Laina Turner's Blog, page 2
September 5, 2024
Time For Change – First Chapter
A Holland Harbor Clean, Small Town Romance book 2.
Time For Change A Clean, Small Town RomanceChapter 1
Anna Dowling addressed the customer standing between her and lunch. “How does that look, Mrs. Moore?”
Mrs. Moore examined her reflection in the mirror, tossing her head from side to side. Anna watched attentively, handing her a mirror, and gently turning her around in the chair so Mrs. Moore could view the back of her hair. Anna was proud of her work, with over fifteen years of experience as a hairstylist and the proprietor of Locks and Love Salon for the last five years.
“It looks beautiful, as always, dear,” Mrs. Moore complimented.
“Thank you,” Anna replied graciously, taking the mirror back and assisting Mrs. Moore out of the styling chair. Her passion for the beauty industry stemmed from her desire to uplift and empower others, particularly women. While Anna believed that true happiness came from within, she also understood the transformative power of looking and feeling one’s best. That’s what had sent her to beauty school rather than college years ago.
Anna confirmed, “Same time next week?” as they approached the cash register, even though Mrs. Moore hadn’t missed a Saturday afternoon appointment in years.
“Yes, dear,” Mrs. Moore affirmed with a smile.
After ringing her up, Anna watched Mrs. Moore leave for the parking lot, where Anna knew her grandson was waiting to drive her home. She thought it so sweet that when Mrs. Moore’s grandson became driving age, he had taken over bringing her to her Saturday appointments from his mother, Mrs. Moore’s daughter-in-law. The Moores were a great family, and Anna felt a familiar pang of longing. She didn’t come from a big family, and even though she had grown up in Holland Harbor, her parents had retired to Florida years ago and she only saw them on an occasional holiday. Her brother lived in California, and they weren’t close, so she didn’t see him often.
“She’s the nicest lady,” Evie, one of Anna’s employees, said, walking up, nodding toward Mrs. Moore who was just walking out the door.
“She truly is. If only all clients were like her,” Anna replied wistfully.
“I know, right? I noticed you had Renee earlier. Was she as hard to please as normal?” Evie inquired.
Anna nodded. “She’s always in such a bad mood. I don’t understand her. Life is too short to be so negative all the time.”
“She was never the most positive of people, but I think since her husband left, she hasn’t been able to see the happiness in anything,” Evie said.
Evie was right, and Anna had compassion for Renee. She knew what it was like to have your husband up and leave with no warning when you thought everything was perfect. She hated that Renee still hung onto her anger even though her divorce had happened years ago. Anna and Renee used to be friends, but Renee started distancing herself, and after her divorce, well, Renee closed herself off from everyone, to Anna’s knowledge. She had rebuffed any attempt Anna made to be friendly with her.
“Some people just don’t want to be happy,” Evie said.
“I guess not, but enough about Renee. I see that you don’t have any more appointments for the day, and neither do I. I haven’t had lunch yet. Do you want to walk over to the farmers’ market and get something to eat?”
Evie’s stomach growled at that moment, and both ladies laughed.
“Clearly, my stomach decided to answer for me. I would love to go to the farmers’ market with you. Both the taco truck and the barbecue truck are so good. I just hate that I will have to choose.”
“Then let’s not choose. We can get something from each place and split it, if that works for you, and then we can have the best of both worlds.”
“That’s a perfect solution. I’m in.”
The women went to the back to get their purses and then headed out the back door after letting the two stylists still working know where they were going. Anna didn’t have any more clients for the day, but she would be back. Not that the other employees weren’t capable of closing properly, but when she didn’t have plans, she often stayed, even when she didn’t have appointments, for walk-ins or just to be a presence and be there to help if needed. She had always told herself that as a business owner, she wanted to make sure her employees felt supported and always knew they could come to her. Anna felt that was what made a great team, and so far, she had been right in her approach because while there were only four of them, they were a close-knit group, and it made for a friendly work environment.
“It’s so nice to see sunshine after the last few days of rain,” Anna said.
“Yeah, it’s kind of surprising it’s not more humid, especially considering it is July.”
“You don’t consider this humid?” As they strolled toward the next block where the farmers’ market was located, Anna stole a quick glance at her friend. “I’m already feeling sticky, and we’ve only been out here a couple of minutes.”
“I do consider this humid. I just meant relative to how it normally is in South Carolina in July after rain.”
Anna laughed. “I like your optimistic nature. I’ve lived here all my life and I still sometimes wonder how I’m going to make it through summer without melting.”
“Me too, but I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
“I couldn’t either.”
The ladies reached the edge of the farmers’ market and headed right to the food truck section. Holland Harbor was a small beach community about 45 minutes from Charleston. It expanded to about three times its normal population of 20,000 during the peak tourist months, and while sometimes that could annoy the locals, Anna knew that the money tourism brought kept many businesses afloat. Even though Anna’s business was made up of primarily locals, a lot of her friends depended on the seasonal income.
“Is there anything in particular you’re craving?” Anna asked as they stood in front of the taco truck staring at the menu.
