by K. M. Morgan
Wow. This sure was a lot of waiting. Scott was taking his sweet time. Daisy started to get restless.
Then finally, Scott looked up from the designs. It was the moment of truth. Would she have to scratch those plans and start over? Maybe she’d get lucky and he’d be happy with her work. Possibly it was somewhere in between. She nervously awaited his answer.
“So?” Daisy asked.
“I like it,” Scott said.
“Really?”
Scott nodded. “This is just what I was looking for.” He actually had a smile on his face.
“Good. In that case, I have some shopping to do,” Daisy said.
Phew.
Daisy dodged a bullet on that one. In a day filled with drama, there was finally one interaction that didn’t end in a dubious fashion. Hopefully this would be a sign of things to come. Or perhaps Daisy was a little too quick to look on the bright side.
While Daisy was quick to scoot out of the office, she couldn’t help but notice Scott out the corner of her eye. Scott stared out into the distance, looking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Daisy couldn’t have gotten out of that office fast enough. Not just because she was worried about Scott changing his mind, but also because she had shopping to look forward to. If Daisy had learned anything about life, it was that shopping could turn a person’s entire day around.
Chapter Seven
What a relief it was to get away from Majestic Estates. If the first half of Daisy’s day had been filled with crazy reality show style hysterics, the second half was nothing but smooth sailing. Being out of the office certainly helped with that. There was no denying the wondrous appeal of shopping.
This was the part of her work that didn’t even feel like a job. How many women got to say they went shopping for a living? The next few hours rushed by as Daisy went into downtown Cozy Creek and picked out all the furnishings the model home needed.
She had a complete blast. Her mood turned completely around. So much that she was afraid of going back to the model home at the end of the day for fear of having her mood spoiled. Most of Daisy’s purchases would be delivered in the following few days, but there were a few accent pieces she could fit in her car.
When she arrived back at Majestic Estates to unload her purchases, it was dead quiet. She wasn’t sure if things had truly leveled off, or if this was just the calm before another storm. Daisy counted her lucky stars that things would continue along on that path.
A short while later, quitting time came. Daisy said her goodbye’s and headed home with a smile on her face. After all, she had a big date with Gavin to look forward to. It had been a doozy of a day, but with any luck, Daisy would be done having the rug pulled out from under her.
***
“Be honest. That wasn’t bad for a romantic comedy, was it?” Daisy asked.
The only thing Daisy shamelessly loved more than cupcakes were chick flicks. Thanks to Gavin, she was able to experience both in the same night. Considering Gavin’s aversion to romantic comedies, it was a big deal for him to take her to one. She wasn’t about to underplay the importance of that, especially given Daisy’s less than stellar romantic past.
Gavin was hardly her first boyfriend to dislike chick flicks. Her ex Brent Patterson couldn’t stand them either. The difference was, Brent refused to watch chick flicks with Daisy under any circumstances, no less take her out to one. That was hardly a recipe for a flourishing romantic life.
Successful relationships always had an element of compromise in them. Daisy was willing to do her part. She had no interest in watching a bunch of grown men chase a puck around a sheet of ice for sixty minutes at a time, yet she’d watch Brent cheer for his favorite hockey team with a smile on her face because she knew it meant a lot to him.
Brent did no such thing in return. The man didn’t budge. It was his way, or no way at all. It was that kind of inflexibility that not only made him an awful yoga student, but also boyfriend as well.
Gavin meanwhile was different. Much to Daisy’s delight, he was far from a hockey fanatic. On top of that, he understood the value of compromise in a relationship—even if watching a rom com made him feel as queasy as eating week old tuna salad.
For Gavin to take Daisy to a romantic comedy on a date without prompting then was not only surprising, but also quite a wonderful treat. Maybe he was starting to care more about Daisy than she even realized. At the least, he cared enough to want to make her happy.
The question was, did Gavin get any enjoyment from the movie, or was he just putting on a good face for Daisy?
“Look, it’s just nice to be out with you,” Gavin revealed.
“Are you looking to run for public office here? Because that non-answer would make a politician proud,” Daisy joked.
“No. My point is, just being out with you is enough to make me happy. What we do while we’re out is really secondary.”
“Who knew you could be sweet and evasive at the same time?”
Gavin finally caved and was honest about the movie. “Alright. It wasn’t the worst romantic comedy I’ve ever seen.”
Daisy couldn’t help but laugh at the underwhelming words he had for the movie. “Don’t be too generous with your praise now.”
“Hey, you asked for the truth.”
“I did. And apparently sometimes the truth hurts as much as a root canal.”
“Look, it’s just not my kind of movie,” Gavin said.
Gavin was quietly mastering the art of understatement. Although Daisy didn’t know why it wasn’t Gavin’s type of film.
Daisy loved the movie. It had a wonderful love story, quirky underdog characters, a number of laugh out loud moments, and a climactic speech beside the Golden Gate Bridge that made Daisy’s heart soar. What wasn’t there to love?
“Clearly. Although I can’t imagine why not,” Daisy said.
