A Frozen Scoop of Murder - The Bundle Edition (Books One to Six): Cozy Mysteries

by Constance Barker

  A big smile erupted on Stormi’s face. Tony headed off for his next delivery as Stormi walked over to smell the flowers of her bouquet.

  A single tear streaked down her cheek as she bent to smell the pink asters. “I know I’m being silly, but this simple act tells me so much.”

  “What do you mean Stormi?” I asked.

  “Well, Greg is so wrapped up in his work sometimes that I wonder if he even pays attention to me.”

  “But he sends you flowers every week.”

  “Yes, and I know women would kill for such attention, but it was like he was going through the motions, like there was no feeling in it anymore. Just throw some flowers her way and she’ll be satisfied. At least that’s the way it was starting to feel. He’s at work most of the time and when we go out or at my place or his, the station is always calling.”

  Stormi pointed towards the bouquet. “But this gives me hope that maybe I’m not just a second thought to him.”

  I walked around the ice case counter and looked at her. “Stormi, you knew going in that Greg is a police officer who loves his work. I think him sending you flowers every week is his way of saying that you are on his mind, even if he can’t always show it.”

  That seemed to brighten Stormi up a bit and she smiled. “Maybe you’re right. I’m being too hard on him. He is quite the catch, isn’t he?”

  “Yes he is and so are you,” I said, wiping the counter down and then drying it with a clean cloth. “Just remember to let him know that every once and a while too.”

  The door chime tinkled and several customers came in to make ice cream orders and get an early sugar fix for the day. Of course, our next door neighbor, Bruce, came in to order his morning strawberry kiwi smoothie to take back to his office. Bruce leased the building next door to my shoppe….at least he did after the dead body was removed.

  “How’s it going this fine morning girls?“ Bruce asked as he grabbed a few napkins. “Ahhh I see someone got flowers again, but this time something new!”

  Stormi took a swipe at him with her dishcloth. “Can’t get anything past you.”

  Bruce pushed his straw out of its paper holder. “Don’t even try cupcake. My spidey-sense says a ring might not be far behind.”

  Stormi giggled. “Stop it!”

  Bruce looked at me and pointed at Stormi. “Look at her turning all shades of red.”

  Before I could reply, we heard screeching tires and a violent crash that sounded like the crushing metal. We all dropped what we were doing and ran to the large plate glass window to look outside. We saw what looked like a Chevy Malibu impaled on a parked SUV.

  “Call 911!” Bruce shouted as he ran out the door. Stormi grabbed her cell phone out of her purse as I followed Bruce. Winchester tried to follow me out the door, but I told him to stay.

  Bruce and I ran across the street to the Chevy. The airbag had deployed and the woman behind the wheel shook her head. The window was down and Bruce bent down to look inside the car.

  “Are you alright?” Bruce asked the woman who was trying to get her wits about her.

  “I think so,” she answered. She pushed the deflating air bag towards the steering wheel and tried to open the door.

  “No no,” Bruce replied attempting to stop her. “Why don’t we wait until the ambulance arrives before you start moving around.”

  At that moment, she started to cry. “I don’t understand what happened,” she said. “All of a sudden my brakes didn’t work.”

  “It’ll be okay,” I said trying to soothe her. “What’s your name?”

  In a shaky voice, she answered. “Sandra Morgan.”

  At that moment, I thought of Ol’ Charlie. We’d been so busy making sure the crash victim was all right I’d completely forgotten about Charlie. I quickly looked up over the carnage to where he’d been sitting on the bench only a few minutes before. And there he was. Safe and sound, taking a toke of his cigar like nothing had occurred only a few feet away. I guess when you storm Normandy Beach, a near hit with a car is child’s play.

  Once I knew Charlie was okay I turned my attention back to Sandra who started to cry. Bruce was looking under the vehicles to make sure there were no gas leaks as Stormi hurried across the street. I could hear sirens in the distance. We weren’t far from the fire station and the first response service.

  “Is she alright?” Stormi asked as she flew up to the car.

  “I think she’s okay,” I answered. “Just shaken up. She said the brakes stopped working.”

  “Oh my, you poor dear,” Stormi said. “That must have been scary.”

  “It was,” Sandra replied through her tears. I felt so bad for her. She was terribly shaken and we weren’t sure of injuries although she wasn’t complaining of pain, but she could have been in shock. I was happy to see the ambulance, fire truck, and two police cruisers arrive on the scene.

  Bruce told the officers he didn’t detect any gas leaks and the ambulance crew removed Sandra gently from the smashed car and onto a stretcher. Officer Greg Manning, Stormi’s main squeeze walked over to us.

  “Did you girls see the accident?” He asked.

  “No,” Stormi replied. “We heard the crash and then ran out afterwards.”

  “Alright, why don’t you take Charlie over to the shoppe so he’s out of the way until we can pry these vehicles apart and get them out of here.”

  “Can do Officer,” Stormi said seductively. “Oh, and I loved my bouquet.”