“It all sounds good to me. But if we’re also to get barbecue, how do you feel about the chicken nachos from here?”
“Sounds delicious to me.”
A few minutes later, Anna and Evie headed over to one of the many picnic tables set up around the food trucks. Since it was a little later than the traditional lunch hour, there were several tables available, which didn’t always happen. They sat down with their food and dug in.
“I’m glad we decided to get something from each place. The chicken nachos and the barbecue brisket are both so good I can’t decide what I think is best, and I’m glad I don’t have to choose,” Anna said.
“Me too.” The women ate in silence until they finished and stood up to throw away their plates.
“You want to walk around for a bit before we head back to the salon? We can walk off some of this food,” Anna said.
“That’s a great idea. I should’ve stopped a few bites ago, but it was so good.”
“Same here.”
“Can we go over to the Waverly Farms booth? I’m almost out of my favorite goat cheese. The garlic flavor. Have you had it?” Evie said.
Anna felt a little bit of a tingle at the mention of Waverly Farms. “I’m pretty sure I’ve had every flavor they make, and honestly, I can never decide which one I like the best, but I know the garlic and the poppy seed are my two favorites.”
Each vendor had a specific spot at the farmers’ market, and Anna knew exactly where the Waverly Farms stand was. This year it was located in the northwest corner of the market, which was opposite where they were by the food trucks. The women meandered in that direction, stopping every once in a while to look at one of the stands. There were a lot of local craftsmen that Anna admired, anything from sewing, to woodworking, to wine, to cheese and jams, like the Waverly Farms stand. Her friend Darla had recently bought a hand-carved oak front door from a vendor here, and its craftsmanship could rival anything in a bigger city. Anna loved her little town. Her brother had left for California when he went to college and never returned, and while where he lived was pretty, it was inland, and Anna couldn’t fathom not living by the beach. Her favorite thing to do was to take her coffee out on the beach and walk at sunrise.
“Oh good, there’s not a long line,” Evie said as they reached the Waverly stand, but Anna wasn’t looking at the line of customers. Instead, she was looking to see if Chan Waverly was working. As Evie checked out the cheeses, Anna glimpsed Chan helping a customer. He looked up, caught her staring at him, and gave her a slight smile. Anna glanced away and quickly joined Evie, pretending to care about cheeses instead of the fact she felt attracted to Chan Waverly. She hardly knew him, but when her friend Darla had got together with his brother Charlie, she couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was. But her and Chan together? That would never happen.
This book releases 9/13/2024 and is currently available for pre-order.
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August 30, 2024
Violets and Vandals A Petal Pushers Flower Shop Cozy Mystery – First Chapter
At the breakfast table Monday morning, I wrapped my hands around my steaming mug of coffee. Having just gotten out of bed a few minutes ago, I was freezing. You wouldn’t think it was August in Illinois, the hottest and most humid month, the way I had goosebumps. Cooper preferred to keep the air conditioning set on sixty-eight, one of the hardest compromises we’d both had to make when we first started living together—what temperature the heat and air conditioning would be set on. I liked it hot, and he liked it cold. Unfortunately, he had a point that I could always put on a sweater or another blanket, where if he was too hot, there wasn’t much he could do.
“Want me to bump the air conditioning up just a bit?” Cooper asked as he glanced over at me, snuggled up with my coffee while he made his own.
“Nah. A few sips of this and I’ll warm up.”
A few moments later, he was sitting across from me. It was actually kind of a rarity during the week. He had always been a hard worker, but ever since he became mayor, I’d seen him less than ever. He usually left before I got up in the morning. Thankfully, Petal Pushers, the flower shop I owned, didn’t open until nine, so I didn’t have to wake up too early. A good thing since early mornings had never been my favorite.
Cooper started to say something when a scratching at the door distracted him. We both looked in the direction of the glass patio door to see both Bella and Topknot staring at us, wanting to come in. He jumped up and let them in, both of them going right to their food bowls, which Cooper had already filled. Bella and Topknot knew the morning routine. On the occasion one of us forgot, they were sure to let us know. They never missed a meal.
“I’m surprised to see you still here,” I said.
“I have the city council meeting tonight. It doesn’t start until eight, so I thought, rather than work a twelve-hour day, I would go in a bit later than normal.”
“Who are you and what have you done with Cooper?” I joked.
“I don’t always work that late,” he protested.
I was about to argue when his cell phone buzzed from its place next to his coffee cup. He glanced over at it and got a funny look on his face before he picked it up.
“I told you I was coming in late today, Tobey.”
I tilted my head and looked at Cooper. He seemed a little annoyed, and that wasn’t like him. He did work a lot, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the job was getting to him. Even if he didn’t work long hours, the things he had to put up with, like people always seeking him out to complain about something, were enough to drive anyone crazy.
I got up to fix myself another cup of coffee. Cooper wasn’t saying much, so I couldn’t really figure out if what Tobey called about was bad or just normal mayoral business. By the time my coffee had finished brewing and I was back in my chair across from him, he was off the phone, and he definitely looked annoyed.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
He took a sip of coffee and sighed. “Unfortunately, no. Urban Shade has struck again. Tobey said the office has already taken over fifty calls, and it’s not even eight a.m.”