“People don’t always have the most perfect, romantic thing to say at any given moment. Every problem can’t be fixed by a grandiose speech at the Golden Gate Bridge. Life doesn’t always turn out happily ever after,” Gavin explained.
“I know. That’s why I love those movies.”
Gavin was confused. “Why? Because they’re so unrealistic?”
“No. Because they’re a perfect escape from reality. In a romantic comedy, I know that no matter how much drama there is, despite all the conflicts the couple faces, everything will work out in the end. That’s very comforting. Especially because it so rarely happens in real life.”
“I don’t know. I guess after all the crazy things I’ve seen in life, it’s hard for me to take a leap into that level of escapism.”
“You say that, but you’re taking a leap right now just being here with me, and it seems to be working out alright for you,” Daisy replied.
“First, I’d like to say it’s working out far better than just alright,” Gavin corrected.
Daisy gazed into his eyes. Gavin may not have been a fan of romantic comedies, but real life romance seemed to be one of his strong suits.
“Hey, you aren’t the only one who can understate things,” Daisy said.
Gavin smiled, then continued with his point. “Second, this isn’t some movie. It’s real.”
“You don’t have to remind me of that,” Daisy said.
This time, Gavin got caught up gazing at Daisy. He looked like he wanted to kiss her. She wished he would.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look today?” he asked.
“Now there’s something a woman can’t hear enough said to her,” she replied.
Gavin seemed to be staging his own impromptu romantic comedy, right in front of Daisy. There was only one thing she needed for the scene to be complete. Then, almost right on cue, Gavin leaned in and gave her a soft kiss.
“Speaking of things I can’t get enough of,” Daisy added.
“Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.”
“Trust me, you never have to apologize for a kiss like
that.”
“In that case, why stop at just one kiss?”
Gavin then kissed Daisy again, this time nearly sweeping her off her feet.
“Wow. Talk about a show stopper,” Daisy said.
“Who says the show has to stop?” Gavin asked.
“I like the way you’re thinking.”
“See. Isn’t this better than some movie?”
Daisy smiled. “Absolutely. Although to be fair, in real life I’ve been able to experience my share of romance. It is finding a happy ending that I’ve had trouble with.”
“Maybe that’s about to change,” Gavin suggested.
“Wouldn’t that be nice?”
Gavin nodded. “For both of us.”
Daisy didn’t know about the future, but for that night at least, romance was alive and well as ever. It was amazing what a being in the honeymoon stages of a relationship could do to Daisy’s mood.
Being with Gavin was enough to make Daisy forget about the wild day at work. Her troubles just melted away. There was no drama, just happiness. All that mattered was being together.
Daisy didn’t want the night to end. It was better than the most delicious batch of cookies she’d ever baked. Although considering what awaited Daisy the next morning at work, having some cookies around would sure come in handy.
Chapter Eight
When Daisy woke up that morning, she had grand plans for the day. The date with Gavin the night before had filled her with optimism. Life was good. She was so happy that she didn’t even mind getting up at six a.m. to take her Westie Shamus to the dog park for a walk, because it meant she’d get to see Gavin again.
Her life seemed to be looking up. She happily wore the rose-colored glasses of a new relationship. When the time came to head to work, she left with a smile on her face. It didn’t last long.
Daisy barely made it through the front gates of the Majestic Estates before she saw a group of police cars in the parking lot. The entire Cozy Creek police department seemed to be on the scene.
Daisy’s heart sank. What happened? She got the feeling she didn’t want to find out. She was right.
As Daisy parked her car and moved towards a crowd that had formed, she came to a grim realization. Oh dear. It was happening again. There had been another murder in Cozy Creek.
This was becoming a disturbing trend. One Daisy wished would stop as soon as possible. That didn’t seem likely. Daisy almost couldn’t believe her eyes.
Scott Stinson was dead.
It wasn’t the first dead body Daisy had laid eyes on, but she sure hoped it would be the last. Seeing anyone lying on the ground lifeless was not a sight that ever got easier to stomach.
How awful. Her heart went out to Scott. Sure the man was demanding, short-tempered, and had a generally unpleasant demeanor, but that didn’t mean he deserved to die. He was still a human being whose life had been tragically cut short. What an awful way to go too—lying face down on a dirty construction site.
By the looks of it, Scott had been strangled. His body had a highly visible red mark along his neck.
Oh dear. Who would do such a thing? The more Daisy thought about it, the sillier the question seemed to get. After all, Scott had a flair for making enemies.
There would be plenty of time to get into that later. Right now, everyone’s eyes were on the scene of the crime.
The police were moving Scott’s body from the construction site adjacent to the sales office. What an odd place for Scott’s body to be found. Since Patrick Potter’s firing the day before left the construction site without a foreman, no further progress had been made on the house. Then again, construction had only just begun recently anyway. There was only a skeleton frame of a house put up there to begin with.
It was a crowded scene. In addition to the police, the entire staff of the sales office looked on. There was Scott’s wife Kelly, his son’s Owen and Adam, his assistant Ellie, and the receptionist Madison.
