Ashley Crane Cozy Mystery Boxed Set

by Laurie Anne Marie

  Lara laughed. “That’s okay. I’ll wrangle up someone else.”

  “Sorry again. I’m a bum,” Ashley said.

  “No, you’re not, you’re just over-ambitious,” Lara replied.

  “Next time, though,” Ashley said.

  “All right. Bye. Have fun cleaning the attic out!”

  Ashley hung up her phone and saw her mother looking at her with sympathy on her face.

  “Honey, forget about the attic, and go enjoy yourself. You can get it done another day,” April said.

  “No, Mom, I just want to get as much done as I can today. I got distracted with those old clippings, that’s all. Besides, Dad will only prove he was right if when he comes back from work there isn’t a lot of stuff for a yard sale.”

  “Oh, that silly man. He has an itch about getting the attic cleaned out. Who cares? Then we will have empty space up there and it will just get filled up again anyway,” April groused.

  “That’s always the way it is. You get rid of stuff, and more shows up to take its place. Like magic.” Ashley laughed then climbed up the attic ladder again. “Wish me luck!”

  ***

  By the time Burt got home in the early evening, there were eighteen boxes of all sizes sitting at the bottom of the attic stairs.

  “All ready for a yard sale, dear!” April said as she rounded the corner.

  Ashley popped her head out from the attic. “Plus, I’ve reorganized up here, Dad. Everything is off to the side, and you have lots of room. Come up and see!”

  Burt climbed just to the top of the ladder and took one look around and let out a whistle.

  “Didn’t think I’d live to see the day,” he said.

  April shouted from below. “Why don’t you make a man cave up there with all the room?”

  “Because it’s an attic, not a basement,” Burt answered.

  “Then call it a ‘man heaven,’” April said cheerily.

  “Yeah, Dad, you can sit up here and get away from us women whenever you want,” Ashley added.

  “Then I’ll need a dead bolt on the attic door,” Burt said.

  “Sounds like a great idea. We will make sure it can be locked from the outside, too!” April yelled.

  Burt yelled back. “When your decoupage group comes over, I’ll sign a contract giving you license to do just that!”

  “Seriously, Dad, look how much stuff I got rid of,” Ashley said.

  “It looks great. Although I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn’t fill up as fast as you emptied it,” Burt grumbled.

  “So, yard sale tomorrow?” Ashley asked.

  “Sounds good. Now, let’s go eat dinner,” Burt replied.

  As Burt descended the ladder and looked at the pile of boxes, he noticed a large one that was labeled “old game hats and T-shirts” then another that was labeled “sports memorabilia.” He let out a howl.

  “Dear, what’s wrong?” April asked.

  “You’re going to sell off my team clothes?” he asked. “And some of my old balls?”

  He had an incredulous look on his face.

  “You said to get rid of everything that we haven’t used in over ten years, and these were stashed away. I haven’t seen them on you in forever,” April said.

  “These are collector’s items!” Burt insisted. “They can’t go in the yard sale.”

  April rolled her eyes. “Oh, I see, sell everything but your stuff.”

  “This isn’t ‘stuff,’ woman. This is valuable.”

  April sighed. “Okay, dear. Time for dinner.”

  Chapter Five

  Ashley went into the kitchen to help her mom.

  “Dad’s taking it rough out there with those boxes of old clothes and sports stuff,” Ashley said.

  “Of course. He’s in mourning.” April laughed.

  Ashley’s mother warmed up some of her homemade chicken soup and popped biscuits in the oven.

  “You can whip up a small salad, honey,” April said.

  Ashley did just that.

  As soon as the biscuits were done, they sat at the dinner table, waiting for Burt.

  April called out to her husband. “Time for dinner, dear!”

  Burt replied with a sad tone in his voice. “You two go ahead. I’ve got to see what’s really in these boxes first. I think a lot of this should go right back up in the attic.”

  They heard him quietly muttering to himself and sniffling every now and then.