“Isn’t that the name the paper gave to the person who has been putting up all the graffiti around town?”
“Yes, which didn’t help matters any. When Etta Harvey gave this person a name, it somehow made people even more incensed at what was happening. I think it somehow became more personal.”
“I’ve met her at a couple of town business functions since she bought the paper. She seems nice.”
“I’m not saying she’s not nice. I just wish she didn’t make a news item out of everything that happened in town.”
“It makes sense that she would, Cooper. It is newsworthy. Especially in our small town.”
“I know. I just wish her doing her job didn’t make my job harder. Anyway, I should probably get going.” Cooper stood up, taking his cup to the sink. He petted Bella and Topknot before dropping a kiss on my forehead and heading toward the door.
“Try and have a good day,” I called out.
“I will. You too.”
The door closed behind him, and I turned to see both Bella and Topknot staring at me.
“Oh, no, you don’t. You just ate. No snacks,” I admonished them.
They didn’t seem to care, just looked up at me with the same forlorn expressions. As if they were starving when I had just watched them scarf down their breakfast. When they finally realized I wasn’t giving them anything and walked away about the same time Jared came into the kitchen.
Jared had moved to Hunter’s Hollow a few months back, when the company he worked for had gone out of business. I had been telling him that Hunter’s Hollow needed a good graphic designer and he needed to stay and open his own business, but so far, he was on the fence, saying the nightlife here wasn’t exactly what he was looking for. I had come to love the small town I grew up in, despite the fact I hadn’t been able to get away from it fast enough when I was younger. Coming back had changed my mind, but Jared was right about the nightlife.
Bella and Topknot immediately ran over to him, with the same begging routine they had just pulled on me.
“Did Mama not feed you?” He talked to them in baby talk. Bella’s tail started wagging faster, and Topknot squawked.
“Don’t believe a word they say,” I warned, shaking my head at the two of them.
Jared shuffled over to the Keurig and yawned as he put the pod in the machine.
“Late night?”
“Yes.”
“Why couldn’t you sleep?”
“I was up putting the finishing touches on my business plan and then thinking about it a lot.”
I felt a tingle of excitement. “And…”
“You will be the first to know that I’m doing it. I’m staying here in Hunter’s Hollow and trying to make a go of being self-employed.”
“Yay!” I squealed and jumped up and down, sloshing my coffee over the side of the cup and burning my hand.
Jared grabbed a paper towel, running it under cold water as I set my cup down.
“That was stupid of me.”
“I appreciate the enthusiasm,” Jared said as he grabbed another paper towel and bent down to wipe up my mess.
“I’m so glad you’re staying here. Now if only I could convince Anna, then all my besties would be in town.”
“Yeah, I don’t see that happening.”
“Me neither.”
I hadn’t seen Anna in over a year, although we talked and texted a lot. She was living her best life, traveling the world with her boyfriend. They would go to a place and find jobs, working and staying for a while, until they got ready to move on. The nomadic life wasn’t for me, but she loved it.
“So, what’s your next step?”
“As much as I love mooching off you and Cooper, it’s about time I leave and give you back your space. Plus, I need more space for work if I’m going to be serious about this.”
“You know we don’t care. You can stay as long as you want, and we have an extra bedroom you could use as an office.”
“Presley, it’s time for me to leave, but I’ll let you help me find a place. I want to rent right now, so will you help me?”
“Of course, I will, but why don’t you buy a house? A better investment.”
“I don’t want to take that risk in case my business flops.”
“I get it. Anyway, I can’t wait to tell Katy and Willie. He liked the realtor he used when he found his place, so I’ll get her contact information for you, and we can start house hunting. This is going to be so much fun!”
“Let’s just hope I can build a business the way I think I can. I was very conservative with my financial projections, and I’ll save a lot of money by not going out several times a week. Apparently, there are some upsides to no nightlife.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that. He always had to make a dig at the lack of fun to be had, as he often put it.
“I know you can. Your design skills are amazing, and I’ll help in any way I can.”
“Thanks, Presley.”
“Do you mind if I leave these two with you while I go upstairs and get ready?”
“Not at all.”
“Don’t feed them any snacks,” I called over my shoulder, knowing that statement would fall on deaf ears. The minute I was out of sight, he would be spoiling them rotten. Poor Bella and Topknot would miss Jared as much as I was going to when he moved out.
July 12, 2024
Pets and Perjury a Paw paws Pet Bakery Cozy Mystery
Spring is blooming in the charming town of Sweet Haven, and Tillie’s pet bakery is thriving. Life seems peaceful until one evening, when Tillie’s friend Hilary stumbles upon a shocking discovery: Walden Stout, a local attorney, lying dead behind the Sweet Haven Coffee Beanery.
Walden had been representing accused embezzler Theo Strauss, which raises many questions. Could rival attorney Dawson Holmes be the culprit? Or is there more to Walden’s death, especially since he had Tillie’s name in his pocket? Now, Tillie must unravel the mystery without endangering herself. Can she find the killer before it’s too late?
