Ashley Crane Cozy Mystery Boxed Set

by Laurie Anne Marie

  “Okay ladies, you all helped with that. Let’s tell Ashley our other theory now,” April said.

  Ashley stared at all the women, who were staring intently back.

  “Any day now,” Burt groused. “I’m starving.”

  “We think it could also be that server Meagan who stole your boyfriend Ray,” April shouted.

  “Mom, I’m right here. No need to yell,” Ashley said.

  “Well, if it’s that server Meagan, then I don’t know if we should condemn her or give her a medal of honor for taking that bum off your hands,” Burt said.

  “You know, she really could have done it, Ashley. You said she was having an affair with Darren. But she found out that he was sleeping with other servers too and could have gotten really mad,” Lara offered.

  “That would be just like the twist in the book I read!” Amelia squealed in excitement.

  “Has anyone thought that she had Ray’s help to bump Darren off? Ray could have really been pissed when he found out the situation with Meagan and her boss. It seems like it was a two-person thing anyway. Meagan would’ve known when he was closing, and Ray could’ve been waiting outside to pump him with bullets,” Sean said.

  April jumped up and clapped her hands. “That’s it!”

  “Great, all solved. A crime of passion. Can we eat dinner now?” Burt started to walk to the dining room.

  Ashley sat there preoccupied with her thoughts while everyone talked excitedly as they went to dinner.

  A crime of passion? Ashley thought. Or big-time drug money?

  Sean reached over for her hand. “Hey, let’s eat. Time to solve more clues later. Those are some wicked good smells coming from the kitchen.”

  Ashley smiled at him. “Yeah, let’s eat.”

  ***

  The dinner was spent in crime-solving banter. The group of women went on and on about the mysteries they had read and the theories they had. Lara and Sean piped in every now and then too. Everyone seemed caught up in the excitement. At one point, her dad leaned in and whispered in her ear.

  “Sean’s the one,” Burt said.

  “Ssshhh, Dad, he’s sitting right across from me,” Ashley whispered back.

  “So what? You know I’m right.”

  As if on cue, Sean looked over at her and gave her a big smile. His eyes were full of tenderness. Ashley held his gaze longer than she ever had and then sweetly smiled back.

  Burt leaned in and whispered to her again. “Ashley?”

  “What, Dad?”

  “Can I have that drumstick you’re not eating? I’d say this is the best fried chicken your mom ever made,” he said.

  Just then, Ashley’s cell phone rang. It was Detective Thompson.

  “Sorry, everyone, have to take this. Be right back.”

  She ran to her bedroom and shut the door.

  ***

  “Ashley?’ Thompson said.

  “Yes,” she answered.

  His voice sounded flat. “We found Jose.”

  She took a deep breath. “Is he dea…?”

  “No, but he’s been worked over pretty bad. He’s in the hospital now. As soon as he’s better, we will be able to get some information out of him. Poor guy. He was real grateful when we found him.”

  “Thank you. Thank you so much. For finding him and for telling me. I’ve got company here. I’ll talk to you some more tomorrow.”

  “Right. Night. Stay safe.” He sounded choked up.

  Ashley hung up her phone and thought about her conversation with him a little while ago. About how you never really knew someone. And here he was, revealing his empathy when she had put him down as Mr. Smooth. What a nice surprise.

  ***

  “Ashley, come say goodnight to everyone,” April called.

  All the women in the club gave Ashley a goodbye kiss, and Sean and Lara called for a big group hug.

  After a few seconds, however, Burt struggled out of the circle and gasped.

  “I just ate one of your mom’s best dinners. I don’t want it to come back up.”

  Sean gave her a peck on the cheek, and Lara winked at her.

  “You’re starting to wink at me like Detective Thompson,” Ashley teased her friend.

  “But for different reasons. I’m so happy for you,” Lara said.

