by Amber Crewes
SANDY BAY COZY MYSTERY SERIES – BOXSET 3
By
Amber Crewes
Published by Pen-n-a-Pad Publishing in 2019
All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Copyright © Pen-n-a-Pad Publishing
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
CONTENTS
About Gingerbread and Scary Endings
Gingerbread and Scary Endings
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
About Hot Chocolate and Cold Bodies
Hot Chocolate and Cold Bodies
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
About Ice Cream and Guilty Pleasures
Ice Cream and Guilty Pleasures
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
About Jingle Bells and Deadly Smells
ALSO BY AMBER CREWES
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About Gingerbread and Scary Endings
Released: October, 2018
Series: Book 7 – Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery Series
Standalone: Yes
Cliff-hanger: No
Business is good but the stress of fulfilling a new corporate order is almost driving Meghan Truman insane. She is therefore excited when handsome detective, Jack Irvin, proposes to take her to the movies. She never expected that a fun, carefree night at the Sandy Bay cinema would end with the tragic death of the movie theater manager.
Who would stand to gain from his demise?
As Meghan delves deeper into this murder investigation, she discovers that stress has a way of bringing out the worst in people. With the clock ticking to find the murderer, will she be prepared when a serendipitous act of kindness puts her squarely in the path of a killer on the loose?
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Gingerbread and Scary Endings
1
Everyone has their favorite season. Meghan Truman’s was fall. She delighted in gazing at the red, orange and brown leaves that adorned the trees coupled with the weather being not too hot and not too cold. This was the perfect recipe for snuggly nights indoors, watching popular TV shows and indulging in yummy treats. There was so much she was thankful for in her life. She had settled into her adopted hometown, Sandy Bay, and had a thriving business and good friends. Perhaps, above all, she was glad about her stable relationship with Jack Irvin, a local detective who had proven his love for her on numerous occasions. Even though he had a busy schedule, it seemed he always made time to surprise her with visits at her bakery. That morning as she prepared for the day, she was glad to spend some quality time with him before things got busy.
“I just think it would be a good idea to take a break, Meghan.”
Meghan Truman’s heart sank as she turned to face him. “What did you say?” Meghan whispered incredulously as she stared in Jack’s blue eyes. “You want to take a break? I thought our relationship was going well, Jack! I know things were a little tense when I was in Paris last month, but everything has been back to normal since I got home.”
Jack burst out laughing as Meghan looked at him in horror. “This is not a time for laughing, Jack,” she exclaimed as Jack reached over and pulled her into his strong, muscled arms. “First you tell me we need to take a break, and now, you’re hugging me?”
Jack shook his head as he planted a kiss on Meghan’s cheek. “Meghan,” he said patiently. “You weren’t listening. You have been so preoccupied with this new corporate order that you hardly hear anything I say, sweetheart.”
Meghan pushed Jack away and raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
Jack smiled, showing his deep dimples. “I was saying that it would be a good idea to take a break from your work, Meghan. Not our relationship. You’ve been working nonstop at the bakery since you received that massive corporate order from the Behzad Corporation, and I’m worried that you are going to work yourself to death!”
Meghan sighed in relief, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead as she tried to slow her racing heart. Jack was right; Meghan’s bakery, Truly Sweet, had received a large corporate order that had been keeping Meghan and Trudy, her trusted assistant, busier than they had ever been. Meghan was grateful for the business; Behzad Corporation was one of the largest manufacturing businesses in the Pacific Northwest, and Meghan knew a professional relationship with the company would be invaluable. Meghan also knew, however, that she was near her breaking point; she had been working nearly twenty hours each day, and she was exhausted trying to fulfill the large order.
“I thought it would be fun to take a break and go to the movies,” Jack explained as he drew her close. “We haven’t had a date night in forever, and I think it would be fun!”
Meghan pursed her lips as she thought of the hundreds of cupcakes, croissants, donuts, and eclairs she still needed to make; she had several hours of work to finish, and Meghan knew that it would be impossible to fulfill her obligations and have fun.
“Don’t you dare say no!” she heard Trudy yell from the kitchen. “Meghan Truman, get out of this bakery right now; you need a break, and I will stay up all night baking if it means you get to have some fun.”
Meghan felt her eyes brim with tears as Trudy marched into the dining area of the bakery. “You are too sweet, Trudy,” Meghan said as she wrapped her arms around Trudy. “You are the best assistant a girl could ask for.” Both ladies started laughing as Jack did a victory dance around the bakery, pumping his fists in delight. Meghan glanced up at the large, red antique clock in the middle of the bakery and was glad to know there would be enough time for her to have a quick shower and change into something nice for her date night.
