Sandy Bay Series Box Set 5

by Amber Crewes

  Jackie hung her head. “I know,” she moaned. “I should have hired an attorney before we got into this.”

  “No, I should have,” Meghan spat. “I am so angry, Jackie. I really believed that once we pulled the wedding off, we wouldn’t have any crazy surprises or worries with this barn. Now, with the supposed curse, Jodie Abbott dying, and this money problem, we are in over our heads.”

  “Hear me out,” Jackie pleaded, placing her hands on her heart. “I’m sorry. This wasn’t brought to my attention when I bought the barn at the auction. I’m so sorry, Meghan. I’ll do whatever I can to make it right.”

  “How? We don’t even have a single client lined up for the next month,” Meghan exclaimed. “It’s like they’ve all been scared off. I think that strange woman has been talking about the barn around town, and I think Kayley Kane has something to do with it, too.”

  “Kayley?” Jackie asked in surprise. “What would she have to do with this?”

  “I didn’t tell you, but I saw her on the beach with that strange woman,” Meghan whispered angrily, leaning in so the other patrons would not hear. “They were talking, and I thought it was strange.”

  Jackie thought for a moment, nervously wringing her hands. “Would Kayley plot against us? You said she was so irritated when Mrs. Sheridan refused her help in selecting a wedding venue.”

  Meghan shook her head. “Kayley can be harsh sometimes, but I don’t think she’s downright mean.”

  “There’s something familiar about the strange woman,” Jackie told her. “I feel like I’ve seen her before, but I just can’t put my finger on it…”

  Meghan wanted to scream. She was furious about the tax rule that Jackie had neglected to inform her of, and she didn’t want Jackie’s help in solving the mystery of the strange woman. Just as she was about to say something snarky, she peeked out the window. Her heart fluttered as she spotted Lee Shepherd.

  “I have to go,” she heard herself saying to Jackie as she rose from the small bamboo table and collected her purse. “I’ll talk with you later, Jackie.”

  Meghan hurriedly walked outside. “Lee?”

  Lee stopped, turning to smile and wave at Meghan. “Hey there,” he said kindly. “Surf Perk, huh? Are you a big coffee girl?”

  Meghan shook her head. “I like yummy drinks, but it’s more of a special thing with my friends and me,” she explained. “There are always new coffee shops opening up around town, and we try to visit them within the first week of their opening. This one was good. I would recommend it.”

  “That’s a cute little tradition,” Lee complimented as Meghan felt the heat rise to her face. “I’d love to take you for a cup of coffee sometime.

  “Maybe my boyfriend could come, too,” she replied, intentionally bringing up her beloved Jack. “He’s a detective in town. He’s a great guy.”

  “A detective? That sounds like a cool job,” he said, not letting on that Meghan having a boyfriend disappointed him in the slightest.

  “He loves it,” Meghan told him. “How’s your visit to Sandy Bay?”

  Lee nodded. “It’s been hard. My mom’s funeral is on Tuesday, so that’s not been a joy to deal with. But after that, I think I will be moving here. I’ve really fallen in love with this town.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Meghan gasped as she registered the dark look on his face. “I can’t believe I asked you about your visit. You’ve been so collected and calm both times we’ve met, and I forgot that your mom just passed away. Forgive me?”

  Lee’s lips turned upward into a bright smile. “No worries,” he said, placing a hand on Meghan’s arm and giving it a squeeze. “I know you didn’t mean any harm.”

  “It must be so hard for you to lose your mom unexpectedly. And having Frank in jail as the chief suspect must also be stressful. I can’t imagine what that’s like for you to have your father in jail right after your mother passed away.”

  Lee narrowed his eyes. “Frank?” he said in disgust. “Frank Abbott? Frank Abbott is not my father!”

  12

  M eghan was puzzled after her interaction with Lee. He had not offered an explanation about his paternity, and he had stormed off in a haste. She wrinkled her nose, stunned by the events of the day, thinking about all of it as she walked back to the bakery.

  She walked in the back door to find Pamela and Trudy high-fiving. “What’s the good news?” she asked pleasantly. “You two look to be in happy moods.”