  “Why? The murder is still unsolved, I can’t go to work, can’t go back to my apartment yet, there are still crazies out there, and I need to lose a few pounds, which I never will while I’m eating my mom’s cooking every day,” Ashley explained.

  Lara gestured toward Sean. “Because you’re loved.”

  “Uh, let’s talk later. I’m on overload. But thanks for coming at my mom’s request. And for always noticing the important stuff. Not to mention always being there.”

  “Here we go. ‘There is flattery in friendship,’ from Henry V. Did I get that right?” Lara wondered.

  Ashley laughed. “You sure did. Good show. Night.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Despite the warm fuzzy love and good food, Ashley tossed and turned all night. The puzzle was falling into place, but there were a few key pieces missing.

  Her mom’s group said Meagan could be the murderer. But it was Sean’s comment about Meagan and Ray doing it together that really got her thinking.

  Would they have done it just out of Meagan’s jealousy or Ray’s revenge? As much as she couldn’t stand Ray for dumping her, she felt deep inside that he couldn’t be capable of murder. But what if Meagan had incited him enough to do it during the heat of their relationship?

  Then there was still the question of Nash and the drug ring. Protecting his investment would make a man do desperate things. Money was truly at the root of all evil.

  It was time for sleep. She had to turn her brain off.

  Ashley woke up with a groan in the morning. Charlie was batting her head with his paw, wanting to go out for a walk. She dragged herself out of bed and put his halter and leash on. He jetted out the door and began walking on the sidewalk in a different direction for a change. The cop car was there across the street.

  She waved at the policeman, and he smiled at her and gave her a thumbs-up to see a cat on a leash. After about fifteen minutes, Charlie turned around and started back for the house. Just before he went in the front door, he suddenly turned right and started to sniff along the bushes that curled around the back of the house. He poked his head under the bush close to the living room window and began to paw at something.

  “Come on, Charlie, time to go in,” Ashley insisted.

  Charlie kept pawing and batting at something near the bush, and Ashley leaned in to take a look at what it was.

  It was a small, pink plastic ramekin. The same kind that had been found after the break-in at her apartment.

  “Thanks, Charlie. Good boy. You’re a great detective,” she said.

  Ashley picked him up and took him inside then went back out with a glove and plastic bag and removed the ramekin from under the bush and bagged it.

  This goes to Detective Thompson right away. And while I’m at it, I have to find out if he ran a test on the other one and came up with anything, Ashley thought.

  So how was this connected? Had Chris Durst dropped this the night he broke into their house? Or because Chris Jackson had dropped one when he broke into her apartment, did he drop one again when he threw the rock through her parents’ living room window?

  Ashley had a cup of coffee then got dressed to head into town.

  “Ashley, you’re not going near the restaurant, are you?” April asked. She was standing in the hallway in her robe.

  “No, Mom, just heading off to check in with the detective. Be back later.”

  “What about breakfast?” April suggested.

  “That’s okay, thanks. I’ll grab something in town. Bye.”

  ***

  Comfortville was waking up as folks headed off to work and went about their business. The stores were just starting to open, and the coffee shops were
full already with people having breakfast. She drove by Gratitude Café and saw the lot was full of cars.

  Just think, Nash had a drug ring going and a restaurant pumping out lots of business. And Darren was gone. That was a lot of money for Nash now. As she drove off, she saw him come out through the back kitchen door and hit the gas.

  No need to have him even see me, Ashley thought.

  Before heading to see the detective, she decided to have a pastry at Babycakes and see if she could catch a glimpse of Julia Short. She reminded herself that Thompson had told her to keep her eyes open. She parked on the street and walked in slowly, checking everything out.

  Ashley stepped through the bakery doors, and the smell of butter and sugar and sweet fruit overwhelmed her. And cinnamon, and vanilla and, well, everything heavenly.

  Sean grinned at her as he ran around helping customers.

  “Hey, Ash, morning! Sit at the counter.”