New Release – Pets and Perjury a Paw paws Pet Bakery Cozy Mystery
Spring is blooming in the charming town of Sweet Haven, and Tillie’s pet bakery is thriving. Life seems peaceful until one evening, when Tillie’s friend Hilary stumbles upon a shocking discovery: Walden Stout, a local attorney, lying dead behind the Sweet Haven Coffee Beanery.
Walden had been representing accused embezzler Theo Strauss, which raises many questions. Could rival attorney Dawson Holmes be the culprit? Or is there more to Walden’s death, especially since he had Tillie’s name in his pocket? Now, Tillie must unravel the mystery without endangering herself. Can she find the killer before it’s too late?
July 9, 2024
Pets and Perjury a Paw Paws Pet Bakery Cozy Mystery Book 2 – First Chapter
Chapter 1
“Thank you for stopping in Paw Paws. I hope Princess likes her new collar and the blueberry scones,” I said to the customer and her Frenchie, whom I had just rung up.
I grinned as another customer came in. Paw Paw’s Pet Bakery had gotten off to a rough start, but in the months the bakery had been open, things had gotten better and better. My dream business was a reality.
My name is Myrtle Moore, but everyone calls me Tillie. Myrtle was my grandmother’s name and while I loved the family connection, I had quickly created a nickname in fifth grade when the mean girl of the class started calling me Myrtle the Turtle. Luckily, my parents had understood, and I got my revenge later that year when the same mean girl finally got caught being mean and was suspended from school for a week.
I moved to Sweet Haven, Michigan, from Alabama after my divorce. I didn’t care to see my ex-husband of twenty-five years flaunting his new hussy around town. My kids were in college at University of Michigan, and my favorite aunt had died, leaving me her house in Sweet Haven. It didn’t take much for me to decide to move into my aunt’s house and take my divorce settlement to open a bakery catering to pets. It had been my dream for years, and as a woman of a certain age, it was an amazing feeling seeing my dream come true.
Sweet Haven expanded in size during the summer months due to tourists. It was a quiet little town on Lake Michigan, which was a bustling destination from May through September for families who flocked to the beach to enjoy vacation. I opened the bakery in the fall last year and now was entering my first full tourist season. Business had exceeded my expectations thus far and I couldn’t wait to see what summer would bring. I felt a weight leaning against my leg, pushing me out of my thoughts. Looking down, I saw Daisy, my St. Bernard.
“Hey, girl.” I reached over and scratched her behind the ears. Daisy promptly slid to the floor and rolled over for a belly rub. I obliged and wondered where Beans, my miniature Vietnamese pet pig, was. He and Daisy usually came to work with me. I liked having them with me and as I was currently the only employee, I worked every day from open to close and I would feel so guilty if I left them at home all day.
They had beds behind the counter, and I assumed Beans was still sleeping, which was what Daisy had been doing until just a minute ago. Beans had a sixth sense about anyone getting attention but him, and I saw him come around the corner and waddle his way over to me, immediately nosing my hand with his snout as if to say, “Pet me now.”
“You two are attention-mongers,” I said, laughing. Though I wouldn’t trade them for anything. The bell on the front door chimed and I looked up to see my friend Hilary walk in. She owned the local coffee shop, The Sweet Haven Beanery, and had been my first friend in Sweet Haven. Well, the first of three friends, along with Georgina and Chelsea. They had come over to meet me and had quickly enveloped me into their friend group after an unfortunate incident that had brought the police to my door.
“Hey, I wasn’t expecting you to pop in. What’s going on?” I stood up and immediately Beans and Daisy ran over to Hilary, demanding attention, as if they hadn’t already got it from me.
Hilary didn’t respond right away, her priority being the animals, but that was okay in my book. Finally, she looked up at me. “No special reason. Just out running errands and thought I’d stop in and say hi before heading back to the coffee shop. I’m not in a rush since it’s our mid-afternoon lull.”
“I’m glad you did. How is that new girl you hired working out? Lisa? Wasn’t that her name?”
Hilary nodded. “Yes, it’s Lisa, and she’s doing great. She’s really picked things up fast, and that’s important since over the month of May we will see a steady increase in business that will then be crazy starting Memorial weekend.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. I admit working seven days a week is starting to wear me down. I’m not as young as I used to be.” I chuckled. Though I was happy my work schedule had helped me lose a few pounds. Working so much had cut into my mindless eating because I was bored. I definitely wasn’t bored these days and only ate what I brought to work.
“You should. I think you’re crazy working open to close every day, but I understand why. It’s just going to get harder when your traffic picks up. You need to hire someone for a few days a week to help you during your busy time of day, but also allow you a day off once in a while or at least to leave earlier or come in later. Besides, what happens if you get sick or something?”
“I’ve thought about that. I need to have a backup plan.”
“There’s a job board at the Methodist church and also one at the gas station.”
“The gas station?” I questioned.
“It makes sense if you think about it. Everyone needs to go there, and even if they don’t need a job or have a job to offer, the board gets a lot of eyes on it and word of mouth takes care of the rest.”
