Murder and Brandy Boy: A Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery Series Book 2

by Dianne Harman

  MURDER

  &

  BRANDY BOY

  By

  Dianne Harman

  (A Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery Series - Book 2)

  Copyright © 2015 Dianne Harman

  www.dianneharman.com

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form without written permission except for the use of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Website, Interior & Cover design by Vivek Rajan Vivek

  Paperback ISBN: 978-1512112443

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I am so indebted to you, my readers, for making my books so popular. Thank you! This is the second book in the Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery series, and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as you did the first book, Murder in Cottage #6. I wondered when I wrote the first book in the new series if it would be as popular as the Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series, and it certainly has been! For those of you who have taken the time to email me with your thoughts about the first book in the new series and telling me how much you liked it, thank you! If you have time, a review is always appreciated. As always, I’d love to hear from you about this book or any of my other books. Here’s my email address: dianne@dianneharman.com.

  I am indebted to Vivek Rajan for his wonderful covers. Each one expresses the essence of the book, and I am in awe that he can always interpret what I have in mind, particularly since he’s in India and I’m in California! His advice about editing, formatting, and marketing is always appreciated as well. Thanks, Vivek!

  The encouragement of my family and friends has been critical in the success of my writing, but most of all, I have to thank Tom for never hesitating to read a chapter and give me advice. It’s always amazing to me how he can find a fatal mistake that I overlooked! Thanks, Tom, without you none of this would mean anything.

  Lastly, I can’t forget my new four-legged friend, Kelly. She has taught me the necessity of keeping my office door firmly closed when I’m not in it. A valuable lesson I’ve had to learn when I realize she’s chewing on my glasses, the story’s plot, the names of the characters, etc.! Thanks, Kelly!

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  EPILOGUE

  Recipes!

  ABOUT DIANNE

  CHAPTER 1

  It was just after midnight when the older model car, with its headlights turned off, moved quietly across the gravel parking lot of the Red Cedar High School. The parking lot, adjacent to the small football stadium, was about two hundred yards from the main building of the high school and was out of sight from any prying eyes that might be out and about at this late hour. The driver of the old car parked it next to a tree line on the far side of the parking lot.

  After he parked the car he took a final long drag on the marijuana cigarette held between his lips, passed it to the teenage girl sitting as close as she could get to him without being in his lap and said, “Take the next to last hit, Kaitlin, and then pass it back to Manny. After you’re done with it, Manny, toss it out the window, and let’s get ready to rock and roll, ‘cause it’s show time.” The three other teenagers in the car nervously laughed as each of them considered what was about to take place.

  Brent Ackler, age eighteen, was the driver of the car and the star quarterback of the Red Cedar football team. At the end of the football season Brent had been named to the North Coast High School All Star team. Three weeks ago he’d received an offer of a full athletic scholarship from Stanford University. The scholarship offer was the answer to his prayers and hopefully would open the door to a possible career as a pro football player.

  Kaitlin Mosley was the head cheerleader of the six girl high school varsity cheerleading squad. She and Brent had been in love with each other since the first day they met back in the sixth grade. She was a beautiful young woman who came from a wealthy family that lived in a large house located on a cliff overlooking the small Northern California town of Red Cedar. With long blonde hair, lips smeared with an overabundance of bright red lipstick, and a body that would match a movie star’s, she was in the nightly dreams of every boy in the school. All eyes were on her whenever she wiggled her way down the halls of the school, chomping loudly on her ever present wad of chewing gum.

  Manatu “Manny” Sanwapatu, age seventeen, was one of the two people seated in the back seat of the car. He was a scary looking massive young boy, standing 6’4” tall and weighing two hundred seventy-five pounds. His parents had moved from Samoa to the local area several years earlier when his father got a job on a commercial fishing boat that worked the waters around Red Cedar. He was a member of the football team, and as a junior he’d been selected as the all-league defensive player of the year. He was famous for his ferocious take-no-prisoners style of play, which during the last season had resulted in no less than four opposition team members being carried off the football field with either a broken arm or leg.

  William Bird was the fourth occupant of the car, sitting in the back seat next to Manny. Two months earlier he had turned fifteen. William, as his mother called him, was a frail looking skinny young boy who barely weighed one hundred ten pounds. His father had left his mother and him when he was three years old. He’d been raised by his overly protective mother who worked out of their home as a seamstress. He had thick rimless eyeglasses, spoke with a slight lisp, and wore his blonde hair piled high atop his forehead in an outdated pompadour style, which his mother dutifully combed for him every morning before he left for school. William was the classic sort of nerd-like young boy who often finds happiness in working with computers, and like so many others, William was an acknowledged expert in all things related to computers. He could build them, fix them, hack them, and make a stubborn computer do just about anything he wanted it to do. Once he’d even been called to the office of Miss Martinez, the school principal, to fix the school’s master computer when it stopped working, and the service technician couldn’t come to the school for two days to fix it. His reputation as a computer guru had spread far and wide. This somewhat dubious honor for the young teenager had resulted in his getting his hated nickname, Nerdy Birdy.