  “Whatever you say. We’ll save you some biscuits,” April answered.

  Ashley exchanged looks with her mom, and they dug into the food. At Ashley’s nudging, April reluctantly talked with her more about the domestic crime years ago, but only about what the locals had gossiped about at the time and their perspective on the case.

  “You know, there were lots of people back then who thought Caitlin Harding killed Melissa Anderson. Caitlin had no money and wanted the fancy life that Melissa was leading. It made sense—to get rid of the wife and step into her role,” April said.

  “And if Robert was out of town, he could’ve instructed her how to do it,” Ashley mused.

  “Right. But she cried on the stand and acted like a victim who was scared of Robert. The jury not only felt sorry for her, but they probably believed that she had been manipulated.”

  Ashley questioned that theory. “The jury felt sorry for the mistress? That’s letting her off easy, even if she didn’t do it.”

  April sighed. “I agree. The whole trial was a fiasco.” She got quiet and stared at her plate. “Now, can we stop talking about it, honey? Please.”

  “Sure, Mom. I’m going to get going.”

  ***

  By the time Ashley left for her apartment, she had plenty more information from her mom that she hadn’t read about in the papers. It was enough to pique her interest and make her think how nothing was ever as it seemed it was.

  When she got home, Sean was passed out, snoring on the couch, with Charlie sitting on his chest. Susie Q was purring close by. It looked as if Sean had come home from work and plopped down on the couch and never moved. That was obviously why he never made it over to her parents’ house to help her. She thought for a moment about waking him for dinner but decided against it.

  Sean had been getting up especially early for weeks for big baking orders, and he needed his sleep. Ashley got a blanket out of the closet and covered him up just to Charlie’s head. Her cat gave her a look to as if to say, “Thanks, Mom, we’ve had a rough day.”

  Charlie put his head back down on Sean’s chest. Susie Q just kept purring away, and Ashley gave her a pat.

  A few moments later, Ashley tiptoed into her room and got ready for bed. Her body ached from moving and sorting through boxes and cleaning out the attic. She picked up one of her mystery novels and began to read. Soon, her head began to nod, and she turned off the light. But before she drifted into sleep, her mind reflected on the old murder case again in Comfortville. It seemed surreal, and she was fascinated with trying to figure it all out.

  Ashley let out a sigh. “Maybe I’m trying to sleuth too much.”

  She heard the wind pick up outside, and within minutes, a steady rain began to fall. It was perfect for sleeping, and within seconds, that was what she did.

  Chapter Six

  Ashley woke up early to get things ready for her catering job. It was just a birthday luncheon at a private residence, but still, everything had to be perfect. Her client was very nice but wanted everything just so. Sean had already left for his bakery. She found a note from him.

  “Another big baking order today. Didn’t want to text you and have the ping sound wake you. You were snoring a lot…hahaha. Thanks for letting me sleep where I was last night. I fell like a tree onto the couch. See you for dinner tonight. XOXOXO.”

  Ashley smiled to herself. She had always left him notes and sent texts to him with “xoxo” on them, and he had picked up the habit. His note was a nice way to start off the day. She reflected on how wonde
rful everything felt now that they were living together. Her old apartment had been nice, but between the break-ins while she was investigating the past crimes and the nosy landlord, Mrs. Norris, it was good to be in a different place.

  Besides, she felt much safer now that she was not coming home to an empty apartment by herself. Charlie stared up at her and started to yowl for his morning walk. Ashley sighed. She would have liked to get out of it that morning because of work, but her cat was determined and stood up on his hind legs. He batted at the doorknob to go out.

  “Okay, Charlie, but it’s going to have to be a fast walk today.”

  Ashley quickly put his halter and leash on. As soon as she opened the door, he bolted out. The new apartment she and Sean shared was on the first floor, and Ashley didn’t have to navigate the staircase with an overly enthusiastic cat on a leash.