“You’re right. Thanks. I’ll check it out.”
“Of course.” She leaned over to pet Beans and Daisy again. “I better get back. I have some cupcakes I need to frost.”
“Speaking of cupcakes, any word on what’s going to happen with The Muffin Tin?” The Muffin Tin was a bakery that had been closed since last fall.
“I heard someone bought it, but that’s just gossip.”
“I hope that gossip is true.”
“Me too. I’d like to get back to just making scones, biscotti, and dessert bars. I’ve just felt guilty since the place closed and there is nowhere in town to get a good muffin or cupcake. The ones they sell at the grocery store are always dry. Anyway, I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye, Hilary. Thanks for stopping by.”
Hilary walked out as a couple of customers walked in and it stayed that way for the remainder of the day. That had been fairly typical the last few months. Not crazy busy, but slow and steady, which I liked. It was manageable for me on my own, but Hilary was right. I needed to get some help.
Six o’clock finally rolled around, and after ringing up the last customer, I locked the door and took the cash drawer to the back, Daisy and Beans following me. We went into the office, and I sat down, pulling over my calculator so it was within reach, and started my nightly closing routine. Then I went to the computer and Googled job descriptions for part-time bakery help. Although baking the pet treats was my favorite part, it would be helpful to have someone who could do customer service and bake in a pinch.
I found a couple of examples that gave me a good starting point to go from, as I hadn’t ever written a job description before, and after about an hour, I had what I felt was a good one. I added my contact information to the bottom and then printed off a few copies. The church would be closed right now, but I could swing by the gas station on my way home.
“Are you guys ready to go home?” I said to Daisy and Beans.
I knew I was. My stomach was starting to growl, and I was sure they were ready for dinner too. It was past our normal dinner time, but I wanted to get the job posted before I chickened out and changed my mind. A few more minutes wouldn’t kill us.
We walked out through the back to where my car was parked. Getting Beans’ ramp from the back of my Jeep, I set it up and he climbed in the back seat where I buckled him in. After putting the ramp back, I opened the passenger door for Daisy, and she jumped in. Both of them were buckled in for safety. I jumped in and did the same. I pulled out of the parking lot and was turning right on Main St. to head home when my phone rang. I rummaged around in my purse until my fingers landed on my phone and pulled it out to see it was Hilary.
“Hi, Hilary. What’s up?”
“Oh, Tillie, come quick,” she said, and I could hear panic in her voice.
I heard sirens getting closer and wasn’t sure if that was through the phone or not, though the coffee shop was next door to my bakery on the opposite side of The Muffin Tin.
“What’s wrong, Hilary? Where are you?”
“I’m still at the coffee shop. Please, just come.”
She hung up before I could ask any more questions. I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. “Sorry, guys. We’re going to have to wait a little longer for dinner.” I pulled a U-turn after making sure no cars were coming to head to Sweet Haven Beanery. I turned right down the alley to get to the back entrance of the coffee shop and could already hear police sirens flashing in her parking lot. I hoped Hilary was okay.
Purchase this cozy mystery now.May 10, 2024
Tiger Lily’s and Tragedy A Petal Pushers Flower Shop Cozy Mystery !
Presley, an avid pet enthusiast, is thrown into a fur-raising mystery that’ll have tails wagging in Hope Springs! When the beloved show dog Lord Bentley disappears without a trace from the prestigious Hope Springs Dog Show, Presley discovers the fiercely competitive world of dog shows, where winning is everything and the stakes are higher than she ever imagined.
But could this fierce competition have driven someone to dognap Lord Bentley in a desperate bid for victory? With fur flying and suspicions abound Presley digs her paws into the cutthroat world of competitive canine glory, determined to unravel the mystery and bring Lord Bentley home before the final bark is heard!
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Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP7FB33M
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Tiger Lily’s and Tragedy A Petal Pushers Flower Shop Cozy Mystery Releases Today!
Presley, an avid pet enthusiast, is thrown into a fur-raising mystery that’ll have tails wagging in Hope Springs! When the beloved show dog Lord Bentley disappears without a trace from the prestigious Hope Springs Dog Show, Presley discovers the fiercely competitive world of dog shows, where winning is everything and the stakes are higher than she ever imagined.
But could this fierce competition have driven someone to dognap Lord Bentley in a desperate bid for victory? With fur flying and suspicions abound Presley digs her paws into the cutthroat world of competitive canine glory, determined to unravel the mystery and bring Lord Bentley home before the final bark is heard!
Get Your Copy Now!
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP7FB33M
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tiger-lilies-and-tragedy-l-c-turner/1145465309
Apple http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6499084532
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/tiger-lilies-and-tragedy
April 28, 2024
Biscuits and Bedlam A Paw Paws Pet Bakery Cozy Mystery Releases Today!
A fun cozy mystery with a quirky amateur sleuth and her pet dog, Daisy, and pet pig, Beans.