  Brent turned in his seat and said to William, “Okay, Nerdy Birdy, it’s time for you to do your thing on the school’s master computer and fix the grades for Kaitlin and me so we can get admitted to Stanford. That acceptance letter I got from them offering me the football scholarship said I had to have a 3.0 grade average and Kaitlin needs the same. I swiped the keys for the school’s front door and the principal’s office off the school janitor’s master key ring this afternoon, had duplicate keys made down at the hardware store, and then real quick like returned them to the key ring old man Wils
on has hanging on the wall in his office before he even knew they were gone.

  “All you got to do, Nerdy, is change a couple of my grades on the master grade transcript list and up some of them to a B plus. Ya’ gotta do the same for Kaitlin ‘cause she wants to go to Stanford, so she can be with me. Fortunately her old man’s big shot alum from Stanford, and she’s guaranteed to get admitted as long as she has the required 3.0 grade average. We’re both a little short on reaching that goal, so that’s why we decided to call on your expert abilities to give our grade averages a little boost.

  “I brought Manny along to give you a little help in building up your courage, so you’ll be able to get the job done without any foul-ups. Manny, give Nerdy a little dose of persuasion, so he knows what he’s in for if he doesn’t cooperate with us.”

  Manny placed one of his massive hands on the back of William’s neck and slowly began to squeeze it. As he increased the pressure, William let out a painful yelp and began to quietly cry.

  “Make him stop! He’s hurting me really bad. I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to die if he doesn’t stop,” William said, crying out in pain.

  “Okay, Manny, that’s enough. Let him go. Now listen to me you little dork, all four of us are going to go into the school, and you’re going to fix our grades, or else I’m going to turn Manny loose on you with no restrictions. You understand?” Brent said.

  “I can’t do it. I’m too scared. If my mother ever finds out I did what you want me to do, I’ll be grounded for life. Please Brent, take me back home. I’m already scared she’s going to find out I snuck out of the house to meet you after she went to bed. I thought you said you wanted to be my friend, and that’s why you wanted to meet with me tonight.”

  “Let me tell you something Nerdy. Getting grounded by your mother is going to be the least of your problems if we get caught. You’re looking at a couple of years in Juvenile Hall if you screw this thing up, so you just gotta’ suck it up, be a man about it, and go into the school with us. Manny here is going to be with you every step of the way to make sure you don’t do anything stupid, like try to run away. Don’t forget, he’s got plenty of experience in how to break arms and legs.

  “Now let’s go! Stop crying and whining, Nerdy. It ain’t gonna’ do you any good anyway. Just stay cool. We’ll be in and out in five minutes, and you’ll be back safe at home in your loving mother’s protective care in less than half an hour.“

  Brent opened his car door and the three other teenagers followed him as he walked towards the main building of Red Cedar High School.

  CHAPTER 2

  It was early Sunday morning when Liz got out of bed to open the door for Winston to go outside. She glanced at the digital clock on her nightstand and saw that it was only 6:00 a.m.

  Oh well, I’ve got a lot to do today, so I might as well get an early start on it, she thought. I never seem to have a spare moment during the day, but I suppose that’s the penalty I have to pay as the owner of the Red Cedar Spa.

  Bertha told me she has a waiting list for reservations for all ten cottages and guests wanting treatments at the spa have booked it full for the next few weeks. We haven’t even started the real tourist season, so business is good, and I can’t complain about the success of the spa. I don’t know what I’d do without Bertha. Best thing I ever did was hire her to be the manager. I better plan on spending most of the day cooking and freezing food for the guests if we’re going to be that busy. I’m glad Mark is coming to help me.

  She was surprised when her cell phone rang, wondering who was calling her at this early hour, and particularly on a Sunday. She glanced at the screen on her phone and saw it was Roger, the attorney from San Francisco who she’d developed a relationship with.

  “Good morning, Roger. It’s early, so I hope you’re going to tell me good news, or maybe you’re just lonely for my warm body,” she said laughing.

  “I miss you more than you can imagine, but the reason I’m calling so early is because I wanted to be the first to share some really great news with you about the spa. I’m sure you’re aware that the San Francisco Chronicle publishes a special Travel section in their paper every Sunday. Well, guess what?”

  “I’m waiting with bated breath. I have no idea where this is going.”

  “The lead article in today’s edition is all about the Red Cedar Spa,” he said. “It’s right on the front page of the Travel section, and it’s even located above the fold. It’s a very complimentary article all about you, the spa, and what a wonderful place it is to visit for anyone who’s looking for some rest and relaxation. It’s written by the Travel section editor, Mary McGregor, who writes a weekly column about hotels and resorts that are located within easy driving distance of San Francisco. She gives the spa a five star rating for its scenic location, good service, over-the-top accommodations, dining, and of course, the spa itself. Congratulations! Your phone will probably be ringing off the hook the rest of the day.”