  Pamela’s eyes sparkled. “Meghan, we’ve set a new record today! We’ve made sixteen thousand dollars in new orders. Sixteen thousand dollars! In one day! And every single order is for the orange mousse.”

  Meghan’s jaw dropped. “Are you kidding me? How did we do that?

  Trudy shook her head. “It’s true,” she told her. “The phone has been ringing off the hook with orders. Everyone wants the mousse.”

  Meghan grinned. “Congratulations are in order, then,” she announced. “Pamela and Trudy, this has been a remarkably busy, stressful week for me, and both of you have pulled through and kept this place from sinking into chaos. If it weren’t for the pair of you, things around here would not be truly sweet. It’s because of you that we’ve achieved this feat today, and I want you to know how much I appreciate you.”

  Trudy blinked back tears. “That means a lot to me, Meghan. This bakery has changed my life in so many amazing ways, and I really feel appreciated here.”

  Meghan was stunned. Trudy rarely expressed gratitude for her job, and Meghan was elated that she loved the bakery.

  “Do you hear that?” Pamela asked. “I think it’s the phone again.”

  Meghan ran to the kitchen to answer it. “Hello?”

  “Ms. Truman? This is Mitzy Springbarn from the governor’s office. Word has gotten around that you have a new dessert, the orange mousse that is the hit of the Pacific Northwest. The governor would like to place an order to be delivered tonight. Would that be possible?”

  Meghan beamed. She had provided desserts for the governor before, and it always came with massive exposure for the bakery. “Of course. How many servings of the mousse would you like?”

  “Fifty-two, if possible,” Mitzy said. “The governor is hosting a gathering tonight, and I think this would be the right way to end it.”

  “Done,” Meghan told her. “I’ll have someone send it over by four. Does that work for you?”

  “That works. Thank you. I will have a check written and ready to be sent back with your courier.”

  Meghan hung up the phone and walked into the dining room. “Ladies? We have an order to prep to be delivered tonight. Pamela, will you run it over later?”

  “Yep,” Pamela agreed as she held up her phone. “I was just taking some photos of the mousse next to the yellow roses. The flowers fit the aesthetic of our Instagram page. It looks so nice.”

  Meghan pulled out her cell phone and opened the bakery’s Instagram page. “Wow. The photo you posted five minutes ago already has two-hundred likes.”

  “I’m good at social media,” Pamela smiled. “I helped my friend, Becky, gain three thousand followers last month. My goal for the bakery is to hit 15k soon.”

  “What does that even mean?” Trudy scoffed. “Fifteen-hundred, ok? What? You kids and your cell phones.”

  Meghan laughed, but she froze when she turned to find Mrs. Sheridan walking through the front door. The mood shifted instantly. “Mrs. Sheridan,” she greeted her solemnly. “What can we do for you today?”

  Mrs. Sheridan frowned. “I don’t know,” she admitted as she threw herself into a chair. “I was walking around town to get some fresh air, and I just wandered in here.”

  “How are you doing?” Meghan asked gently.

  She buried her head in her hands. “I’m not well,” she confessed. “Meghan, I’m lost without my Frank. He brought me so much joy. I was so looking forward to starting a new life with him, and now, I am alone again, and he is locked up. This is all his fault.”

  Meg
han shook her head. “I don’t know if we can blame anyone, Mrs. Sheridan. It sounds like it’s a complicated situation.”

  Mrs. Sheridan looked down at her black pointed shoes. “Why isn’t anyone on my side? I am the laughing stock of the town, and no one cares.”

  “That is not true,” she argued. “I care about you. All of us ladies at Truly Sweet care about you.”

  Mrs. Sheridan sighed. “I just wish I had some answers.”

  Meghan took a deep breath. “Did you know he was married, Mrs. Sheridan?”

  “No,” she insisted. “He never admitted that to me. Why would I even ask that? A nice man starts to give me attention, and he doesn’t wear a ring on his finger. Why would I think he was married?”

  Meghan bit her lip, thinking of the conversation she had with Noah Morrison. “Did you know Jodie Abbott personally?”

