How come you’re all nice to the nurses and mean to me?” I asked.

“I don’t know them,” Paula said.

I laughed. “Okay. I’m the punching bag until David gets here, huh?”

My phone went off and I crossed the room to get my purse.

Paula asked, “What are you doing?”

“Checking my phone. When you called I was at lunch with Jill— ”

“You can’t check your phone now. I’m in labor! You’re supposed to
be my support!”

I grimaced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just that—”

She moaned again.

“You want to watch some TV?” I asked.

Paula stared at me. “Watch some TV?”

“You know, to distract you a bit.”

“Punching you in the nose might distract me.”

“In your condition, I think I can take you,” I said.

She didn’t laugh though, instead she moaned again, only this time
deeper and longer as if possessed. I crossed to the door.

When she recovered from the contraction enough to speak, Paula
asked, “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere. I’m looking for a nurse, hoping one will come in soon
to check on you so you’ll be nice to me again.”

Paula’s face softened for a moment. “Sorry, Kate. You know I love
you.”

She was overtaken by another contraction and I called the nurse. “I
think things are speeding up in here. Maybe it’s time to move us to
Labor and Delivery?” I said on the intercom.

A nurse came in to evaluate Paula. While Paula was distracted I
checked my phone. Galigani had left me a voicemail and I itched to
check it.

If I left the room, certainly Paula would notice.

“I’m just going to use the restroom,” I lied.

Paula moaned softly and glared at me. In the glare I could defi‐
nitely tell she was calling me on my lie. The nurse stroked Paula’s
forehead and she seemed temporarily soothed with the acknowledge‐
ment of the pain.

I escaped into the private bath that was attached to her room. I
quickly dialed voicemail and listened to Galigani.

“Hey kid. I haven’t heard anything about your friend Jill, but I have
news on the accident victim. It ain’t good. Call me.”

I dialed Galigani, and when he answered I ran the tap water to
mask my voice.

“Hey,” I whispered. “What’s happened to Perry? What room is he
in? Can we go see him?”

“He was DOA, kid.”

I gasped. “Oh no.”

“Yeah, terrible. The Coast Guard picked him up,” Galigani said.

“They’re releasing him to the medical examiner. Do you think there’s
any reason for me to try and flag the case?”

“Flag the case?” I asked. “You think there was foul play?”

“No. Well, I don’t know,” Galigani said. “That’s what I’m asking
you.”

“Oh. Well, no. I mean, he fell while hiking, right?”

“Seems so,” Galigani said. “Although his girlfriend, Jill, is missing
now, too…”

I swallowed past the fear building up in my throat. “Well, she’s not

exactly missing, is she? I’m sure she’s going to call me soon.”

There were escalated screams coming from the hospital room. “I
gotta go,” I said, hanging up.

I turned the water off and ran into Paula’s room. “How are you?”

She gave me the evil eye. “Awful. The nurse said I’m not
progressing at all.”

Reaching out for her hand I said, “Oh, sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry about that. It’s not your fault. Be sorry about the
fact that you’re sneaking phone calls in the bathroom when you’re
supposed to be here supporting me!”

I squeezed her hand. “Sorry about that, too.”

She pulled her hand away. “And don’t touch me!”

I laughed and seated myself in the soft chair by the window. “Want
me to sing to you?”

“No.”

“Did you bring a book? I can read to you.”

“No.”

“Okay, no TV, no singing, no reading. How about I play a medita‐
tion CD for you or something?”

She gave me a scathing look. “Meditation CD?” Her voice was
filled with contempt. “Puh-leese.”

“Those haven’t caught on with you yet?” I asked innocently.

She raised a brow at me but didn’t say anything.

After a moment of tapping my fingers on her food tray and eyeing
her saltine crackers, I asked, “Did you bring a photo album or
anything to look through?”

Paula stared at me. “What?”

“You know, in all the labor prep books they tell moms to pack
some calming photos to look through. Like pictures of the beach with
the little huts on stilts in Bora Bora overlooking the emerald water, or
a picture of Danny or—”

Paula looked like she held back screaming at me in order to
breathe her way through a contraction. When it passed, she said,
“Okay, put on the stupid TV. Anything is better than listening to you.”

I decided not to be hurt and flipped on the TV. My stomach
rumbled and I eyed the saltine crackers on Paula’s dinner tray. “Are
you going to eat those crackers?” I asked.

Paula turned to me and seemed so upset that I could swear her
eyes were glowing red. “What do you think?”