  Ashley settled into a counter chair and glanced around the busy room. Unfortunately, Julia Short wasn’t there.

  “That was fun last night. Your mom put out quite a spread. Here, my new breakfast menu item. Biscuits with shaved ham and cheese. Coffee coming up.”

  Sean turned to get her a cup, and Ashley dug in.

  “Oh, wow, Sean, this is amazing. So you’re putting some savory stuff on the menu now?” Ashley asked.

  “Yeah, you know. Everyone loves the pastries, but sometimes you need some protein too. Next month I’m starting some sandwiches for lunch. Simple ones on my homemade bread.”

  “You’ll do twice the business. These are delicious,” she said. She took another bite of the buttery biscuit and salty ham.

  “Well I was thinking, I can’t get into a full breakfast or lunch because I need the space to pump out all the pastries and cakes. But these additions will bring in some more business, and a lot of people can get them to go for work or to take home.”

  Ashley smiled at him. “That’s smart. And creative. You’re always thinking.”

  “Thanks. Here’s hoping it works,” Sean said.

  “It will.”

  “Do you feel better after last night? Seems everyone was onto some real possibilities about the case. Are you going to go over it with the detective?”

  “Oh, yeah. I’m going to see him after I leave here. I’ll tell him about everything we talked about last night,” Ashley said.

  Sean laughed. “Those decoupage ladies are real characters.”

  “Yes they are. Well, gotta go. Can you wrap up two biscuits for me to take to Detective Thompson?”

  “Sure. Tell him no charge. See you later. Maybe a movie later this week?”

  “I’d love that,” Ashley said.

  As she walked out, she glanced around again for Julia Short or anything else suspicious, but there was nothing.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Ashley thought about how she hadn’t told either her mom or Sean about finding the ramekin. She just felt it was best only to talk to the detective about it. Everyone was getting too excited about the case. She needed to think. What were the last few pieces of the puzzle?

  She got into her car and started to drive to Thompson’s office. As she turned the next corner, she saw Meagan Twicking ducking into a gift shop. She pulled over and parked again.

  The detective’s words ran through her head as she headed over to the shop Meagan had gone into. “Tell me if you see or hear anything. But no more taking action. It’s too dangerous. Things are too hot now.”

  Ashley told herself to keep calm.

  The minute she stepped into Dillard’s Gift Shop, Meagan glared at her from the register.

  “Hi, Meagan,” Ashley said. She started to browse the knickknacks.

  Meagan didn’t answer her. A few other customers took their items to the counter, and Meagan rang them up. The owner of the shop was at the back wall, stocking items on the shelves. Ashley chose a little cat figurine and took it to the register.

  “How are you doing? You’re not working at the restaurant anymore?” Ashley asked.

  “Duh. What do you think? Do you ever stop asking questions?” Meagan snarled.

  “Just trying to be friendly. We didn’t exactly leave on the best of terms,” Ashley said.

  “Because we’re not on the best of terms. Please stop talking to me.” Meagan rang up Ashley’s purchase then sat on a stool behind the counter and started to text on her phone.

  Ashley turned to leave as another customer came in.

  ***

  When Ashley got outside, she saw Sara sitting on one of the street benches down from the gift shop. Sara looked up and saw her then looked down.

  Ashley stopped in front of the bench.

  “Hey, Sara, how’s it going?”

  Sara looked away and glared toward the gift shop. “Why are you even talking to me? Please go away.” Then she sent a text on her phone.

  “Okay. Have a good day,” Ashley muttered.

  She walked down the street to get into her car. As soon as she got behind the wheel, she saw Meagan strut out of the shop and walk over to Sara and confront her. Ashley rolled down her window.

  “Stop texting me, you troublemaking witch!” Meagan yelled.

  “Not until you admit everything!” Sara yelled back.

  People started to stop in the street and stare. Just then the owner of the gift shop ran out and approached the two. Ashley couldn’t hear what the owner was saying, but she wrangled Meagan back into the shop, and Sara dashed back down the street, crying loudly.

