Aromatherapy & Arsenic (A Cozy Spa Mystery Book 7)

by Jenn Cowan

  I set the phone back on the coffee table. “Well I guess we’re stuck here until the snow stops. The party’s cancelled.” I sigh. “So much for questioning Marcie Puckett.”

  Travis shrugs. “I don’t think Marcie killed Lindy or the coroner.”

  “You don’t?”

  “Nope.”

  I raise an eyebrow. “Alright, Detective. You seem to have a lot of opinions about this case. Care to share?”

  “I think the answer to who killed Lindy is in her journals. They’re still in my trunk. I’ll go get them and we can go through them while we wait for the snow to stop.”

  “Don’t you have to get the station to question Dr. Thatcher?”

  Travis shakes his head. “It’s not like he’s going anywhere. No one is for that matter. This snow will shut the whole town down.”

  “Need any help?” Josh offers, walking into the living room.

  “No, I’ve got it. It’s only one box.” He opens the door again, trying to block the snow from coming in. “I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll start a fire,” Josh offers, heading to the fireplace. “Dad’s done with the window and headed back home before the storm gets any worse. Hopefully, between the plastic and the boards, it will keep the cold out.”

  “Anyone want any hot chocolate?” Cat offers, heading to the kitchen.

  “Sure,” Josh and I exclaim in unison then laugh.

  “I’ll grab some blankets from the closet. We can all sit by the fire to keep warm while we go through the journals.”

  “Good idea,” Travis says, shutting the door behind him. “Need some help?” He sets the box of journals down on the coffee table.

  I shake my head, but hear his footsteps follow me anyway. “I told you I didn’t need any help.” I turn to face him and he shrugs.

  “They still in here?” He points to the hall closet.

  “Yes.”

  He opens the door and pulls out several fleece blankets then heads back into the living room.

  I tug out a couple more then join him. My heart begins to race as I eye Lindy’s journals on the coffee table. What if there’s something about me and Travis in there? What if Josh reads it?”

  “Autumn, are you alright? You’re really pale.” Josh stands and comes over to me. “Are you feeling sick?” His eyes fall to belly and I see the hope in his eyes.

  I gulp down disappointment because I know I’m not pregnant. That truth made itself known this morning, but I haven’t had a chance to tell Josh yet. He’s going to be so upset. I was late so we were both hopeful. If Lindy’s “vision” is true, I guess we’ll never have a baby. The thought guts me and I swallow down the bile rising in my throat.

  “Autumn, I think you should sit down,” Travis says, watching me with concern in his eyes.

  I wave him off and take a deep breath. “I’m fine.”

  “Are you sure?” Josh places a hand on my stomach then swipes a thumb over it. “Is it your stomach?”

  “I am a little hungry,” I choke out as Cat walks back in with the hot chocolate.

  “Here, maybe this will help.” Cat hands me a mug after her dad takes the tray of steaming cups from her.

  “Thanks, sweetie.”

  “I’ll make us some lunch,” Josh offers, heading to the kitchen.

  “Thanks, babe.”

  He turns and grins at me as his gaze falls to my belly again.

  Pain sears through my heart. I hate keeping things from him. I need to tell him I’m not pregnant and I will. As soon as we get through Lindy’s journals and he doesn’t see anything about me and Travis in them. “Let’s dig into these.” I gesture to the journals and take the one from the top. Hopefully, this one will have the most recent events of Lindy’s life in it. I open it and get comfortable in front of the fire.

  The first few entries are about different people in Daysville then I stop on one that catches my attention. “Interesting,” I mumble.

  “What is?” Cat says, turning away from her own journal to read over my shoulder.

  I point to what I was reading and she snickers. “I knew it.”

  “What?” Travis asks, looking up from the journal he’s reading.

  “Regina’s going to marry Pastor John this spring,” Cat sings and claps her hands together.

  I turn the page and gasp. “And Nikki’s having twins.”

  “Twins?” Travis shakes his head. “I couldn’t imagine.”

  I flip to the next page and fight back another gasp because the next entry dated last week turns my stomach. Josh will die soon.