  “Oh, Roger, that’s wonderful news. She was a guest a few weeks ago, and I was wondering if she’d write a review about the spa. While she was here, she became completely enamored with Brandy Boy and really loved the way he delivers a small bit of brandy to a guest’s cottage. I’m so glad she wrote a good article.”

  “I’ve saved the best part for last,” Roger said. “There’s a large photograph of Brandy Boy on the front page of the Travel section. Like you said, she must have really fallen in love with the big lummox. Here’s what she had to say about him in the article:

  “One of the more wonderful features of the rustic Red Cedar Spa is the presence of the owner’s giant St. Bernard dog, Brandy Boy. The St. Bernard breed was established years ago by Augustine monks who lived in the Swiss Alps and used the dogs to help rescue travelers who had become stranded in the winter snow. The dogs were equipped with a miniature wooden cask of brandy that was attached to their collars.

  At the Red Cedar Spa, the owner, Liz Lucas, has done something similar, but with a slightly new and wonderful twist. Brandy Boy, her huge one hundred sixty pound St. Bernard dog, has a similar miniature brandy keg attached to his collar, but rather than rescue stranded travelers in the Swiss Alps, he delivers a little bit of brandy to thirsty guests. Here’s how it works. If a guest has retired to his cottage for the night and wants to have a little nightcap consisting of a ‘wee’ bit of brandy before he goes to sleep, all the guest has to do is ring the small brass ship’s bell hanging on the outside wall of the cottage next to the front door. When he hears the bell, Brandy Boy runs to the guest’s cottage with the ‘wee’ bit of brandy the guest ordered by ringing the bell. Each cottage is supplied with a small jar of dog treats which are given to Brandy Boy as a reward for his faithful service, kind of like a tip a guest would pay for room service. Watching Brandy Boy make his deliveries is both wonderful and hilarious and is hugely popular with the spa guests. Some of them get such a kick out of watching him make his deliveries they’ve even filmed his antics on their cell phone cameras.

  However, be forewarned and stay out of the way of Brandy Boy once he hears the bell ring. The moment he hears it, he leaps up from his usual resting place on the front porch of the lodge and barrels down the steps at breakneck speed. The giant dog is so big that a collision with him would be sure to send you sprawling on the ground, or worse yet, break a bone, so be alert if you hear the little ding-ding-ding of a ship’s bell when you’re a guest at the spa.”

  “Wow, Roger, that’s wonderful. I’m thrilled with the publicity an article like that is bound to bring to the spa. Who would ever think that great big lumbering, and yes, slobbering, St. Bernard, would make the front page news? I’m sure it will be the last time he ever gets that much publicity.”

  Days later, Liz would look back on her statement and realize how wrong she had been.

  CHAPTER 3

  Liz looked at her watch as she walked over to answer the knock on the front door of the lodge. She glanced in the mirror next to the door whi
ch reflected an attractive full-figured woman in her early fifties with short auburn hair framing a heart-shaped face. Large green eyes looked back at her, set in an alabaster complexion. No one is going to ask me to star in a movie, but it could be a lot worse, she thought.

  Mark’s certainly prompt. It’s straight up noon. If the last couple of months are any indication, he’s going to be a huge help to me. I’m so glad Darcy asked me to speak to some of the seniors at the high school about a career in the restaurant and hospitality industry; otherwise I never would have found him.

  “Hi, Mrs. Lucas,” the tall lanky young man said when she opened the door.

  When he fills out a little more, just his looks alone will help him get a job in the best restaurants. With his dark brown hair, lively eyes, and that warm smile, he is one attractive young man, she thought.

  “What do you want me to do today?” Mark asked as he reached down to shake Winston’s offered paw. He was Liz’s big boxer Roger had given her for protection when one of the guests had been found murdered at the spa a few months earlier. From the moment the dog trainer brought Winston to the lodge, he decided his main goal in life was to make sure Liz was safe. Wherever Liz was, Winston was, right next to her or watching her, but always on the alert for possible danger.

  “Mark, Bertha told me yesterday we’re completely booked for the next two weeks. I’d like you to help me prepare as many things as we have time for that I can freeze for later use. That will make it so much easier if I get tied up with something else, and that seems to happen a lot around here. Roger called me this morning to tell me the lodge and spa was featured in the Travel section of the San Francisco Chronicle today. The writer gave it a rave review, so I have to make sure the dinner meals hold up to the guests’ expectations.”

  “Yeah, my mom saw it and showed me the picture of Brandy Boy. It’s a great picture of him. The only time I’ve seen that dog move with any kind of speed is when someone rings the bell outside their cottage, or it’s time for him to eat. Let me know which recipes you want me to prepare, and you can consider it done. Would that help?”