  Ashley peered into the rear view mirror and saw Serena approach Sara and comfort her. Did those two not work at the restaurant anymore either? Or did they just have the same day off? Sara and Serena rounded the corner, and Ashley sighed. To say she didn’t miss working at the restaurant was an understatement.

  Maybe Lara’s right. Maybe I should open my own place. I’ve been working with weirdos too long, Ashley thought.

  ***

  Ashley turned down Quail Street and headed over to Detective Thompson’s office. As she waited at a crosswalk, she saw Serena heading to the other side. She honked and waved. Serena waved back. But where was Sara? They had been together just a moment ago.

  Ashley pulled over to talk to Serena.

  “Hey, Serena, how’s it going?” Ashley said.

  “Okay. I guess. How are you? Heard you had to leave work ‘cause your dad was sick. Hope he’s getting better,” Serena replied.

  “Yeah, he is. Day by day. Thanks for asking.”

  “Well, take care. See ya around.” Serena waved again and started to head down the street.

  “Hey, you’re still working at Gratitude, aren’t you?” Ashley asked.

  “Yeah, of course. Why?”

  “Well, I just went into Dillard’s Gift Shop and saw Meagan working there. Didn’t know she had quit.”

  “It’s a good thing she did. Everyone hated her. Now I don’t have to look at her every day either,” Serena revealed.

  “Well, that’s good for you then. Is Sara still working there too?” Ashley asked.

  “Yeah, she likes it there, like me. She’s glad Meagan is gone too.”

  “That’s good for you both then. Well, see you around. Say hi to everyone.” Ashley gave Serena a big smile, and Serena smiled back.

  Thank goodness not everyone was mad at her.

  As Ashley drove off, she caught a glimpse of the backpack on Serena’s shoulder. It was a small, ratty, and faded green one. She could barely make out the name on it—Goody’s.

  Oh no. Was quiet and shy Serena involved in the drug ring too? Had Nash gotten everyone either working for him or taking his drugs?

  I can’t believe I didn’t notice all this sooner than I did. What kind of people was I working with? Ashley mused.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Ashley parked at Detective Thompson’s office and made a beeline inside. He was on the phone but waved for her to sit down. As soon as he finished the call, Ashley bu
rst open with all the news.

  “Here. I was out walking my cat, and he sniffed this in a bush near our living room window. It’s the same kind of ramekin Mrs. Norris found after my apartment was broken into. It must have been dropped by either Chris Jackson, who broke into my apartment, or Chris Durst the night he broke into our house. And maybe they’re working together,” Ashley explained.

  “Ashley, I’ve got to tell you som…” Thompson started to say.

  “And, I just saw three of the servers from my restaurant in town. One of them, Meagan Twicking, is working in Dillard’s Gift Shop now, so she quit the restaurant. She ran out and had a fight with Sara. Then I saw Sara and Serena walking and talking together, well, actually Sara was crying, but when I pulled up next to Serena later, she said they were both still working at the restaurant and acted like everything was fine. But when I drove away, I noticed she had a small backpack on that said Goody’s. So I guess nearly everyone I was working with at the restaurant is also involved with drugs and Nash in some way,” Ashley said.

  “Good observations, Ashley. We’ve already questioned all the employees about Darren’s murder, but we can question the servers about the drugs. And you were right, that little rame-whatever-kin had drug residue on it. Cocaine and meth.”

  “Then this one my cat found in the bush probably has residue on it too. Test it.”

  “And I have big news.” Thompson cleared his throat.

  “Shoot,” Ashley said. She started to pace around his office.

  “We arrested Nash a few hours ago on drug charges. We got all the evidence we needed. We also think he’s the one who murdered Darren or ordered his murder, but he’s denying that.”

  Ashley quickly sat down. “What about Julia Short? She must have known what was going on at the warehouse if she was there with Nash.”