I leaned forward and snatched the crackers of the tray. “You’re not
supposed to eat at this stage of labor. It could make you sick. I’m
doing you a favor here.” I ripped into the package. “I didn’t get to eat
lunch—”

“Sorry I interrupted your little soirêe with Jill,” Paula said sarcas‐
tically.

“No. You didn’t,” I said, stuffing a saltine in my mouth and
ignoring her sarcasm. “That’s what I was trying to tell you when
you—”

Paula’s shook her head. “Uh huh. I can’t hear it now. Sorry. Pain.”

Her face contorted, but she didn’t moan or have a bout of
Tourettes.

“You okay?” I asked.

Paula nodded. “Yeah, that one wasn’t so bad.”

“I’m glad. It really sucks to see your best friend in pain.”

Paula smiled, not a full, normal Paula smile, but at least her lips
twitched up instead of down.

“Tell me about Jill before I have a baby.”

I filled her in as quickly as I could. Oddly, she didn’t have a
contraction during my story and she seemed almost herself.

When I was done we stared at each other.

“Did Galigani flag the body so the M.E. can take a look?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. You wouldn’t let me talk to him.”

“Call him,” Paula said.

I looked at the monitor that was tracking Paula’s contractions. “I
don’t think I’m supposed to use a cell phone near the equipment.”

Paula followed my eyes. “Hey, look at my report there.” She indi‐
cated a roll of paper that was spitting out of the machine periodically.

I picked it up. “What?”

“I haven’t had a contraction in about 15 minutes!”

“So?”

“I don’t think that good,” she said.

“I’m sure it’s alright. Want me to call the nurse?”

“I guess, but I already know what she’s going to say.” She sighed.

“False labor.”

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Published on April 13, 2021 02:55

Nursing a Grudge (Maternal Instincts Mystery Series: Book Four) Sneak Peek – Chapter Three

Did you miss Chapter One ?

Did you miss Chapter Two ?

Chapter Three

I dialed Jill and got her voicemail, I pounded on my steering
wheel and let out a few choice swear words.

Laurie made a noise from her car seat.

I adjusted the rearview mirror and studied Laurie in the Elmo
mirror that was pinned to the backseat. “Sorry for the swearing, sweat pea.”

Laurie pointed at my reflection in her mirror and cooed.

I texted Jill.

R U OK? WHERE R U? I’M ON MY WAY TO UC.

Then I dialed my hubby, Jim.

He picked up on the first ring. “Great news, honey. Ramon is here,”
he said. He’s cooking up a storm—”

“What? Ramon? What’s he doing there?”

We’d met Ramon over the holidays when I’d been investigating the
murder of a reporter. Ramon catered for the television station the
victim had worked for.

“Cooking!”

My stomach growled. “Uh! Sorry I’m missing out. Hey listen,

Paula’s in labor. David’s flight’s been delayed so I’m on my way to UC.
Can you meet me there and pick up the kids?”

“Kids?”

“I have to watch Danny. He’s not allowed into the maternity ward
and neither is our little jelly belly.”

“Oh,” Jim said. “Uh, the empanadas are nearly out of the oven
and I— ”

“Empanadas? Come on, Jim. I can’t take—”

“Well, it’s not only the empanadas. I have a sales call scheduled this
afternoon. I really worked for this one, so I’d hate to reschedule. Can I
call your mom? Maybe she can—”

A sales call, my foot! I knew he intended to dig into Ramon’s dish
unabashedly. But, okay, just because I didn’t get to eat lunch didn’t
mean he had to starve.

“Okay, call mom. If she can come, you can stay home and eat. And
try not to burn your tongue.”

I pulled into the UC Medical Center parking lot like a chicken
with its head cut off. Thankfully, Laurie had fallen asleep on the ride
and she gave me no problems as I released her car seat from its base
and snapped it into the stroller.

I wheeled the stroller to the hospital entrance and looked for
mom. Instead, I saw my mom’s boyfriend, Galigani, who also
happened to be my boss and mentor, approaching.
Galigani was tall and dark with a thick mustache. He’d retired
from the San Francisco Police Department before I’d met him and
started his own private investigation service. Under his guidance, I’d
solved three crimes and had hopes of having a new career as a P.I.

“Hey, kid!” he said jovially.

“What are you doing here? It’s not your heart, is it?” I asked.

Three months prior, Galigani had undergone open-heart surgery.

He laughed. “If I keep hanging out with you and your mom, it
might be. I’m here in lieu of Vera.”