  Greg attempted to remain stoic, but it was difficult when his sweetie batted her long lashes at him. He gave her a quick smile and said, “I’m glad.” Then he turned around and walked back to the accident. That was as much as Stormi was getting out of him while on duty, but it was enough.

  Right then Paige, Bruce’s wife and my other best friend, came running up to us.

  “What in the Sam Hill happened here?” Paige blurted out. Before I could answer Stormi grabbed her by the arm and said, “Come on, we have to get Ol’ Charlie before he blows us all to kingdom come with one of his cigars.” With that the two scrambled across the street to move Charlie from the bench to his wheelchair and then into my shoppe.

  I walked back to The Frozen Scoop and found Winchester on his hind legs looking out at the commotion. “What’s going on boy?” I asked him. “Lots of excitement huh?”

  He let out a woof of agreement and continued to look outside. Several customers came in wanting scoops of raspberry sherbet and butter pecan while asking about the accident. I couldn’t tell them much as I hadn’t seen the wreck, only the aftermath. Bruce remained outside talking to the officers. I watched with amusement as Stormi and Paige ran after Charlie in his motorized wheelchair. He zigzagged around shards of glass from the broken headlights and the girls tried to keep up. It was comical as Stormi would zig as Paige zagged and the two of them kept bumping into one another while trying to keep up with Charlie who was oblivious to their cries to slow down. As he rolled up to my door, he waited for them to catch up and open the door to let him in.

  “Charlie, are you trying to kill us?” Stormi huffed and puffed.

  “Of course not,” he replied. “You mean you can’t keep up with an old man?”

  “Not when he’s strapped into a wheelchair with an engine I can’t.” Stormi replied as she opened the door.

  “Nope! Close it!” Paige barked. She looked at Charlie. “Going to have to put that cigar out big guy. No smoking in the malt shoppe.”

  Charlie took the cigar out of his mouth and promptly handed it to Paige. “Hang onto it for me won’t you.”

  Paige grimaced as she reluctantly took a hold of the cigar between two fingertips.

  “Can I open the door now?” Stormi asked, her eyes twinkling with glee.

  “Sure…why not,” Paige answered as she bent over to stub out the lit end of the cigar on the sidewalk.

  Charlie greeted the customers already in the shoppe. Almost everyone knew Ol Charlie, as he’d been a fixture on Main Street for
decades.

  “Stormi, could I bother you for a cup of coffee?” He asked.

  Stormi walked behind the ice cream counter. “Don’t you want some yummy ice cream Charlie?”

  “No dear, dairy hurts my stomach. A cup of coffee will do.”

  Stormi grabbed a cup. “So you want that black right or with sugar?”

  “A little creamer dear.”

  Stormi gave him a confused look. “Wait…what? I thought…”

  I grabbed her arm and shook my head. You don’t argue with Charlie…just do as you’re told.

  “Ummm okay, creamer it is,” Stormi replied still shaking her head.

  Paige walked through the door, put the now unlit cigar in a napkin and handed it back to Charlie. “Here ya go Charlie…save it for later.”

  “Much obliged,” he answered. I could tell from the little smile that danced across his lips he liked messing with Paige.

  Stormi brought him his coffee and he took a sip. “Wonderful my dear. Thank you very much.”

  “You’re welcome,” Stormi answered. “Now are you sure you’re okay? You didn’t get hit by any flying debris from the accident?”

  Charlie took another sip. “No…will the lady be alright?”

  “You mean the one in the accident Charlie?” Stormi asked. Charlie nodded.

  “She may have some cuts and bruises, but I think she’ll be okay.”

  Other customers streamed through the door wanting to know what happened and ordering various ice cream concoctions like malts, sundaes and smoothies. The day went by quick as customers came and went. Charlie was allowed to mosey on back to his bench in front of the hardware store after the vehicles were towed from the scene.

  Bruce and Paige went back to work in the building next door to mine. Bruce opened a financial planning business and Paige was helping out as part time receptionist. Sammy, their daughter, would come by after school to help Stormi and me with the evening crowd.

  It was 4pm when Sammy and her boyfriend Colton entered the shoppe. Before Stormi and I could say hello, Sammy was asking about the accident that morning.

  “So you heard about that huh?” I asked.

  Sammy put on her apron as Colton sat down at one of the tables. “Yes we did. In fact the woman in the accident is the stepmother to Colton’s best friend Jeremy.”

  “Oh wow,” Stormi exclaimed as she replenished the waffle and sugar cones on the counter behind the ice cream case. “Have you heard how she’s doing?”

  “They released her from the hospital,” Colton answered. “She’s shook up and they told her she might be sore for a few days, but other than that she’s okay.”

  “That’s good,” I replied. “She said something about her brakes not working.”

  Sammy pulled her long dark tresses back into a ponytail. “That’s what Jeremy told us as well. The car was totaled so they were going to take it to the salvage yard, but now it’s at the police station. I guess they’re checking it over to see what happened with the brakes.”