In the quaint town of Sweet Haven, newcomer Tillie is ready to turn over a new leaf with the grand opening of her charming bakery, Paw Paw’s. But just as the scent of freshly baked dog treats fills the air, disaster strikes when a lifeless body is discovered in the bakery’s backroom. Suddenly, Tillie finds herself at the center of a brewing storm as suspicion falls upon her, the outsider in town.
With whispers of accusation Tillie must unravel the tangled web of secrets lurking within Sweet Haven’s cozy streets. As fingers point and tensions rise, she dives headfirst into a thrilling journey to uncover the truth behind the sinister events unfolding in her bakery.
Can Tillie sift through the layers of deception and unearth the real culprit before her dreams crumble, and she finds herself locked away behind bars? Join Tillie in this heart-pounding mystery where every clue leads her closer to danger and the truth, she seeks may be the most dangerous discovery of all.
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April 27, 2024
Tiger Lilies and Tragedy – A Petal Pushers Flower Shop Cozy Mystery
Chapter 1
Jared arrived in town the night before, having decided to come to Hunter’s Hollow and give it a real chance after sub-letting his place in the city. The company he worked for had gone under and right now he was at loose ends. I was happy he was here and was making it my mission to convince him to stay. He was a graphic designer, and since there wasn’t one in Hunter’s Hollow, I thought he’d be a great addition to our community. I had mentioned it to him a couple of times, and though he wasn’t too enthusiastic initially, I just needed him to fall in love with the town, and then staying would be a no-brainer. That’s what happened with Willie. I knew it could happen with Jared too.
“Thank you for coming to help me with the flowers. I couldn’t have done this by myself.”
“They look amazing, though I’m flabbergasted a dog show needs so many flowers. Do the dogs really care about flowers?”
“I don’t disagree. When they first placed the order for all these floral arrangements, I thought it had to be a joke. I couldn’t fathom why flowers were necessary at a dog show, but I’ve never been to one, so I lacked a good frame of reference.”
“Me neither, so I guess we’ll learn together today about dog shows and why the dog owners like flowers so much, because I doubt it’s the dogs who care. In fact, flowers almost seem like they might be a deterrent around all those dogs.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I can’t imagine dogs caring too much about flowers. I hope they don’t put any low enough at tail reach or they might have a mess on their hands.”
“Funny,” Jared said. “What else do we need to do?”
“We’ve set up everything here in the main area. There are a few flower arrangements for the main dressing room we need to set up and then we’re done.”
Jared gave me a puzzled look. “Did you just say dressing room? The dogs have dressing rooms?”
I held up my hand. “Their words, not mine,” I said, glancing at the order paper for confirmation. Jared took the page from me, looked at it, shook his head, and handed it back.
“That’s insane. VIP dogs with flowers and their own dressing rooms?” he repeated. “Here I thought Bella and Topknot were spoiled.”
“Yeah, the kennel club spent a pretty penny on all these flowers. I guess they really want to give them the VIP treatment.”
“Bella doesn’t ever get flowers and you own a flower shop. Look at what she’s missing!”
“I think Bella cares more about treats than flowers,” I said, thinking of my English mastiff. I doubted flowers would matter one bit to her or any of the dogs here for that matter. My husband, Cooper, constantly scolded me about spoiling her, but I couldn’t help it when she looked at me with those soulful brown eyes.
The dog show was set to start in an hour, and the arrival time of the dogs and their owners was now. The venue had opened an hour ago, so we needed to hurry and find the dressing rooms and set up the arrangements before there were dogs in them. If they contracted me to do this next year, I would need to allow more time. It took us longer to set up the arrangements than I expected. This place was huge.
We managed to get the arrangements for all ten dressing rooms finished just in time before the VIPs arrived. When our job was done, the kennel club offered us tickets to watch.
“What do you think?” I asked Jared, holding up the two tickets the organizer had given me. “Do you want to stay and watch?”
“I think we should at least check it out. It could be really interesting, but I’d actually like some coffee.”
“I would too. I think I saw a sign that said concessions back down the main hall. They weren’t open when we went by, but they should be now.”
We headed toward the concessions, and they were open, thankfully. Jared wasn’t the only one ready for some coffee. As we walked away, I asked, “Something wrong with your latte?”
“Yeah, it’s not as good as Betty’s. I’ve missed them and that’s saying a lot with how many coffee shops there are in Chicago.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Step one in getting Jared to stay permanently. Get him addicted to the lattes at Betty’s Baked Goods, which was easy. Her lattes and pastries were amazing.
“I know. That’s one of the best things about Hunter’s Hollow—her lattes taste better than any I’ve had anywhere.”
As we made our way back toward where the dog show would be held, we passed by the dressing rooms again. The place was bustling with activity. Dogs were getting special grooming, with stations set up for them. I saw someone blow-drying a poodle, and others were even painting their dogs’ toenails. It struck me as people going to extreme lengths for their dogs, but I guessed appearances mattered in winning a dog show. What amazed me was how calmly the dogs sat through it all. I struggled trying to give Bella a bath and cut her nails, and she wasn’t cooperative—it was always an ordeal.
“Does it make you want to run home and paint Bella’s nails… or maybe Topknot’s?” Jared whispered to me.