“Why? Where is she?” I asked.

He placed a hand on his chest as though he were crestfallen. “I’m
that disappointing?”

I leaned in to kiss his cheek. “No. I didn’t mean that. In fact, you’ll
probably give me less lip than Mom.”

“Don’t count on it,” he said.

I pulled my phone out and checked the display. No word from
either Paula or Jill.

“Come on. I need to get inside and check for my friends,” I said.
Galigani frowned. “I have to go inside? I thought I was just picking
up the kids.”

I turned to him. “Are you afraid of the hospital?”

He looked at me like I was the dumbest person on the planet.

“Never mind,” I said. “Do you have a car seat in your car?”

He shook his head.

“How are you supposed to take the kids then?”

He stroked his mustache and asked. “They need car seats?”

I returned his ‘you’re the stupidest person I know’ look. Galigani
simply looked back me, tilting his chin down so that he looked at me
through his eyelashes. It was his best ‘I only have disdain for you’
look.

I whipped out my phone and sent a message first to Paula, then Jill
and finally Jim.

Galigani continued to look at me. “Are you hoping that if you tap
that thing long enough, car seats will appear out of thin air?”

“Funny,” I said, without looking up. “You can take my car.”

I dug into my diaper bag to retrieve my keys, while filling Galigani
in on my lunch.

He frowned when I told him about Jill’s last message.

“Let’s check and see how her boyfriend, Perry, is doing. Maybe he’s
here and she’s with him.”

“You want to go into the hospital with me?” I asked.

Before Galigani could answer, a yellow cab pulled up in front
of us.

My mother burst out of the cab in true Vera style. She wore a blue
and red striped knit cap that was somewhat reminiscent of a barber
pole with a feather sticking out of it.

I hate to admit that I hesitated before saying the word, “Mom.”

Mom on the other hand didn’t hesitate at all. She gleefully yelled at
us. “Hey, gang! I brought the lady of the hour.”

What was Mom doing in Paula’s cab?

Out of the cab jumped Danny, Paula’s two-year-old son, who
pulled on mom’s arm and said, “Mommy’s stuck.”

A clodhopper attached to a very swollen ankle poked out of the
cab and remained frozen in mid-air.

I left Laurie in her stroller with Galigani and motioned for Mom
to take Danny to the curb.

I peeked inside the cab. Paula was in a semi-reclined position,
wearing a flowered maternity smock and leggings, a hand on her
protruding belly and a miserable expression on her face.

I smiled at her. “Need a little help?”

“Help, yes, but you can save the forced gaiety. I won’t be happy
until this little sucker is out of my body!”

I grabbed her elbow and heaved her out. She was my best friend
and I loved her like a sister. I knew her well enough to know that even
if the contractions and labor pain were enough to put her in a bad
mood, worse was having to suffer the maternity smocks and clod‐
hoppers.

“You’re in the home stretch now,” I said encouragingly. “You’ll be
back to your fashionable self in no time.”

Paula grimaced while Galigani secured a wheelchair.

Paula seated herself. “Ah. Thank you. Who said chivalry was dead?”

I paid the cabbie and joined my crew at the curb. Mom had already
taken charge of the children. Danny clung to her leg while he fussed
with the wrapper of a lollipop that she’d no doubt just given him,
while Laurie squealed to be let out of the stroller.

“She was asleep,” I complained.

Mom laughed. “She’s a very smart girl. She knows when there’s
excitement.”

“How did you end up in their cab?” Galigani asked Mom.

“Oh, I saw those dreadful rates for the parking garage, and there’s
no way I was paying that! So, I had to hunt out a city spot.”

“She hailed us about five blocks ago,” Paula said.

Galigani handed Mom my keys. “Are you taking the kids, then? I’m
going to help Kate out with a few things.”

Mom’s eyes flashed with excitement. “A new investigation?”

“Labor here, people,” Paula howled.

I gave Mom directions to where I’d parked and wheeled Paula into
the hospital.

Galigani and I agreed that while I stayed with Paula, he would
poke around and see if he could get any information on Jill’s
boyfriend.

”I couldn’t stop reading!”

”Fast-paced and fun. I love these mysteires!”

”Diana Orgain is my new favorite author!”

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Published on April 13, 2021 02:13

Nursing a Grudge (Maternal Instincts Mystery Series: Book Four) Sneak Peek – Chapter Two Continued…

Did you miss Chapter One ?