Two hours later, Jack and Meghan walked hand-in-hand into the Sandy Bay Cinema. After purchasing their tickets, Jack directed Meghan to the concession stand. “The Sandy Bay Cinema makes the best gingerbread in the world!” Jack declared as he bought two gingerbread cookies. “You have no idea.”
Meghan laughed. “The Sandy Bay Cinema sells gingerbread? That is so random.”
Jack grinned as he popped a piece of his cookie into his mouth. “Random, but I’m not complaining,” he chuckled as he wiped the crumbs from his lips.
“Stop that!”
Meghan and Jack turned to see Mrs. Sally Sheridan, one of Sandy Bay’s elderly residents, hobbling across the Sandy Bay Cinema lobby. Mrs. Sheridan was like black licorice; you either loved her or wanted to run two hundred mile per hour in the opposite direction when you saw her coming. After several unforgettable interactions with Mrs. Sheridan, Meghan was definitely not a fan. Mrs. Sheridan’s mouth was agape, and she waved h
er cane up and down as she moved closer to Meghan and Jack.
“Put that gingerbread down, Jack Irvin!” Mrs. Sheridan screamed as she raised her cane above her head, bringing it down to strike Jack’s hand, knocking the remainder of his gingerbread cookie out of his hand.
Meghan placed a hand over her mouth in shock. “What are you doing, Mrs. Sheridan?”
Jack shook the hand that had been struck, wincing in pain. “Mrs. Sheridan,” he warned. “Mrs. Sheridan, I am off-duty right now, but as a Sandy Bay Detective, I have the authority to take you in to the police station after hitting me with your cane. What on Earth were you thinking?”
Mrs. Sheridan shook her head. “Gingerbread is bad luck, Jack Irvin. I don’t care if you are a detective or a clown; you should know that gingerbread is bad luck, and you shouldn’t be eating it.”
Meghan’s dark eyes widened. “Mrs. Sheridan, I’ve never heard anything like that before.”
Mrs. Sheridan bit her bottom lip and howled as Jack defiantly stuffed another piece of gingerbread into his mouth. “Don’t let him do that,” she pleaded with Meghan. “Gingerbread is bad luck, and you two are going to be sorry.”
An attendant walked up to the trio. “Is everything okay?”
Meghan smiled politely. “I think we’re fine. We are just going to head into our movie. I think Mrs. Sheridan could use some help getting to her seat, if you wouldn’t mind?”
Mrs. Sheridan glared at Meghan and Jack as the attendant took her by the elbow and led her into the closest theater.
“Well, that was a horror movie!” Meghan exclaimed as she turned to look at Jack. “Good thing we’re going to that silly comedy; I think I’ve had enough drama today.”
Jack shrugged his shoulders. “Sweetheart, I didn’t realize you wanted to see the comedy,” he began. “I really wanted to see the new horror movie….”
Meghan sighed. “It’s alright,” she told Jack. “I really don’t like horror movies, but you did get me out of the bakery tonight. I’ll be fine. Apart from a scary ending, I think I can just about manage to enjoy any movie I see as long as good prevails over evil. What’s the worst that could happen in a horror movie, anyway?”
2
“I can’t hear what they’re saying, Jack,” Meghan whispered as Mrs. Sheridan wailed for what felt like the millionth time since the movie began. “Mrs. Sheridan has been screaming through the entire movie. I have no idea what’s going on in the plot.”
Jack yawned, reaching over to tuck his arm around Meghan. “Sorry, I closed my eyes for a moment,” he admitted as a redheaded woman yelled onscreen. “What’s going on?”
Meghan clenched her teeth, annoyed that she had agreed to see the horror film and now had no idea what was even going on. “I don’t know,” she hissed to Jack as the actress fainted at the sight of the serial killer. “Mrs. Sheridan’s constant wails, sighs and sobs is robbing me of the opportunity to enjoy this film.”
Jack yawned again and rubbed his eyes with his spare hand. “Just relax,” he murmured to Meghan as he leaned back in his red, leather seat. “It’s probably not the best movie ever made, but things could be worse….”
Meghan’s heart fluttered as Jack pulled her closer. She breathed in the deep, familiar scent of his cologne, feeling her face grow warm as she leaned in to Jack’s embrace. “You’re right,” Meghan whispered as she happily snuggled closer to Jack. “Things could be worse.”
The movie continued, but rather than being annoyed by Mrs. Sheridan’s endless screaming, Meghan settled in, thinking about how lucky she was to be enjoying date night with her handsome, loyal boyfriend. Trudy was minding Truly Sweet and preparing the orders for the next morning, and Meghan knew that she had nothing to worry about.