“I was actually just thinking that. There’s no way she’d sit still, unless someone fed her endless treats and allowed me to do it while she was eating.”
I was about to give him my opinion on Topknot’s toes when I heard a woman’s bloodcurdling scream. Jared and I both turned in the direction the scream came from. A portly woman in her late fifties or early sixties was standing outside dressing room one, shrieking.
“Wonder what her problem is,” Jared said.
“Maybe she ran out of the right color nail polish for her dog,” I joked.
Darnell, the dog show organizer, approached her, presumably to ask what was wrong. He was talking to her, but I couldn’t hear much over her screaming.
“Lord Bentley is missing. Someone stole Lord Bentley,” she repeated.
“Is that her husband?” Jared asked.
“No, it’s her dog.” I remembered the name from the dressing room order form for VIP room one.
The dog show was turning out to be more exciting than I expected, and it hadn’t even started.
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Biscuits and Bedlam – a Paw Paws Pet Bakery Cozy Mystery Book 1
Chapter 1
I stood in the middle of the room, my hands on my ample hips, gazing around the shop and surveying the results of all my hard work. I tried blowing away an errant blonde curl that had fallen out of my ponytail and into my eyes to no avail, so I reached up, trying to cram it back in the elastic. It lasted about five seconds before springing back down, so I just shook my head in defeat. My hair never liked to be contained.
Walking up to the front of the store, I turned around, clasping my hands with pride at the glistening display case of treats. I had worked so hard on the eye-catching displays. While there was no one around to see me, I knew my grin went from ear to ear and I wanted to jump up and down like a kid. Owning a bakery had been my dream since I was a little girl. But not what you’d normally think of when you heard the term bakery. I didn’t cook sweet treats for people, my bakery catered to pets.
My name is Myrtle Moore, but everyone calls me Tillie. Well, up until the fifth-grade, people called me Myrtle, but once I got teased mercilessly for the old-fashioned name my parents stuck me with, I insisted everyone call me Tillie and refused to acknowledge anyone calling me Myrtle. I’ve always been a little stubborn.
I just put the finishing touches on my new business, Paw Paw’s Bakery, and my grand opening would be tomorrow. I knew that sleep would be difficult tonight since my body had been running on adrenaline from excitement all day. Adrenaline and copious amounts of caffeine.
I walked behind the counter and grabbed the pink clipboard with my checklist; I needed to go over it one more time, which would make it the third time today, but I didn’t want to leave unless I knew everything was going to be perfect for the morning. I went over to the small round table that had baked goods for humans, because I wanted something to offer the pet parents for my grand opening. I double checked the number of cupcakes and cookies I had picked up earlier today from The Muffin Tin, the human bakery next door. I checked human food off my list and went through the bakery items for pets in my display case, which included cookies, organic dog biscuits, cupcakes, and single-serving three-layer cakes. I hoped I had baked enough, but then part of me hoped we ran out. That would show customers how in demand my baked goods were and create a sense of urgency.
Everything in Paw Paw’s Bakery was made with all-natural ingredients and was fit for human consumption, though even though you could eat them, I didn’t see why anyone would want to. My goal was to locally source everything, but that would take some time. I quickly walked around the rest of the store where I had displays and bags of pre-made treats that had a shelf life of five to seven days. Then I had a small area with dog accessories such as bowls, collars, and leashes, with a few dog and cat toys as well. I even had pet centric art on the walls that patrons could buy.
I was caught up in my own little world, surveying my store nestled between the Muffin Tin and the coffee shop, when I heard a tap on the glass door. Turning, I saw the owner of the Muffin Tin, Pete Hamilton. What was he doing here? Maybe wishing me good luck on my grand opening tomorrow. That would certainly be nice. I hadn’t officially met him, but I had stopped into the Muffin Tin a few times to get muffins and cupcakes for breakfast since coming to town and I knew he was the owner. One thing fun about being an adult is I could have a cupcake for breakfast if I wanted to. There was a picture of him hanging up. I walked to the front door and unlocked it, welcoming him in.
“Hi, Pete. I’m Tillie,” I said, offering him my hand, which he ignored, just standing there with a scowl on his face. “Is there something I can help you with?” I tried again, plastering on a smile, pretty sure now this wasn’t a welcoming visit, but not sure how I could have offended him already.
Pete moved around me and stopped in front of my bakery case. I could see him furiously scanning all the items as I walked over to him.
“My assistant said you came in and bought three dozen muffins and three dozen cookies this afternoon. I thought this was a dog bakery. Are you trying to pass my delectable baked goods off as dog food?” he shouted, his face growing red.
He was not an unattractive man, with his brown hair threaded with grey and fit looking; much fitter than me. However, he was looking more like a petulant child than a business professional right now. It was all I could do not to take a step back, but this was my store, and I wasn’t about to let him know he was making me nervous with his aggressive tone. This wasn’t my first go-around with a bully.
“No,” I said calmly as I pointed to the display table with the human treats. “I bought those baked goods for the pet parents shopping for treats for their fur babies. As you can see, they are very clearly marked,” I said, hoping my calmness might rub off on him and take things down a notch. I didn’t want to start off on the wrong foot with a local business owner.