  17

  The words blur my vision and I have to blink back tears.

  “Autumn, what’s wrong?” Cat reaches out to take the journal, but I press it to my chest because there’s no way I want anyone to see this.

  “It’s nothing just silly gossip.”

  “But you’re crying.” She points to the tears running down my cheeks.

  I swipe them away and scamper to my feet. “Excuse me for a moment.”

  She opens her mouth but Travis clears his throat and shakes his head.

  “I’ll be right back,” I reassure her before retreating to my bedroom. Our bedroom. The bedroom I share with my husband, who according to this journal will… die… soon. I rush to the toilet and dry heave into it.

  “Autumn? Are you alright?” Travis steps into the bathroom and grabs a washcloth from under the sink and runs some cool water over it before placing in on the back of my neck.

  The washcloth feels like needles on the back of my neck. I fling it into the tub and fight the urge to scream. The room starts to spin and I grip the edge of the toilet to keep from passing out. My breathing is shallow and sweat’s breaking out on the back of my neck.

  “Breathe, Autumn. What has you so worked up?” Travis crouches down in front of me. “Sit back and put your head between your legs,” he instructs, helping me lean against the tub.

  I do as he says and take a few deep breaths. When I feel like I have my breathing under control, I look up to find Travis reading the journal. His face is pale as his eyes lock with mine. I snatch it out of his hands. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

  He nods. “You’re probably right.”

  “I am. Nothing’s going to happen to Josh. It can’t.”

  Travis nods again, but gives me a sad look. “And what about the other thing she wrote?”

  “What?”

  He raises an eyebrow. “You didn’t read it?”

  “No, I saw that my husband would die soon and kind of lost it,” I whisper-yell at him.

  “Then don’t read the rest,” he says, trying to take the journal out of my hands.

  I jerk it back and flip to the page after the entry about Josh.

  “Autumn, don’t read it. You said it doesn’t mean anything. Let whatever’s going to happen, happen.”

  I ignore him and read the next entry.

  Autumn and Travis will get married next year and have twins, one boy and one girl.

  I re-read it over and over again. Why? I’m not sure. I guess I’m hoping Travis’s name will morph into Josh’s because this doesn’t even seem possible. I check the date Lindy wrote this, thinking it may have been years ago, but it was dated two days before she died.

  “Autumn?” Travis whispers.

  I look up at him and blink back the tears in my eyes.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “What’s going on in here?” Josh pokes his head in the door. “Autumn, what’s wrong? Are you sick? Are you preg-,” his voice trails off as his eyes fill with hope.

  I shake my head. My heart aching with the realization that Josh and I will never have a baby together. “No and no. I’m fine. Just reading Lindy’s words has me a little emotional. That’s all.”

  Josh’s shoulder slump and the light goes out of his eyes before he forces a smile and steps into the bathroom to help me to my feet. He kisses my forehead and swipes the tears from my cheeks. “What did Lindy’s journal say that
upset you so much? I heard she wrote all of her visions in her journals. Did she write something about us?” He reaches for the journal, but I quickly pass it to Travis. “Autumn, what does it say?”

  “Just silly stuff Lindy dreamt. Stuff that won’t come true.”

  Josh laughs. “Everything Lindy saw came true. She was never wrong. Not once. I’m surprised she didn’t make a living off of her gift. She would have made an amazing fortune teller.”

  “Party planning was always her passion. I think she thought her ‘visions’ were a curse,” I reply, feeling like I’m cursed.

  “True, but still they were really accurate. What did she say?” He studies me for a moment. “It’s bad, isn’t it? That’s why you don’t want to show me.”

  I stand there opening and closing my mouth, trying to come up with an explanation that isn’t a lie, but I’ve got nothing.

  “It’s official police business, Josh. Nothing for you to worry about.” He pats Josh on the shoulder. “I think we have a lead on who Lindy was dating.”

  “We do?” I perk up and eye the journal again.

  “It’s a cop.”

  “It is?” Josh and I exclaim in unison.