“I can’t believe I was fussy earlier,” she thought to herself as she watched Jack’s eyelids droop. “I’m at the movies, on a date with the most handsome man in all of the Pacific Northwest. My wonderful assistant is holding down the fort back at my business. What else could I ask for?”
Meghan’s thoughts were interrupted by another piercing scream from Mrs. Sheridan as the killer onscreen attacked another unsuspecting victim, but Meghan did not mind; she smiled as she watched Jack’s head droop, and she giggled with the realization that he had fallen asleep.
“He’s too cute when he is sleeping,” she thought as Jack’s chest rose and fell. “I’ve never seen him asleep before. I think my heart might just burst.”
Mrs. Sheridan screamed again, and Meghan nearly leapt out of her seat. “I didn’t expect that,” she whispered as Jack’s eyes remained closed. “Her screams sound like they could be from the movie.”
Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and Meghan felt her heart pound in her chest as she frantically looked around. She noticed that the other moviegoers appeared to be startled as well, and Meghan leaned over to shake Jack’s shoulder.
“Jack,” she whispered as his eyelids fluttered. “Jack! Wake up!”
Jack stirred and slowly opened his blue eyes. “What? What did I miss?”
Meghan’s dark eyes widened. “I just heard a loud noise, Jack.”
Jack shook his head. “Meghan, it’s a horror movie. There are so many noises and screams. I’m sure it’s fine.”
Meghan bit her bottom lip. “I don’t know, Jack,” she protested. “Look around. The other people in the theater look scared, too. It isn’t just me.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Meghan,” he began. “I’m a Sandy Bay detective, Sweetheart. If something were wrong, I would know it. Trust me. It was probably just a noise from the movie, or maybe Mrs. Sheridan is being a nuisance with that cane of hers. Just relax. I know you’ve been on edge with your work schedule, but you should try to enjoy our night together, okay?”
Feeling embarrassed, Meghan nodded, leaning back in her seat and softening her shoulders. “Jack is right,” she thought as his eyes closed again. “I’m uptight from my hectic work schedule and I need to just take it easy.”
Before Meghan could return her attention to the movie screen, the lights in the theater came on. Meghan’s jaw dropped as a uniformed attendant marched to the front of the room and began waving her arms up and down.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the attendant yelled. “Ladies and gentlemen, please make your way to the exits on either side of the theater; we are evacuating the building at this time, and we need everyone to leave immediately!”
Meghan rose to her feet and tugged on Jack’s arm. “Come on, Jack! Let’s get out of here.”
Meghan and Jack followed the crowd outside. They all huddled together in the parking lot as the screams of police cars filled the air. Jack pulled out his cell phone and dialed Nunan, the Sandy Bay Police Chief.
“You’re kidding me,” Jack lamented as Meghan’s stomach filled with dread. An ambulance pulled up next to the curb, and a team of EMTs burst out of the doors and dashed into the movie theater. “And you’re sure it was a gunshot? Okay, good to know. Since I was here in a personal capacity, I’m sure I’ll have to speak to the officers, but as soon as I’m released, I’ll be at the station.”
Jack hung up the phone and looked down at Meghan. “It’s not good, Meghan….”
“What do you mean?” she asked. “What happened, Jack?”
Jack wrinkled his forehead and shook his head. “It’s bad. I shouldn’t say anything, but since you were in the theater, you’ll find out anyway; Tom Doncaster, the manager of the Sandy Bay Cinema, was shot while we were watching the horror film.”
Meghan clutched her heart. “Oh no, Jack! That’s terrible! Is he alright?”
Jack gestured at the EMTs, who were exiting the movie theater with a large, black bag. “It doesn’t look like it,” Jack muttered underneath his breath. “Chief Nunan didn’t have all of the details yet, but from the looks of that body bag….”
Meghan’s stomach lurched as she watched the EMTs load the body bag into the back of the ambulance. “That must have been the loud noise I heard during the movie,
Jack. It was a gunshot.”
Jack’s blue eyes widened, and he pulled a notepad out of his back pocket and scribbled down a few lines. “I’m sure the officers will want to talk to you, but as a detective, I need to get that down,” he informed Meghan. “Is there anything else you can tell me, Sweetheart?”
Meghan shook her head. “That’s all I heard, Jack,” she answered softly. “I can’t believe it was a real gunshot. What a tragedy.”
Meghan nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to find Sally Sheridan grimacing at her, her cane raised.
“I told you kids,” Mrs. Sheridan said. “I told you!”
Jack looked over at Mrs. Sheridan, a look of annoyance on his face. “Told us what, Mrs. Sheridan?”
Mrs. Sheridan rolled her eyes. “Did you forget already? I told you kids that gingerbread is bad luck, but no one listens to old Sally Sheridan!”