Chapter Two Continued…

He frowned. “Well, then you go by another name. Maybe you’re
Carol McCarthy? You’re a crit, though.” He pointed at my card. “You’re
not fooling anyone with this pseudonym! Kate Connolly? Please.”

The waitress came out from the back and angled her phone at me.

“I’ve got her picture now, Donald, don’t worry. We’ll be able to post
this online and warn everyone about her.”

Laurie wailed louder and I pressed the phone to my ear, trying to
ignore everything, only now Paula was wailing, too. “Paula, can you
get to the hospital on your own?”

She took three short breaths, then said, “Yes, but I need you to pick
up Danny.”

Danny was Paula’s two-year-old son, and our plan had always
been for him to stay with me when she went to the hospital.

“UC won’t let him into the maternity ward without another adult
present,” Paula continued. “David’s flight’s been delayed and I can’t
reach—”

“UC? I thought you were going to California Pacific?”

Paula wailed again.

“Another contraction?” I asked.

She ignored my question. “Meet me at UC, not Cal Pacific. Our
insurance changed. Don’t you ever listen—”

She continued to scold me but I covered the mouthpiece on the
phone and addressed the dour man standing in front of me.

“Look,” I hissed. “I am not a food critic. My name is Kate Connolly.
My friend is in labor and I have to meet her. Please run the charges on
my card.”

Of course, I didn’t add that Jill was indeed a critic or the fact that if
I’d been a critic I would have given the place the ultimate thumbs
down.

The moms in the corner huffed past us with their silent, sleeping,
perfect-angel babies. Laurie cried even louder and entwined her
fingers in my hair. I yelped.

Mr. Sour grabbed the card from me and whipped around to hand
it off to the waitress turned paparazzi.

“I don’t believe you. I’m going to splatter your picture all over the
web,” she said as she turned on her heel.

My phone beeped as Jill’s call went into voicemail.

Darn it!

I rooted around the diaper bag and found a pacifier. Laurie kicked
out her legs and arched her back when she saw it. I put it in her
mouth and returned my attention to Paula. “I’ll meet you at UC.”

Although I had a baby in tow, UC seemed to be the place I needed
to be anyway: while I took charge of Danny, I could follow up with
Jill.

Paula let out a deep moan.

“Don’t drive. Take a cab!” I said.

She mumbled something.

“What?” I asked.

“Can you call me a cab?” she whimpered.

The waitress emerged from the back and slapped my credit card
along with the printout onto the table.

“Yes,” I said to Paula and hung up.

I glared at the waitress and signed my name on the receipt. She
snatched it from my hand, returning my glare.

I strapped the buckles on Laurie’s car seat.

There was no way she could squirm her way out now.

I dialed Yellow Cab and ordered one for Paula ASAP, then
headed out.

Even though I was desperate to listen to Jill’s voicemail, I couldn’t
stand the cafe one moment longer.

Once at my car, I secured Laurie’s portable car seat into the base,
then hopped into the driver’s seat and dialed my voicemail.

Jill’s voice filled the line. “Kate. That guy isn’t following me, so
there’s no need for you—”

There was a rustling sound, then a high pitched yelp from Jill.

The line went dead.

”I couldn’t stop reading!”

”Fast-paced and fun. I love these mysteires!”

”Diana Orgain is my new favorite author!”

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Published on April 13, 2021 02:01

Nursing a Grudge (Maternal Instincts Mystery Series: Book Four) Sneak Peek – Chapter Two

Did you miss Chapter One ?

Chapter Two

MAN!

Now I needed to pay immediately and the waitress had vanished
again. I placed Laurie in her infant carrier, then fished around the
massive diaper bag for my wallet. Why didn’t I have a small, cute
purse like Jill?

I rooted past the diaper wipes and a pacifier.

Oh right, fashion purses don’t hold much baby paraphernalia.

Then I pushed aside my binoculars, and an UZI tactical self
defense pen…

Fashion purses probably don’t fit much P.I. equipment, either.

I finally located my wallet and peeked inside. I had $17. Not nearly
enough to pay for the chichi lunch. Probably not even enough to pay
for the coffee drinks these days.

I pulled out my phone and messaged Jill:

SKULL CAP MAN IS ON YOUR TAIL. I WILL TRAIL YOU.

I rose and walked toward the back of the restaurant. “Hello?” I
called out.

Our waitress appeared and I handed her my credit card. “I have to
leave immediately. Can you ring me up?”

She made a face. “Is something wrong with the food?”