  Travis nods. “I’m pretty sure. It has to be someone at the department. That’s the only explanation why the coroner was killed and why Mrs. Bain is also being targeted. I just don’t understand how Dr. Thatcher is mixed up in all of this.”

  “Hmm.” I tap my chin. “Maybe he really is a thief and the cop is helping him stay out of jail if he helps him.”

  “It’s possible,” Travis says, tapping the journal against his palm. “I’m going to keep reading this one and see what I can find out. I did see Lindy with Officer Oliver earlier this week. They seemed awful cozy.”

  “The young cop that was in our kitchen this afternoon? He took Cat’s statement.” I frown. “Are you sure? I didn’t see a ring. He’s really young.”

  “He’s in his early thirties and he’s separated from his wife.”

  “Oh, do you know why?”

  “There were rumors of someone being unfaithful, but I think it was the wife.” Travis walks out of the bathroom with his nose in the journal.

  I move to follow him, but Josh stops me.

  “Hey, are you really not pregnant?”

  My shoulders sag and tears fill my eyes. “I’m not.”

  “You’re sure?”

  I sigh. “Yes.”

  He nods and pulls me into his chest. “Well the good news is, we get to keep practicing.”

  I laugh. “True.” Then I wrap my arms around his waist, taking in his mint and tea tree scent along with the smell of tomato sauce. “What did you make for lunch?”

  Now, Josh chuckles. “Vegetarian chili. Still hungry?”

  “Absolutely.” I take his hand and tug him toward the kitchen.

  “I’ll get you a bowl.” He kisses my hand before letting go. “Why don’t you get back to the journals. If a cop killed Lindy and the coroner or paid Dr. Thatcher to, we’d better figure it out sooner rather than later.”

  I give him a kiss then sit down next to Cat.

  Travis catches my eye and lifts a brow.

  I shake my head and pick up another journal. “This one is from last year.” I flip through the pages and realize everything that’s happened around town has come true. Any hope that Lindy’s visions wouldn’t come true continue to diminish with each page. The murder of April is in here, along with all the other ones. I slam the journal shut and plop it down on the coffee table.

  “What?” Cat asks, staring at me like I’ve lost my mind and maybe I have.

  “Everything in it has come true,” I mumble.

  She lifts an eyebrow. “Well of course they have. Lindy’s visions have never been wrong. This one has stuff from high school. It talks about you and dad. She even saw dad’s betray…” her voice trails off and she ducks her head.

  I pat her leg. “It’s fine sweetie.” I glance at Travis, who has his head buried in the journal. I know he’s not reading it, but avoiding my eyes. “When did she see that?”

  “A couple of months before it happened. Sometimes she sees it right before it happens and other times it’s months before it happens.” Cat sighs. “I can’t believe she knew about that and kept it to herself.”

  I pat her leg to comfort her. “In high school, Lindy ‘saw’ that Margo’s boyfriend was cheating on her and told her. Margo didn’t believe her and spread a bunch of rumors about her. Everyone started to call Lindy crazy and bully her. She probably didn’t want to risk that happening again when she accused Daysville’s ‘golden boy’ of such a thing.”

  Travis rolls his eyes at his old nickname.

  Cat gasps. “Why would Margo do such a thing? That’s awful.”

  Travis snorts. “Margo was pretty insecure and immature in high school, but she’s grown up over the years. It was Autumn who stopped the rumors and actually got everyone to believe what Lindy was seeing was true. She’s the reason the town looked to Lindy for answers. Lindy enjoyed the attention for a while, but when she opened her party planning business, she tried to focus on that and not her visions.”

  I nod in agreement. “She didn’t share her visions with anyone unless they asked. Most of the town only came to her if they were confused or wanted answers. Some of her visions were less than pleasant and no one wants to anticipate that something bad is going to happen.” I exchange a look with Travis as Josh walks in.

  “I wonder if Lindy saw us getting married,” Josh says, thoughtfully, handing me a bowl. “Do you think she knows how many children we’re going to have?” He reaches for a journal. “I always wanted to ask her about my future, but I was too nervous. I didn’t want to know my future if it didn’t have you in it.” He winks at me.