  That said, she did have to get used to all the new people staring at the sight of her walking him. Where she lived before, everyone was used to Charlie and always smiled at him. Even the dogs on their walks learned to accept him as a “member of the pack” in her old neighborhood. But they were starting all over here, and she found herself answering the same old questions.

  “How cute! How long has she been walking on the leash?” a neighbor asked.

  “It’s a ‘he,’ and I started walking him as a kitten,” Ashley politely answered.

  “That’s so great,” another dog walker said. “I could never get my cat to do that.”

  “Well, I started walking him as a kitten,” Ashley repeated.

  “Still, my cat would freak out,” the dog walker said.

  Ashley knew that a cat on a leash was an uncommon sight, so she was always polite to people and smiled at their appreciation. But for her, it was just a daily routine now. And as much as she loved walking Charlie, sometimes it was just as much of a pain as walking a dog when she was tired and wanted to sleep in, or had work to do. But Charlie was relentless in his daily routine and motored along, sniffing and gazing at the flora and fauna while keeping an eye out for a dog he might not like.

  Ashley and Charlie rounded a corner and headed down another block.

  “Okay, Charlie, only five more minutes,” Ashley said.

  “Dude, look! That’s dope!” two teen boys said as they walked by.

  They gave Ashley a thumbs-up while they continued to bop their heads to their music on headphones. One boy turned and waved at Charlie as they walked away.

  The boy smiled. “Bye, kitty.”

  Charlie looked up at her as if to say, “See, Mom, more admirers,” and kept trotting along.

  They ran into Nancy, a friend of Ashley’s previous neighbor, Mary. Nancy lived in their apartment complex and could “see” things the way Mary did.

  Mary had introduced them to Nancy just before Sean and Ashley moved in, and Nancy had welcomed them with open arms into the neighborhood. Nancy had that uncanny ability like Mary to zero in on people and events with great clarity. Ashley was in awe of people like that.

  Nancy greeted them. “Hi, Ashley. And how are you today, Charlie?” She bent down and petted him.

  He was clearly charmed by her.

  “I’m fine,” Ashley said. “Walking the Boss Man.”

  Nancy smiled. “He’s an old soul. This cat will watch over you.”

  “He sure does. I’ve never had a pet quite like him.”

  Ashley was about to tell Nancy about the cases he had helped solve, but she decided against it. It would take too long to explain right now.

  “I can sense that he’s already helped you before. Always keep an eye on what he’s doing, and don’t doubt your instincts with him.”

  It was funny how Nancy had nailed it. Ashley smiled at her. It seemed that Ashley didn’t need to explain anything after all.

  “Gotta go,” Nancy said. “By the way, be careful of the new guy walking around here. He’s nice but intense.”

  “What new guy?” Ashley asked.

  “Oh, you’ll run into him soon. Have a great day!”

  Ashley stared at Nancy as she walked down the street. She was so much like Mary. Gentle and kind but always coming up with predictions that baffled her.

  Ashley had learned with her old neighbor Mary that listening was important and that trusting her instincts was even more so. Ashley was learning how to let go and trust that. She was determined to keep her ears open to Nancy’s suggestions, too.

  “Okay, Charlie, time to turn around.”

  Charlie didn’t listen. He wanted to go one more block. He set off at a trot.

  A minute later, he whipped around and hissed as his tail puffed up. Ashley looked over her shoulder.

  A man walking a dog was coming up behind them. The guy was massive. He looked like a body builder or a linebacker. Even though he appeared to be middle aged, he was in great shape and was an imposing sight. At the end of the leash he was holding was the biggest pit bull Ashley had ever seen. She immediately scooped up Charlie and put him on her shoulder. Charlie dug his claws into her out of fear.

  “Owww!” she cried out. “Let’s cross the street, Charlie.”

  The man called out to them. “Hey, sorry to scare you and your cat. Jake here is a real nice dog. He just looks scary.”

  Ashley turned around to look at the guy and his dog again.

  “That’s okay. But I better stay over here, or my cat will tear up my shoulder.” She put Charlie down to set off back home, but he just stood there across the street and continued to stare at the pit bull.