  Mrs. Sheridan’s eyes widened. “Excuse me? Did I know my former fiancé’s wife? That seems to be an insensitive question to ask, don’t you think?”

  Meghan was taken aback by Mrs. Sheridan’s defensive response. “I’m just asking…”

  “You are just asking the rudest questions!” How can you say that to me?”

  “Mrs. Sheridan?”

  Meghan looked over to the doors as Jack walked in, her body relaxing in relief. “Oh? Now you’ve called the cops on me, Meghan?” Mrs. Sheridan screeched.

  Meghan shook her head. “I had nothing to do with this,” she insisted. “Jack is my boyfriend, Mrs. Sheridan. He stops by unannounced sometimes.”

  Jack shifted nervously. “I’m actually here on business,” he began. “Mrs. Sheridan? I need you to come to the station with me for questioning.”

  “Questioning? Am I under arrest? This is such an embarrassment,” she shrieked as she waved her cane in the air. “Haven’t I been through enough? I will die of shame if I go to prison! I won’t survive in there!”

  “Take a deep breath,” Jack told her. “Relax. I am just taking you in for questioning.”

  “You might as well take me to prison,” she said dramatically, throwing a hand up to her forehead and sighing. “I have been confined in this emotional prison for weeks. Just take my wretched corpse and throw it in jail, John! I’ve already been through the worst. I can’t take it any more.”

  “It’s Jack,” he corrected firmly.

  “John, just take me away.” Mrs. Sheridan cried, rising to her feet and holding out her wrists. “Cuff me and take me to prison.”

  13

  T he next morning, Meghan was pleasantly surprised to find Jack knocking on the back door of the bakery before Trudy and Pamela had arrived. “What are you doing here, babe?”

  Jack stepped inside. “I needed an early morning dose of my favorite woman,” he replied as he leaned down to kiss her on the lips. “And maybe some coffee and a croissant?”

  “Coming right up,” Meghan smiled as she ushered him inside.

  She warmed up the croissant in the oven and made the coffee how Jack liked it, adding a heavy splash of coconut milk and a sprinkle of organic cane sugar. “Here you are,” she announced as she presented the breakfast to him as he read a newspaper in the dining room. “You are so spoiled.”

  “I’m not spoiled, I’m just blessed to have the best girlfriend in the world,” he told her before taking a bite of the croissant. “Thank you for making breakfast for me.”

  “You are welcome. It’s nice to have some quiet time with you in the morning.”

  Meghan settled in the seat across from Jack and studied his chiseled face. She loved spending time with him, and the visit was such a nice surprise.

  “I needed this for today,” Jack told her after taking a long sip of his coffee. “Things are moving quickly with this case, and it’s going to be a long day at the office.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Chief Nunan is ready to close the case,” he explained. “She is ready to formally charge Frank with the death of Jodie Abbott. A gun matching the bullet found in Jodie’s body was found at Frank’s house.”

  “No,” Meghan whispered. “That can’t be true.”

  “It gets worse,” he told her. “He had an escape plan as well. Our detectives found a one way flight booked to Acapulco. He booked it on the night Jodie died.”

  “There has to be an explanation,” Meghan murmured. “Maybe it was for his honeymoon? He isn’t all there, Jack. His mind is slipping. What if he bought a ticket and meant to buy one for Mrs. Sheridan, too?”

  Jack shrugged. “The only saving grace he has right now are the lab results from Mrs. Abbott’s body, as well as his own clothing” he told her. “So far, we haven’t found a trace of bullet residue on the clothes he claimed to be wearing that night, which is a good sign for him.”

  “I just don’t understand,” Meghan frowned. “Do you think he really did it?”

  Jack bit his lip. “He had been separated from Jodie for a quarter of a century,” he began. “Their divorce was never finalized. I don’t know, Meghan. There are so many twists and turns with this. We are waiting to confirm if the gun belonging to Frank is the gun that shot Jodie, but we’ll have to wait another few days for that information.”

  Meghan’s shoulders slumped. “It’s so sad,” she said softly. “Poor Mrs. Sheridan. Poor Frank.”