  I smile and take a bite of chili even though my stomach’s churning. “This is really good,” I compliment him and take another bite.

  “Isn’t it?” Cat says, rubbing her belly. “I’ve had two bowls already. You should open your own restaurant, Josh. You’re a really good cook. Maybe even better than Scott, although don’t tell him I said that or he’ll quit giving me his famous cinnamon rolls.”

  I laugh.

  Josh does too. “I won’t tell and thanks for the compliment, but I think I’ll stick to massage. There’s a really hot girl that works with me and I kind of want to see her every day.” He winks at me again.

  I melt at his words and feel my cheeks flush, then decide to tease him, “What does your wife think of this crush of yours?”

  He smirks. “She doesn’t mind… besides she knows my heart is hers.” He leans over and kisses me.

  I kiss him back as Cat ‘aww’s’ in the background.

  “You two are total couple goals.”

  I smile at her. “Couple goals?”

  “You know like cute couples that everyone wants to be like.”

  “Oh, well thanks. We try.”

  She laughs then says, “Well, all of these journals are from a few years ago. Dad must have the most recent one. Find anything, Detective? You’re awful quiet over there.”

  Travis’s head jerks up as if he were deep in reading the journal. “Um, yeah. A few things. I think I’m going to head to the station. I need to talk to Dr. Thatcher and ensure he’s safe.”

  “Safe?” I scramble to my feet as he does. “Why wouldn’t he be safe?”

  Travis puts on his coat. “If Officer Oliver is the killer or someone else in the department then Dr. Thatcher is in danger. A cop isn’t going to let him talk and rat him out.”

  “I’ll go with you,” I offer, reaching for my coat.

  He puts a hand on my arm and lowers his voice. “Stay here. With Cat. With Josh.” His eyes tell me he’s trying to give me as much time with Josh as possible.

  My throat gets thick and I swallow down the lump forming in it as I nod.

  Travis give my arm a quick squeeze. “I’ll call as soon as I know more.” Then he turns his attention to his
daughter. “You ok staying here?”

  She nods and eyes us suspiciously. “Yes. Be careful, Dad.”

  “Always.” He blows her a kiss then heads out the door.

  I lock it behind him and turn around to find Josh standing right behind me, causing me to jump. “Oh, you scared me.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “What do you mean?” I try to move around him, but he blocks my way. I see Cat head to the kitchen with the empty bowls to give us some privacy.

  “You let Travis leave here without putting up a fight. My wife would have hounded him until he let you go with him. Something’s wrong. You’re crying a lot today. Did something happen? Something you don’t want to tell me about?”

  I throw my arms around Josh, burst into tears and hold him tight.

  “Autumn, you’re scaring me.”

  “I love you,” I whisper into his neck.

  He stiffens. “I love you too. You’re not leaving me, are you?”

  I scoff and pull back. “I just told you I love you.”

  “I know, but you’re crying and they don’t seem like happy tears.” He leads me over to the couch. “What’s going on?”

  “Raphael told me about something in one of Lindy’s journals then I read it for myself. I think she’s wrong though.” I sniffle.

  “What was it? Did it have to do with us?”

  I nod and take a deep breath. “She said we wouldn’t have any children together.”

  Josh’s face falls and his shoulders slump. “That’s why you’re so upset, isn’t it?” He’s quiet for a moment as if taking it all in. “We could always adopt. It’s not like we don’t have the money. I’ve been investing more since the spa is doing well. There’s even a lead on the money that, she who is not to be named, stole.”

  I give him a small smile and decide right then I’m not going to tell him the other visions that Lindy wrote about in her journal. It’s not fair to him. He’s already had one dream ripped away from him. I won’t have us living our lives fearing something that may never happen. Lindy’s wrong. Josh isn’t going to die. He can’t. He won’t. I’ll do everything in my power to keep him safe. He’s healthy and strong. There’s no way he could die… unless he’s murdered. The thought has me gripping the arm of the couch. Lindy’s journal didn’t say how Josh would die and I continue to put myself in the middle of cases. Will one of my cases get him killed? I can’t even stomach the thought.