“Hrumph. Fur babies, pet parents. Hogwash. My baked goods better not be with your dog crap.”
Dog crap. Who did he think he was? Now I could feel my own face flush red with anger. How dare he! “I’ll have you know my pet treats are made with all organic ingredients. They are good enough for people not that I want people to eat them. Most people would find them bland. Besides it’s not your business what I do with your baked goods once I buy them.” I tried to keep my tone civil, but it wasn’t easy.
“From now on, stay out of my bakery!” he shouted as he moved to the round table, sweeping his cupcakes onto the floor, spinning around and rapidly walking out the door, letting it slam behind him.
I stood speechless, watching him leave and walk down the sidewalk out of my sight. I noticed someone who had been looking in our direction, head down a side street as soon as I noticed her. I couldn’t tell who it was, though I saw enough of her to know she was of medium build and had brown hair that was pulled back off her face. The shadow from the building at the angle she was standing, didn’t allow me to see her face clearly. I shook my head, putting the mystery woman out of my mind. I didn’t want to have a feud with a fellow business owner in a small town, let alone one who was right next door, but I didn’t have a clue as to what Pete’s problem was. I hoped I could salvage some of the cupcakes.
I felt something bump up against the back of my knees and turned to see Daisy, my two-year-old St. Bernard mix.
“What is it, girl? Did that mean man yelling wake you up? You ready to go?”
Daisy gave a soft woof, which I took to mean yes. She was past due for her daily walk, so I was sure she was getting antsy.
“Where’s Beans?” I asked her and she wagged her tail, narrowly missing a bag of treats on a display table.
“Go find Beans,” I commanded her.
She turned around and trotted in her happy-go-lucky manner to the back room where I assumed Beans was still sleeping. He wasn’t as inquisitive as Daisy. Except at home. He made sure to investigate anyone who came to our front door. I heard a squeal and then I heard Daisy whine, and I knew I was right. Beans had been sleeping and must have snapped at Daisy as she woke him up.
“Beans, don’t you snap at Daisy, ya hear?” I hollered, and heard the tapping of hooves as Beans came into view. Daisy was right behind him, poor thing. She wanted nothing more than to be Beans’ best friend, but the 70-pound miniature pig felt he should get all the attention and just tolerated Daisy.
“Are you guys ready to go?” I said when they were both standing in front of me. They looked expectantly at me, so I took that as a yes. Animals were a lot of work, but my heart melted anytime I looked at these two. I couldn’t imagine my life without them—Daisy with her long St. Bernard fluff that almost made vacuuming a full-time job, and Beans with his black-and-white coat that made him look like an Oreo.
I quickly cleaned up the cupcake mess Pete made, with a little help from Daisy and Beans licking the floor, and then sat my clipboard on the counter, content that I had everything done for the opening tomorrow with a few less human treats. I was only able to salvage a few cupcakes. The rest had landed on their top and the icing was all smashed. With one final check to make sure the front door was locked, we all headed out the back door to my Jeep. Daisy got in the backseat, and I buckled her in before grabbing the ramp and letting Beans walk up it and into the passenger’s seat. Beans always had to ride shotgun, but Daisy didn’t seem to mind. I buckled him in and then got in and started the car. They were harder to take places than my kids had been when they were toddlers. But I wouldn’t trade them for anything. My pets were my life. Much more loyal than a husband, at least the husband I recently got rid of, and a lot less work.
I drove the short fifteen minutes out of town to what was my new house. When I pulled into the driveway, the same feeling of astonishment rushed over me that this was really all mine, free and clear. It was the same feeling that had come over me every day for the last three months that I had been living here.
After I shut the engine off, I unbuckled myself and Beans, getting out and letting both of them out of the car. We all took a quick lap around the block so they could get a little exercise, and then we headed into the house, both of them right on my heels knowing it was dinner time. I fixed Daisy her kibble and Beans his feed, then grabbed my favorite meal. A bag of microwave popcorn. I put it in the microwave for three minutes and poured myself a glass of red wine. Popcorn was a vegetable, wine was a fruit, so the meal was pretty well balanced, if I did say so myself.
When the popcorn was done, I headed into the living room. Kicking off my shoes, I plopped on the overstuffed couch, the style circa 1960 with an obnoxious green-and-gold print. It was in great condition, due to the plastic slipcovers my grandmother kept on all her furniture—which I had promptly removed when I’d moved in, but I had no desire to change the furniture right now. It reminded me too much of my grandma, Flora.
As I picked up the remote and surfed through my streaming service looking for something to watch, I told myself that as soon as I finished eating, I would go to bed, because the sooner I went to bed the sooner tomorrow would come. And I couldn’t wait for tomorrow. While I was realistic—that I would probably be operating in the red while I built up my business—I hoped my grand opening would be busy with pets and pet parents. I couldn’t wait to meet the pets of Sweet Haven.
Hopefully, I wouldn’t have any more run-ins with Pete Hamilton.
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