  Colton placed his ever-present laptop on the table and opened it. “Yes it’s odd because Jeremy and I took the car to the auto shop a week ago to have it serviced. You would think the mechanics would inspect the brake lines.”

  I put a small scoop of my new flavor Chocolate Explosion in a cup and walked around the counter to give it to Colton. “Here, try my new flavor and see how you like it.”

  “Thanks,” Colton answered.

  I knew he loved ice cream so named him my new taste tester. “That is odd about the service call. I don’t think I would want to take my auto there for a maintenance visit if they aren’t that thorough.”

  Sammy began emptying the trash receptacles scattered around the store. “Unless the brake line was cut.”

  Stormi dropped the ice cream scoop she held in her hand back into the water bin installed into the ice cream case. “You sound like your mother.”

  Sammy pulled the bag from the trash receptacle. “Is that a bad thing?” She smirked at Stormi.

  “Not necessarily,” Stormi teased back. “Evidently you have her suspicious streak.”

  Sammy tied the ends of the bag closed. “I’ve heard you have the same streak.”

  “My dear, suspicion is my middle name,” Stormi answered with a smile.

  “And she’s not kidding!” In walked the man who was becoming the love of my life. Stormi’s brother Brandon.

  If you told me this one year ago, or heck even 6 months ago, I would have laughed hysterically in your face. Brandon and I grew up with one another and the idea of us being a couple didn’t hit me until a couple of months prior. I began looking at him differently. Not as the mischievous boy he once was, but as the man he’d become. Hard working, humorous, giving and caring. Everything I’d been looking for in a man and hadn’t found was right under my nose the entire time. We’d been dating for around a month now and even double dated a few times with Stormi and Greg. But mostly we loved to pick up a pizza, rent a movie, and curl up with Winchester on the couch.

  So here he walked into the shoppe, his thick black hair tousled after a full day of work. His blue eyes danced as he walked over, gave me a kiss on the cheek, and sat down at the table with Colton and me.

  “Listen brother, you’re the one that made me this way…you and your impish ways,” Stormi said as she wiped the counter.

  Brandon ignored her. “So I heard about the excitement here on Main Street. Lucky that Ol’ Charlie didn’t become a hood ornament.”

  “Brandon!” I admonished. “Actually the entire episode didn’t faze him in the least.”

  Brandon leaned back in his chair. “Doesn’t surprise me a bit. The guy’s got nerves of steel.”

  “Uh oh…” Colton said with his mouth full of Chocolate Explosion. He stared at his laptop screen.

  Sammy walked over to him and looked at the screen. “What is it? Oh my gosh!”

  Stormi tossed the dishtowel she was using to wipe down the counter over her shoulder. “Good grief younguns…what is it?”

  Sammy pointed to the screen. “It’s the Caesars Creek Gazette online website. It says the police suspect foul play in this morning’s accident on Main Street.”

  At that moment, Paige and Bruce walked into the shoppe. “So I guess you’ve heard,” Paige said as Bruce took a seat at the table next to Brandon, Colton and I.

  “Just now,” Stormi answered.

  A few customers came in and I walked around the counter to take their orders as the others carried on their conversation. Winchester decided it was too noisy not to get into the mix and rose from his bed and promptly jumped into Brandon’s lap.

  Paige took a seat at Bruce’s table. “Mrs. Morgan said she had no brakes. I wonder if someone cut them.”

  Sammy pulled another full bag out of the trash receptacle in the rear of the shoppe. “That’s what I said.”

  “But who would cut the brake line on her car?” Bruce asked.

  Colton wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I know who she’ll blame.”

  Everyone turned to look at Colton. Stormi wasn’t much on patience. “Spill it kid.”

  Paige rolled her eyes. “Did anyone ever tell you how subtle you are?” She asked.

  Stormi looked at her as if she had two heads. “No.”

  Bruce muffled a chuckle and waved a hand at Colton. “Proceed son.”

  Colton turned off his computer and shut the laptop closed. “Jeremy Morgan is my best friend and Sandra is his step mom. His dad left his mom for Sandra several years ago. Jeremy’s mom wanted to move to New York, but Jeremy and his little brother Joshua didn’t want to be uprooted so they stayed on with their dad. Thing is, Sandra doesn’t like Jeremy although she will tolerate Joshua…maybe because he’s younger.”

  “How old is Joshua?” Stormi asked.

  “He just turned 13,” Colton answered. “Anyway there’s been a lot of fighting between Jeremy and Sandra. She keeps trying to talk his dad into shipping him off to NY but Jeremy wants t
o stay here, at least until he graduates. Caesars Creek is all he’s ever known. There’s no love lost between the two, so I’m betting she will blame Jeremy.”

  Stormi stood up. “Maybe she cut them herself.”

  Bruce shifted in his seat. “Storm, that’s crazy talk. You really think she would put herself in jeopardy like that. Pretty peculiar behavior if she did.”

  “She’s kind of wacko,” Sammy said. “I’ve met her a few times when Colton and I have gone over to Jeremy’s house.”

  “How do you mean?” Paige asked.