Detective Chris Crumple was questioning the staff as to their whereabouts the night before as Daisy approached.
The detective was just as rotund as ever. Between his cherubic frame, full beard, and bifocals, he was doing a Santa Clause imitation—and he wasn’t even trying. The one thing he was missing—besides reindeer and presents of course—was a jolly attitude.
Instead Crumple had a serious demeanor. He seemed to be working hard to overcome the bumbling image the public had of him. With this case, it appeared he wanted to look like he was on top of the ball.
Detective Crumple began by questioning Scott’s wife Kelly Stinson.
“Where were you between eight and nine o’clock last night?” Detective Crumple asked.
“I was drinking a glass of bubbly and taking a bath,” Kelly answered.
“Bubbly?” Detective Crumple replied.
“Champagne—and boy was it good.”
Detective Crumple was short with her. “I know what bubbly is. I was actually thinking what an odd choice of drink to have considering your very public blow up earlier in the day with your husband.”
“I don’t like where you’re going with this,” Kelly said.
“Yeah, well I don’t like your story,” Detective Crumple replied.
Kelly got defensive. “I had a very stressful day and decided to unwind with a drink and a bath. That’s the truth, whether you like it or not.”
“Do you have anyone to corroborate your story?
“I was home alone. I was home though,” Kelly insisted.
“So that’s a no?”
“I didn’t kill my husband,” Kelly said.
“That’s what they all say.”
“You can’t prove anything,” Kelly replied.
“Not yet at least.” Detective Crumple then decided to move on to Kelly’s oldest son Adam next. “How about you Mr. Stinson?”
“I was on my couch watching hockey,” Adam replied.
“Alone, or do you have someone to verify that story?” Detective Crumple asked.
“I can tell you who was winning the game at the time,” Adam said.
“A simple internet search can tell me who was winning the game too. What I want you to tell me is whether you have anyone to vouch for your story?”
Adam tensed up. “No.”
“That’s what I thought.” Detective Crumple then moved on to Kelly’s youngest son Owen. “How about you?”
“I was driving home,” Owen answered.
Detective Crumple raised his eyebrows. “At eight or nine?”
“Eight,” Owen said.
“Alone?” Crumple followed up.
“Yes.”
“So there’s no one to verify you’re telling the truth?”
“Technically, no. I have no reason to lie to you though--”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Crumple insisted.
Detective Crumple then moved on to Scott’s assistant Ellie Edelson.
“Ms. Edelson, where were you between eight and nine last night?” Crumple asked.
“I was grabbing dinner,” Ellie replied.
“With someone, or by yourself?”
“By myself. But I have a receipt showing I was there,” Ellie insisted.
“Let me see it,” Detective Crumple asked.
Ellie pulled the receipt from her purse and handed it to the detective. As he read it over, something jumped out at him.
“This is a takeout receipt,” Detective Crumple said.
“So?”
“It also happens to be from Sir Gorge-A-Lot’s. That’s only three or four blocks from here,” Detective Crumple stated.
“Look, I got my food, then drove home,” Ellie argued.
“I agree with one part. You got your food at 8:03. But there’s no way to prove you didn’t then drive the three or four blocks back here, kill Scott Stinson, then drive home,” Detective Crumple said.
“That’s ridiculous,” Ellie replied.
“No. What’s ridiculous is you thinking that this recei
pt exonerates you. Nice try, but you’re in the same shaky boat as everyone else here.”
“I didn’t do it.”
Detective Crumple gave Ellie a critical look, then moved on to the receptionist Madison Mitchell.
“How about you Ms. Mitchell, where were you between eight and nine last night?” he asked.
“At the nail salon,” Madison answered.
“Isn’t that really late to be at a nail salon? And if I call that nail salon right now, they’ll be able to verify you were there the whole time?” Detective Crumple followed up.
Madison revised her story. “I was driving home from the nail salon I mean.”
“That’s not quite the same thing, now is it?”
“I guess not.”
“No, it definitely isn’t. So you have no one to verify that you didn’t drive back here from the nail salon and kill Scott Stinson?” Detective Crumple asked.
“I didn’t do it,” Madison said.
“Ms. Mitchell, I asked you if you have anyone to verify that.”
“No.”
“That’s what I thought.” Detective Crumple then addressed the group as a whole. “Well, it looks like not one of you has a rock solid alibi. Don’t any of you leave town. I have a feeling I’ll be speaking to at least some of you again.”
Everyone in the group was tense, but Scott’s wife was the first to start pointing fingers.
“I don’t know why you’re singling us out. I’d look into Carly Canton if I were you. She was underhanded enough to stab me in the back by having an affair with my husband. I wouldn’t put anything past her,” Kelly Stinson said.
Adam Stinson had his own blame to pass around as well. “Or how about Patrick Potter? He threatened my father in front of everyone yesterday.”
Detective Crumple addressed both of their accusations. “You two are awfully quick to throw other people under the bus.”
“I was just trying to point out that the murder took place on a construction site, and our former construction foreman threatened my father before the murder,” Adam replied.