  Jack looked at Meghan in disgust. “Poor Jodie Abbott,” he corrected her. “A woman is dead, Meghan. You have to stop thinking about Frank and Mrs. Sheridan. Think about the deceased and her family.”

  Meghan thought of Lee. “I have been thinking of the deceased and her family,” she insisted. “And I don’t need you to lecture me. I have to finish getting the kitchen ready for the day. You can just see yourself out.”

  Jack rose to his feet. “Fine,” he said with annoyance. “See you later.”

  “You’re welcome for the coffee and the croissant,” she shouted as he left.

  Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. She and Jack rarely quarreled, and she was dismayed by his condescending tone. She felt justified in feeling sorry for all parties involved; Frank, Mrs. Sheridan, Jodie, and Lee deserved her thoughts and prayers, and Meghan thought Jack had overreacted.

  “Am I interrupting something?”

  Lee Shepherd walked into the bakery with a grin on his face. “It’s nice to see you, Meghan. You’re looking nice today. Flustered, but nice. What’s on your mind?”

  Meghan felt the heat rise in her cheeks. “It’s nothing,” she said. “Welcome to the bakery, Lee. Can I get you something? A coffee? A tea?”

  Lee shook his head. “No,” he told her. “I really just wanted to see your face.”

  Meghan was taken aback. “That’s nice of you,” she stammered.

  “I’m a nice guy,” Lee said with a wink. “I bought a place here. It’s near the seaside. That real estate agent, Kayley Kane, helped me out. She drove a hard bargain, but the place will be worth every penny.”

  “That sounds nice,” Meghan said as she gestured to the chairs. “Please, have a seat. I have a few minutes to spare before my employees come in.”

  Lee fidgeted in his seat for a moment. “I have to be honest,” he told her. “I came here to offer an apology. The other day? When I walked away during our conversation? I was mad talking about Frank Abbott. I’m sorry I was so rude to you.”

  Meghan shook her head. “It’s already been forgotten,” she said. “I hear they are charging him soon.”

  “Thank goodness,” Lee praised. “That man killed my mother.”

  “Did you know him well?”

  Lee sat back in the chair and closed his eyes. “It’s a long story,” he began. “Frank was a doctor, and for awhile, he was a traveling doctor. He was unfaithful to my mom time after time, and everyone knew it.”

  “That does sound complicated.”

  “It gets worse. My mom had enough of it, and eventually, she had her own affair while she was married to Frank. She got pregnant, and when she confessed to Frank that she was carrying me,
he was furious. He told her to give me up for adoption, or he would leave her.”

  “But she didn’t.”

  “No,” Lee confirmed. “My mom knew that Frank had been unfaithful, and she had even heard rumors that he had other children by other women in other states. She was furious that he was asking her to give up her child. Frank demanded a divorce.”

  Meghan was shocked. She could hardly imagine elderly, sweet Frank being so cruel. “So….did they divorce?”

  “No,” Lee admitted. “My mother was so horrified by what Frank asked of her, and she refused to grant him a divorce. She couldn’t believe anyone could be so cold and hurtful, especially during her pregnancy.”

  Meghan shook her head. “This is a tragic story,” she whispered. “I am so sorry that your mother went through that.”

  “The worst part is, my mother never stopped caring about him,” he told her. “In fact, she told me that they were meeting in Sandy Bay to discuss their issues and find closure. They kept in touch sporadically over the years, and my mother always wanted to have one last meeting with Frank. She told me that she was coming to Sandy Bay to have that conversation with him.”

  “And then?”

  “She found out he was getting married! She was in a flower shop to buy daffodils to place on my grandmother’s grave, and she heard the store clerk chatting about Frank Abbott’s wedding. Can you believe it? That terrible man was going to commit bigamy. He was marrying someone else while still legally married to my mother.”

  “I can’t believe it.”

  “Believe it,” Lee sighed. “I wish I had known what a monster he was. If I had any idea, I would have come here earlier and escorted my mother to her meeting with him. He’s made my life so difficult, Meghan; he refused to help my mother out with her bills when they separated, and I grew up without nice things or financial security. Now, he’s taken her away from me forever. That man is the devil, and I will see him rot in prison if it’s the last thing I do.”

  14