  “That’s pretty cool that you walk your cat on a leash. I used to have a cat too, but I don’t think he would’ve stood for that,” the man said.

  “A lot of cats wouldn’t, but Charlie was easy to train,” she answered.

  She peered at him. She hadn’t seen him around before.

  “I’m Josh. I just moved into the Guardian Apartments. Jake here is still getting used to the neighborhood.”

  The pit bull wagged his tail at his owner at the mention of his name. Jake looked at Ashley and Charlie and wagged his tail again.

  “He’s a beautiful dog,” she said.

  Ashley knew that pit bulls had scary reputations, but that usually came about because of owners who were rough with them. She remembered a lady when she was growing up who had the sweetest pit bull that played with the neighborhood kids all the time. Still, until she got to know Jake, it was best to keep her distance. Besides, Charlie was having none of that dog at the moment.

  “Thanks. He’s called a ‘blue’ because of his color. He’s the best dog ever,” Josh said.

  “I’m Ashley. Nice to meet you.”

  “Well, see you around. This is a nice street. We’ll probably walk here a lot.” He waved as they headed down the street.

  Ashley knew the Guardian Apartments. They were several neighborhoods over. He either had to put the dog in the car and drive over here, or they were out for one really long walk.

  The Guardian Apartment complex wasn’t a dump, but it was rougher around the edges than Ashley’s building, or most of the others in the immediate area. Here, you had tidy little homes and leafy apartment buildings mixed together, plus lots of parks for kids to play in.

  The Guardian Apartments was a big block building at the end of a busy and noisy street. It seemed to have a lot of people coming and going at all hours. And it was one of the few places a person could rent if they had a big dog like a pit bull.

  The weight limit on pets in Ashley and Sean’s complex was forty pounds. Sometimes she didn’t think that was fair since there were a lot of gentle large dogs, but landlords in her area all agreed on that rule.

  Ashley looked down at Charlie. He had calmed down now, so she headed for home. He motored right beside her like he was a little doggie.

  What a cat.

  Just as Ashley and Charlie arrived back at her apartment complex, Josh and his pit bull, Jake, came running by. Josh’s eyes were huge, and his pupils were dilated. He was breathing in
big gasps. His dog was panting heavily. He stared at Ashley.

  He gasped then greeted her. “Hi again.”

  “Uh, hi,” she replied.

  Charlie hissed and ran out to the end of his leash. Josh hurried around the corner and cut down a street toward the vicinity of the Guardian Apartments.

  Weird, Ashley thought.

  Ashley didn’t know what to make of him circling back and running by her apartment building, but she had to deal with her frightened cat first. She picked him up and petted him as they headed inside her door. Charlie gave her a look as if to say, “Creatures that big should have their own street.” He then walked to the kitchen to gobble down some treats.

  Ashley thought a minute about how Josh and Jake were an imposing sight. Still, he could be a really nice guy, so she would hold off judgment, unlike her cat.

  Ashley then looked at the time and gasped.

  “Gotta go, kitties! Time for work!”

  Ashley gathered up her food in coolers and packed the trays and utensils she would need to prepare lunch.

  “Guard the place, Charlie,” she called out as she locked the door.

  ***

  Ashley quickly loaded her car and backed out. As soon as she made a turn several streets over to drive to her catering job, she saw that Josh guy again. This time, he was standing on a curb in what looked like a heated confrontation with another guy.

  The other guy had a small build and dark-brown hair, but he was yelling in Josh’s face. He then raised his fist to throw a punch.

  Josh quickly dodged the jab then turned the man around and handcuffed him. His pit bull stood there growling and looked like he would jump at the guy any moment. Josh then put the handcuffed man inside the backseat of a car.

  The whole confrontation happened so fast that it took Ashley’s breath away.

  Wow. Who was this Josh guy after all?

  Her mind was spinning as she drove to her catering job. Was he a cop?